Settling in a darkened room as hip hop blares though the loudspeaker, we wait in anticipation of tonight’s preview act. In what seems like an instant, the spotlight is on, and Dane floods onto the stage, straight into a cascade of fast-paced punchy jokes, taking the audience along on a charismatic river of laughter. His colourful, intelligent and quick witted humour addresses race stereotypes and cultural ignorance, as we are taken along on an interesting exploration of the concepts of faith-based systems.
Perhaps preview nerves succumb to a few weaker jokes at start but Dane very quickly warms up and relaxes effortlessly into the rest of his set. Attitudes, discrimination and the concept of penis poachers are addressed using some razor sharp wit, clever metaphors and discerning use of music to add energy and colour to his hilarious set.
Finishing off with his political observations on capitalism and war he makes clever and very poignant points which he mixes up with splashes of comic genius. It is without surprise this gentleman was Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee 2014 and The Independent’s Face To Watch 2015. Indeed, a provocative over thinker and charismatic social activist, Dane Baptiste is first-rate exceptional! FOUR STARS
The room starts to fill up with apologetic latecomers, shuffling awkwardly past the incredibly cute, geeky guy standing before us in a rather fetching cardigan. This particular geek is Chris Stokes – a self-confessed introvert whose unfortunate circumstances have had him endure a failed marriage and a nervous breakdown in his all but 30 years. For an introvert, he certainly has a lot to say, and with effortless charm and laid back charisma he fires fast, punchy one-liners and amusing observations whilst destroying a whole host of social misconceptions along the way. Armed with a cheeky grin and endearing concerns – this is someone who considers a haircut as a conversation at knife point – he takes his audience on a poignant, poetic journey through a day in his life as he copes with his broken heart.
Priceless and offbeat, Chris is very easy to connect with and his audience engages with warmth and humour. It is clear though his intelligently constructed observations that he is very much taking his material from personal experience, which makes it all the more engaging. Having supported both Milton Jones and Pete Firman on tour, Chris’ is relaxed, warm and at ease. This highly gifted and talented young man will certainly smash the festival this year. FOUR STARS
I saw London-based Aussie Yianni Agisilaou near the end 2014 Fringe, with his excellent show Think Big – a comedic exercise in positive thinking and ambition. Yianni was on the Free Fringe then and playing in a small venue with the aim of convincing the audience to return for his final show for which he had booked Edinburgh’s largest Fringe venue, The EICC (capacity 1200). I never did find out how this went but his show was intelligent, funny and full of clever observation on human motivation and verve. I wanted to see if his new material delivered that promising introduction.
His new show is in the rotunda room in Stand 2, capacity around 50 and today’s audience for this, his first preview show is 13. The show examines where the line is in comedy, how it got there and they dynamics of the line is influenced by myriad factors. The well written material guides us through this and laughs abound as we are sent up by the comedian who sucks us in and illustrates the nature of the beast that is context. He postulates that any subject can be funny in the right context. Yianni adeptly walks the line with the balance of a Libran mountain goat as he elucidates the mantra “Don’t be a dick” in relation to where we draw the line of acceptable comedy and how we got to the censorial situation in the first place (another mantra: DIOR – Dickhead, Incident, Outrage, Rule).
He was inspired to write the show after being emailed by a venue informing him his performance couldn’t contain any references to rape, Lady Diana, or paedophilia. Cue jokes on all these subjects in a clever way giving credence to the idea that in comedy context is all. His performance is littered with relevant tales of previous audience reaction, particularly funny is the fat man on his coffin-dodging cruise ship assignment – offering a member of the audience some education on geography with hilarious results – and losing his job in the process.
Yianni is slightly hindered by the fact that the venue hasn’t been set up fully yet and he is without the projections and slides which he used to great effect in 2014’s show (I’m assured this will be sorted by the venue forthwith). This minor problem aside it was a very funny show. He offers a coherent gag-laden examination of the relationship between comedian and the audience. The spoof of the Fresh Prince theme at the end, if taken out of context would be the most offensive song you’ll here on The Fringe! If you like your comedians cerebral and full of wit then get down to The Stand pronto. FOUR STARS
Brett is an true raconteur with a well-written, sharp, witty hour that topped off an excellent first day at The Fringe. The hour passed all too rapidly – Brett has had the audience in stitches for a solid hour.
Dave Macaramba
*
How could you explain Brett Goldstein to someone who doesn’t know who Brett Goldstien is? Well, bearing in mind there are two sides to every story, I would go with; he has the comedic persona of all four Inbetweeners characters combined, but to look at, well, he’s hot. (Not that that is relevant or anything, but he is!). Regardless of whether festivals, drugs or wa*king is your thing, or not, Brett is refreshingly enlightening, modestly romantic and one of the golden comics whom can pull of self deprecation without making you cringe and pity him.
*
Brett is clearly an intelligent fellow, there is no doubt about that, but he speaks with superbly humble simplicity. He connects with every member of the audience and by half way in, you can’t help but feel that you have enjoyed funny story’s told by him, for years, while sitting around with a pint and some hearty grub down at your local, with a few other close friends. He is not familiar in a ‘Oh I’ve seen him on the TV!’ kind of way; he is more like a pair of old comfy socks that you find at the back of drawer and get rather excited about putting on again!
