More Stuff That Takes My Fancy...

OK... before I start I'd like to plug a blog similar to mine, that seems to be just starting out.... The Insider's Guide to the Fringe They started with a "Place to Stay" guide and have moved on to recommending shows. It seems to be a young couple of Fringe Fans contributing to this blog....

As always, Doug Segal seems to have sniffed them out early and charmed them into recommending him. Way to go Doug!

They have picked a few shows from acts that I have reviewed before... Other than Doug, I have also seen Nina Conti before (very good).

I saw Sarah Kendall around 7 years ago and she had some great lines and got cracking reviews... The crowd were a bit funny with her the night I was there and she didn't get the big laughs that I had heard she was getting every other night, but still a very capable stand up and with another 7 years experience in her she's going to be seriously good.

I also like the look of Trevor Noah and One Night Stand (not for any other reason than they've stood out in the Fringe guide as shows I'd like to see, so I've googled them).

So good luck to the new kids on the block! I hope they enjoy writing about their experience!

On to my picks now... My early tip for Best Newcomer Imaan has put up a new video plugging his show... Watch it and if you like the look of it, go see it!

I've seen a little bit of Kate Smurthwaite at a few 4-comics-for-the-price-of-1 shows and she's been excellent. Go and see her if you like a bit of left leaning satire. She's also well known for being the star of the Atheist Bitch Slap video on youtube which has proved to be popular. A top top act and one of the best acts I can find in a FREE show!

Another act that I don't think will be free for too much longer is Ashley Freize. A great musical comedian who has written the book on how to put on a Fringe show.... Literally (well, co-written it at least). He has some cracking sex based songs... the one about shagging old ladies is a particular favourite of mine!

I'm also a big fan of Lewis Schaffer.... He doesn't do comedy by numbers.. he can be quite eclectic, but he has some of the sickest lines I've ever heard (the work "sickest" applies equally to both the old school and new school meanings). He is a frequent subject of John Fleming's excellent blog. The link will give you a better idea of the show you are likely to see - I couldn't have put it any better than John! Kate Copsick of The Scotsman agrees and that paper put him on last years list of the top ten shows to see in 2011. (Just about every other act had been on TV regularly the past year).

Sarah-Louise Young is bringing back her popular Cabaret Whore for a short run... with the best of her shows from the last three years... She used to be part of the Free Festival, you're too late to see her for nothing, but she's well worth paying for. As it's a "best of" show with old material, it's a very safe bet to go to during the previews for only £7.

Another very funny lady that you'll need to part with your hard earned cash to see is Diane Spencer. Her blurb on the fringe website compares her to Joan Rivers and Sarah Millican... If you are one of the many people who don't find Sarah Millican overly funny then don't worry, I don't either, but I loved Diane Spencer! Millican comes across as being deliberately smutty, Spencer does it effortlessly (so for me the Joan Rivers comparison is a far better one)!

I've raved about him before, but the king of deadpan suave and sophisticated comedy is Marcel Lucont. One of the few comedians I've seen over and over and not tired of. He has some great videos of longish sets on youtube... Don't spoil his show by watching too many... But here's a 3 minute set! He's also hosting a Cabaret Show on Fridays.

Coming next... I'll give you a run down of some local talent performing at the Fringe, many for the first time!