The Stand in the Square

Until Aug 28th (17.40)

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We struggle for more than an hour to find somewhere nearby the venue to get a sit down meal to no avail. I’ve decided to go out on the busiest day of the fringe or so it feels. The world’s largest arts festival is a symbol of Scotland’s success in the world and I’m visiting a show which attempts to look at the origins of Scotland.  Where did this band of noble savages come from?

I’ve never seen Bruce play before, despite him being from my neck of the woods, Perth (as well as being half-Ghanaian).  We’re in a packed yurt in St. Andrews square.  After Bruce asks the crowd, it appears mainly Scottish and English but I think there were many folk from further afield unwilling to raise their arm for fear of retribution.  I was with one! To be fair Bruce’s jibes at national stereotypes are aimed at all including his native country.

The opening part of the show is a hilarious love-in about history (History Channel +1 – for those who like their historical a tiny bit more historical), haggis hunting, Scottish history and fucking the Tories.  He was excellent and totally at ease with the audience and felt in some ways like you had known him for years (or at least 5 pints).  Bruce adeptly deals with a heckler; he’s clearly dealt with much tougher audiences that this partisan yurt rabble.

Bruce makes good use to slides to illustrate the scots journey from tribesmen fighting the romans and Vikings right up to modern times.  The part in the middle is more factual than funny but it’s certainly informative and accurate (some of it) and I actually learned a couple of things I didn’t know.  Bruce apologises for this part of the show by saying he is not going to apologise.  I thought it was really excellent and an interesting light-hearted section from a passionate firebrand Scot.

My only criticism is that the show didn’t last 10 minutes or so longer.  The educational part of the show affected the pace and although he went back to the comedy afterwards it was too short a time to get the audience back where they were before.  That said Bruce’s show was thought-provoking and coherent effort from and engaging home-grown talent.

Reviewer : Dave Mcmenemy

10 Dome – Pleasance Dome

3rd Aug 2016 – 29th Aug 2016 (17.:40)

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For those who are frustrated by pointless emails or the awkwardness of the online encounter in general, James Veitch offers relief in the form of retaliation. No faceless scammer is safe from his witty and charismatic trolling.  Whether it’s the Sainsbury’s customer service team or a scam-bot on Tinder, Mr Veitch will find a funny way to get them messaging back with increased confusion and exasperation. It would seem that Mr Veitch has dedicated many years to the craft of politely winding up those who make the mistake of getting in touch with him.

Not to say that spam emails are the limit of Veitch’s humour – he branches out into his love life, the delights of shared accommodation and the social dynamics of online gaming. Indeed, the analogy of life and game is one he is keen on, and he even makes a brief trip to the land of existential absurdity. He is humble and self-deprecating in his humour, making as many jokes at his own expense as he does at the Sainsburys customer service team.

The trolling is, however, by far his strongest suit. In truth, some of the jokes do seem somewhat recycled. But perhaps the greatest accomplishment of Veitch’s performance is that he can tell pretty much the same joke in seventeen different ways, and still have you laughing at it each time.

Reviewer : Hugh J. Downie

Masai Graham on his Facebook account says…

Holy Shit! I won best joke of the Fringe.x

My dad has suggested I register for a
Donor Card, he’s a man after my own heart.x

With One Week To Go Here Are Five Of Our Five Star Choices Of What Is Still Showing This August

(click on a name to read their review)

COMEDY

Pippa Evans

Bannermans

Aug 6-9, 22-28 (1.45pm)

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Larry Dean

The Plesance Courtyard

Aug 22-28

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Ross Hepburn

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The Plesance Courtyard

Aug 22-28

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When I got the chance to review this show I was well chuffed… I had been looking for a ‘straight’ stand-up Weegie comedian for ages; no nonsense, no gimmicks, just banter. I was not to be disappointed at all – Larry absolutely nailed it, he was well on point with a show full of one-liners and comical anecdotes. The venue itself was good and a decent size holding maybe 100 people with built up seating on all sides of the stage. This worked well for Larry and gave it a very intimate feel; like you were round your pal’s house having a bevy and Larry was cracking all the jokes. Larry should appeal to everyone, I hope, and is highly entertaining for almost all of his show. There is minimal audience interaction, but like all the greats he doesn’t need to rely on us to feed his laughs.

He has good strings of jokes throughout the show which get funnier every time he uses them. He reminded me a little bit of the ‘big yin,’ the way he was able to go off on tangents and then scramble to get back to what he was on about. In one of the reviews I read before seeing him, he was compared to Kevin Bridges, but I wouldn’t agree with that — Larry is his own man with his own style. Go and see his show with an open mind and you will definitely have a lot of fun and tons of laughs. This wee guy is well worth going to see one of the best shows I have seen this year (& I’ve seen a lot)!

