Category Archives: EdFestivals

All our coverage, from all Edinburgh’s festivals, past and present.

EdFringe Talk: Chris Grace: Sardines (A Comedy About Death)

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“I plan on being here every August for the rest of my life.”

WHO: Chris Grace

WHAT: “Chris Grace returns to Fringe after his 2023 sell-out show, Scarlett Johansson. Sardines explores the tragic, hilarious and important questions of our time: Can we enjoy life if we know how it ends? Does making art actually help? And if Rihanna’s song is called Don’t Stop the Music, why does the music… stop? Find out in this insightful and vulnerable comedy. ‘If you’re cool like me, you’ll love Chris Grace’ (Ed Gamble).”

WHERE: Assembly George Square Studios – Studio Five (Venue 17) 

WHEN: 13:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Nope, this is my eleventh Fringe, and I plan on being here every August for the rest of my life. Aside from the lovely audiences, the universe of creative inspiration, and the beautiful city, the sheer creative upgrade to your work that comes from 27 shows in a row can’t really be matched anywhere else. Most of my creative identity and much of my success can be directly linked to eleven Augusts in Edinburgh.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I’m still struggling with the shifting of expectations that comes with meeting your goals. Last year I said I would be happy if 25 people saw the show every night. Then it started selling out and I was overjoyed. Then when a show wouldn’t sell out, I’d be crushed. Ridiculous. This year I’m trying to keep my head out of looking at this year’s sales and reviews and nominations and comparing it to last year, and it’s proving difficult to impossible to do so. This is a huge part of me that I want to work on because I feel other people are so much better at it than me, or at least successfully pretend to be so. It’s hard not to look at other acts in the festival and measure yourself against them. Comparison is the thief of joy, someone said, and I wish I had said something as smart as that.

Tell us about your show.

My show “Sardines” is about five people in my life that died in a short period of time, and how I suffered and grew through the process. I wrote it and I’m co-producing it with Baby Wants Candy, my creative parents at the Fringe. I did some work in progress shows in Austin and Los Angeles but this is the full actual premiere (read: this is the first time I’ve actually memorized the lines. Wait, that’s a great line for the poster: FULLY MEMORIZED. And then under that a quote from my husband Eric Michaud who directed the show saying “… most of the time.”)

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

I saw The Dark Room again after not seeing it since 2012 and it’s still a hoot. Jonny and The Baptists have brought a corker of a show that’s different from years past but arguably better. I always love seeing Sofie Hagen and my friends Dave Ahdoot, Yola Lu, Box of Frogs, Grubby Little Mitts, and Ted Hill all have terrific shows you should put on your list!

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EdFringe Talk: The Cancer Comedy Cabaret

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“As a performer, you’re not just observing the magic, you’re helping to create it. That makes Edfringe an unparalleled experience – both humbling and exhilarating.”

WHO: Désiré Binam

WHAT: “Embark on a raw, transformative journey through one man’s battle with cancer. Laugh and cry as he delves into the depths of his experience, sharing the realities of living with a disease that is changing his life. From relentless chemotherapy to intimate scars, every moment is carving him a new identity, in ways he never could have imagined. Through heartfelt storytelling and exquisite humour, witness the transformative power of vulnerability as it slowly turns into courageous strength. Discover the manifesto for a new artistic movement. ‘This cancer is a true blessing’ (Fellow comedian).”

WHERE: C ARTS | C venues | C alto – theatre (Venue 40) 

WHEN: 15:50 (45 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

I’ve been to Edinburgh before but it is my first time participating in the Fringe Festival, and I’m absolutely thrilled! There’s something uniquely special about Edfringe—it’s a melting pot of creativity where the city buzzes with the energy of artists and audiences alike. What makes this a great festival is this kind of vibrant, inclusive atmosphere where people from all walks of life, and from all corners of the world, come together to share and celebrate stories. As a performer, you’re not just observing the magic, you’re helping to create it. That makes Edfringe an unparalleled experience – both humbling and exhilarating.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Since 2023, I’ve learned the profound importance of resilience and adaptability, especially when it comes to telling my story. Life doesn’t always go as planned – pancreatic cancer taught me that lesson. But how you respond to those challenges can shape who you become. I’ve also learned that humor is a powerful tool for healing, both for myself and for others. Absorbing these lessons has allowed me to turn my journey through illness into a funny show that can uplift and inspire others.

