Author Archives: Dan Lentell

EdFringe Talk: Accidental Baby

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“It’s not just improv—it’s invitation.”

WHO: Alexander Cabana and Radostina Peteva

WHAT: “Get ready for laughs you didn’t plan for… The improv comedy show nobody meant to happen, but now you can’t live without! A night of off-the-cuff chaos where scenes are born on the spot, characters spiral out of control, and the only thing you can expect… is the unexpected. Accidental Baby delivers wild, unscripted fun that’ll leave you asking: “Wait… was that planned?” (It wasn’t.). Fuelled by audience suggestions and questionable wisdom, Accidental Baby is like couples therapy… if your therapists were hilarious, unlicensed and possibly drunk. Warning, you may leave pregnant.”

WHERE: Snug at Paradise in Augustines (Venue 152) 

WHEN: 21:45 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

If, by some cosmic sleight, Edinburgh Fringe were to vanish during August, the planet’s artistic pulse would stutter. Such is the density of genius, the saturation of talent that flows through its cobblestone veins during festival season.

Accidental Baby made its debut in 2024 with a sold-out one-week run… largely because they only booked it for one week. This year, emboldened by actual audience enthusiasm, we’ve doubled down with a two-week slot. If the crowds come back again, there’s talk of doing a full run in 2026—though no promises; it depends on stamina, funding, and how many pints of beer we can consume without emotional collapse.

Back in the saddle are we, Radostina Peteva—equal parts comedic genius and chaos wrangler—and stand up comedian and improvisor extraordinaire Alexander Cabana, who’s also back with a new hour of his solo stand-up show “Vulnerable White Passing Male”.

Being both producer and performer is like being your own overworked wedding planner and also the bride with spinach in her teeth—simultaneously architect of the ceremony and flailing center of attention. With Accidental Baby, we are two brides with lipstick on their teeth, begging for the audiences to point it out, because that means they are alive!

When audiences are responsive, adventurous, and slightly buzzed, everything feels electric. A festival thrives when people show up curious, not just because it’s raining.

Their whole show is a dare wrapped in a wink: “Notice us. Notice everything. Even the smudge.”

In their world, the laughter comes not from perfection, but from the shared delight of catching the imperfection together. It’s not just improv—it’s invitation. They aren’t aiming to fool you with polish; they’re begging you to join them in the mess!

So if you are gloriously unhinged, Accidental Baby is your spiritual home. Go. Sit in the front. Laugh too loud. Seriously—Accidental Baby is the show where your emotional baggage gets a standing ovation. Do Not Miss It!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

We discovered that connection matters far more than perfection—if the audience laughs with us when we drop a prop, we call it a win—and that a show’s story is its currency, sharpened until we can pitch it between traffic light changes. We learned to embrace serendipity, because the person you chat to in the chip queue might become your next booking.

We learned that radical self-reliance isn’t optional—you’re not just the performer, you’re the producer, the usher, the tech guy, the marketer, accountant, and occasionally the person fixing the stage after the last act. Adaptability became our second nature; one night we are in a theatre with perfect lighting, the next we’re competing with a smoothie blender, broken AC system and fan noise.

Other acts turned out to be allies, or rather therapists. We are in this grinder together, and remember that every day is a great day to have a great day!

We’ve absorbed these lessons the same way you absorb Fringe rain—at first you think you can dodge it, then you accept you’re drenched, and eventually you start wondering if you’ve developed gills.

Tell us about your show.

We are married. The show isn’t written. It’s a fully improvised long form comedic performance based on audience interaction. The questions we ask and stories we tell come from the conversations we have in real time.

Our show is about relationships—think of it as unqualified therapy with a very qualified sense of humour. We are two people with just enough relationship experience to be dangerous, and a willingness to hand out advice like free biscuits. We’ve learned a ton about what makes a healthy relationship (mostly from doing the opposite first), and we’re both endlessly curious about the weird, wonderful ways people approach sex, love, and partnership. For us, every audience is a fresh case study—equal parts sociology, comedy, and emotional group hug—where the advice might be heartfelt, might be unhinged, but will definitely be entertaining.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

