The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek.

The Caves

4-25 August

16.30 / 18.15

£9.50-£12

There was a time, somewhere back in the eighties when comedy did what it said on the tin. You’d turn on the TV to see Russ Abbot or Lenny Henry or Les Dennis or Victoria Wood and you and your family would curl up on the sofa, sometime after tea and have a jolly good harmless chortle at their knockabout, silly and occasionally mildly sexist japery. It was a fond time before the likes of Alexi Sayle, Bill Hicks and latterly Stuart Lee came and ruined it for everybody by preaching their leftist, subversive politics, swearing and forcing us to think. I don’t have a family and I quite like thinking so this was kind of a relief for me but for those of you who hark back to simpler times the Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek is probably the show for you.

            With their sketches about how tortoises are slow, how homosexuality is funny and how men don’t understand women they will always find an appreciative audience. Proven by the fact they’ve apparently got a BBC show in the pipeline. No doubt filling the same slot Russ Abbot and the like used to fill. Although they’ll have to temper the 2 swear words and one drug reference I counted in the live show. A bit like watching Rolf Harris at Glastonbury. But there’ll be no Yew tree gags here. Definitely suitable for children. In fact, if you ask me, it’s kind of wasted on adults. If this sounds like your Basil Brush, give it a whirl, but for the more progressive minded among you I recommend a performer like Lewis Schaffer, and he’s free!

Reviewer – Steven Vickers

RED BASTARD

4.40PM 20-26 AUGUST

£13

Assembly George Square

Red Bastard is the edgy creation of Los Angeles-based, Eric Davis, Deanna Fleysher and Sue Morrison.  The surreal blend of uncomfortable truisms and confrontational style is refreshing and engaging.  The show kicks off and the Red Bastard is revealed, monster like from the curtains.  Shake a DNA cocktail of Quasimodo, Robert Smith and the Joker with a grotesque dervish ballerina and its not even close.  The menacing stage persona immediately commands the respect and fear of the audience.

The show is immediately interactive.  The audience is this show.  The Red Bastard just evokes what’s in the audiences minds like a nightmarish counsellor.  He warms the audience up with feet tapping and “sing in my mouth” before moving on to the intended target of our desires and regrets and why we don’t act on our impulses.

A chorus of Happy Birthday outside the tent is met by him and his now disciple audience going outside to add a more raucous chorus to carol anniversary celebrations.

Back to the current business of awaking a populace living in a culture of people trying to please each another he succeeds in making us see the benefit of taking that risk and being yourself, fuck you if you don’t like it. He postulates that being a mirror of other people ends up in a homogeneous, boring population. Carpe Diem!  A game of dare-your- neighbour turns the stage into chaos when the darer has to take their own dare. The Red Bastard is rugby tackled and mounted, while another participant pours water over their head.  One woman even proposes to her girlfriend (accepted!).  Taking risks is good, no regrets.

(from Montreal Fringe)

This performance is genuinely thought-provoking and original.  You are never sure whether its comedy or performance art but who likes genres anyway? Red bastard finishes with one final surprise.  I’ll keep that to myself, I had to act on my impulse to be secretive.   Experience this.  Take your dare card on the way out… 4 stars

Reviewer – Dave McMenemy

DAVID TRENT – This Is All I Have

Pleasance Dome

2-25 August

22.45£10.50-£12.00

After being nominated for the Best Comedy Newcomer award at last year’s fringe, it seems like Mr Trent is ready to go one step further with his brilliant new show. Embracing 21st century video technology, he intertwines his personal reflections upon modern life with a clever montage of screen-based images & footage; a slick performance whose interchanges remind one of the traditional comedy duo.

David At Last Year’s Fringe

On occasion his material comes across as highly sophistcated, yet still toilet-based bawdy humour, such as his penis catfood & a staunch refusal to put his nose up his own anus. The rest, however, is filled with a homely vitality that makes you want to get to know the real comic; whose natural abilities were reflected in the constant smiles & laughter that permeated through the audience. A real treat, & this years first Mumble FIVE STAR performance.

Reviewer – Damo Bullen

Absolute Radio’s Christian O’connell displays a canny knowledge of his audience market and delivers the expected, acceptably edgy routine; working in fingering Darth Vader and the occasional Jimmy Saville reference, whilst basing his show on fulfilling the wish list of his former 13yr old self.

