Alex Kealy - lacked a bit of confidence and thread to show I think but some good funny bits, seems like might read this so won’t be too harsh
Paul Foot - really good, thought was gonna bit a bit too goofy but definitely stay the right side and has good jokes
Tim Key - not a huge fan, but it was really good, sort of a semi-autobiographical look at a middling/failing actor aggresive persona. Worked well in small room, not sure how will translate in bigger rooms.
Hola!
Am going to be in Scotland on hols next week and planning a day in Edinburgh during the week.
Want to take the kids to a show or two. Anyone seen anything that was 12+ appropriate? I’ve been looking on the EdFringe website but thought I’d ask.
Thanks!
Posted this today, hasn’t she
The ox-bow lakes thing relates to the show. Maybe not in a way you’d assume. Go see her anyway, she’s great.
I saw this last week
It was a random pick as it was on half price, really enjoyed it. Quite silly, quite funny. Not a kid’s show but not 18+. There was probably a little bit of swearing but she also struck me as a performer who would moderate that if she had younger people in the audience.
She does talk to the audience though so maybe not a front row job if your kids would be uncomfortable with that!
Thanks, much appreciated!
Finally sorted a day to go through from Glasgow. Seeing the following this Friday;
Burnout Paradise (things being done on a bunch of treadmills?)
Simon Munnary (Bit of a veteran of the Fringe - always interesting stuff)
Zoe Combs Marr (Not much info - some good reviews tho)
Adam Ritchies (Comedy theatre as Jimmy Connors! Risky last show of the day)
This is from midday so might squeeze 1 or 2 others in… just can’t miss the last train back!
The 2024 Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominees are... : News 2024 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide…
DLT Entertainment owner Donald Taffner Jr is this year extending his backing, with the main award being renamed the Donald and Eleanor Taffner Best Comedy Show in honour of his parents, who founded the company.
…what?
Saw a few things yesterday on the one day I had to do so.
Ivo Graham’s Carousel - really well structured, touching, creative, liked it a lot. The more I thought about it the less I liked it. It’s a bit self-indulgent in a way that rankled a bit. Covers so much that it almost feels like it deliberately eschews introspection about certain things? Dunno! I did really like it!
Tarot: Shuffle - lots of fun! Sketch show, so a fair few misses but a lot of stuff that did really hit as well. Good comedic performers doing solid bits which didn’t really ever feel cringe.
Stamptown - extremely ramshackle by design and by accident (started 40 minutes late because of some rigging issue!). Complete chaos. Pacing was all over the place, and whilst there was a lot of laughs, some of it was deeply tedious. A real tightrope that it balanced on between “anti-humour” and “just shit”. Lots of people left lol.
I saw a bunch of things yesterday but if anyone has any time this weekend, Stevie Martin and Marjolein Robertson were both fantastic.
I also had the classic Fringe experience (for the first time!) of turning up and being the only customer. Thankfully they roped some randoms in, but it was pretty awkward.
Amy Gledhill’s won the big award (beating the other half of The Delightful Sausage’s solo show amongst others), Joe Kent-Walters best newcomer.
Many years ago she did a standup course with easylaughs in Amsterdam, the group I’m with. She wrote a letter to the group which they saved because it was so sweet.
Ah that’s lovely. It’s funny because I first came across her on Twitch in summer 2020, she would do a lot of late streams on weekends, often just sitting outside her house in Shetland, in those really light summer nights they get, chatting and reading poems mainly. I didn’t actually knew she did stand up until I started seeing clips on Instagram a little while ago!
Did one final day yesterday and now i’m out. Although earlier in the week I saw
Assembly Hall
Canadian dance piece about a group of medieval role players who meet to discuss whether or not they are going to continue. Really surreal and kinda hard to explain (and not sure I totally understood everything) but as you might expect the lines between the medieval role play and ‘reality’ begin to blur. The dancing was incredible, like a mix between Tina Bausch and The Sims, had a real uncanny element to it. Definitely one of the best things I’ve seen.
Then yesterday was…
The Disappeared
A burlesque cabaret about LGBTQ+ oppression in South America during times of political unrest. Goes for a difficult tone of hope in the face of struggle and sadly doesn’t always hit. Its probably not helped by it having a real late night tone despite being at 1pm.
Lara Ricote
Finally caught her after aiming to for a couple of years (mainly off of recommendations here). She was very funny although the show lost me about two thirds of the way through. Incredible crowd work and energy throughout though, the kinda comedian that makes me think I want to be your pal. Also bonus points for her directing Abby Wambaugh’s show, which is my fav of the fringe this year.
Through the Mud
The stories of Assata Shakur, a black panther who was on the FBI most wanted list and a university student in Ferguson in 2014. Obviously still very important topics but quite weak theatrically, staging felt a bit student-y and there was next to no characterisation or drama.
All in all it’s not been the strongest fringe for me sadly. Not seen as much as usual, and the things I have seen haven’t been great. Highlights were So Young, Ania Magliano, Demi Adejuyigbe, Abby Wambaugh and Assembly Hall.
Of the nominees I saw doing previews, Sarah Keyworth was my favourite (and Natalie Palamides).
Saw the Frankie Monroe act at the Moth Club last year I think, it was pretty wild… great commitment to the bit and a deserved win. Jin Hao Li is fantastic stand up already with a great style and unique voice and I suspect he will go on to be very big.
yeah haven’t seen anything bad at all, but my fav thing of this year would probably still be behind my third fav from last year. Can’t all be winners though!
only managed to add one since my last entry due to stuff (though did manage to add in a film fest screening and three EIF gigs)
L’Addition - got a last min return for this fun weirdo theatre show just when I was about to head home after Bat for Lashes. Normally a morning show but had been selling out, so added in one late night session
basically a two hander between a waiter and a customer, where things keep spinning out of control, roles keep switching, they lose their grip on reality, everything keeps restarting and warping. Sometimes funny because of tiny gestures and expressions, sometimes very BIG with SHOUTING and flailing around. Lots of fun, oddball energy, and for such a limited amount of material they really brought the crowd along with them. Was a weird choice to make it 70 mins though, if any show was begging to be on the slightly shorter side it was this one - had me checking the time as it reached the end which I never really do. Very glad to have caught it but not quite at the hype level I was expecting given the sales
off to another few today and maybe even a Monday show for the first time ever?? finish strong
Had my busiest day of shows on the last Sunday, silly man
The Screen Test - character piece about a 1930s starlet trying to make it in Hollywood and all the pitfalls she faced. Good fun if a bit loose and unfocused at times, but always strong when riffing on specific actors or films or big pop culture moments. Highlight was a flailing dance number to the theme song of Cowboy Bebop
Playfight - story of three female teenage friends growing up and growing apart. Really good, funny and sad and surprising, performed in the round which I always enjoy. A few theatre touches took me out of it, but just shows that for most of the time I was fully in the story and believed the characters. Near the top of my list of shows for the year
Little Squirt - musical about a guys journey to donate sperm, and the questions it brought up for him about life and kids. Performed very well but material didn’t do much for me, felt like enough for a rambling bar chat between friends rather than a full show
