Archive for category Jodie Fleming-Stanley
Vikki Stone – Big Neon Letters
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Vikki Stone & the Flashbacks on August 13, 2011
COMEDY
****
Vikki Stone – Big Neon Letters
Gilded Balloon
An hour of late night comedy that epitomises exactly what the fringe is all about! From her platform behind her keyboard, she regales us with hilarious anecdotal skits of her life so far along with her future aspirations. Most of it’s slapstick, with the occasional heart melter that’s soon pulled back with a dark or edgy shocker befitting the show’s late night billing!
Much of Stone’s performance is communicated by the medium of song, as she dessimates the classics with parotic replacement lyrics that will forever stay with you! Searing one-liners are shot at us in a fast paced hour which will have you clinging to the edge of your seat in laughter, together with a screen of Stone’s memories as a visual accompaniment.
Disney and thrush, abba and incontinence, dildos and Gordon gopher – these are just a few of the topics close to her heart, as she muses on Pierce Brosnan and wonders about the big neon letters that this performance would imply she’ll be seeing real soon. Stone’s brand of bad (read as incredibly good!) is accompanied by an incredibly talented drummer and a. Guitarist; the trio making up a motley Crüe of mayhem that will have you pissing yourself into the next morning.
The Big Bite Sized Breakfast
Posted by Martin in Big Bite-Size Breakfast, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Pleasance on August 13, 2011
THEATRE****
The Big Bite Sized Breakfast
Pleasance Dome
360 Degree Vision are back with 5 fresh mini plays condensed into one seamless 60-minute show. Served with fresh coffee, croissants and strawberries, this was a sell out last year and is drawing huge crowds once again. There are 3 different ‘menus’ on offer, which means you can see this show on any 3 consecutive days and enjoy 15 different mini-plays. These plays may be bite-sized, but the subject matter is by no means small as they tackle original and not-oft seen issues. They’ve gone all out to find the most originally random yet deliciously enjoyable topics.
I attended Menu 1, and was treated to 5 flawless productions of various genre. ‘Rehearsal’ features a ‘relationsihp chameleon’ practicing a speech to win back his love. However things don’t go exactly to plan when they do come face to face. ‘Keeping Annabelle’ is a spoof kidnap plot, where the wrong victim is taken. The victim is most perturbed, ‘this is the worst kind of rejection I’ve ever had!’ and refuses to leave the basement. A poignant theme is tackled in ‘Stolen”, which confronts the issue of kleptomania. When the protagonist works her way up from stealing ties, to expensive pens, and ultimately to someone’s baby, the disturbing reasons behind this are revealed. ‘A Taste of Heaven’ is the humorous tale of an Iraqui warrior and his unintentional adventures on ‘an anti-gravity horse … travelling at warp speed’, which wins him awards for bravery. And my personal favourite, ‘Match Point’ – spoofing the internal dilemmas faced by 2 Wimbledon aces, the ball boy and the umpire.
5 well-produced and superbly acted pieces, by a fantastically adaptable and convincing cast of 4 who really brought these themes alive. I’m super keen to see the other 2 menus, as you will be too! Book now as this is heading toward another sell-out!
Lunch With Quattro Formaggio
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Lunch With Quattro Formaggio, Underbelly on August 13, 2011
COMEDY***
Lunch With Quattro Formaggio
Underbelly Cowgate
A licentious lunch date with 4 sizzling sex-loving kinky faux-Italian swingers! I wasn’t sure what to expect from this show, which is semi-set in the backdrop of an Italian restaurant. Semi because the actors narrate the fact that the italian restaurant concept is something they’ve chosen due to their love of pizza, and it was a quirky name that came to mind and they built the performance from that.
Other skits include a sexy version of blind date with questions like ‘how would you attempt to have sexual intercourse with me if you saw me exercising my glutes in the gym’ and what culinary innuendo would you use to have sexual innuendo with me on a date’. There is the expected swingers skits, though in both of these just as the 4-some are getting down and dirty, Andrew returns in pants, red socks and a gas mask and puts the quattro off proceedings. They gyrate around each other; simulate sex; grope each others’ body parts; feed chocolate cake and squirty cream into each others’ mouths; simulate blow jobs with feather dusters and indulge in a charity cream cracker eating contest.
The skits are so varied that it’s impossible for the actors to become typecast, which also means the audience doesn’t really develop a bond with them. I feel that so much emphasis is placed on having the sketches as overly sexed and shocking as possible (buying babies and removing their legs to make cake mixers) that it comes off as rather unconvincing. Undeniably the actors all totally committed to the roles, especially Andy and the more prominent female. Perhaps less sketches and tailoring the actors to their specific roles would elevate this a star, as there is definitely a niche for a totally over-sexed performance like this – especially at lunch time!