Reviewer – Luke Griffiths

Neil Hickey: Escape Artist
Pleasance Courtyard
2nd – 26th August
15.15 – £7.50-£9.50

Irish comedian… Pleasance Courtyard… a nice wee hair o’ the dog. Cant be too bad, my hungover brain told me… & I wasnae dissapointed.

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After finding the venue, a glorified porta-cabin to the side of the Pleasance Courtyard, I took up my queing pose and before too long found myself being regaled by Morrisey’s song, ‘Suede head.’ After settling in my seat, Mr Hickey exploded onto the stage and took the crowd on a tongue in cheek, though personal trip through his dysfunctional childhood and family life.

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He merges fantasy with reality through the nostalgic memories of a child’s ability to alter the world around them through imagination and play.

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There’s a good few laughs and you warm to the performer as he opens up his pandora’s box to a surprisingly intimate level and exorcises the self-confessed chip on his shoulder in a gentle and unassuming way.
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Overall an enjoyable if melancholic take on childhood, family and dealing with the aftermath. A good afternoon warm-up in preparation for the more ribald shows of the wee small hours. THREE STARS

Reviewer – Luke Griffiths

BARRY CASTAGNOLA’S

 The Donny Donkins As (Hopefully Soon To Be) Seen On TV Show

Gilded Balloon Teviot

Jul 31-Aug 11, 13-25, 2pm-3pm

£5

This show is a true car-crash of a classic, a madcap dash through the world of dodgy TV,  driven furiously by Castagnola’s relentlessly funny Donny Donkins. the slot is an early one, but its a perfect way to put a smile on your face at the start of a day at the fringe. The show itself is a blend of Donny’s chit-chat, dodgy game-shows, hilarious guests & slices of pre-recorded footage, including a mini-documentary made at the funeral of Maggie Thatcher. The audience was often in stiches & I reckon this is probably the best fiver spent you’ll spend all festival! FOUR STARS

Reviewer – Damo Bullen

By Dave McMenemy

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On the opening day of the festival I went to a showcase of Avalon Televisions stable of comics, which took the format of 18 comedians with 5 minute slots to impress the largely Scottish crowd.  It was a veritable bonanza of comedy.  5 minutes is not much time to impress a crowd and some don’t make the grade notably double-act Peacock and Gamble who don’t even manage to finish their slot with Gamble ambling off stage.  The first half of the gig was more notable for an audience member fainting and having to be carried out, costing one stoic comic so miss the edit in this filmed-for-TV show. Most of the comics delivery was aimed at the middle classes and this seems to be the target demographic for most. The exception to this first half malaise is Matt Forde who puts in an accomplished gag-packed piece.  Top marks for the inspired oratory lessons a la Tony Blair and Nick Clegg.

After the much needed interval (surely not being allowed to exit the venue to empty you bladder for an hour is asking to much of a thirsty Scottish crowd?).  We have a new Scottish compere.  A local boy from Leith who is clearly relishing being back in the motherland.  He upped the tempo of the gig and enlivened the crowd, which helps the subsequent acts.  Highlight of the 2^nd half was the assured  Chastity Butterworth (the society lady creation of Gemma Whelan).  She produced an original and enjoyable snippet as snooty dahling who has fallen on tough times and has had to resort to stand-up to pay beck her drug debts to her dealer.  Overall the female acts showed up well with sassy Luisa Omielan getting a good reception for her efforts on somewhat safe ground topics as well as attempting geographic cow mooing.  James Acaster produced an all-too-brief but sparkling performance with a hilarious vignette of male top and tailing in the guest bedroom.

So, I picked out five comedians whose shows should be worth seeing this frings

Chastity Butterworth,

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Assembly Roxy

Jul 31-Aug 11, Aug 13-26, 5.45pm-6.45pm

£6,

Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5VOYiU5bIo

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Matt Forde – The Political Party

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Pleasance Dome

1-25 August, 16.00-17.00

£9-£10

You tube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpMKaUUrNBU

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Peacock & Gamble

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Chortle Fast Fringe Pleasance Dome

2-24 August, 6.40-7.40 PM,

£9-£11

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1LA8MGpCY

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Luisa Omielan

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Gilded Balloon Teviot

Aug 2-11, 9.15pm-10.15pm

£7

You tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENcM81t9OxM

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James Acaster

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Scrambling my way through the Pleasance Courtyard in typical pouring rain on the last day of July, I wonder what humorous delights await me over the next hour. Alfie Moore‘s solo stand-up ‘Viva Alf’s Vegas’ is to be both his, and my, first show of the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe, and overall, it didn’t dissappoint.