Pleasance Dome

July 30 – 24 Aug £8-£9.50

5.30pm

Tucked away in an upstairs corner of Teviot Dome the gig was very busy. No-one it seemed was more surprised than the auteur. The cards round the necks and the over-wrung laughter tells us much about the number of comp passes swelling the crowd this evening. Not that there was a great deal to tickle your ribs. Homogenous delivery and oft-heard subject matter with little originality meant the show dragged (at least for the non-sycophantic). It seemed an age for Dan to get going.

He finally did with 5 minutes to go and had built up a fair head of steam. It might be best to get the engine running before venturing out in the cold, Dan. TWO STARS

Reviewer David McMenemy

Assembly George Square

Aug 6-9, 12-16, 19-23

23.20

£10.50

I swear down, this is one funny show. Earlier, this month, one of the Mumble’s reviewers gave Tim Fitzhigham’s solo show three stars. Now, I havn’t seen it myself, so cant compare, but the ease with which this guy runs his mock-court, & the subsequent hilarity that ensues, appears to be on another level completely. Aided by his court clerk, Thom Tuck

Each night two guest comedians are given the task of defending or prosecuting folk from the audience for a wide array of the most heinous crimes. Tonight’s guests were Fred Macauly & Dane Baptiste, who were confronted with the following cases;

(i) Wearing an unnecessarily tropical shirt in an intemperate climate GUILTY

(ii) Obscenely putting on a show during the Fringe concerning the referendum (called The Pure, the Dead & the Brilliant) GUILTY

(iii) Being Australian without due care & attention NOT GUILTY

The jury is the audience, & their cheers decide the verdict, & trust me, you’ll end up cheering both sides throughout the feel-good nature of this excellent & entertaining creation. FIVE STARS

Reviewer : Damo Bullen

Pleasance Courtyard

Aug 1-10, 12-24,

10.45pm

£7

It looked like things were messed up in the beginning. This American stand-up comedian started to talk quite diversely; looked rather uncertain to boot. Then all of a sudden he hit his stride, & as things progressed he got way better. We join him on a journey through his life, especially his love-life, which he admits is a mental ever-present. He mentions in some detail the story of the girly tattoo he made on his belly to impress his ex-girlfriend.

He then went on about the uselessness of his English major & his worry of expressing words that might be not be accepted in British society, which led to many a funny moment concerning the cultural differences of his adopted homeland. Jamie’s show lasts for more than an hour, & is accompanied by many a visual aid to help us picture his amusing situations better, involving us more in his stories. His good looks, stylish outfit, stage presence and funny nature were great to admire, & his occasional gawky hesitance is what actually makes his act – a positively down-to-earth and charming fellow, fully deserving his FOUR STARS

Reviewer: Grace

Assembly Studio 4
30, 31 Jul; 1-10, 12-25 Aug

9:05 pm – 10:05 pm

£7

Jamie MacDonald delivered a pretty enjoyable show with many entertainment moments, especially when he relates to his ever warming audience about the patronizing issues he commonly faces. He also talks about his previous adventures with women, including the issues that spring up in the beginning of a relationship, plus many a funny comment about his drinking habits.

Going topical for 2014 meant the pros & cons of Scottish
independence and for me the most interesting part of the show. Jamie is quite definitely a funny storyteller, & has a stage presence that keeps people attracted.  Although the crowd seemed to really enjoy the show, its not the best I have ever attended, but there is certainly quality enough to leave a good & lasting impression. THREE STARS

Reviewer: Grace

Gilded Balloon Teviot

15.00

6-25 August

£7-£9

The lovely Ria Lina had the audience in the palm of her hand from the moment she took to the stage. She’s a down-to-earth lass, talking about real life,  like her children being home schooled and reasons for doing so. This homeliness really engages the audience & we all feel like we are sat in her kitchen, talking about life.

Performance-wise, her dry wit is combined with musical comedy, & had some of the audience gasping while the rest were in fits of laughter. I for one couldn’t stop laughing from the very start. Ria Lina,  please now count me among your fans and I will be looking out for all your future performances.

A defo must see. FIVE STARS

Reviewer : James Wallace

B’est Restaurant

Aug 5-7, 10-14, 17-22, 24-26

£45-£49.50

14.00 & 20.00

Why is it that I & others come to this show time & time again. Is it the randomness of the table you’re thrown into, meeting like-minded fans of either the TV show or this wonderful interactive version? Is it the pure timelessness of the characters & the jokes created in a moment of genius by John Cleese back in the seventies? Is it the uniqueness of a performance onto which is attached a delicious 3-course meal?  It is all these things & much, much more, for entering, enjouying & departing the Faulty Towers experience, one feels endowed with a new sense of cheery vitatlity, ready to tackle the world yet again.

The 2 hour show begins with the ‘audience’ gathering in a courtyard, ordring table drinks & watching the first fits of comedy as Sybil, Manuel & Basil introduce themselves & commence the suspension fo disbelief that really does keep us enthralled throughout the show.  Before, during, & between the courses, various & select scenes from the TV series are replayed right before our eyes, the barrier between reality & fiction shimmering in the air.

The star of the show seems to be Manuel, whose broken English provides so many possibilities for the British love of innuendo & wordplay. Refreshingly, some of the action was different from last year, perhaps down to a new cast who are; Karina Garnett as Sybil, Leigh Kelly as Manuel, and Benedict Holme as Basil. This freshness then ensures the Mumble yet again gives this delightful show another FIVE STARS.