An enjoyable hour of scintillating comedy – just don’t go with anyone you wouldn’t discuss blow jobs and anal fisting with!
Meryl O’Rourke – Bad Mother
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Meryl O'Rourke - Bad Mother, Underbelly on August 13, 2011
OMEDY****
Meryl O’Rourke – Bad Mother…
Underbelly Cowgate
A one-woman show exploring how much of our personalities are shaped by the experiences of our parents. O’Rourke has a very sad and poignant story; her Jewish grand-father was killed in a concentration camp, and her mother – a half-german child at the time – witnessed him being taken away. This lead to her being a panicked, anxious, needy woman throughout O’Rourke’s life, affecting her social development and ability to be self-sufficient.
It sounds like this could be a depressing show, however the genre is very aptly comedy as O’Rourke’s way of presenting this in a palatable manner to the audience is to lather the topic in humour. ‘As a relocation specialist, Hitler beats the couple of cunts on Ch4 – because of the Nazis, I live handy for Oxford Street’. O’Rourke gives us an insight into the individual lives of those blighted by the holocaust, as well as the reverberating effects on the lives of generations much further down. O’Rourke is sure some of her mother’s parenting techniques were incredibly unhealthy and damaging – but processes this with her natural humour; ‘clearly my mother was actually a parenting maverick … they thought she was crazy in the ’80′s when she thought paedophiles were everywhere, but actually …!’ O’Rourke’s comedy career is a product of her mother’s insane obsession with showbizz, which included her mother taking her on stalking escapades at a time when celebrities listed their addresses in the phone book.
O’Rourke uses the visual queue of a washing line of family photos, and quips about how this will affect her own ability to parent her daughter. Already she feels she’s failed, like the time she turned up at the nursery in a PVC catsuit. She feels the biggest talents she have are things it would be inappropriate to pass down, like ‘how to give a great blowjob – that’s just something i can’t share!’
Meryl O’Rourke has a natural wit that few possess. Her material barely seems scripted, and she throws in shockers like she’s never known the existence of a moral compass. She is aware of her potential to offend though, and apologises at several key points throughout the show which detracts a bit. In order to successfully deliver cutting edge black humour, it has to be done with conviction and without apology. This show could easily be a 5-star.
Jo and Brydie Play Doctor
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Jo and Brydie Play Doctor, Jodie Fleming-Stanley on August 13, 2011
COMEDY***
Jo and Brydie Play Doctor
Gilded Balloon
Jo and Brydie are close friends who have written this material with the intention of playing doctor with the audience in order to heal each other, from real or perceived issues. The concept behind the show is to detail all the parts of their friend’s respective personality they feel needs changing, and together they’ll work at healing it. These philosophy and women’s studies majors-come-childrens entertainers are naturals on stage, and not even a small audience put them off. (I went to see this on the day the rain was falling in bucketfuls) In a definite demonstration of professional performers unphased by typical festival trends, they simply adapted the show to include more audience interaction than would normally be included. We were all asked our names, and given some confetti to throw over the pair when we felt something particularly exciting was happening.
Some of the issues Jo and Brydie tackled for each other were ‘Brydie has too many feelings’; ‘Jo Can’t Do Accents’‘; ‘Brydie is a sick little girl”; ‘Jo’s mum is dead’ and many more. Each of these topics provides the backdrop for comedic gems, where the problems aren’t necessarily tackled but the duo decide best how to work to cope with the problems that ensue from these. The parting conclusion is rather cheesily and predictably that the friends don’t actually want to change each other; however the exploration of flaws and issues that affect us all – peppered with Jo and Brydie’s unconventional humour – provides an interesting hour of comedy.
Jo and Brydie have a fantastic ease with the audience, as well as having well polished material and fantastic DIY props. I particularly liked the musical backdrop for the show, which was a series of fantastic megamixes and tunes including Peaches, Ja Rule and Beyonce. The first sketch was entirely through the medium of music, with Brydie coming onto Jo through song lyrics and Jo shunning her advances also via the mechanism of song. Bold but not breaking any comedic barriers, this is a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.