Tell us about your show.

My show, “The Cancer Comedy Cabaret” is a deeply personal piece that I wrote, drawing from my own experiences as a pancreatic cancer survivor. My wife suggested I see a psychologist to help me process everything. Instead, I prefer to get up on stage and tell my anguish to an audience – it’s like being a middle-aged rock star. I learnt a lot of my public speaking skills in an organisation called Toastmasters International. Last year I entered their speech competition (in District 91 – that covers Southern England including London, and South Wales). My 7 minute speech about my journey with cancer came second in the contest. I realized my story resonated with people, and that’s what inspired me to think about going to the fringe. With the support of a brilliant director and a passionate production team, I expanded that speech into a full-length show. Edinburgh is it’s premier, and I’m excited to see where the show might go afterward – hopefully to more festivals and venues where I can continue to share this journey.

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

1) “The Crow, (The Princess), and The Scullery Maid.”

This play is a delightful and imaginative journey that transports you to a world where stories are alive, and magic is woven through every word. I was drawn to it because it shares a common thread with my show: the power of storytelling to transform our experiences. Just as I’ve used humor and narrative to navigate my journey, this play explores the magic of stories themselves, showing how they can shape our lives in unexpected ways. The creativity and charm of this production make it a perfect follow-up to my own performance, offering a fresh perspective on the power of stories to change us.

2) “This Is Not the Autistic You Are Looking For.”

Mark’s debut show is a unique and insightful exploration of life on the autism spectrum, presented with humor and authenticity. As someone who has also used personal experiences to create a narrative that challenges perceptions, I admire how Mark blends his story with wit and charm. His award-winning performance promises to be both engaging and enlightening, offering a fresh perspective on neurodiversity that will resonate with anyone interested in the human experience. Don’t miss the chance to see this rising talent before he becomes a household name!

3) “Jo Caulfield Pearls Before Swine.”

Jo Caulfield is a master of sharp wit and biting humor. Her ability to turn everyday annoyances into comedic gold resonates with my own approach to finding humor in life’s challenges. Jo’s show is packed with brilliant lines and hilarious insights, offering a perfect blend of clever observations and laugh-out-loud moments. If you enjoyed the humor and storytelling in my performance, Jo’s show will be the perfect follow-up. Her reputation for consistently delivering fantastic comedy is well-deserved, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to see one of Britain’s smartest comics in action!

4) “Edward’s Talk – What’s Driving You?”

This unique, interactive drama offers a fresh take on the concept of speed awareness, blending humor with thought-provoking content. Much like my own show, which uses humor to explore serious topics, Edward’s Talk uses an engaging and participatory format to encourage audiences to reflect on their behaviors and choices. The show’s clever mix of audience involvement and insightful observations mirrors my approach to making audiences think and laugh simultaneously. If you enjoyed the interactive elements and the deeper messages in my performance, you’ll find Edward’s Talk an intriguing and entertaining experience.

Also, I highly recommend checking out the events listed on Death on the Fringe. This series of shows explores the profound themes of death and dying in ways that range from serious to comical. What drew me to this collection is its focus on making us think deeply about what it means to live well and die well—something that resonates strongly with the themes of resilience and hope in my own performance. Whether you’re looking to reflect, be inspired, or find a new perspective, the shows in Death on the Fringe offer a unique and meaningful experience that complements the journey we’ve shared together.

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EdFringe Talk: Fearghas Kelly: Whooooooooooo!

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“Skyrocketing costs continue to squeeze out emerging artists, and silent discos remain staggeringly legal.”

WHO: Fearghas Kelly

WHAT: “Multimedia madness from one of Scottish comedy’s rising stars. Host of The Stand’s multimedia comedy night, Screen Time, and regular sketch contributor to lockdown-era Saturday Night Live at The Stand, Fearghas Kelly comes home for two shows only. BBC New Comedy Award shortlist 2021 and 2022. So You Think You’re Funny? semi-finalist 2022. ‘Hilarious’ (DeadlineNews.co.uk). ‘Slick’ (Scotsman). ‘Emerging talent’ (BeyondTheJoke.co.uk).”

