The List

So, a week or so into the Fringe, I'm posting a list of shows that I think you should see. Some I have seen and reviewed, some I have seen in previous years, some I have seen people involved in the show but not seen the whole show....

Big Names:

Reg Hunter is always worth a look. As are Richard Herring and Stewart Lee.

Becoming Big Names:

Adam Riches (see my review) has a growing reputation. His two sidekicks are also part of other shows "Late Night Gimp Fight" and "Idiots of Ants"respectively, shows I would very much like to see.

Doug Segal is now sold out so you probably won't get to see him but if you can go then do. A similar act who is almost as good is Chris Cox. He's doing a full run I believe.

I've seen Jessica Ransom twice as part of a double act and supporting Adam Riches and she was excellent.

I saw Cabaret Whore in 2009 and 2010, brilliant both times.

I'm off to see Adam Kay of Amateur Transplants on Saturday. (Check out the London Underground Song on youtube if you haven't heard of him).

Smaller names destined for bigger things:

Diane Spencer is getting some great reviews. Some great filthy sex stories and included in her show by the sounds of things! I've seen her at Shaggers and she stole she show.

Marcel Lucont is another Shaggers regular. He's doing a chat show this year which is definitely worth a look.

Max and Ivan were my first 5* show this year and are sure to be an even bigger success next year.

Now two shows with some great young up and coming Scottish comedians, most of whom I've seen at local comedy competitions. "Gangsters of Laugh" features Rik Caranza, Gareth Waugh and Paulie Cronin all of whom did well. One of my favourite up and coming Scottish lads is Richard Gadd who stars with James Kirk and Matt Winning in "Gadd Kirk and Winning: Well This is Awkward".

Compilation Shows:

My favourite show at the Fringe bar none is Shaggers. 4-6 comedians late at night talking about sex, with my buddy Nik Coppin as compere, who is also very good in his solo show "Award Winning Comedian".

Also I mentioned this in my last post, but Laughing Horse Free Festival run three "Pick of the Fringe" Shows at Espionage every day. Aside from the shape of the room, there is no difference between that and show and any of the compilation 3 comics and a compere type shows that you have to pay for.

That should keep you busy for a day or two at least!

Bratchy: Beer and Loathing and Lost Wages ***

When your show is free then getting the crowd in can be only half the battle, entertaining them in non-prefect conditions can be a whole different matter. Often at the Free Festival you'll see a show every bit as good as a paid show. The Free Festival "Pick of the Fringe" shows are every bit as good as "Best of Scottish/Irish Comedy" or The Big Value Comedy show.

The downside however is that some of the rooms can be too uncomfortable, too hot, music can seep in from other venues and sometimes people wander in to shows not knowing what to expect and end up seeing something that is not to their taste.

Bratchy didn't have al the above challenges but it was a very bright room, not designed for comedy and there was a fair bit of music seeping in. I've never seen anyone do a 4-5 star review in these conditions so he has to be highly commended for putting on a 3* show under the circumstances.

Although somewhat disjointed in places, Bratchy is a very capable stand up. His style (delivery and material) is perhaps more suited to late night compering so it could ave been a challenge for him to hold the room but he managed fine (even when he went off at tangents that lead to not that strong material).

In the final part of the show the comedy went hardcore with the addition of a second comedian (disguised as a ventriloquists dummy) who managed to get away with some seriously offensive stuff because he was dressed as a dummy.

This is not a show to see if you are easily offended, but for a free show it is certainly ticks a lot of the boxes and I reckon that you'll be far more likely than not to pop a few pounds in the bucket at the end of the show!

Show details:

http://laughinghorsecomedy.co.uk/dynamic/show.asp?ShowID=394

Doug Segal - I know What You're Thinking *****

I have two things to say about Doug Segal.

Number one is that he has an incredible show. Number two, he is the perfect example of how good marketing can bring you success at the Fringe.