Sneasons of Liz
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, New Town Theatre, Sneasons of Liz on August 13, 2011
CABARET****
Sneasons of Liz
New Town Theatre
Liz Merendino stars in this fantastically innovative, impassioned glimpse into the formative years of a young woman blighted with allergies ‘so rich and so many that’ she made a show out of them. Merendino plays the part of Liz, who travels the world to escape the crush she’s developed on her step-father. She finds herself in oft comedic situations, with sexual liaisons which break her heart and force her farther round the globe. From the Venezualan cheat, to the London transvestite, and then the Tokyo deserter they all serve to distract Liz from her allergies – before breaking her heart and bringing them back with a vengeance. ‘Pollen comes from male trees – males are the problem!’ states Liz.
Merendino sings her way through the performance, with a velveteen jazz voice somewhat similar to Amy Winehouse. ‘Medieval Dress’ and ‘Stormy Monday’ were my favourite numbers, and the audience was mesmerised by this tiny beautiful woman with a voice which reverberated resoundingly throughout the theatre. Recognition is deserved also by Merendino’s male counterpart in the show, who is the most amazing piano player I have ever heard! And i’ve been to a lot of piano bars across the globe! He tinkled those ivories with such speed and precision that I was transported far into their world. He also spoke several languages and provided a male voice over where necessary. Merendino also projected the voice of her mother, utilising a higher pitched squal and a pair of Deidre glasses to complete the effect.
A sexy, soulful performance with a titilising yet charming appeal that will take Merendino far. This is only the start! See her while you can still afford her!
A Betrayal of Penguins: Endangered for a Reason
Posted by Martin in Betrayal of Penguins, Gilded Baloon, Jodie Fleming-Stanley on August 13, 2011
COMEDY***
A Betrayal of Penguins: Endangered for a Reason
Gilded Balloon Teviot
A Laurel-and-Hardyesque sketch show set on the date 22nd February. ‘Penguins’ alludes to the fact that the 3 cast members are dressed in tuxedos, although the attractive camp actor spends much of the performance in his pants. The 9 sketches are set in 3 locations – the Oscars, where the Penguins are involved in a plot to hide drugs in one of the Oscars; a Wedding – where the brother of the bride is coming on to the groom; and the Races – where the commentators are hiding secret spy codes in their announcements.
The acting in this performance is amazing and features mime; drag; gender play; singing; musical instruments and zombie eating. The Zombie scene was my favourite, and although the acting was great in places I also felt it was over-acted to a great extent in others. In particular Sketch 5 involving ‘Edward and Matilde”, which sees Edward return from war to have been replaced with Arnold. Only Jim Carrey can get away with such plastic-faced antics, and the screeching of the aforementioned pant-clad gent was so high-pitched that I thought a siren was sounding.
The material is fresh and unpredictable; so wacky that we literally don’t know what is going to happen next! With deaf drug lords and ‘dick fingers’ , rose rape and ‘cat grenades‘, this is a show where anything can happen. And the sketches are all tied up neatly in a bow at the end, which has the audience on their feet clapping with laughter. Altogether a fine way to spend an hour, and a talented display by these 3 fresh faced young things.
Hannah Gadsby: Mrs. Chuckles
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Hannah Gadsby: Mrs Chuckles, Jodie Fleming-Stanley on August 13, 2011
OMEDY****
Hannah Gadsby: Mrs. Chuckles
Gilded Balloon
Gadsby ambles on stage like she’s accidentally walked in off the street, making herself and an audience member a cup of tea. This sets the pace of the next hour, as Gadsby drifts into an incredulous observational narrative on the developmental aftermath of growing up in a small town. Gadsby describes herself as ‘starting off with 60%, often less … like merging a bicycle onto the highway’ and the audience are loving it. As she hands round jammy dodgers and tunnocks teacakes, she talks about her fascination with first impressions and final words, ‘I’m bad at both!’
Gadsby has practically trademarked this brand of lackadaisical, almost accidental humour which is so intrinsically part of her persona. She amuses us with detailed glimpses into her childhood – ‘I didn’t meet a stranger til I was 7 years old”, and how much of her youth was spent ‘hanging out with 70 year olds for biscuits.’ She seamlessly drops in edgy humour, ‘masturbating into a bread roll’ and how her favourite words are ‘cunt and biscuits. But not necessarily in that order’. We’re regaled with lively tales of Gadsby’s travels to Vietnam, ‘they hadn’t seen the likes of me – a half man/half woman/big assed creature …’ terrifying local kids with donald duck impressions and her attempts at becoming more socially evolved. The show starts and ends discussing the importance of one’s final spoken words, and there’s some fascinating research uncovered into both famous and ordinary peoples’ last words … something which Gadsby has an affinity with, and by the end of the show she reveals what she hopes her final words will be. With great audience interaction, especially aimed at latecomers and people whose phones go off! (you know who you are, Jesus!)
