Pleasance Courtyard

17.30

£8-£12

10-24 August (not 11)

Painting a picture with wit and charming references along the way. An honest and relatable take on oneself is hard enough without having to make people laugh – Dane Baptiste reveals plenty in his hilarious debut Edinburgh show ‘Citizen Dane’.

He starts the hour explaining what it is like having Grenadian roots growing up in London. Despite most of the audience not being able to share that feat (myself included) he turns this into something special which anyone would find funny, mixing his life into 80’s and 90’s sitcoms and comic books. Oh how the audience howled.

The show dims the lights twice for a physical comedy sequence including dancing which receives a round of applause and a couple of whistles both times. When Dane explains his place in society as an outsider (with an intelligent political agenda) he has his audience tightly listening, he then lets off a joke about ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ where the tension is released in more laughter.

Baptiste is absolutely a stand up just waiting for a next big step as his current show is very well put together and performed. The one thing that could take him to the next level in the show is going deeper into audience interaction. A great show from of the very few black comedians at the festival, as he rightfully points out. Four stars.

Review by Thomas Boglett.

Voodoo Rooms

10-24 aug

19.30

Free Fringe

A modern yet unique style of comedy, throwing heavy punches way under her weight in the free fringe. Spending an hour with Elf Lyons is memorable, enjoyable but above all – funny.

The show is titled ‘Underground Success’ which really is a true statement in artistic terms. She is a regular performer on the London stand up scene. The show’s name is about the famous underground tube system and refreshingly for a stand up show, the title has a relevance throughout. Lyon’s knowledge and jokes on the tube were well understood and enjoyed in a capital city of another country.

An intelligent take on sex and feminism is presented with well rounded audience interaction – the hour melts away wonderfully. Her anecdotes on her relationship with her parents were well received with cackles from all corners – Lyon’s energy seemed to increase as the show went on.

The grand finale was a bizarre hip hop track about the London Underground map which was as funny as it was informative – much to her credit.

A thought provoking show with a definite theme in a very architecturally awkward venue, this is the only downside of the show. I for one will be going to see Elf’s show again, its free! Underground success – but for how long? 4 stars.

Review by Thomas Boglett

Underbelly – Delhi Belly

16.00

£8-£10

8-14 Aug (not 12)

There is sketch comedy, & then there is the weird & wondrous happenings that inhabit the Grandee universe. These are Marny Godden, Tom Turner and Andrew Mudie, who say they are from London, but their imaginations are definitely on another planet. The boys are funny, but Godden in particular is a real treat to watch – with scintillating blue eyes, flashing white teeth & impeccable comedy timing,  she really does have the x-factor.

Their show consists of three twenty-minute or so plays, separated by some kind of comedy striptease from each of the boys. The first play sees Godden play a balding middle-aged adveturer called Wilmot Brown, who journeys to the center of the Earth where he fights alien invaders. The second play is a little weaker, but the third act of the hour reverts to the surreal brilliance of the first, in which we encounter the politics behind a parliament of owls.  Again, Godden’s performance as some kind of Calypso beggar-queen is completely stunning. FOUR STARS

Reviewer : Damo Bullen

Just the Tonic at The Caves (Venue 88)

7th-­11th 13th-­24th August

22.40

£10-£11

This stand up comedian is like a juggernaut of characters and scenarios thundering after each other in a barrage of surreal dry humour. He’s cynic, a mimic and a maverick chameleon on a whirl-wind stream of consciousness. His show swings from political comment to completely off the wall hilarity; from the Beatles to alternative AA meetings, jealous girlfriends to natural medicine as a means to cure yourself with smugness. There were many sketches in the act that were so off-the-wall the audience was in stitches, crazy quick fire links between scenarios, political comment bathed in utter irrelevance. Some other scenes which relied heavily on sound effects felt slightly more laboured and broke the spell a bit as did the overly long dead dad stint. Other than that the audience where hooked and there were shrieks of laughter and utter disbelief at where this guys was taking us with his thought process.

The venue is right in the bowels of the Edinburgh Fringe, & the sounds of other shows bleed into the atmosphere as he rips apart the heart of what the fringe is about in a very observant barrage. Woody Allen meets Chris Morris, this guy has a great wealth of characters up his sleeve, each, as he said himself, sticking a fork up the arse of the establishment. THREE STARS

Reviewer : Glenda Rome

McEwan Hall, Bristo Square
Wednesday 6th – Tuesday 19th August
McEwan Hall – Underbelly Pasture, Bristo Square
21.00
£14.50-£17.50

The opening night in the grand 1,000 seater McEwan Hall for ‘What Does The Title Matter Anyway?’ and it was a sell out!  Tremendous!  You will see everything you will have ever remembered from the famous 90s TV series, but for legal reasons we cannot utter the name of the show!  The live improvisational show is hosted by non other than our award winning, multitalented presenter and comedy-writer Clive Anderson.  Featuring along side him was all the usual faces, Stephen Frost, Greg Proops, Colin Mochrie (born Scot, raised in Canada), Josie Lawrence and Phil the pianist.  All beholding the same quick-witted ad-libbed comedy they used to possess… but with just a few more grey hairs and recessed hairlines!

No two shows are the same, as the audience are encouraged to shout out different scenarios for the quartet to act out.  You’ll recognise all the usual games such as; questions only communication, acting on orders, the singing bar maid, translating foreign languages and a song about a member of the audience.  All unpredictable side-splitting nostalgia at it’s best!  They are not here for long so grab you tickets quick! A hilarious five stars!

Reviewer : Sarah Lewis

Gilded Balloon

30, 31 Jul; 1-10, 12-24 Aug 2014

Prices: £ 6.5 – 8.5

As it says on the tin, Jonny Awsum is indeed awesome! He converts the audience into a family gathering, asking us to play the pipe and the triangle, to make sexy or funny noises, and to even act. In summary, he involved almost everyone. With his “awesome” guitar, he played some very captivating songs about relationships, marriage, one night stands and his availability to play in weddings and funerals. He also performed a rap song towards the end of the show.

Even if you don’t want to, you can see yourself interacting without noticing. It just goes flawlessly. He is funny, a great song writer and an accomplished guitar player, & just crackles with energy on stage. It seems like he has the full package. It was one hour full of laughter. I couldn’t see anyone that wasn’t responding and interacting with him. He also greets you with a souvenir that you can take home. It was an amazing show that deserves to be watched. FOUR STARS

Reviewer: Grace

Underbelly/ The wee Coo

Aug 7-24,

5:30 pm- 6:30 pm

Prices: £ 8- 10

You might first get the impression that David Morgan is a baby face young guy full of reserve – then he starts talking, & this veritable chatterbox unloads his mind off onto a slightly stunned audience. A computer nerd, David couldn’t be more topical. His subject is the biggest revolution of the last few years: Social networking. From hunting for people on Facebook, through taking “selfies” at funerals, to situations commonly faced on facebook and twitter, this phenomenon of modern life has been criticized in the most funniest way.

With Mr Morgan, not only get one hour of stand up comedy, you also get a lesson in technology, & I had no idea that many online tools even existed. He is smart, talented and very positive, which all reflects throughout the show. I like the way he is organized, how he maintains a sequence of ideas &  how knows exactly what he is talking about. He also has the advantage of thinking quickly and reacting fast, though should probably talk a bit slower than 10 words per second. THREE STARS

Reviewer: Grace