Archive for EdFringe2018

IRONY?

August 19, 2018 at 9:38 am · Filed under Comedy, EdFringe2018, Edinburgh Fringe Festival ·Tagged , ,

IronyPQA Venue 3, Riddle’s Court  8:00pm

3-27 August, 2018

Davy Mitchell supported by John O’Hare

The inventor of the Segway fell off a cliff while riding on a Segway. Oh the irony. That’s the theme running through Davy Mitchell’s stand-up comedy routine with some support from Galway man John O’Hare.

There were only three people in the audience the night I attended; a young man from Sheffield, a young woman from Switzerland and me – an older man from Belfast. Such a poor turnout on one particular night might have discouraged some performers but Davy and John took the opportunity to engage more fully with their audience.

All humour is relative; some jokes made me cringe, others made me laugh out loud. This pair picked up cues from their audience, improvised accordingly and gave an entertaining performance; despite noise pollution leaking in from a musical production next door.

Reviewed by David Kerr

Gold star

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Japan Marvelous Drummers 

August 16, 2018 at 7:49 am · Filed under EdFringe2018, Edinburgh Fringe Festival

japanmarvelousdrummersAssembly George Square Theatre, George Square.
1:15pm daily, (except Friday 17) until 27th August.
Price £14.

High-octane is a phrase that could be used to describe the performance of this troop of musicians from Fukuoka, Japan. While drums are indeed their main instruments, flutes and others also play a part in this hour-long show that keeps up a rapid tempo from start to finish.

Each set of pieces is introduced and the significance of the music is explained to the audience. The musicians move instruments on and off the set with an ease and efficiency that ensures that the flow of performance is not interrupted.

The physicality of the performers is considerable. Not only do they play their instruments, (including banging the drums with some vigour!), but they also engage in some slapstick and carrying around what look rather heavy drums. Like a long and hard-fought tennis match you almost feel tired watching them!

Japan Marvelous Drummers is an hour of rip-roaring entertainment from a group of talented and likeable artists. My only caution would be that it if you have sensitive hearing then do not sit too near to the front!

Reviewed by David Andrews

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#EdFringe2018 #EdFringe #IntoTheUnknown

 

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What Listening to 10,000 Love Songs Has Taught Me About Love

August 11, 2018 at 8:29 am · Filed under EdFringe2018, Edinburgh Fringe Festival

lovesongs
Venue332
Laughing Horse @ Moriarty’s – Performing Space
18:00
Aug 11-12
50 minutes

This show is a delight. At the core is a great idea: to look at what Love is and how it affects us through love songs. It’s a simple set. When you go in, there is a desk with papers on it, some plastic ducks, a record player and a stack of records (not vinyl!). Then the writer/performer tells you a story about his personal experiences of love in a reflective, humourous and poignant way. His story is complemented by records from Frankie, Blondie, The Beatles, Soft Cell, Ian Drury and others. This works on several levels because whilst experiences are personal there is a commonality too and hearing a story based on truth makes us feel connected. It’s a show that gets under your skin and makes you think about your own life: your first kiss, losing loved ones, break-ups. The whole gamut of Love. I found parts of this show moving.

It saddened me to hear of a racist incident directed at the writer/performer during a love affair. But it made me laugh to hear John Cooper Clarke and his (I Married A) Monster From Outer Space. At one point, I cried a little as I heard about the death of his Father and the song sung by his Mother in commemoration – Moon River. Heart wrenching.

It’s a coincidence (or providential) that this show jumped out at me. A good friend has just written a self-help book using lyrics as a starting point: Lyrics to Live By. I have, therefore, been thinking a lot about lyrics and how they bring back memories of certain points in our life and provide us with tools to understand it all! There are songs that are just too painful for me to hear. I try to avoid them. Others uplift me and take me to happy memories. They have a great power. This show helped me to understand another part of the puzzle. It’s great that this show is part of the Free Festival and that the writer/performer is doing it for love not money!

Reviewed by Pat Harrington

#EdFringe2018  #EdFringe #IntoTheUnknown

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@JohnLewis: Never Knowingly Undertweeted

August 4, 2018 at 8:03 am · Filed under EdFringe2018, Edinburgh Fringe Festival ·Tagged , , , ,

johnlewis

Simon Jay gives a compelling performance in this one man show

Venue 93
Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom – The Basement
12:00
Aug 4-7, 9-14, 16-21, 23-26
1 hour

Simon Jay gives a versatile performance in this fascinating one-man show. Based on a true story, the play is about an American teacher called John Lewis whose twitter account is confused with that of the well known co-operative Department Store. A strange tale and no wonder that the Standard picked it as one of the ten quirkiest shows of the Fringe!

It’s a story that is funny but raises serious questions about identity, corporate branding and social media. Jay portrays different roles apart from John Lewis including customers and staff at the HQ of the store. Jay oozes energy and humour. I liked his miming of shaving and his dancing (Jay is quite a physical performer!).

I should make special mention to the enjoyable and diverse music soundtrack which accompanies the show and underlines themes in the script. Best of all the show is part of the free festival so go along, enjoy and put money (what you can afford) in the bucket at the end!

Reviewed by Pat Harrington

#IntoTheUnknown #EdFringe2018 #EdFringe

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Trumpageddon

August 3, 2018 at 6:25 am · Filed under EdFringe2018, Edinburgh Fringe Festival ·Tagged , , , , ,

Venue 14
Gilded Balloon Teviot – Wine Bar
16:00
Aug 3-7, 9-14, 16-21, 23-27
1 hour
trumpageddon

Simon Jay gives an energetic performance as Trump

Simon Jay attempts to parody the US President. His difficulty is, partly, that Trump is so out there that he is difficult to satirise. It’s easy to fall into presenting a caricature and that’s what happens here. We are all familiar with Trump’s boasting and inconsistency and even the crudity expressed here toward female members of the audience and regarding members of own family and political figures doesn’t shock.

Jay describes himself as a “queer performer and life long socialist” and no one can fault his passion or commitment. He gives an energetic performance and stays in role on and off stage. Jay got a lot right in Trump’s speech patterns, mannerisms and standard responses. “Beautiful” as Trump might say!
There were funny moments (I liked the version of Mein Herr from Cabaret, My Hair, for instance). Simon/Trump was also entertaining when dealing with individual members of the audience. . I also liked that the show tried to keep up with events. When I went references were made to the release of Tommy Robinson.
However the show is not well scripted. The “soul catching” routine goes nowhere. A section with the ghosts of the Founding Fathers is an interesting concept but lacks punch. The side to Trump that is a calculating politician playing to his audience isn’t explored. It simply presents trump as a buffoon and a dirty old man. It’s maybe an uncomfortable truth to confront that Trump is a populist giving answers (often bad) to real problems. He is tapping into discontent with the American economy, “liberal elites”, immigration and crime. If you don’t address that then you are simply value signaling to people who think the same as you do.
It’s a shame as Trumpageeddon has the potential to be a great show. To be so the writer would need to check his prejudices at the door and seek to understand what the appeal of Trump is to many Americans. Presentation of that would give this show an edge which is lacking.
Reviewed by Pat Harrington
#Trumpageddon #edfringe2018 #EdFringe #IntoTheUnknown

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