We saw RED LIKE FRUIT, a show every person should see whether you are dating, married or forever a rolling stone. It’s about relationship trauma and memory. Moscovitch’s writing is bold and unapologetic. https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/red-like-fruit

https://www.instagram.com/2btheatre/

On a lighter note, we saw Breaking The Musical and snickered and giggled for one hour about the breakdancing Australian genius at the Paris Olympics! If you have a silly  and a gossip bone in your body, go see that show! https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/breaking-the-musical

https://www.instagram.com/stephbroadbridge/?hl=en

If you want to see something different and wild, and funny but profound, go see 1Shoulder Pad: Galaxy Train, Japanese Musical Theatre. Wow these guys are fun! Great comedic timing and absurdity! https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/1shoulder-pad-galaxy-train-japanese-musical-theatre

https://www.instagram.com/shika564dayo/

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EdFringe Talk: Ascension

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“The fringe is exhilarating but exhausting, and that you absolutely MUST have a good rest after it.”

WHO: Dan Hazelwood

WHAT: “After a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and sold-out performances at Greenwich Theatre, Ascension returns for Edinburgh Fringe 2025. Ascension is based on the 300-year-old diary of Dutch sailor Leendert Hasenbosch, who was marooned on Ascension Island in 1725 for the crime of sodomy. Isolated and surrounded only by barren rock and endless ocean, he fought to survive. He was, however, pursued ashore by his personal demons. This bold and inventive adaptation reclaims his story for the 21st century, exploring queer identity, the weaponisation of religion and the resilience to love ourselves in a sometimes unforgiving world.”

WHERE: Theatre at Bedlam Theatre (Venue 49) 

WHEN: 14:00 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I first came to Edinburgh Fringe for a few days after graduating from drama school in 2017, renting a beanbag on the living room floor of another artist’s airbnb for £10 a night. I saw shows from morning until night, eventually giving up late every night – keen to see more but knowing that even if it was a 5 star show I would be too tired and too grumpy to enjoy it. I had no money at the time so hitch-hiked home to Birmingham, stopping overnight in Yorkshire where I was dropped off at my friend’s front door by a neighbour she had never met. I also got to ride in a lorry for the first time which was fun.

I’ve been hooked ever since. Being a punter vs being a performer are different flavours of chaos, but equally addictive.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’ve learned that the fringe is exhilarating but exhausting, and that you absolutely MUST have a good rest after it. I’ve completely ignored my own advice and I’m straight back into work with no hope of rest until October. Maybe next year I’ll heed my own words?

Last year, I obsessed over ticket sales last year, constantly refreshing in hopes of seeing one more ticket sold. It’s a nice adrenaline boost when it does happen, but this year I have set times when I check sales and leave it alone the rest of the time. It’s better for the brain. Paint drying, kettle boiling, etc, etc.

Tell us about your show.

Ascension is based on the real life diaries of an 18th century Dutch castaway on Ascension Island, or should I say the translations of his long lost diary. This makes the question of who wrote Ascension a bit of a complicated one to answer. Leendert (or Lee as I like to call him) wrote the original diary, then multiple translators wrote their translations, and I have adapted all of the above. There is a lot of my original writing in the play, some of which is based on my own life (Lee’s first kiss is based on my own) but the script also contains a lot of diary extracts. It’s probably more accurate to say I’m a curator of the play as a whole, and the writer of a good chunk of it.

I’m producing it myself, and I’m very lucky to be joined by very talented creatives in every area of the production who I trust entirely. They have made the show very special and much easier for me!

We premiered at Edinburgh Fringe 2024, and following our 2025 stint here, we’ll be doing a performance in London for the 300 year anniversary of Lee’s death. Following that, I’m hoping to tour it around the UK and maybe even further afield!

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

For lovingly crafted idiocy, you’ve got to check out The Fit Prince (full title on the link below!) at Pleasance Courtyard by Awkward Productions, the hottest power couple of EdFringe! If you’ve ever seen a hallmark Christmas movie, you’ll love this:
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-fit-prince-who-gets-switched-on-the-square-in-the-frosty-castle-the-night-before-insert-public-holiday-here

You also must see “I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar” by Holly Redford Jones. Very funny, great music, and beautifully moving. It’s the only lesbian bar in Edinburgh, open for one hour a day at Underbelly Cowgate: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/i-was-dancing-in-the-lesbian-bar

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‘Homo(sapien)’ (Venue 139, until AUG 24th)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, 5*, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“Here is a journey of self-discovery told with a fierce and memorable candour.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

There’s nothing in the world that’s better than a bit of good auld-fashioned Irish storytelling. The pace, the charm, the wit, the insight of honest-to-goodness craic done right cannot be beat. In Conor O’Dwyer’s debut play we meet Joey a neurotic mess of Catholic guilt and internalised homophobia. Joey is a Bad Gay™ (or so he thinks) because he’s never had sex with a dude and that’s the most important thing about being gay (right?).

