Laughing Horse @ The Counting House
Aug 14-19 (11 AM)
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There is nothing more life-affirming than doing what you want to do, & so the Fringe welcomes back John Porter for another wee stint of doing his comedy. The guy was struck with Cerebal Palsy in younger years, which provides the gagline to about half of his material. The rest is a gentle float through his say-to-day life, his dreams, his expectations, based around the premise of a question he was asked himself half a decade years ago – ‘What do you want to do in five year’s time?’ Shortly after that he decided he would notch being a comic into his belt, & thus we are presented with something likehis Match of the Day highlights show. As for subject matter, in a recent interview with The Mumble, when asked, ‘upon which life-experiences do you draw your own comedy?’ John replied;
All of ’em! That’s the entire show this year. In my life I’ve been (and still am) disabled, depressed, in love, broken hearted, inspired, lonely, and all kinds of things. My experience of love, depression and comedy all come through in my work at different times. In one sense I try to let my feelings out on stage, because suddenly when you can laugh at them, they don’t seem like the big deal you thought they were.
‘We’ve all got differences,’ says Porter, ‘we’ve all got different tales to tell… & this one’s mine.‘ His tale will be worth hearing yes, but for me it is a tad too early. John is only 27 & needs more life experience from which to draw his hunour. To imagine the experience of watching John as a comedian, picture a hot day in the Kalahari desert, & your comedy meter is a buffalo, & Mr Porter’s jokes are the buffalo’s tail occasionally flicking out to squat a fly. Yes, its a very calm, almost tame outing, but Mr Porter is an immensely likeable Mancunian with a genuine love of life, & being in his company at 11AM is actually a pleasant way to start a day at the Fringe.
Reviewer : Damo
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Andy Stedman has written an EPs worth of songs which he hopes will guide his boy, Jack Elvis, through the trials & tribulations of adolescence, and has decided to share his songs with the world as well. Among these, he sings about his son’s first day of school when mummy will give him a last hug, and his new mates will shame him for it. Andy’s also written a song about the ‘birds and the bees’ for his son, from the perspective of a sperm. In case Andy should die before Jack becomes a man, Andy has composed a sentimental letter with his final words of wisdom on life.
Imagine its a really, really hot day – the fan’s not working, the beers are flat & you’re stuck on a noisy bus. Well that’s the Fringe. Then you come to your stop, there’s a cool ocean breeze, an ice-cream van is parked right by the bus, & there’s a clear-watered, empty outdoor swimming pool just waiting to be dived into. That’s what going to see The Delightful Sausage in Edinburgh, 2017, is exactly like. Refreshing beyond belief. OK, to catch people’s notice in a such a plethoraic arena, you need a gimmick a two, & dressing up as a sausage suddenly does that. A little needlessly, one would say, but Amy who dons the sausage outfit seems to enjoy herself, so its all good. Her partner, Chris Cantrill – a former Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year (2013) – is her perfect foil, & the duo gambol like two happy lambs in a glade, bouncing off each other’s energy & setting up each others’ gags with precision timing. 
After a successful first night last Friday, The Mumble will be bringing SEVEN more acts from the Edinburgh Fringe to perform for the good folk of East Lothian. There will be a licensed bar & people may come & go as they please through the night & it is free to get in, but as in the spirit of the Free Fringe in Edinburgh, bucket will be set up near the door to receive donations towards paying the costs of the evening. Doors will open at 19.30, & close at 23.30. Inbetween, the running order is as follows.
20:40: Susie Steed
Siân Docksey’s Totally Casual & Freewheeling Mystic Comedy Lemon Torpedo is an intelligent and meaningful way to spend your noon hour at this year’s Fringe. Our artist presents a smart metaphor for the difficulty of being an “ab”normal person in western society. The material deals with gender fluidity, sexism, sexuality and privilege. Her show started a tad slow, and at first I could not tell if Siân was actually doing a satire of comedians who try too hard to be funny OR was just plain trying too hard to be funny. But Siân was soon on her comedic feet, finding her groove, which peaked in a soliloquy on her grandmother’s immigration. It seemed to me as if Siân had stolen away from trying to be funny and started speaking directly from her creative spirit.
Mumble Comedy 