A fascinating glimpse into life in a small town; with a sociological overview of how butch lesbians are received around the globe! All the while kept light with some of the sharpest observational wit this fest. Gadsby is like a cross between a custard cream and a jaffa cake – comfortable, easy to enjoy yet with an edgy sting that will leave you wanting more. In the last week of the festival, Gadsby will be performing 2 daily shows at the Gilded – one at 2pm and the current one at 4.45pm.
The Thinking Drinker’s Guide to Alcohol
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Pleasance, Thinking Drinker’s Guide/Alcohol on August 13, 2011
COMEDY****
The Thinking Drinker’s Guide to Alcohol
Pleasance Courtyard
As the audience is seated, a voice-over dutifully warns us of the dangers of alcohol. Moments later, a hard rock soundtrack blares as McFarland and Sandham catapult into the room, distributing ice cold cans of Deuchars to the audience. Over the next hour, we are plyed with multiple shots of the finest vodka, tequila, tanqueray gin, kracken rum and absinthe as trays are continually passed round. This is the backdrop to an educational narrative on each spirit, with information on how it was discovered and its sociological context.
The purpose of the show is not to get the audience pissed. By providing small amounts of the finest of spirits, McFarland and Sandham are aiming to educate the audience into ‘drinking less but drinking better’. We’re given a comprehensive education on how alcohol has influenced society for the last 4000 years; from the first Scottish beer recipe of ‘hemlock, nightshade and cowdung’; to ‘the Ancient Greeks who shunned sober people’, and ‘why Allah banned alcohol for Muslims’. McFarland and Sandham revel in their very own brand of ‘info-tainment’, complete with props a-plenty and an affinity for the stage that has the audience laughing throughout. There’s the opportunity for audience interaction, which is rewarded with small gifts too. McFarland and Sandham explore the positive effects of alcohol through cultural references like Van Gogh and Picasso, while looking at negative historical examples of how alcohol has been the downfall of whole civilizations.
I love the original concept of this show. In giving out gallons of free booze combined with the narrative, they educate without patronising. McFarland and Sandham are huge and loveable personalities, with their broad cockney accents and suited and booted exterior, the audience can’t help laugh as they tell us to ‘get your laughin’ gear round that!’ And we do! I’ll never look at a tequila shot in the same way again …!
Diane Spencer: All Pervading Madness
Posted by Martin in Diane Spencer, Gilded Baloon, Jodie Fleming-Stanley on August 13, 2011
COMEDY****
Diane Spencer: All Pervading Madness
Gilded Balloon Teviot
Spencer begins her hour of madness with a lively anecdotal skit about her mother being car-jacked by a ferret. Spencer projects a nice girl-next-door image, yet as she progresses to a tale of being fingered by a stranger on her 22nd birthday while dressed as Supergirl (an exact replica of my own experience on millenium NYE) we get the distinct impression that things are going to get messy! From there, Spencer regales us with tales of how to cope with Sunday morning sex when you can’t be arsed with foreplay ‘just check for last night’s deposit … he thinks I’m so into it, but he’s actually just moshing last night’s porridge’.
Spencer is a natural as she brazenly slices through convention with edgy tales of ‘how not to get tea-bagged’, the man who wanted to put a ring on her finger (not of the metal variety) and having ‘a clitoris like a weeping purple grape’. In one short hour, she details her descent into a world of madness entailing ‘slapping a stripper on the vagina’ and how she very nearly ended up with ‘a tusk, a monacle and a mole ear-ring’. It’s easy to relate to Spencer with her coquettish yet flagrant charm, and as she fires her lightening bolts of humour at us it’s so funny because we know it’s all true!
Spencer is cute, candid and seems entirely without reserve – all the ingredients for kick ass comedy. This is an hour of dark wit and sparkling humour that will spoil you for the rest of the fest.
Roisin Conaty: Destiny’s Dickhead
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Pleasance, Roisin Conaty on August 13, 2011
COMEDY****
Roisin Conaty: Destiny’s Dickhead
Pleasance Courtyard
Conaty’s life is ‘a bit shambolic’. She literally doesn’t know what day of the week it is, ‘hasn’t owned an umbrella for more than four hours’ and ‘is lost 80% of the time.’ From the outset Conaty warms the audience, with a bubbly no-holds-barred exhuberance that tells us that for the next hour, anything goes! She quickly ascertains that the age demographic ranges from 20 – 82 years old, with the oldies on the back row heckling Conaty throughout – in particular around the subject of ‘sex buddies’ ! Conaty’s response sets the tone; a huge smile and guffaw at their front!