*
*
His material touches upon socially and sexually controversial escapades, but in a way that you could totally take your Mum along to, despite Brett being terrified to invite his own dearest. Maybe I am showing too much of my social background when I say this, but to be honest, I think even my granny would have been ending herself at this show! He balances the ridiculous and silly with the deep and profound and at one very significant and perhaps rather unexpected point, may even force you to swallow hard the lump in your throat and refrain from jumping all over him like a hippy to celebrate his personal ‘win’!
*
Disarmingly honest, an endearing imagination and apparently, a massive… sense of humour. This guy is brilliant even if you are sober. FOUR STARS
A funny, honest and heartfelt performance. Soames provides us with an enthusiastic and funny view of his life mishaps and moral compass. Through sharing his confessions, inner mind workings and youthful experiences of love his question to the audience throughout is “am I nice”? His acting and facial expressions are wonderful. Along with the laughs, the audience empathised with Soames. The “awwwws” from the audience at some of his less successful moments in life seemingly came as a surprise to Soames but added to how relatable and endearing his sketches are.
Soames uses music, cleverly pre recorded audio and mime to keep the show varied and interesting. His acting deserves to be mentioned as much as his comedy which kept the audience smiling. There were numerous and sometimes unexpected changes in tempo and style which made the show delightfully entertaining. At times the laugh was at Soames expense but then that is the point here. He scrutinises himself and his almost cringe worthy moral issues and life errors. He plays the nice guy so well, struggling to be cool and capable of dealing with awkward situations. Endearing, light hearted and fun.
One thing is for sure, he can try all he wants to be otherwise but Soames is a nice guy. Enjoyable entertainment with a cup of tea to start – now that at least is doing the right thing. FOUR STARS
Did you have a bad auntie when you were a kid? You’ll know one if you had one. A bad auntie is loud and funny, and by no means necessarily an actual relative. She’ll bring you sweets and give you cash from her purse, she’ll buy you clothes you love, and that your mum won’t let you wear outside of the house afterwards. She’s a bit flashy, a bit sexy, a bit gaudy, a bit much. She has an edge: she drinks a lot of gin… it could go either way by the end of the night. There will be singing at some point: you can rely on that. If your childhood held such an exciting figure you’ll recognise Ms Bellini immediately. She is the archetypical bad auntie, in all her majesty and tragedy. Watch her belting Tom Jones songs out in a gawdy frock, making lewd gestures with vegetables and flirting outrageously with other people’s husbands. She’s a fascinating glittery car crash: the woman ten pints in at the local karaoke, dressed more for her Eurovision debut than another Friday night down The Hoppy. Jo-Jo Bellini: liberating shameless, unreservedly passionate and properly silly. There are some great songs and gags here, but neither her voice nor her jokes the real strength or charm of the show. Bellini brings the private, closed-door kitchen-sink diva that lurks within all of us out under the spotlight, inviting us all to be just as wantonly daft as she is. You will sing-along, and love it, you will be fed, you may win an elephant. There is a genuine sense of audience camaraderie by the end, and the crowd leave on a perceivable high. This would be a perfect end to a fringe night out with pals, a very cute show to take a date –it’s a bit saucy, and I don’t just mean the food- and is even the sort of thing you could go see with your mum in the safe knowledge that no-one’s about to say anything ‘too political.”
It would be a miserable soul indeed who wasn’t a wee bit cheered by This and That: A Late Night Tasty Delight. Well worth a visit. FOUR STARS
Utterly ridiculous, superbly witty and completely hilarious.
*
Racing Minds delivered an incredibly impressive show which had the audience laughing from the start. A Grandfather’s story-telling runs wild as audience suggestions help him to piece together a story he just can’t quite remember. The talented quintet are left to entertain and improvise their way through such absurd notions as a desert island being in the arctic! Accompanied by a phenomenally impressive keyboardist who manages to successfully judge the comic direction of the actors adding the right amount of drama, tension and ambience (and, who knew the titanic soundtrack so well it had me wondering whether they had prompted an audience member to throw the titanic into the story mix), the members bounce off each other with such ease that at times you forget its improv. Challenging each other to make their characters or idea even more plausible, the quintet impressively tackle the adventure served to them by the audience. Laughing at their own direction and accent choices, Racing Minds keep themselves and the audience on their toes and in doing so deliver wonderful comedy.
***
“Aaaand Now for Something Completely Improvised” is exactly what it says on the tin. And most importantly Racing Minds do it so successfully that you will be left wanting to go to the next show just to see how completely different it will be. Have your suggestions ready and put these brave and talented men to the test. They will not disappoint. FIVE STARS
Comedian Tim Vine won the Funniest Joke of the Fringe 2014 award, with: ‘I’ve decided to sell my Hoover… well, it was just collecting dust
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So tomorrow it begins, the month-long laugh-fest that is the Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. New material, old material, its all being flung into the epic maelstrom which sees hundreds of thousands of punters take their seats to be, well, entertained. The choices are vast, from well-established veterans to bright-eyed kids making their first step up from the ten-minute warm-up slots. I mean, making people laugh for an hour is no mean feat. To help the punters decide what to see this August, the Mumble has made the following selection of shows which are well worth a look.