Reviewer : Mark Parker

The Mash House

Aug 22-28 (17.00)

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I was a little dubious going along to this one as it was based around a relationship break-up and then reconciliation. We all know a thing or ten about relationships ending and it really isn’t that big a deal; especially when it is someone else’s! Thankfully, the show is quite loosely based on this theme and you don’t hear too much about it. I thought the show was more about growing up and realising its ok to acceptyourself for who you are – even if that someone is a little crazy with the occasional homicidal tendency. Pete talks you through a few events in his life in a humorous and light-hearted way, giving us a bit of insight into his own mind as he tries to figure his shit out. The show itself was funny, and thankfully there where more than a couple of jokes! It was easy to relate to Pete as he just lays it all out there with no fear of judgment.

I believe Pete is trying to share his experiences to not just help himself – vocalising his thoughts to also help others who may be going through similar situations. Is he original, cutting edge, about to break through; no I don’t think so. I would also question if there is any where the show could go. Don’t get me wrong, Pete is certainly talented, and I am glad he was able to work through his issues and was rooting for him at the end. However, I wouldn’t wish that his life turns for the worst again so that he can have some different material!

Reviewer : Mark Parker

The Mash House

Until the 27th (15.00)

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We all need ‘Texan’ Suzanna Gonzo in our life. She has the ability to heal us – perhaps not so much with the esoterics of her healin’ & revealin,’ but more from the fact that she can transfer that endless, pearly-white smile of hers onto your own face. Her show, then, is a wee waltz through her days as a Luxury Cruise Liner singer & her sexual adventures along the way. Suzanna’s real name is Katie Bridget O’Brien, a graduate of Philippe Gaulier’s Parisian clown school, & it shows. She’s incredibly adept at making us laugh. She has also embraced the singular character theme – her previous Fringe effort, Billy Was Tap Dancing With Seagulls, used a number of characters, but this time round she’s hit pay-dirt with her pink-clad, catchphrase-kicking, finger-lickin,’Cher-loving cowgirl, Miss Gonzo

Watching Gonzo is like having a right good soak in a bubble-bath, for a good hour or so of warmth & fluffiness. This lady is a stylish talent, & like all the best comedy storytellers has the ability to transport us into an unshakable reality of hilarity. And that’s the beauty of it. You know she’s a comedy character – almost cartoonesque, really – you know that the Texan accent is almost too good to be true, & you now the wacky stories she’s coming out with are but joyous little baubles of comedy creativity…. but she’s so entrancing you become completely immersed in her world & are like, Suzanna, its my turn, please heal me…

Reviewer : Damian Beeson Bullen

Opium, Nightclub

Aug 21-27

PWYL

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Now this was a great surprise! Free fringe and absolutely Fantastic! Matt is a very funny guy with a wicked sense of humour. He does not take himself too seriously, but is meticulous and funny from start to finish! I was really impressed by this guy and a fantastic way to introduce my wee bro to the Fringe. Matt was at the door to welcome you as you entered the upstairs room in Opium, which must have had enough seating for 100 people and we had to negotiate for our stools at the back, so go early! His story is roughly based around a red dwarf type scenario and stays pretty true to the storyline all the way through! There is scene after scene of funny adventures as he supersoars on his journey through space – with tons of laughs from the whole audience.

The clue is in the title folks – it’s well worth an hour of your day and utterly amazing you can go and see him for free. I would be very surprised if this will be the case for much longer! My American friend didn’t quite get this one as much as my wee bro & I, so there may be some cultural barriers to overcome for it going worldwide. But who cares – not me and my wee bro who were absolutely killing ourselves. A great way to kick of anybody’s Fringe, if you are in town and anywhere near the Cowgate get along and see the show you will be in for a real treat!

Reviewer : Mark Parker

Espionage – Kasbar

4th – 28th August @ 6.15pm

Free – Non Ticked Show

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John Scott returns to Edinburgh from the depths of the Stand Comedy Club in Newcastle with his intriguingly titled show,  Smashes It To F**k. A regular face on the comedy circuit during the Fringe,  John is always one of these comedians that takes his show to another level.  Acquiring the Kasbar in Espionage, with a crowd of 35 to 40 people, this is a close up and personal hour of hard-hitting, stand-up comedy.  John takes an average day and turns it into a head-on collision of gripping, on the edge of your seat hilarity. From the first words spoken, John had the audience in barrels of laughter, clutching at his jokes as they were hurled towards us with precise meaning…

Swaying back and forward from his Small World to his Big World, Mr Scott takes us through new dimensions of political and self-conscious jokes, delivering direct and deliberate lines that hit you like a gale force wind.  Stunned with laughter you recover in enough time to deal with the next succession of mind-teasing jokes. With the Royal Family, Politics, Religion, War, Donald Trump, and pretty much everything else in the firing line, there is nowhere to hide when it comes to John Scott…

A true marvel at crafting his art of stand up comedy, I felt this space was too small for such a giant.  This is funniness taken to the outer boundaries of our existence.  Planned purely with the audience in mind (and partly for himself), John can shock you, tickle you, twist you, bend you, entertain you, melt you, never offend you, with his twisted take on our daily existence on mother earth.  This is the best and funniest free comedy I have had the pleasure to attend at this years Edinburgh Fringe… Shockingly Brilliant !!!!!!

Reviewed by Raymond Speedie