Here is a journey of self-discovery told with a fierce and memorable candour. We enter to find a cross bedecked with flowers. Religion and religiousity are at the heart of this story about the Emerald Isle’s struggle for a modern rainbow identity and the seeming irreconcilability of traditional values and the universal truth that love is love. We grow-up with Joey. We experience his profound uncertainty and fear even in the midst of a largely supportive and loving community more at ease with who Joey is than he is.

As Saint John of Lennon wrote, “Life’s what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” Joey’s life story is a hodgepodge of misadventures and missed adventures. For all that not a lot actually happens the pace of this piece is second to none. This is a small tall tale that will resonate with anyone who has been left wondering if they spend too much time wondering. It’s an affirmation of the good in all of us, especially when we find the confidence to unclentch and be our trueselves.

O’Dwyer’s performance is brilliant. From the second he races onto the stage through to the final moments in which the clouds of existential crisis part. Each comic twist and dramatic turn of this cleverly crafted monodramatic melodrama is a masterclass in audience engagement. Come for the fabulousness, stay for the fabulous universality, get your coats on and go see this!

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‘Samia Rida: Kidnap’ (Venue 24, until AUG 10th)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, 5*, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“A deeply personal piece of storytelling, a superb storyteller, and a story that deserves to be heard and heard again.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Samia Rida is possibly, probably, almost certainly the most important voice you’ll hear this EdFringe. The youngest of four siblings, it became obvious early on that Samia had a knack for caring for her seriously disabled aulder brother. From a very early age, Samia was taking charge at bath and bedtime and all the rest. Like so many unseen little ones, Samia’s own childhood was profoundly impacted by the needs of another. Caring is really hard. It’s relentless. The other person’s needs are always the priority, catered to day and night, rain or shine, under the unforgiving, uncomprehending, and too often unsympathetic gaze of folks without a Scooby Doo of the daily reality as it is really lived.

To add complexity to chaos, Samia is the unquietly proud possessor of a lifelong identity crisis brought on by the clashing of parental cultures. With a Welsh mother and a Saudi father, Samia has skin in the game when it comes to the big questions of multiculturalism as it is lived from within rather than judged from without.

The former River City actress takes to the stage like a hurricane takes to a shanty town. Here is an uncompromising, deeply personal perspective which blows away the preconceptions and peculiarities of today’s mainstream focus on the actualisation of individuality as the summit of human achievement. The story centres on the messy separation of Samia’s parents, in particular her being kidnapped to Saudi Arabia by her father – a chain of events which received quite the flurry of press attention back in the day.

Having felt alienated in West London, Samia tells of being entirely all at sea in the gilded luxury of the much more traditional society. Again, Samia is uncompromising with her truth, but speaks fondly of the hosts of uncles, aunts, staff and retainers who populated this strange chapter in her life. The three most definitely not GIPers spookily assessing the show’s political messaging for Riyadh seem content with Samia’s largely positive picture of well-to-do family life in The Kingdom. The hacksaws won’t be needed tonight.

Here is a great wee EdFringe find. A deeply personal piece of storytelling, a superb storyteller, and a story that deserves to be heard and heard again. The message is one that will resonate with anyone who has put (or is putting) their life on hold for another, anyone who has been caught up in the breakdown of their parents’ relationship, anyone with a taste for the potent and profound. Here is a unique voice telling truths that are not heard nearly enough. Come for the all-too-human drama, stay for the belly laughs, get your leak and dragon patterned bishts on and go see this!

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‘The Spy Who Went to Rehab’ (Venue 23, until AUG 25th)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, 4*, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“This is McShane at his laser-guided, prince of precision comedy best. It is, quite simply, a perfect performance.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Outstanding)

Can the world’s greatest secret agent detox from his toxic masculinity? That is the premise of Gregg Ostrin’s superbly farcical play. Simon Cross is not afraid of anything. He’s been tied naked to the back of a crocodile, lived and let died more times than you’ve had unstirred martinis. Now he is facing his greatest challenge yet – his own journey into self-awareness.

