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.

‘
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.

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

,
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.
‘
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

,
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,

,

Assembly Roxy

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

£6,

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

,

Matt Forde – The Political Party

,

,

Pleasance Dome

1-25 August, 16.00-17.00

£9-£10

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

,

Peacock & Gamble

,

,

Chortle Fast Fringe Pleasance Dome

2-24 August, 6.40-7.40 PM,

£9-£11

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

,

Luisa Omielan

.

,

,

Gilded Balloon Teviot

Aug 2-11, 9.15pm-10.15pm

£7

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

,

James Acaster

,

‘

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.