I first encountered Doug when he started following me on Twitter not long after I'd joined, when I only had around 20 followers and hadn't said much. Presumably lured by my official looking username, he read my blog, saw what I was about and messaged me inviting me to come along and see the show. I was by no means the only one. @FringeGuru, @EdinburghSpotlight, @PublicReviews and many others had also been charmed into reviewing his show (or manipulated by the power of his mind depending on which way you look at it) and the reviews were all resoundingly positive.

I got the chance to meet him in person at the Free Festival Launch Party and I was pleased to find out that he was as nice in person as he appeared on Twitter. We chatted about his marketing strategy and he told me that once he had prepared a good show, he knew his work was still less than half done as he still had to get a crowd in to watch it, and he saw his job as show promoter every bit as much as a performer.

As someone who works in marketing who has watched so many better than average comedians get nowhere because they were to hungover to flyer or because they don't even have a facebook page, I can't tell you how refreshing this attitude is to see. Any aspiring comics or theatre acts need to look back at his Twitter timeline over the last three months, read his masterclass in self promotion and follow his lead.

Anyway, enough of my appreciation of him as a marketing guru and on to the show.....

Doug describes himself as a mentalist "like Derren Brown" but funnier. When you compare yourself to someone as successful as that you need to have the skills to match and thankfully Doug's show doesn't disappoint. I have read Derren Brown's book as well as others by the likes of James Randi, so I have a fair idea of how acts like Doug's work (I regularly annoy my girlfriend by beating Penn and Teller to the punch when they dissect the performance of another contestant on "Fool Us").

I tried doing the same at Doug's show, but by trick number four I was really struggling and although I got back on track mid-show, the last 4-5 tricks , leading up to the grand finale had me not even knowing where to start.

From the beginning he is charming and friendly, his show requires audience participation which (unlike Adam Riches) is done very sensitively without embarrassment and with the volunteers constantly at ease with their role.

His tricks all worked perfectly and he finished with a standing ovation (albeit prompted) and the buzz continued all the was down the stairs as people were leaving, desperate to discuss how he could have possibly pulled it all off.

He is now on course to sell out every show (many had to be turned away on the night I was there - and that was a Monday) so book your ticket while you still can.

Bigger and better things now await! He'll be doing a full run next year and the 5 star reviews keep rolling in.

I'm delighted to add mine to the list!

Show information:

http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/cabaret/doug-segal-i-know-what-you-re-thinking-free

Bring me the Head of Adam Riches *****

I've seen Adam Riches before. If you've read my previous blog about him you'll know what's coming.

Thankfully I knew what was coming and I chose a seat right at the back in the corner. I don't mind being dragged on stage, in truth I'm a bit of a show off (as the audience at the Free Festival Launch Party found out), but on my own, during the day, sober is a bit much and last time I twice ended up like this poor chap, taking part in Adam's show (and no, I didn't lick his face) so I figured it was someone else's turn!

To carry off a sketch show, especially when you're doing most of the work yourself you have to be full of energy and Adam Riches is... well imagine Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, in a pro plus eating contest!

From the first moment to the last he gets the audience on side by being charming and at the same time off-the-wall funny! I've mentioned before that I'm easy to please and I often judge comedy shows by giving you a rough idea of their laughs per minute. With Adam Riches you have to judge him in laughs per second.

Again, I don't want to give too much away about this show itself, but you will not be disappointed.

He's moved up from the cellar to the attic and although his show is suited to a cosy room, I do think it's time for him to move on to bigger things and I hope to see him at a bigger venue next year.

With their being so much competition, including from sketch shows Max and Ivan and Colin Hoult who are equally funny, talented and enjoyable to watch, the odds are against Adam Riches winning a big award this year, but I will say that if he does win, I won't be surprised.

Show information:

http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/bring-me-the-head-of-adam-riches

Cul-de-sac **

Billed as a brilliant spin of the Stepford Wives, Cul-de-sac is an exploration of what happens when neighbours get too close. The new arrival in one of the houses is greeted by his neighbour who tells him what's what and welcomes him into the cul-de-sac. As the play evolves, you find out more about the characters in the play and also the peripheral characters who are not represented with actors but form part of the story line.