This is a clever tribute to the genre – we know the name, we’ve got his number. Satiar Pourvasei as Cross is bang on target – landing on that part of the James Bond spectrum somewhere between the totally deadpan Lazenby and the tongue-in-cheek absurdity of Roger Moore. Pourvasei’s individual connections with the other members of his therapy group fizz and crackle, making Greg Ostrin’s bonkers script seem almost plausible… just for a moment.

Cross is an unreal amalgamation of fantasy and pathos. He’s a character who could stand alone as a one-hander character study. But, then again, every good superspy needs a great supervillain for counterpoint. As Lazarus Rex, Cross’ arch-nemesis, Fringe Legend Mike McShane delivers the goods, especially if you are in the market for an evil genius with attachment issues – even his white Persian cat has moved on and joined the yowling choir invisible. This is McShane at his laser-guided, prince of precision comedy best. It is, quite simply, a perfect performance.

There’s no escaping the problems with this production. Sightlines that just aren’t working, clunky gunfights, sluggish scene changes. There’s a great production in this vintage, but it needs to mature and clarify to become the exceptional dram of profound silliness it could be.

This is a laugh-out-loud yet loving tribute to a cherished oeuvre. Come for the authenticity. Stay for two of the best comic performances you’ll see anywhere this Fringe. Get your white tuxedo jackets on and go see this!

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EdFringe Talk: Why I Stayed…? A Gothic Review of Life?

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“I have seen the abyss of misery and loneliness and I have traveled the paths not taken lightly.”

WHO: Aleksandr Popov

WHAT: “My goal is to talk to my ‘self’ and tell it the story of insecurities and prejudices I had before my life turned to shambles. I tried so hard to spiral down into the abyss that I completely forgot to take a moment and live. It was finding myself staring down the abyss that I suddenly got reminded of all the idiotic happenings and circumstances that led me to this moment – inability to grieve properly for my father, first serious relationship that ended in a heartbreak and bad financial decisions.”

WHERE: Just The Spare Room at Just the Tonic at The Caves (Venue 88) 

WHEN: 22:25 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This year is my 4th time at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Since my first visit 4 years ago a lot has changed – I don’t take to drink anymore, I have seen the abyss of misery and loneliness and I have traveled the paths not taken lightly. I have stepped on the road of a vagabond artist. At least in my hearts beating chambers.

It is however my first time to perform a full run of my own show at the EdFringe. Fours years ago I was a visiting comedian searching for spots at compilation shows to get my fiver in the spotlight. A year later I stumbled upon a pot of leprechaun gold on social media – sadly an artist had to pull his show and some times became available. So I put together a hotchpotch showcase performance and found myself performing “off-Fringe” for 9 days. ) days, 9 different time-slots, 9 shows open to the public who had no idea how to find me.

Last year I came to do a half-run of two shows – two different location, two different shows, but fixed time-slots AND most importantly officially registered with the EdFringe. I was in the pipeline My name was part of the matrix. I was transformed into the canvas of fringe. I had taken the pill of vagabond magic.

This year I want to do it from the beginning to the end. I want to be Alpha and Omega. I want to transform into a full-run performer. I want to test my boundaries and have some tee at the Toppings bookstore. And if I’m lucky enough I also hope to get reviewed!

This year I want to be true Edinburgh fringer!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I have learned to stay the course. I have taken the previous experiences to mean that even when you think you are down, there is a tide coming. And you will find yourself on a way up!

Hardest of it all is to keep your focus. It’s so easy to give in to the temptation – pull that show, let it slide, hakuna fringata. But excuses breed excuses. Therefore the biggest lesson for me is this – take every day as a blessing and go through it like a battle. Winning is a blessing. And being here to fight another day is a blessing!

Tell us about your show.

My show is my confession. It’s called “Why I Stayed…?” because in it I ask myself this question over and over again. I want to know, I really do.

It is a therapy session. I tell the viewer that I wanted to end it all – forever. And then I try and explain why. It is not a classic standup or linear story-telling experience. It is an immersive confession that aims for both laughter and fear. I want you to be scared – scared that I will not find the answers I am looking for.

I want you to laugh – laugh at me! At my incompetence, fear, lack of experience and slaughtering the rules of language as a non-native speaker. I want you to leave with a feeling of dread and anticipation t the same time.