This show details Conaty’s fight against her seemingly chaotic destiny. She is disarray personified, and wants to get it together. Analysing those around her, she is bewildered with people who buy leather sofas; creepy dinner dates with so many candles they’re appropriate only for human sacrifice, and gets indignant about the audacity of holiday bloggers. She has her own solutions to smoking cessation which do not involve photos of dirty lungs and over-pricing, and she muses about hen weekends and memories of her 12 year old self discovering a hidden porn stash.
An hour with Conaty is like an hour with a very funny friend. Comedy just oozes out of her, every sentence dripping in a sticky humour that will have you wishing you really did have friends like this. A fast-paced hour which whizzes by with as much chaos and little resolution as Conaty’s own unapologetic pandemonium.
Mind Reading for Breakfast
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Mind Reading for Breakfast, Sweet on August 13, 2011
COMEDY***
Mind Reading for Breakfast
Sweet Grassmarket
Rob Bailey returns to the fest for another year, with his very own brand of early morning high spirits. Building suspense from the outset, the audience are invited to write a secret on a piece of card; seal it inside an envelope and put it into a locked box. This creates an anticipation of a greatness which isn’t quite delivered, but then Bailey never professes to be a ‘genuine’ mind-reader. A puzzle of a performance, where we decide whether ESP, Reiki and Freud are ‘mumbo jumbo’or fact. Although Bailey admits to having no psychic powers, in this one hour show he does pull off some impressive tricks that demonstrate his intimate knowledge of human behaviour, and his mastery at the art of suggestion in influencing/manipulating behaviours.
This is a heady combination of slapstick comedy, word-play and creepy dad-style sexual innuendo. Lots of sex-based puns which will definitely go over the heads of the young in the audience; however mostly these are just cringeworthy which is very definitely Bailey’s intention. There’s a transparency to many of Bailey’s illusions – though just when you think it’s all got a bit too farcical Bailey pulls it all back with something wonderful like the ‘Secrets Box Reveal’.
A chaotic yet cool hour of tomfoolery, served up with coffeee and delectable pain au chocolat. Definitely worth a visit.
Shakespeare for Breakfast
Posted by Martin in C Venues, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Shakespeare for Breakfast on August 12, 2011
THEATRE****
Shakespeare for Breakfast
C Chambers Street
There’s a reason this show sells out every year, and 2011′s contribution ‘Macbeth: The High School Years’ is another literary master-stroke. Juxtaposing the Bard’s iambic pentameter with such modernisms as i-Pads, Lady Gaga and spin the bottle, we explore the teenage years of Macbeth – or ‘MaccyB’ as his girlfriend calls him.
Felicity Russell excels as cheerleader Beth, who pushes her boyfriend Macbeth to pursue the esteemed role of ’head boy’ so that she can be ‘the most important person in the school’. To claim the title, the pair must humiliate and alienate their closest friends – resulting in a power-crazed Macbeth and a ‘gaga’ Beth.
Less actual Shakespearean content than in previous years, yet the content that does exist is tempered with genius. ‘Macbeth will be totes against this – he’s full of the milk of human kindness. Whereas i’m lactose intolerant’, drawls Beth. Macbeth seeks guidance from two Goths with sock puppets, and of course is ultimately restored. This is a family-friendly show, served with coffee and jumbo croissants. There is enough literary reference contained to keep fans of the Bard happy, while remaining totally accessible to those who just want something a bit different to start the day off with.
Jason Byrne: Cirque Du Byrne
Posted by Martin in Jason Byrne: Cirque Du Byrne, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Venue150 @ EICC on August 12, 2011
COMEDY
****
Jason Byrne: Cirque Du Byrne
Venue 150@EICC
Jason Byrne is one of comedy’s greats, and I found myself laughing so hard my face contorted into an ugly and uncontrollable grimace!
Byrne starts off with an energetic Irish jig, and then breathlessly explains that ‘like everything Irish, it’s sore and miserable’, and ‘it vibrates right through yer balls’.
Byrne speed balls from one topic to another, dropping pockets of humour that explode like grenades as he sends up the Irish ‘their job is to inject misery into other countries’; imitates Scottish people at a buffet and simulates sex between the holy spirit and the virgin Mary.
