Edinburgh Fringe Dispatch #2
A week of comedy reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe
Hello!
Welcome to the MID-POINT of Edinburgh Fringe!
Here is number two of the three Edinburgh dispatches you’re getting as I enter my final week here. I can’t believe it’s only halfway through the festival; I do feel like we have all lived here since birth. But what a week it’s been.
You’ll be pleased to know I made another scheduling error, but I think it’s healthy to keep making that one mistake a week, just so you remember that I’m a human being – I know sometimes it’s easy to forget when I see more comedy than is humanly possible.
Before I get fully onto the reviews, I want to invite anyone and everyone in Edinburgh to a party! If you’re here, you might have seen that our beautiful magazine FringeBEAT is back and available to pick up at various venues around Edinburgh – to celebrate, we’d love you to join us at our show/party on August 19th! Our line-up is ridiculously good, you’d be a fool to miss it:
Demi Adejuyigbe (who’s sold out the whole of his run, so this might be your only chance!)
Kate Cheka!
Erika Ehler!
Ian Lockwood!
Mr Cardboard!
And a special DJ set from our gorgeous centrefold, Josh Glanc!
Get your tickets here! Aug 19th, 23:30 til late, at Assembly Underground.
Now. Review time! Once more, these are in order of viewing, not in hierarchy, and remember to consult last week’s list of reviews for EVEN MORE SHOWS I recommend you see.
Edinburgh Fringe shows to see
Reuben Kaye: Live and Intimidating – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Assembly George Square (Palais Du Variete), 20:05
Abby Wambaugh: The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Pleasance Courtyard (Attic), 19:15
Bella Hull: Piggie – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 3), 9:45
Lil Wenker: Bangtail – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Pleasance Courtyard (Cellar), 16:15
Zoe Brownstone: A Bite of Yours – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 3), 19:15
Metroland Live: The Box
Pleasance Courtyard (Attic), 21:45
You know that meme that’s like “when he’s not texting you back this is what he’s doing”? And it’s just men doing silly things and enjoying each others’ company? That’s what Metroland Live feels like. It’s a low stakes, high laughs sketch show from five lovely guys having a really fun time together. It opens in the best way – honestly, more comedians should be aiming to get people on their feet at the top of the show as well as the end – and it sets the tone for the rest of the hour. Some sketches are swift and sharp, some are extended and convoluted in a loopy, great way (particularly the one with the gender reveal). Some of the time, they’re just trying to make each other laugh. Whatever it is, I loved it! Good, clean fun! PSA: Don’t look inside The Box.
Two Hearts: Til Death Do Us Hearts – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Two), 23:00
Derek Mitchell: Goblin – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 2), 18:55
Alex Franklin: Gurl Code – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Underbelly Cowgate (Delhi Belly), 20:25
Mel Owen: Chunky Monkey
Greenside @ Riddles Court (Clover Studio), 21:50
I love to see comedians in Edinburgh who I’ve never seen before but have heard a lot about. Friends in Wales have been raving about Mel Owen and based on my visit, I think you’ll be seeing a lot more of her. She’s a joy to be around and a super likeable new talent, with loads to say about growing up on a farm in the middle of Wales as a woman of colour. She’s got some fantastic celebrity anecdotes: Her story of meeting Hugh Jackman on a train is thrilling and hilariously told, with a lovely helping of second-hand embarrassment. And her mother’s proud but confused reaction to Usain Bolt responding to her on Twitter is equally as funny. This is Mel’s first 45 mins, so we might deduce she’ll be making her full debut next year… I really hope so, because this was a super enjoyable first show from a great new stand-up!
Maria Telnikoff: All the Men Are Going to Hate Me
Underbelly Bristo Square (Buttercup), 15:45
A masterpiece of literature is in the works: Maria Telnikoff’s debut novel, charting every man she’s slept with. Toeing the line between stand-up and theatre (as well as poetry and interpretive dance – she’s toeing so many lines, folks), she puts all of her many talents on display in this super creative one woman show. Framing each man as a chapter of her book, we meet the the Posho, the Priest (not that one!) and *shock* the Poet. It’s a simple and effective structure to keep the audience hooked on who or what is coming next, but what really grips is Maria’s personality on stage. She’s a bright and energetic presence.
Nic Sampson: Yellow Power Ranger – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Assembly Roxy (Outside), 17:45
Alice Snedden: Highly Credible
Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs), 20:10
After a five year hiatus from the Fringe, Alice Snedden is back. The main headlines are: she's got a girlfriend now and she had her car stolen – or did she? Having spent her life worrying about turning into her mother, to her surprise it was her dad who she has ended up taking after, mainly in the complete and total determination that she did something when there’s no evidence it ever happened. The main crux of the show is the question of whether or not her car was stolen. Highly Credible a display of just how good at storytelling Alice is. Not only that, she’s an excellent joke-writer, and knows how to slowly drip-feed a tale to make something as potentially mundane as a lost car exciting and suspense-filled. Such a funny show that will have you still laughing even as you leave the room.
Temi Wilkey: Main Character Energy – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
Roundabout @ Summerhall, 21:40
Stevie Martin: clout
Monkey Barrel 4, 15:35
Marjolein Robertson: O
Monkey Barrel at Hive (Hive 1), 17:40
Men have been fainting and needing to leave Marjolein’s show because of all the gore. Spoiler alert: there isn't much gore actually. Especially if you're someone who menstruates. ESPECIALLY if you're someone with a body that makes you menstruate to a debilitating degree. Spoiler alert number two: this show is fantastic. Marjolein is a famously accomplished storyteller. She weaves her own experience trying to figure out why her periods were putting her at death’s door with beautifully lyrical folk tales with her own exaggeratedly feral childhood. Her comedic style is melodic, passionate and macabre. Every word is considered, every joke perfectly placed. And all sandwiched between two brilliant set-pieces.