I want you to dread the fact that you where bold enough to come to my session. I want you to anticipate your own journey that will follow, when your mind decides to take a re-run at what it is that monkey-boy actually said.

But most importantly – I want you to feel freedom from having to think those dark thought for yourself. Let me suffer that burden!

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

I would kindly ask you to go and see Raul Kohli and witness his greatness as a storyteller who mixes worlds together with an ease of Michelin rated chef. Discover true Britannia and its formidable captain.

Leah Rene will tell you all about awkward religious rules and cult like culty behaviour. She will probably also make you feel homey and safe!

Candace Bryan needs to tell you about her mum – an trust me you will wonder why! Every search is different, yet every find is unforgettable.

John Barrett is slappable – on and off the dating scene. Come witness the fragile story of searching for identity and trying to belong while desperately being in need of a date for a social function.

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EdFringe Talk: The Sound of Water

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“Growing up it seemed that someone else had to give me permission to do my art.”

WHO: Julia Ott

WHAT: “When the rain stopped falling, we returned to the beginning. A drought has been plaguing the crops of Tobias’s farm for five years. He believes that the answer to where the water went lies in the soil. Katherine believes the answer lies in the desert and canyons surrounding the farm. One night, Katherine goes into the canyon in search of the missing water, but what happens when a flash flood comes and washes everything away?”

WHERE: Venue 45 at theSpace @ Venue 45 (Venue 45) 

WHEN: Varies (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes! This is my first time visiting Edinburgh and experiencing The Fringe. I am so excited for people to see ‘The Sound of Water”, but I am also so excited to experience art from around the globe. I have a long list of shows I want to see and I am hoping I can get to them all and more!

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

One big lesson that I have learned since 2024 is that no one has to give you permission to make art, you just have to be brave enough to take the first step. I used to always wait around hoping someone would give me the opportunity to perform and create. Growing up it seemed that someone else had to give me permission to do my art; I was always anxiously awaiting the next time someone said “okay now it’s your turn!” But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to create my own work more often and take my artistic life into my own hands.

Tell us about your show.

“The Sound of Water” is an original devised physical theater piece presented by Center Heart Theater Company. The Sound of Water explores climate change, scarcity of agricultural resources, and the stories we lose when our homes disappear. This show was created out of a desire to understand how Climate change is impacting communities in rural areas and how AI is playing into the climate crisis.

The show is written and directed by myself, Julia Ott – I’m a graduate of the prestigious University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), and I formed Center Heart Theater Company alongside fellow creatives from UNCSA.

After the Fringe, I hope to keep doing developmental workshops in New York and expand upon the story. After New York, I hope to do a full length, fully supported, version of the play in my hometown.

This is our debut production, and was developed with support from The Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts and is powered by Producer Hub.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

After audiences come see our show, they should go see “Hold onto your Butts” presented by Recent Cutbacks. Although I haven’t seen the show in person, I followed their run at last year’s Fringe on Instagram and the clips from their show had me laughing out loud. If you love dinosaurs, foley artists, and laughter this is the show for you!

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EdFringe Talk: More Songs for a (Brave) New World

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, *Written Interviews by

“It doesn’t matter how good your own show is; if it’s not surrounded by other shows and /or on a main fringe route, you will be struggling.”

WHO: Richard Lewis

WHAT: “Whether it’s politics or digital dating, climate change or political correctness, Richard finds a musical angle to spotlight the natural absurdity of the human race – and if that’s not your cup of tea, just sit back and enjoy the piano playing! ‘The show is a masterclass of original parodies that would grace the finest of theatres, and Richard Lewis is a musician everyone should see whilst at the Fringe’ (ThreeWeeksEdinburgh.com).”

WHERE: Speakeasy at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms (Venue 68b) 

WHEN: 16:50 (55 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, I did my first performance in Edinburgh at age 10 for the International Festival! (I’m from Edinburgh). I then did some more shows in my 20s and after a break and back and enjoying the Fringe experience again.

Two shows this year, the one above and the show on the life of Liberace.

The variety on offer is always Edinburgh‘s calling card. Yes, it can be hit and miss. But if you don’t like something today, you’re bound to find something you like tomorrow…

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Location is everything in Edinburgh. As well as having a vibrant venue, it doesn’t matter how good your own show is; if it’s not surrounded by other shows and /or on a main fringe route, you will be struggling.