Whilst the acting of the play was generally good and there were some funny moments, it was also a little weird and I have to confess I didn't really get it. I'm not ashamed to say that because I don't think many other people in the audience got it either, judging by the puzzled looks and the general shrugging of shoulders that started as soon as the actors left the stage.

There were constant references to the scary people who live outside the cul-de-sac, the hoodies and "the Muslims" who were a threat to the residents, and whilst it's quite obvious that the intention was to paint the residents as paranoid Daily Mail reading types, bigoted characters tend to be shown up at the end of the play and this didn't really happen.

All in all, the failure of this play to shine is down to the poorly written script, which did not give the actors the scope to really show off the comic prowess they claim to have on the flyer.

Show information:

http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/cul-de-sac

Free Festival Launch & Chortle Fast Fringe

As well as the four shows I have already review from day one, I also went along to Chortle's Fast Fringe and then the Free Festival Launch Party. All in all I saw over 20 acts do 4-6 minutes each, and I can't remember all the names so I'll just post the highlights!

Tim Fitzhigham and Tiff Stevenson were the two most memorable stand up acts. Tiff has presumably used up all her TV friendly stuff on Show Me The Funny and only has abortion gags left, but they worked well! Tim did what some of the other comedians should have done and squeezed as much as possible into 4 minutes and made me interested in his show.

A little tip to some of the other stand up's: If you've only got 4 minutes, don't walk on stage and say"Fucking hell, 4 minutes, it's not a lot is it, I'm trying to think what I can do in only 4 minutes". It doesn't make you look like a super duper comedian with lots of in depth material, who needs time to express himself, it makes you look like an unprepared amateur, sets up your slot to fail and virtually ensures that no-one will buy a ticket to see your full hour which is the whole point of you being there in the first place. More than one of them did it, I can't remember all of their names so I'm going to be kind and not mention any of them, but seriously, what a bunch of absolute wallopers.

Out with the stand up's there was a great performance by a chap who managed to spin five hula hoops simultaneously. Unfortunately I can't remember his name. Please comment if you know who I am talking about and I'll edit the post to give him credit.

After Chortle it was off to the Free Festival Launch at the Counting house where I met up with a few friends and met lots of great new people.

Stand out acts were Compere Mike Belgrave, Doug Segal and Bob Slayer.

Mike is a cheeky happy performer who looks a little like a tramp. I'd really like to see him doing a 20 minute set as he was only really introducing acts.

Doug Segal is a mind control expert, similar to Derren Brown but much more light hearted. I was also lucky enough to meet him off stage and he's a terrific bloke. I'll definitely get down to see his show. He only has a short run (until 13th I think).

Bob Slayer is just a grade a fucking nutcase! He dragged me on stage and forced me to perform We Will Rock You, complete with a Freddie Mercury moustache, then went crowd surfing.... Thankfully I was drunk enough by that point and I'm not shy sober anyway! He doesn't do jokes, he just downs pints on stage and goes crazy, doing whatever takes his fancy, which is incredibly entertaining.

I'll be going to see lots more Free Festival shows during the remainder of the Fringe.

The Free Festival launch Night was a one off. Details of Chortle's Fast Fringe are here:

http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/chortle-presents-fast-fringe

2401 Objects 3 1/2*

This show is a play about the world's most renowned amnesiac Henry Molaison who was operated on in 1953 by a doctor who was trying to cure him of severe epilepsy, but ended up wiping away the last two years of his memory and leaving him unable to form new memories.

The dialogue switches back and forward, showing the after effects of the surgery and his life at home before the surgery (stuck at home and having to rely on his parents) and the reasons for them reaching the decision to allow Henry to have the operation.

The subject matter was very interesting and the production was slick. I think the play would still have worked just as well without the large projector screen that they used, I think the actors would have been good enough to help you picture the scene without it being there in front of you, but I don't think it did too much harm either.

I can't go as far as to say the show was dazzling but it was intensely interesting and I admire the company for taking on the subject matter. They have certainly done their research too, taking the time to talk to the actual neurologists who studied Henry in real life which certainly paid off in the final production.

Show details:

http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/2401-objects