Joe Kent Walters is Frankie Monroe LIVE!!! – READ THE FULL REVIEW on the website here
New dates added: Monkey Barrel (MB4), Aug 25-26th, 01:15
Ruby Carr: eBae
Underbelly George Square (Wee Coo), 19:20
Move over Love Island, Ruby is going to be the next brand ambassador for eBay and, to be honest, there’s no one who wants it more, or who has trawled more of the auction site’s hidden corners. From haunted dolls to mystery-wrapped gifts, she’s the queen of winning at shopping. It’s Ruby herself that makes this such a sunny show. Her work review got it right – she is “insufferably delightful”, putting all of her energy into making sure everyone in the room is having a wonderful time, including staging an interactive bidding war with the audience that results in huge laughs. A super fun and vibrant first show!
Kiran Saggu: Slacks
Underbelly Bristo Square (Clover), 15:55
Kiran Saggu is the victim of too much pressure. All this capitalism, plus the hard work of her British-Indian parents and the generations before them trying to give their children a better life… it’s too much. She just wants the better life, not the work! A self-confessed lazy person, Kiran’s style is hyper-relaxed and effortless, but the laid back persona belies a skilfulness in comedic approach. Growing up in the US and the UK, she brings new life to conversations about the cultural differences between the two: her routine about Americans being like video game NPCs is inspired and so, so well executed, and the abject fear of living in Hackney and being exposed to the danger of street interviews is all too real. A really excellent debut. And pay attention to the exit music, won’t you?
Katie Norris: Farm Fatale
Pleasance Courtyard (Below), 20:30
Katie Norris is a Farm Fatale, an Exmoor-raised comedian who can sing to a “cringe-ily high standard”. In this story about her life’s great love affair – with her cat, Atticus – the persona she portrays is totally unique, mainly because she’s so many things at once. She uses all of her sketch background, musical prowess and her magnetic personality, but what makes it so good is how much fun she is clearly having performing this show – the smile on her face while she sings, the little asides she makes to the audience as she follows each train of thought. Her songs are snappy, joke-packed and beautifully composed. There’s one particularly brilliant song about men who are obsessed with James Acaster, which will ring true to anyone who has dated straight men and mentioned they work in/engage with/know anything about comedy… Can’t recommend this enough.
Grubby Little Mitts: Eyes Closed, Mouths Open
Assembly George Square Studios (Studio 5), 16:35
You have to respect Grubby Little Mitts for their extreme commitment to being silly as hell. Rosie Nicholls and Sullivan Brown use heightened nonsense to lampoon everyday situations in this apocalyptic show, in which everything happening is an absolute nightmare. Everything takes places within a vivid, absurd world and it’s just total fun from start to finish, with initially disparate sketches woven together into a big web of a story made all the better due to the pair of them being brilliant actors as well as a comedians. The pair of them have wonderful chemistry to boot.
Sarah Roberts: Silkworm
Assembly George Square (The Box), 22:35
As hot and talented as she is accomplished at Candy Crush, Sarah Roberts doesn’t even need comedy. But I’m glad she’s deigned to do it anyway. She’s conspiratorial and understated, like she’s constantly delivering secrets and gossip (and sometimes she actually is). She’s astute and clever in her analysis of coming of age in the era of The OC and Skins, which taught that being a hot girl meant severe mental illness. The main theme of Silkworm is the double jaw surgery she had after being diagnosed as medically deformed as a teenager, and how it affected her image of herself – it’s a heartwarming and really funny commentary on self-acceptance with an uplifting ending.
Alfie Packham: My Gift To You
Underbelly Bristo Square (Dexter), 14:45
Apparently there’s a limit to the amount of crime your partner will support you in?? Alfie Packham is fine with shoplifting, but draws the line at manslaughter, just so you know. His debut show centres around the loss of his mother and the gifts she gave to him in the eight years since being diagnosed with cancer. It’s a funny and poignant show with a huge amount of heart, that covers a great deal of ground, from turning down a chance to be on the first season of The Traitors, because he wasn’t in the mood for his life to change to finally getting into football while grieving, at an age to no longer be burdened by the possibility that he might someday be good at it. With a helping of lovely audience interaction and musical instruments, it’s a really well-written and warm debut hour.
Swamplesque
Assembly Hall (Main Hall), 22:20
Shrek is the great love of my life. My secretly romantic king. My nice Jewish boy. Nothing will motivate me like the possibility of something having Shrek in it. My sister and I had random pirated passages of Shrek on our iPods and so know the entire dialogue of certain parts by heart. Obviously a Shrek burlesque themed show was going to get me. And good god am I glad I went – what an outrageously fun night. So so so so so silly and sparkly. Shrek stripping to the iconic sounds of All Star by Smash Mouth, the Gingerbread Man wearing gumdrop buttons as nipple tassles, the three little pigs and Pinnochio in a conga line…everything felt like a fever dream. But one I want to LIVE INSIDE FOREVER. Take me back to the swamp.
Find WEEK ONE OF SHOWS HERE!!!!