Tell us about your show.

I did a show of satirical songs last year which went well and thought I would follow it up with a new one. I’ve kept the best songs from last year but added I think even stronger material. Hopefully, the mixture of politics, social affairs and silliness will appeal to a wide range of people.

My other show is on the life of Liberace – in the beautiful ballroom of the Voodoo Rooms. A venue the man himself would have appreciated.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

If you’re not from a big city, I would always suggest that people would check out the International Festival. It includes some of the best artists in the world, some of whom only appear once in a generation.

In terms of the fringe, a friend of mine is producing a show called the ‘Queen is Mad’, which looks fun (a bit like a dark ‘Wicked) other than that I’ll need to check out the buzz as it starts coming in this weekend!

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‘Tricky Teddy’s Mischief and Magic Show’ (Bedfringe, 26 July 2025)

Posted in 5*, Bedfringe 2025 by

“The duo’s caustic stage partnership has notes of Martin and Lewis at their most dysfunctional.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Krisgar is one of Bedford’s best best-known and best-loved children’s entertainers and there’s a reason – he’s really good. There’s a big crowd in this afternoon and for all the noise and barely stifled chaos, a loud buzz of excited expectation. Within moments of taking the stage, our attention is rapt like a gift going through Rowan Atkinson’s bit in ‘Love Actually’ when Alan Rickman’s in a hurry. Krisgar’s commanding onstage presence a product of his comic rapport with the irreplaceable Tricky Teddy. The duo’s caustic stage partnership has notes of Martin and Lewis at their most dysfunctional.

At 7 years, Daughter 2.0 is not at all too auld for this level of properly funny silliness. In her notebook, the one with Wizbit on the cover what I paid crazy money for on eBay, she wrote: “Tricky teedys mischief and magic show was really funny. when I walked in I saw a chair on the stage and I heard loud music. I saw a table for mdgice tricks and comedy. And during the show I saw a puppet which was a teedy and I saw a magic magishon. My favroute bit was when they tried to make cake but didn’t have the ingediants. The part which made me laugh the loudest was when the puppet said we are here for the cash! I hope I remember the part when they did tricks forever.”

Here is quality family entertainment worth getting excited about. Here are some properly memorable silly bits, one properly jaw-dropping-OK-seriously-HOW-did-he-do-that? bit, multiple moments of spontaneous joy. Get your magic coats on and go see this!

Reviewer: Dan Lentell

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‘Mitch Benn: The Lehrer Effect’ (Venue 302, until AUG 25th)

Posted in *EdFestivals 2025, 5*, Theatre by

“It’s a fast-paced, blend of showmanship and showcasing that is, most importantly, properly entertaining and worthy of its august subject.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Mitch Benn should be made to stand in the arrivals hall at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Turnhouse and welcome people into the country. He is a national treasure forged in the Bedlamic crucible of Edinburgh in and beyond the Fringe. His voice is possibly probably the finest vocal instrument this side of Brian Blessed. As one of the two most admired comic songsters of the current age, who better than Benn to deliver a 60-minute lecture on the wonder and wonderosity of the late, great Tom Lehrer?* Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq., perhaps, but Bedford’s own was too busy elbowing your not especially humble correspondent in the ribs and making shushing noises during all my best singing along – like he was Maturin meeting Aubrey.

*Leher was the latter, but not quite yet the former when the curtain went up on the night of 26 July at Bedfringe.

Articulate, intellectual, sceptical, musical. If you need to be sold on Tom Leher there’s a chance you cannot be redeemed for a pocket full of winning lottery tickets. Have you been living under a rock since 1944 – when Lehrer first put notes to paper with his “The Subway Song”? HCCKKCC PW if you didn’t know that or that there have been 16 new elements discavard since 1959.

This is a show that rests on zero laurels, Benn’s or Lehrer’s. It’s a fast-paced, blend of showmanship and showcasing that is, most importantly, properly entertaining and worthy of its august subject. Here’s a show that has ‘regular retirement cruise ship gig’ written all over it. Lehrer recently placed all of his songs in the public domain, so we can expect a tribute act or three down the line. Will they have this pace, this energy, this level of insight? Glass coffin / remains to be seen.

Come for the nostalgia. Stay for the freshness. Get your leather elbow-patched coats on and go see this!

 

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