There’s a definite homo-erotic feel to the performance, as Byrne and two teenage boys get up close and personal by squeezing all 3 of their bodies into a pair of Spanx. And the parting scene finds Byrne massaging then beating the testicles of 3 teenage boys with glockenspiel sticks that gradually get bigger and bigger until they’re larger than a human head!
Byrne is a veritable volcano of wit, overflowing and deadly with a cheeky vitriol that will have you guffawing well past the hour you’re there.
Ford and Akram: Humdinger
Posted by Martin in Ford & Akram: Humdinger, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Pleasance on August 12, 2011
COMEDY
***
Ford & Akram: HumdingerPleasance Courtyard
A double act comedy featuring Louise, a nervous insipid creature lacking in confidence and Yasmin, a sexy cradle snatcher who steals childhood dreams. The converse personalities of the pair would be a bit more convincing had they been just a little less contrived and over-played.
The audience is taken on the journey of how the duo met, at a Bar Mitzvah. We flit back and forward to various events in their lives, like an interview with Colin Pharrell; an exploration in Puerto Rico and a transcripted date. There’s even a bog-standard M&S avert skit thrown in, and the highlight is a spectacular duet by the pair at the end.
Ford and Akram are both tremendously talented – that is absundantly obvious in the way the perform, move, mime and sing … and the chemistry between the two is electric. What we have here are four star performers with two star material. It’s still worth a watch of an afternoon – entertaining while you’re there, but nothing very memorable.
Tom Allen’s Afternoon Tea
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Tom Allen's Afternoon Tea on August 12, 2011
COMEDY****
Tom Allen’s Afternoon Tea
Gilded Balloon
A sumptuously pleasant hour with Tom Allen and his artful-dodger-meets-Harvey-Nicks decadent demeanour.
Allen interacts with his audience on everything from the London riots to religion, interspersed with tales of his antics like throwing a disabled man’s bag down the stairs and legging it.
Mincing through the hour with his customary Victorian upper class jargon, he introduces 3 guests to the audience, playing them with tea and cupcakes. First up was the uber hot Zoe Lyons, discussing the resurgence of political comedy and slankets and clowns. That’s my kinda juxtaposition right there! Next up was Rosalind Hanson of Shameless/This is England fame. A very bizarre and surreal character who could barely (a) stay awake; or (b) keep up with such highbrow questions as ‘did you hear about the riots in Nottingham, where you’re from?’ And finally Tom Clark, who talked rather glibly about gender stereotyping and the innate facism in Disney. Allen facilitated seamless and pleasant conversation with his own brand of camp humour thrown in.
Tom Allen is like a siamese cat. A little bit posh, a little bit cosy but he’ll rip your face off without a second thought … verbally of course! Quick-witted, intelligent humour that will leave you wanting more than afternoon tea.
Seminar
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Pleasance, Seminar on August 12, 2011
COMEDY
*
Seminar
Pleasance Courtyard
A 40-minute allegedly comedic glimpse at a spoof seminar on stress management. This is about as funny as it sounds, and seems to last 40 hours instead of minutes, as Feldhauser’s self-loving voice goes on and on and on in a resouding mass of sssssss’s that make her sound like Raa from the Jungle Book … only with less to actually say. She’s all words and no substance.
Her incessant waxy smile and boiling point voice chits us through a variety of stress-relaxing techniques, starting off confidently and ultimately mentally unravelling and emotionally unfolding. This is the spoof – that the acclaimed stress expert is a degenerating mess. As she lies motionless on the floor for several minutes, it’s only integrity which stops me leaving … and staying treats me to the horrific vision of Feldhauser heaving her whole body up onto a desk where she lies throwing oranges at the wall.
Car crash viewing …
Fiona O’Loughlin: Spirited
Posted by Martin in Fiona O’Loughlin: Spirited, Gilded Baloon, Jodie Fleming-Stanley on August 12, 2011
COMEDY
*****
Fiona O’Loughlin: Spirited (Tales From An Angel In A Bottle)
Gilded Balloon
I wasn’t sure quite what to expect from O’Loughlin, a pretty middle-aged mother of 5. Then she spoke … and from the outset, I and the rest of the audience was mesmerised! It’s clear to see exactly why O’Loughlin has taken Oz by storm; as she is quite the celebrity in her own right over there.
O’Loughlin unapologetically launches into a canded tale of her recovery from destructive alcoholism – a subject matter which could easily have come across as self-indulgent from a less skilled comic. O’Loughlin, with her I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude, regales us of drunken escapades dancing on tables, getting naked and using the F-word in front of the Queen. She laughs gleefully at the ‘red flags’ she ignored – the neglect of her children (I used to fry garlic to make them think I’d cooked …. It lifted the mood of the house for a few minutes); the loss of friends and alienation from her husband.