Reviewer : Damo Bullen

Gilded Balloon Teviot – Billiard Room

£10-£12.50

5-25 August (not 11)

20.45

Scottish comic Mark Nelson enters the stage dressed in a suit and welcomes the audience with the usual banter; the bi-polar weather in Scotland!  How we Scots deal with heat waves at 27C degrees?  His new material mainly consisted of his recently acquired collection of responsibilities.  Responsibilities that most of us can relate to at some point in our lives: marriage, mortages, DIY and having children. He tells his own tale of adjusting from carefree youth to settling down, although it might seem like familiar ground, as Nelson’s not the first 33-year-old comic to find himself with a pregnant wife, child and mortgage, suck against the odds. But at least these routines allow him to put more of himself into the comedy and he’s a likeable lad, so we can sympathise with him.

The stereotypical gags follow such as, long arduous marriages, drunken Scots and trails of having kids, however the laid-back comic does touch on some interesting points, where the handshake came from? woman being the better sex and encourages all except those who wear pyjamas to the shops or 17 years olds to vote in Scottish Referendum.

While Nelson may lack energy and an enthusiastic stage presence, he does convey some well-crafted punch lines.  Here you can learn the ultimate statement a woman can say to cut a man down and the possible benefits of global warming for Scotland! FOUR STARS

Reviewer : Sarah Lewis

This, Pleasance Courtyard, venue 33

30, 31 July; 1-17, 19-24 August 2014

£7.50-£9

14.15

I’m a Radio-4-audience kind of bloke, which means I get references to Hitchcock and Ingmar Bergman, and I feel smug. So when Robin and Death talk to each other in faux-Swedish I’m in my comfort zone. My comfort zone in Fringe comedy shows is hard to find, so I always sit at the back. As Fringe comedy venues are small (three-men-and-a-dog being the typical capacity) it’s hard to be a shrinking violet, especially when the performers are determined to interact with the audience; I go into this one and the performers usher us to our seats and start distributing party-poppers – “Oh no – I’m being interacted with!” I say to myself. I’m a party-pooper with a party-popper. As it turns out, Robin and Partridge have got the level of interaction with the audience (and with their sound/light engineer too) just right, so I feel engaged and not interfered with. Good!

The ‘Death’ episodes alternate with glorious, rapid-fire puns, with verses of a folk song composed by their late Uncle Angus, and with routines by their alter egos Justice Radiator. It’s okay, I know where I am by their gestures and choreography, so I never get lost. The faux-Swedish has sub-titles – and probably the most obvious gag of the whole show, watch out for it – but does give way very quickly to English again, because it’s something that could begin to wear thin (it doesn’t). The whole thing is fast and disarming, and sometimes poignant – an explosion of in-character loneliness sails close to being uncomfortable but stays comic, and Robin’s morning-after-a-night-of-sex with Death is only ridiculous because it’s… well… Death. Once you have seen Death in his underpants, what is left?

My criteria for awarding stars is as follows. It’s bloody hard to get me to laugh. If I laugh once in a comedy show, that’s a result. R & P made me crack my stony face and laugh about four times, and smile a lot, so well done. I start at five stars and work backwards. If I get down to three stars that means the show works but I can tell they’re trying hard. This show gets four stars from me, and probably the only reason I’m docking one is because of that sub-title gag being the oldest sub-title gag in the world. Four stars. Catch it.

Reviewer: Paul Thompson @BookseekerAgent

Just when I thought that comedy was not my cup of tea, along comes a piece of theater that was both entertaining,engaging and really deserving of the accolade Genius.

Heralding from Australia, Shane and David introduced us to their imaginary friends, made real by skilled mime and stage craft. An hour and a bit of world class entertainment that I am certain will make them celebrities. Awards will follow. For this was an experience of masterful art, Original and delightful in every respect.

I feel blessed to have had the Umbilical Brothers experience and can be confident in saying that they are contenders for this years Perrier Award!

A kids show for kids aged fourteen and over. A show that delivers value for money. Shane and David have traveled a long way to bring this Genius to our attention.

Thank you Guys.
Divine Salutes You. For that really was a “Good Time!”
5 stars. (Deservedly)

Reviewer : Mark ‘Divine’ Calvert

Pleasance Dome

5-24 August

£12-£14

21.45

Reviewer : Mark ‘Divine’ Calvert

Note from the CEO – The PR company of Adam Riches didn’t like Mark’s gutsy, honest, & frankly quite entertaining review. So they start chucking their toys out the pram & asked me to take it down. I replied that this wasn’t possible, that everyone’s entitled to their opinion & that Mark simply could not get into the comedy of Mr Riches. There followed a series of threats from said PR company, which include;

1 – I’m afraid we can’t run the risk of booking press tickets for The Mumble if our clients are going to be met with such a lack of respect for their work. Obviously, I hope we can avoid canceling the rest and continue as we have been thanks a lot

2 – We’re going to cancel the outstanding tickets because we can’t trust that this won’t be repeated. In doing so, i am going to write to all the venue press offices and the Fringe press office to explain why. I am then going to write to other remaining press reps in Edinburgh to express our concerns about The Mumble, and explain the decisions we’ve taken. Alternatively – take the review down, and let’s not ruin a good thing.

3 – I hope that, when it comes to securing press tickets this year and in the future, you feel the moral stand you’ve taken in defense of the standards of writing in that review has been worth it.

At the end of the day, The Mumble is an honest website, designed to help would-be show-goers make an informed choice. We cannot be bullied out of our integrity.