Archive for category Gilded Baloon
Love Songs for a Timewaster
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Gilded Baloon, Love Songs for a Timewaster on August 27, 2011
THEATRE**** Love Songs for a Timewaster
Gilded Balloon
Nobody is perfect, but how much imperfection should you put up with before you jump ship? This heartfelt and hilarious one-man musical, packed with beautiful new acoustic songs, is a route map for how to fall out of love with a person and fall in love with life. Featuring leading Scottish playwright Iain Heggie and John Kielty from Edinburgh rock band The Martians.
It’s good to see Heggie back at the Fringe, following a six year absence, with two new solo shows. Love Songs For A Timewaster, was apparently developed from his experimental work-in-progress show Wide Asleep which fused theatre with cabaret, live music and stand-up.
This is an autobiographical piece from Heggie – an out and proud gay man. The story depicts his journey with a younger man who also has girl in the back ground. It makes for an interesting watch and the songs are very melodic with a strong Scottish folk sense to them.
The whole show is hugely poetic, which truly relaxes the soul as the melodies soar around you.
Black Slap
Posted by Martin in Black Slap, Brett Herriot, Gilded Baloon on August 25, 2011
THEATRE**** Black Slap
Gilded Balloon
October 16th 1964, the boys dressing room of the Victoria Palace Theatre, London’s west end, Harold Wilson has just won the general election taking the Labour party into power then Mostyn Thomas switches off the radio it’s time to get ready for the evening performance of the Black and White minstrel show. So begins this exciting, warm and funny play from Paul Haley.
We all know what happened in the years since the Minstrels were deemed racist and removed from TV but at one time the show was massively popular and indeed the stage show ran for ten years between 1962 and 1972 at the Victoria, it’s here we meet Mostyn the head boy of the company played with revelry by John Griffiths, the half has just been called and it’s time to start blacking up for the show. As a veteran of many a dressing room the capturing of back stage politics is flawless added to this is the fact the troupe have been invited to perform with the Beatles at the 1964 royal command performance but not all the performers will appear before her maj, cue backstage in fighting to hilarious effect. The small company play the roles with conviction and completely bring to life a time with a lot less political correctness than now.
Peter Whitfield excels as Roy, the union official who is getting older and fatter and deemed unsuitable for the queen. Wide boys Merv the Aussie played to perfection by Will Chitty and Dave played by the gorgeous Tommy O’Neill who has a body to drool over! Completing the line-up is Marc small as Pyrex the boys dresser and the head girl of the Wendy played by Sarah Redmond. The show is extra special with addition of well know drag artist Dave Lynn playing the role of Big Mary, the minstrels resident drag queen who misses out performing for a bigger queen than him. It’s so refreshing to watch Dave out his trade mark wig and glam frocks showing just how brilliant an actor he is!
The show is actually 30 minutes shorter than advertised and feels just right, so if you want a lunch time comedy play that brilliant marks a time so different from now then you won’t be disappointed with this show.
The Prodigals
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Gilded Baloon, Prodigals on August 22, 2011
MUSICALS** The Prodigals
Gilded Balloon
The Fringe is often used as a testing ground for productions which is hoped by their producers will make their way into the West End of on UK tour. Inspire Productions still has a long way to go before letting this musical loose in such circles.
The plot is essentially two different stories thrown together with a very weak link. Kyle Gibson is the son of Luke Gibson a man from the military who has two sons’ one of which has followed him into the army and the other; Kyle has launched himself on a pop career with tragic effect. His co singer Kelly Byrne (Lucie Jones) dies after an overdose of heroin supplied by Kyle. What we see afterward are the effects on those left behind as they continue with a life further strained by the reality of being in the military.
What we get and indeed what is stated in the program is a the current public view of the military mashed up with the recent death of Amy Winehouse, which let’s be honest is a bit quick to be using in any form on stage. The show doesn’t know what it wants to be in the first 30 minutes it’s a kind of mishmash of top of the pops numbers which are obviously being lip synched, with the deep emotional and well played out military sections looking at life on the front life of conflict. The show does have good ideas but together it doesn’t really work. The second half of the show does begin to show a quality piece of musical theatre but it’s not enough to save it. The fact there are eight writers alone working on the music really says something. The producers need to rework the first 30 minutes and replace the remainder. Somewhere within this production is a new musical which will – given a chance – find an audience.