Candidly exploring her journey of transformation from the woman you couldn’t get rid of at parties; ‘grand mal hangovers’ and going to the AA because she loved the horrendous rock bottom stories …. there wasn’t one single point in O’Loughlin’s performance when I didn’t want it to go on forever!
O’Loughlin is a two-faced, manipulative, hypochondriac bitch with an opinion on everything. She uses people for cigarettes, thinks everyone is a fuckwit and is basically a walking menopause. She’s me in 30 years time and I fucking love her! I could listen to her all evening. This is a must-see show!
Chat Masala with Hardeep Singh Kohli
Posted by Martin in Chat Masala/Hardeep Singh Kohli, Gilded Baloon, Jodie Fleming-Stanley on August 12, 2011
COMEDY***
Chat Masala with Hardeep Singh Kohli
Gilded Balloon Teviot
In Kholi’s sell-out show, Loose-Woomen-Meet-Masterchef in this conversational ensemble. As Kholi knocks upa lamb bhuna and a tarka dhal, he introduces three other fringe acts to us.
The day I was there, he interviewed Dave Gorman (I found him to be very arrogant and a tad boring), Wendy Mason (local girl and former fringe fave; 8 months pregnant and doing 2 daily shows – girl power!) and then The Magnets (talented singers but also a beatbox dismal din that left me with a headache).
Kholi himself says he’s not trying to be cutting edge or break any barriers, which is just as well as this is not in any way edgy – but it is a nice, pleasant, middle class and fun way to spend an hour. Kholi says he’s about ‘bringing people together’, introducing us to new things – be it cooking, the ‘chutney challenge’, boring guests or Kholi’s fantastically delivered anecdotes about life as a fat muslin kid growing up in Glasgow.
My tip to you – do sit in the front row or the aisle seats, as these people are given small bowls of Kholi’s delicious-smelling good! And as its’ a chat show, there’s no requirement for audience participation up to this point…. So be brave! Those of us sitting up the back were left with growling stomachs, but still satisfied that the past hour had been spent wisely.
Croft and Pearce – Funnier than It Sounds
Posted by Martin in Croft and Pearce, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Underbelly on August 12, 2011
COMEDY***
Croft and Pearce – Funnier than It Sounds
Underbelly
A well-thought out sketch show with two naturally funny artists. The subject matter is topical but not exactly ground-breaking, though Croft and Pearce have put an original slant on it – eg a Royal Correspondent discussing ‘Kate Middie’s muff … is it pierced?’, ‘Pippa Middleton’s ass’ and stds; an envious creative writing teacher; an over-bearing brownies leader wanting to ‘sex things up’, and my personal favourite – a woman auditioning for an incontinence advert.
Croft and Pearce have a special chemistry, and deliver what is one of the most articulate and well produced sketch shows I’ve seen. Their characters vary throughout the production, and don’t fall into the ‘typecasting’ prevalent in other duo sketches.
A goodway to start your day of festival fun off, with lots of laughter and audience participation.
Phillipa and Will Are Now in a Relationship
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Phillipa&Will/Now a Relationship, Pleasance on August 12, 2011
THEATRE
***
Phillipa and Will Are Now in a Relationship
Pleasance Courtyard
This is one of those little festival diamonds … an unexpected treasure. We follow the formation and ultimate deterioration of Phillipa and Wills’ relationship, entirely through the medium of facebook statuses and actions. They ‘poke’, ‘lol’, ‘wink’, update drunk; they gush; share pet names (‘wiggleduck’) …
This 30 minute performance is one of two this year by Misshapen Theatre, and I’m now eager to see the other. This show is funny because it’s true! We laugh because we relate, and yet behind the surface layer there is also an insidious message creeping in … We ask ourselves, ‘when did the art of conversation degenerate so badly?’ ‘do I write such purile drivel?’ ‘I went swimming then I ate an apple’. There’s also a message about how much of ourselves we share in a very public way.
This is a whistlestop tour of internet dating in 30 short minutes! Go see this little gem – you won’t be disappointed!
Ali Cook – Principles and Deceptions
Posted by Martin in Ali Cook, Gilded Baloon, Jodie Fleming-Stanley on August 10, 2011
COMEDY***
Ali Cook – Principles and Deceptions
Gilded Balloon
Ali Cook is a magician, and his show has been selling out as word has spread. He impresses with a snappy start, as he sets fire to a cage; throws a curtain over it; removes the curtain and there sits his glamorous assistant. This is a fantastic family show with lots of illusions which will not be found at your average show.