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Fourth in Australia’s Got Talent, with over 400 sold out shows. This inspirational old Aussie takes a wicked, wicked look at old age, grabs it by the throat and makes a mockery of it. Australia’s Got Talent Irish Judge, Brian McFadden, comments ‘a class act, hilariously funny, National Treasure’. Australia’s Got Talent Judge, Danni Minogue, ‘it’s dirty, it’s smutty and we love it, a true Australian gem, original, warm, fantastic.’ He has packed out venues from Sydney to Perth and mesmerised TV audiences everywhere, gives you true blue fair dinkum belly laughs.
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Malcolm Hardee Award nominee and Best Show Winner Buxton Fringe 2014, in the first of a trilogy of new solo shows for 2015. After a chance encounter with Doctor Emmett Brown, Nathan realises there is only one thing that has really changed over the last 30 years. It isn’t flying cars. And it’s about to ruin all of our lives
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The award-winning comic’s story-telling show on how to find outrageous nightly adventure on a budget of £5. Set in the shady underworld of 1990’s Soho, London, it contains scenes of an explicit sexual nature. It’s a storytelling show about storytelling – using it as a way to get a social life. Creating scenarios in illegal drinking-dens beneath sex shops. Realising that the bigger the story you tell, the more people – such as international music legends and Tony Blair – want to believe it.
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Irreverent. Unnerving. Pointless. Following their sell-out show K.I.S.S. which toured the Camden and Brighton Fringes, and fresh from storming London Sketchfest 2015, four Edinburgh debutants bring you a sketch show unlike no other. Recently released from the funny farm, an institute for the unhinged (not actually) in Oxford, Laughing Stock combine fast-paced, witty dialogue with physical tomfoolery and musical ineptitude to bring you their very own brand of idiocy. Have you a penchant for the peculiar and a predilection for polo necks?
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Canadian Caroline Bierman coined the phrase ‘ONEymoon’ and reinvented a long standing social convention. This celebration was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award, Best Solo Show. Audiences join Caroline as her family and friends toast her unusual day and get a sneak peak at her vacation and rise to fame. Rapping. Dancing. Speeches. Your presence is gift enough. Christel Bartelse is a Canadian Fringe Veteran.
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Apples are the most important fruit in the world: think the Garden of Eden, the discovery of gravity, the advent of computers! Join Joe Hart (So You Think You’re Funny? finalist 2014 and Tickled Pig champion 2014) on his debut solo show. Prepare for a hilarious ride through the history of the world, according to apples.
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Anthropology graduate Joanie Little is stuck working as a barista. Much like Jane Goodall did with chimpanzees, this upbeat Miss studies her available subjects: the customers of her coffeeshop ‘jungle’… hilarity ensues
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A show for anyone who ever felt a little bit different growing up… Ballroom dancing is not the only humiliation heaped on a young Saikat. There’s public poetry, catechism, and no one getting his name right, ever. Join Saikat as he dances precariously through his dual identity childhood, torn between the familiar sights of Birmingham and the mysteries of Bangladesh. Meet werewolves in the playground, nuns in the corridors and tangerines in the dancehall… The play takes a humorous look at what it means to be British from someone who had to learn the hard way.
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Can comedy change Western misconceptions about Islam? Join Aatif as he makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut with a show that drew critical acclaim and packed houses to the Leicester Square Theatre in London.
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From the creators of Boris and Sergey comes a one man show featuring
puppetry, physical comedy, and mime. In this hilarious, absurd and often
magical show that juxtaposes themes of loneliness and belonging with joy
and exhilaration we are invited to witness one man’s quest for a friend.
Pathos, dark humour and Victorian aesthetics combine to create a wonderful
and mysterious backdrop to a poetic and surreal journey
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Join award-winning character comedian Joe Rowntree for the rare and wonderful specimen Morgan Berry: Pet Bereavement Counsellor. Rabbit Specialist. Born in Barnsley, raised in Africa – Bafrican! The car wash is in trouble. Morgan must save it. Can his online course in Pet Bereavement yield dividends and stop it from going Watership Down.
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It’s Only Words is a first for the Edinburgh Fringe – a comedy show in Chinese for people who don’t speak any Chinese at all! This unique debut from comedian Louise Reay is based on the idea that only 7% of communication is verbal. Come and experiment with the remaining 93%! You’ll understand it, but you won’t know why. It’s Only Words plays with the audience’s preconceptions about humanity and communication through a mix of clowning and stand up.
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Come see the birth of a true modern jester, a voice for the people. The Man is a punchy and surreal atomisation of the shadowy controlling forces that shape our modern world. A lone vigilante, The Man ploughs through sacred cows like an allegorical abattoir, doing for preconceptions what battering rams do for doors
Mumble Comedy 