The Axis of Awesome
Posted by Martin in Axis of Awesome, Brett Herriot, Gilded Baloon on August 19, 2011
COMEDY**** The Axis of Awesome
Gilded Balloon
Jordan, Lee and Benny return to the fringe for their fourth season at the gilded balloon and they are packing them in!
The Axis of awesome have become somewhat of a fringe success story having started at the gilded balloon at the tiny sportsman’s theatre and working their way up the building to the debating hall which is the venue’s biggest theatre for this year’s show. What the three Aussie lads do is portray a rock back with a twist, they are happy to steal others tunes as well as present their own comedy efforts. Their humour is taken from observations on daily life as well as the cheesy side of modern pop music.
The music is always intercut with comedy asides but the joke surrounding Benny’s height is getting very old hat, which is why the review is four stars not five, if the boys are able to change their musical material so well then they must alter the comedy to match it. There were some pretty clever moments and a tribute to Harry Potter unlike any other I’ve ever heard.
The hour soon whips by with hits such as “floppy guy” and “KFC” getting the audience cheering. The axis became a YouTube sensation with a track called “4 chord pop” which splices together around 15 songs using the same four chords of music to brilliant effect. Thankfully the boys are always changing the make-up of this section keeping it fresh and getting huge roars of approval when they closed the show with it.
The show is sold out well in advance of the 21:30 slot so make sure you’re there early to get a ticket to the Axis and discover why there so awesome!
Scott Capurro’s Position
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Gilded Baloon, Scott Capurro's Position on August 17, 2011
COMEDY*** Scott Capurro’s Position
Gilded Balloon
The chat show continues to appeal to many stand-up comedians as an additional show during the festival. The Gilded balloon has placed Scott in the talk show chair alongside David Mills making it a truly gay and camp chat show hour.
The guests at my viewing were the immaculate and articulate Simon Callow who is enjoying a sell-out run with Tuesday at Tesco’s. He was completely engaging and got a great reception from the audience. The interview was intercut with a performance from Northern Theatre Companies “Sweet Charity” which gave the show variation.
The show is not bad overall and there are laughs to be had but you do kind of feel that is just a filler show in the gilded diary, one of which isn’t getting sell-out crowds to attend. The acts feature can’t all be to the standard of Mr Callow and “Sweet Charity”, therefore on a bad day it’s probably hit and miss.
If you’ve got an hour to spare around late afternoon then this show is good way to fill it. Watch out for Scott’s trademark sassy humour which is aimed at the gay audience but works just as well on those who aren’t LGBT.
Three Sisters by Anton Chekov
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Three Sisters by Anton Chekov, Tony Challis on August 17, 2011
THEATRE
****
Three Sisters by Anton Chekov
Gilded Balloon
Presenting a major classic drama at midday at the Fringe is a challenge; this is usually seen of an evening over 3 hours, not 90 minutes straight off. However, the size of the audience for this show and the applause says what needs to be said about the quality of the production.
The atmosphere is quickly established as we see the various desires and yearnings of the sisters. Amy Melissa Bentley as Olga, Aline O’Connor as Irina and Samantha Tuozzolo as Masha all inhabit their characters with a satisfying depth of commitment. John Stegmaier as Andrey gave a very convincing performance as a man who knew things were not going as ideally planned but who was determined to forge ahead without openly acknowledging this, and continuing to demand respect no matter how things may fall apart.
Conor Daniel Bartram was a thoroughly ominous and unsettling Chebutikin; Andrew Hendrick as Kulygin carried off a senior part to excellent effect, and Anthony John Mendoza was a very charming Tuzenbach.
It was impossible not to become engrossed in this production, no matter how many other “Three Sisters” one had seen before. If this company returns to the Fringe I shall certainly look out for them. They can clearly be relied on to provide quality and thought-provoking entertainment.
Milo McCabe: Get Brown
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Martin Walker, Milo McCabe: Get Brown on August 14, 2011
COMEDY
****
Milo McCabe: Get Brown
Gilded Balloon
The hardest working comedians are the character comics. Whilst performing, every stand-up comedian is in character to some extent, as exaggerated versions of themselves. Milo McCabe, and his like, invent whole new personalities from scratch and then try and get funny with them.
In ‘Get Brown’, McCabe performs as four unique characters – taking part in a spoof daytime television chat show.
Philberto, the Portuguese warm up man, kicked off proceedings. McCabe has been performing as Philberto for years and the poor treatment this character receives tonight signposts the desire of McCabe to move on. Tyson Moon, son of 70’s Irish legendary comic Kenny Moon, was the first guest. Moon is as old school as his dad and the further McCabe pushed it – including some racist material – the funnier this character was.