I objected to Cook’s use of live goldfish in his show, which despite his great slight of hand I could see in both his right hand and his mouth. I’m a huge fan of illusion and magic, and therefore I could see how Cook conducted most of his tricks. Saying that, his slight of hand was top class and the average magic-lover would not be able to discern Cook’s secrets. He peppered his performance with a mix of cheeky and corny jokes, and went into detail about the history of magic including performing the only trick that Houdini couldn’t work out.
Cook is flashy, quick and original and will carve a name for himself as one of magic’s elite! Get in before this show sells out!
Sara Pascoe vs the Apocalypse
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Pleasance, Sara Pascoe vs the Apocalypse on August 10, 2011
COMEDY***
Sara Pascoe vs the Apocalypse
Pleasance Dome
Pascoe begins her show by telling us that last year her show sucked. Reviewers called her arrogant and her jokes were so bad they made the news. The self deprecation was intended to pave the way for an amazing show, and it did accomplish this. Although her stuttering manner throughout left me wondering throughout if reviewers had ever really called her arrogant, as I felt she lacked confidence on stage.
Pascoe is half-cockroach (on her father’s side) and she is the only hope for the human race. Throughout the performance, she discusses how she’ll repopulate the human race alone, and comes up with a set of ‘rules’ including spin-doctoring smoking as a positive (‘smaller babies can only be a good thing – especially if repopulating the whole human race’) and no more penis enlargements or fake orgasms. I particularly liked Sarah’s idea for a tshirt – ‘finish me off and I won’t go roaming”!
Pascoe’s show is hilarious throughout, and as she got more comfortable on stage half way through, she was on fire. Her material was well rehearesed and contained some really interesting parts, like the history of pornography and how she would reform this into a Porno-Graphic Novel for geeks. Pascoe propels the piece with the use of slides, which were a fantastic visual focus. With a bit more confidence and less disjointed parts, this show would easily be a 4-star.
The Beta Males: The Train Job
Posted by Martin in Beta Males: The Train Job, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Pleasance on August 10, 2011
COMEDY***
The Beta Males: The Train Job
Pleasance Dome
A panto-style sketch show on the theme of train travel. Peppered with political references of corruption and the crash of the stock market, this is essentially the story of a proposed theft of plans to make a new propulsion system that will make a train which can go from London to Edinburgh Waverley in an hour. Every sketch is written around this theme, with lots of audience prompts and props.
Featuring pink panther-esque sketches; dodgy French and American accents; stowaways singing their life stories; drag Titanic and the only child left in Berwick, the material was original, interesting and in places amusing. But it was also disjointed in parts, boring in parts and I found myself looking at my watch more than once. The audience seemed to find it hilarious and laughed throughout – though I perhaps wasn’t representative of the target demographic as the biggest laughs were generated from actors spitting water over either themselves or fellow actors. Strange considering the majority of the skits were impressively high-brow.
A pleasant way to start the day; full of intellectual humour but just lacking a little in the delivery and continuity.
Ruby Wax: Losing It
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Ruby Wax: Losing It, Underbelly on August 10, 2011
COMEDY****
Ruby Wax: Losing It
Udderbelly’s Pasture
A comedy on the subject of mental illness seems like a paradox, and few others could deliver such a topic in as articulate, sensitive and yet heartily humourous manner as Ruby Wax.
The pace of this show is a bipolar flurry; swinging between maniacal exhuberance and catatonic reflection. Wax presents us with a plethora of information on the phsyiology behind mental health, lathered in a candid portrait of her own experiences.
Wax smothers her descent into a nervous breakdown hell with such descriptive humour that the audience leaves both better-informed and invigourated. We haven’t been emotionally drained, and there’s room for self-analysis. Envy, narcissism and regret – these are Wax’s triggers, and as she passes onto us her successful distraction techniques from the evils within, we’re left with the distinct impression that maybe we do all have a bit of the crazy … and maybe Wax really has discovered ‘the manual’.
The let down for me was the Q&A session at the end. The success of this show, to me, is that removes stigma and ignorance around mental health in a very upbeat way - and i understand the aim of the Q&A is to reinforce this. However the dread that overcame me with the very real anticipation of fellow audience members emotionally whoring themselves was something very unpleasant to me.
Definitely a must-see! Wax is candid, informed and has all the answers!
