FESTIVAL COMEDY REVIEWS
KRISTINE LEVINE Tales of filth don’t quite transfer to stand-up ●●●●●
Kristine Levine has spoken previously of writing a book about her life and given the many tales she has at her disposal, it’s unlikely that writers block would be a problem. Whether she has chosen the correct route in stand-up to reveal the details of a pretty bleak, sordid history is up for debate.
It certainly makes for an uncomfortable hour to hear about her 13 years working in a porn store in Portland, Oregon, where one client died (she feels no guilt at having plundered his wallet) and another got so messed up in the ‘jack shack’ that he emerged minus his eyebrows. Still, if she can have a hearty laugh at her own endless misfortune, then that certainly gives any crowd carte blanche to let it out.
Though her closing anecdote is about one woman who vehemently objected to Levine airing her filthy laundry on stage leaving the comic with only one choice: she slapped the punter repeatedly in the face. It’s not especially funny, and feels as though it’s only been put there to prevent further after-show aggravation happening in Edinburgh. Fat Whore is a sad, sad show. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 26 Aug, 10.15pm, £10 (£9).
THROUGH THE LOOKING SCREEN A black tale of loneliness and log-ins ●●●●●
The experience of turning The Office into an operatic extravaganza for Comic Relief in 2009 clearly gave Anne Chmelewsky a taste for the comedic possibilities of a musical form normally associated with grim tragedy. But the ‘high heels and high Cs’ story of a fictionalised internet stalker Annabel Clark, certainly lends itself to black humour. Having had little luck in the relationship stakes, Annabel becomes slowly obsessed with a work
colleague, Sebastian Smith, but finds it impossible to take any steps to realise her intentions face-to- face, preferring to open a bottle of white wine and log-in to follow, update, tag, untag and tweet her way to happiness. But what if the object of her desire isn’t who she imagines him to be? Through the Looking Screen can be read as not just being an exploration of how we find love in a modern, techno-driven world, but how an over-reliance on social media networks is helping to culti- vate a generation of lost souls who hide behind Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Are these imperson- al tools the only means by which we can achieve some sense of worth now? At one point, Annabel interrogates our live pianist (the half-French, half-Scottish Elizabeth Challenger) on how she met her husband and is knocked sideways with the revelation that you can actually encounter someone for the first time in a public place.
On this review date, the part of Annabel was taken by Amy J Payne (a founding member of The
Bombshellettes, the UK’s only 15-piece all-female swing orchestra) and she gives it plenty as the tale of creeping neurosis and lonely obsession intensifies. A one-woman operetta about internet stalking is certainly a novelty in the comedy section of the Fringe programme and while there’s no doubting the skill of all involved, the laughs don’t exactly come thick and fast. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 22), 3.35pm, £10–£11 (£8.50–£9.50).
IAN SHAW Comic jazz set about modern woes ●●●●● JACK JEROME Energetic but ill-fated character ●●●●●
Celebrated jazz pianist, singer, producer and come- dian (take your pick) Ian Shaw doesn’t have to prove anything. His work with renowned vocalists, artists and studios has earned him the right to step back a little. But in this breezy show, Shaw blandly tackles his own introspection, confronting middle-age while exhibiting an impressive musical prowess.
This show is mainly for people who know Shaw already. There is nothing to dazzle or attract new spectators, only a collection of daft singalongs and intricate ditties. The tunes are performed with tech- nical virtuosity, occasionally improvised and seam- lessly linked. It’s a playlist filled with heartache and wistfulness, longing for the days of 49p records in Woolworths and ridiculing contemporary life. This is something the show should focus on, as the hurt in Shaw’s lyrics is trivialised by jokes and parodies. Clearly, he doesn’t want to project any- thing too serious, but there is a natural depth to Shaw’s music which is richly sonorous. If he angled his routine this way, it would have far more sub- stance. (Andrew Latimer) ■ The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 26 Aug, 10.35pm, £10.
Some comedy creations are just too success- ful for anyone to even attempt a retread. There will never be another Pub Landlord thanks to Al Murray’s world domination of that character type. In Edinburgh Fringe terms, anyone who comes along with a motivational speaker/life coach act will have Will Adamsdale to answer to. His Perrier win of 2004 with Jackson’s Way pretty much sealed the fate and raised the bar too high for anyone wishing to hit the mark, as Jack Jerome finds here. With his Journey of Life, it’s too much of a tall order for him despite an energetic performance and relatively non-threatening audience interaction. Unsurprisingly, the DNA of Partridge and Brent have been poured into Jerome’s veins as he wields his various techniques at making all our lives better. With fairly hollow material to work with and few dis- cernible improvisational skills to speak of, he is una- ble to push through the initial promise. The weight of history as well as a dodgy script are too much for Jack Jerome to bear. (Brian Donaldson) ■ The Tron, 556 5375, until 26 Aug, 2.20pm, £8 (£6).
38 THE LIST 16–23 Aug 2012