The second guest was camp Liverpudlian, Anthony Sixsmith, the new age drummer. Ripping the proverbial out of bad science healing therapies is always good for a laugh, and here it was intelligently done, if not very sympathetically. Finally there was Australian, Nobbo Johnson, the ex football player turned culture commentator. Imagine David Beckham on NewsNight Review and you’re there.
The genius of McCabe is that each character is so unique, if they weren’t appearing in the same show, you might wonder if they were actually real. The script was strong and there was plenty of audience interaction, with running gags gluing the whole thing together. All in all, a very funny and very satisfying hour.
Colm O’Regan: Dislike! A Facebook Guide to Crisis
Posted by Martin in Colm O'Regan: Dislike!, Gilded Baloon, Martin Powell on August 14, 2011
COMEDY
****
Colm O’Regan: Dislike! A Facebook Guide to Crisis
Gilded Balloon
In spite of the title this is not really about Facebook, although there are lots of references to it. We get a Powerpoint presentation with the look and feel of Facebook about the history of Ireland, where writing on someone’s wall has an entirely different meaning if they live in an end terrace in Belfast or Derry.
We are led through the life of the performer, from the unfashionable end of Co. Cork, growing up in the village of Dripsey, to his life in Dublin, through the financial crisis and beyond in a hilarious and intimate way. By the time he got onto the subject of idiotic solicitors’ letters, of which I’ve had a few, I was so drawn in I found myself in conversation with him and it took me a few seconds before I thought to myself “shut up you idiot, these people have come to see a comic genius not the ramblings of a jaded hack”.
Sadly readers of this publication will have to put up with the latter unless they have the good sense to see this show. I’d advise seeing it soon, when word gets out of how good it is tickets will be like gold dust.
Barry Cryer: Innit
Posted by Martin in Barry Cryer: Innit, Gilded Baloon, Martin Powell on August 14, 2011
COMEDY
*****
Barry Cryer: Innit
Gilded Balloon
Innit a stupid title? Yes, and that’s about the worst I can say about this show.
For several years before everyone was wandering round with a laptop I developed a habit of sitting in a large throne like chair in the Gilded Balloon’s Library Bar each evening and writing up my notes. One year it wasn’t there and Karen Koren, who runs the venue, came up to me and said “Barry Cryer’s using your chair in his act this year”. I was not sure whether to react to this by feeling I must have become part of the furniture at the Fringe or, as the Gilded Balloon is a university building and I had a chair there, that was the closest to a professorship I was ever likely to come. Barry Cryer is still using that chair.
He prefers to perform in a small space and for the last couple of years I’ve chosen not to see him so that others can have a chance. This year I decided to indulge myself and I’m glad I did. A majestic magic of mirth from a master.
We are taken on a somewhat unlikely A-Z of comedy ranging from Dave Allen, who Cryer has written for, via Bogart, Euclid, the Falklands War, Pete Postlethwaite, all the way to the Zimmer frame blues. But if you ask me whether Humphrey Lyttelton was H or L I’m sorry I haven’t a clue.
Cryer may now be 76 but he is clearly a long way from a Zimmer frame, and long may it last that way. Keep that chair Barry, you are making far better use of it than I ever could or would.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Oxford Imps
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Joshua Hepple, Oxford Imps on August 12, 2011
COMEDY
****
The Oxford Imps
Gilded Balloon
Back once again, at this year’s Fringe are the Oxford Imps with their high levels of wit and ability to think very quickly. These talented actors fail to discipline the audience – the whole idea of this performance is that the audience controls the show. They tell the performers the subject of each scene, it’s then up to the Imps to literally imagine a scene relating to that idea. It takes a lot of hard work and training every day to be able to improvise so quickly. The audience is managed by a compere, who encourages them to shout out ideas at appropriate moments. The compere at today’s show had a brilliant amount of energy, and made the sow what it was.
The Imps have many different talents that are put to the test in the performance, from making up jokes on a random subject to singing to one of the Imps playing the keyboards, for the duration of the show.
Improvisation is a very hard skill to learn, and I credit the performers for this ability though more and more and more improv acts are coming to the festival , and the Oxford Imps are now facing very tough competition from other similar acts. They need to gain a unique skill before they can be the best and currently, I cannot see what makes them superior to any other talented improvisation acts.
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!
Scott Capurro’s Position
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Jodie Fleming-Stanley, Scott Capurro's Position on August 10, 2011
COMEDY**** Scott Capurro’s Position
Gilded Ballon
This is one of two shows Capurro has this festival, and this one is a two-man chat show he presents with the amazing David Mills. Together, these two queens are invincible – with their acid humour and knowledge about everything on the planet!
They introduce a different panel of guests every day, and when I was there it was Nicholas Parsons (I found him rather arrogant); Melvin Brown (maniacally laughed the whole way through his interview – he’s either the cheeriest or highest man alive!) and Dave Lynn (a.m.a.z.i.n.g. live singing drag queen – I want to see his show now!!) Capurro and Mills are stronger than the sum of their guests, although taking the entities of Mills and Capurro and knowledge of their existing chat show in London, I thought the result would be verbal carnage. However instead of a diatribe of abuse, the interviews were really well structured. Capurro and Mills clearly had a lot of respect and adoration for each of their guests, and this showed another dimension to both of their personalities. This is a professional yet funny show, which is more like a big group chat show as Capurro and Mills invite total audience interaction too. Capurro throws in a bit of controversy – ‘women can’t do comedy because they have feelings” yet it’s all so tongue in cheek that even a militant feminist can’t get too pissed off. Mills’ perspective on showbizz – ‘Iit’s not all cocaine and blowjobs from Paloma Faith … you’re lucky to get a titwank from Peaches Geldof’
A fantastic way to spend an hour, in the company of two amazing men who will have you in rapturous laughter! Capurro and Mills acidly take on the world, while showcasing the best of the fest.
Jessica Fostekew: Luxury Tramp
Posted by Martin in Gilded Baloon, Jessica Fostekew: Luxury Tramp, Jodie Fleming-Stanley on August 10, 2011
COMEDY***
Jessica Fostekew: Luxury Tramp
Gilded Balloon Teviot
Fostekew presents us with a one-hour drawl on her love of oxymoron and how this applies to her life. She self indulgently regales us with tales of dom perignon and kebabs and air-drying her hands in the toilet and then putting on posh hand cream. The pedant in me wants to scream that everything she mentions is actually ‘ironical paradox’ and technically not an oxymoron, but hey what’s in a word?
Fostekew is confident and her performance is solid. She gifts every audience member with a fan with lots of jokes handwritten into it. This is a lovely gesture; not only because the Wee Room can get a bit hot but also because it’s just kinda quirky and cool. Which kinda sums up Fostekew. She’s not the funniest comedienne I’ve ever watched but there is definitely lots of moments where i find myself laughing, almost unwillingly, as the middle/upper class decadent persona Fostekew presents kind of grates … particularly as she tries to convince us really she is just one of us – she’s so ‘street’ she even calls badmington ‘badders”….
Highlights are Fostekew’s impression of a cow, and an excerpt of her other job – reading the traffic report on the radio. The audience went mad for those! This is definitely a show to see. A great family-friendly way to spend an hour.
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Gilded Baloon, Showstopper Improvised Musical on August 9, 2011
MUSICALS**** Showstopper! The Improvised Musical
Gilded Balloon
Showstopper returns to the Gilded Balloon for its fourth year in a row and grows ever more popular thanks to the amazing talents on stage.
The Key to understanding showstopper is that the show doesn’t exist until the audience arrive and start giving ideas to the narrator played by showstopper co-founder Dylan Emery. At the performance I attended the audience came up with bumbleland, the bees versus the wasps and the search for the truth beyond the cupcake tree. Once the idea is establish the talented cast begin the hour long musical with the narrator interrupting and either enhancing the direction of the musical or altering it completely. Small things like a microphone failing are quickly written in with the object being that by the end of the hour there is brand spanking new musical ready to be delivered to theatre producer known only as Cameron.
I was genuinely stunned by the excellent improvisational skills of everyone involved; being able to produce both ballads and huge musical numbers of the cuff is a unique talent. Credit also goes to a very gifted Lighting operator as he too works hard creating of the cuff lighting states and special effects.
The production works so well because it uses a cast of well-established professional musical theatre improverts and one who shone for me was Pippa Evans playing the warlock her voice was resonant throughout.
The hard thing about reviewing such a show is that it is so unique; the musical I saw will never be seen again! I thoroughly recommend going along and experiencing the musical magic of Showstopper! The Improvised Musical.
Briefs
Posted by Martin in Briefs, Gilded Baloon, Rex de Vil on August 9, 2011
COMEDY
***
Briefs
Gilded Balloon
ScotsGay readers have no doubt already heard about this show – a troupe of attractive young men have descended upon Edinburgh in skimpy outfits with a selection of circus style ‘displays of flesh’. The result? – an entertaining evening that needs to review certain elements of its structure before being transformed into something grand.
Visiting the festival for the first time, these Australian beefcakes are an able bunch. Opening the show with a humorous boylesque routine, we are then treated to a succession of acts ranging from majestic aerial routines to plate spinning. Blah blah.
Another highlight was the selected soundtrack – a series of pumping remixes of both contemporary pop and camp classics that had me wishing the venue allowed space to dance rather than remain seated as if at a school assembly we wished we all experienced aged eitght. The work of personal heroine Roisin Murphy made an appearance in an aerial number of impressive quality and slick executions that had me mesmerized by its juxtaposition of elegance and the chiseled male form.
The central reason as to why this show can’t earn the extra stars it has the potential to acquire is the ability of the MC. Although with charm, his anecdotes are essentially unfunny, unable to sustain the audience’s interest during the lengthy interludes between the separate acts (understandably long lasting due to the set change procedures required for installing apparatus for aerial displays and the like). Were he to tighten his routine the sense of fun conjured by the various acts would flow completely through the night, rather than dipping and ascending as it did. This would ensure that the late night scheduling of the show would not affect the audience’s enjoyment – it must be noted that some audience members did leave yawning in the brief five-minute interval given.
DeAnne Smith: The Best DeAnne Smith DeAnne Smith Can Be
Posted by Martin in DeAnne Smith, Gilded Baloon, Sophie Alexander on August 7, 2011
****
DeAnne Smith: The Best DeAnne Smith DeAnne Smith Can Be
Gilded Balloon
DeAnne Smith is rather charming. She is also fairly laddish, a touch self deprecating and a little manic too. Not exactly all things to all men.. but she’s damn well trying.
The fact that Smith appeals to all sorts is a testimony to her show and herself. Her comedy is polished and perfectly precise. A hair doesn’t fall out of place from her side swept haircut (what is it with lesbians and their fringes?), yet she makes the time to gently mock herself, referring to the fact she does look rather like the geeky hybrid love child of Justin Bieber and Harry Potter.
Her punch lines are delivered swiftly yet it does seem as though she has perfected her routine a little too much, perhaps newcomers’ nerves at wanting to make everything perfect. But then comes the undoubtable highlight of her set; ‘Six and a Half Minutes of Bonus Hilarity’. Bruce the tech sets a timer and off she goes, chatting with the audience and finding herself amongst a self confessed polygamist and a young teen with daddy issues. Smith interacts so naturally and confidently with a small room of strangers it makes me think she should spend a little more of her set straying from her material.
For the past hour, like HP himself, Smith has been casting a spell over the audience and is now about to sever the connection. This lady is a brilliant comedian, perceptive and original and as an audience member I do feel as though I have fallen for her charms. The break up is swift, but I have no doubt she’ll be entering into our lives once more, on a much bigger stage.
Bob Downe: 20 Golden Greats
Posted by Martin in Bob Downe, Brett Herriot, Gilded Baloon on August 7, 2011
COMEDY**** Bob Downe: 20 Golden Greats
Gilded Balloon
Mark Trevorrow brings his masterful creation back to the Fringe after a five year break and boy is he back with a bang.
Bob Downe is now quite rightly a legend of the Fringe scene having more than 15 festivals under his belt beginning before the boom of the comedy section he lead the field with his blend of comedy, music and campery.
Does its still work in today’s fringe? Yes it certainly does, what makes his show stand out is Mark’s complete conviction when playing the character so much so it’s hard to tell were Mark ends and Bob begins. The idea for this production is a look back at Bob’s 20 golden great records from his lounge singer infused collection with a smattering of quiz question with prizes on offer to the audience and some camp comedy helped along with an audience member who just happened to be called Gay (short for Gaynor no doubt).
The non-stop energy of Bob ensures the hour flies passed without slowing even when his radio microphone ran out of battery and a member of the Gilded Balloon technical crew became part of the action it remained hilariously funny throughout.
Bob completes the show with a slew of crowd pleasing numbers which had the capacity audience cheering him to end and even down to the café bar afterwards for a special meet and greet session with The Man Himself. This is one show that will enjoy a sell-out run in the festival so grab a ticket while you can!