WHERE: The Stand Comedy Club 2 – Stand 2 (Venue 5) 

WHEN: 14:50 (45 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Once a beacon of artistic expression, it can be argued that the festival has morphed into a capitalist spectacle where the intrinsic worth of art and community is overshadowed by profit and client journalism, where skyrocketing costs continue to squeeze out emerging artists, and where silent discos remain staggeringly legal.

That’s why I’m delighted to be performing at my third Fringe, because some venues remain the vanguard and the Stand are certainly one of them. It’s my first time performing at this legendary venue, and I’m very excited and honoured.

As a punter, to be fair it remains a pretty unmatched day out if you have your prebooked-unplanned ratio just right. As a performer, you’ll leave stage-fit but exhausted, with a Chernobyl level of cholesterol and thighs the size of Luxembourg. It can be as enriching and exciting a place as it can be isolating and lonely. But then Graham Norton will walk past you, and you’ll go “that was Graham Norton!” and it will get you through the next three days.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that there’s no point in waiting until you “feel ready”. Doing stand-up, doing the Fringe and doing a solo show is like driving or wondering whether you can do a backflip up a wall like that bit in the Matrix, you can only learn while attempting it, and they all risk significant accidental brain damage.

I had absolutely no business doing a 45-minute solo show last year, and it turned out to be an excellent decision: teaching me lovely lessons and horrible lessons; gunging me with champagne and forward flipping me into a paddling pool of dog shit.

Only my two pals turned up the first day (thus halving my likelihood of going viral for it), then I sold out the following Saturday, before nearly having to pull the Sunday before being rescued by two Americans (they love playing the hero). I put the same effort into all three shows, which I think is important.

I’m going into August with a base level of self-belief which, fragile as I admit it remains, simply didn’t exist this time last year because it was an unstumbled road. Let’s see, I guess.

Tell us about your show.

‘Whooooooooo!’ builds on these last few years gigging away, creating stupid sketches and generally being a big idiot. I host the Stand’s new multimedia night, ‘Screen Time’ (also coming to the Fringe! https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/fearghas-kelly-s-screen-time) which is an amazing opportunity to workshop projector-based nonsense. Come for the stories about a sensitive medical mishap, stay for my ingenious way of drinking on trains, and how my dedication to recycling glass bottles saved me from getting my head kicked in. I’m still working my way up towards a full hour – I guess I’ll know by Fringe’s end how close I am.

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

The Stand have a lineup of Scotland-based acts who are all (I think) performing at the venue for the first time, which I’m genuinely honoured to be a part of. I would pick up their brochure and try to cross off as many of us as you can like it’s an old war photo. In no particular order (sorry for missing anyone): Amanda Dwyer, Chris Thorburn, Jade Kelly, Kate Hammer, Michael Welch, Phil O’Shea and Thomas Elvin. Only one show of mine got cancelled last year. Because a man had a gun. Go and see Ralph Brown to find out more about that. My first Fringe stagemate, Paul McDaniel, is going to have a great festival I think, go and see him. And go see Material, Girl!

Mick McNeill was with Paul and I that year – you can catch him at the Beehive! And Erin McKinnie, whom I suffered that weapon-based cancellation with at the Waverley last year, is at Hootenanies. Kathleen Hughes, Chris Weir, Richard Brown and Craig Wilson are dotted about the city as well!

As a punter, my annual Fringe tradition is to see Simon Munnery and Paul Foot. When I was a lowly open spot (was?), I asked Mr Munnery to sign the first page of my notebook. He wrote, “Give up – and carry on!” We’re on the same page of the Stand’s brochure this year, which I’m so childlikely chuffed about. Mr Foot’s ‘Dissolve’ is such a special show. I saw it on tour at the Glasgow Stand and will most likely go and see it again.

If you only have one hour in the entire month, see Stuart McPherson. No question.

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EdFringe Talk: The Expulsion of Exulansis

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2024 by

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“I have felt safe here especially against the backdrop of riots across England. I do wish the fringe was even more diverse, and was inclusive for people from lower socio economic backgrounds.”

WHO: Siyani Sheth

WHAT: “Written and produced by a remarkable 18-year-old drama student, this true story delves into deeply personal experiences of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm, offering a compelling journey of hope and resilience. The play’s moving narrative resonates with teenagers who are battling their own mental health issues or supporting their friends, parents concerned about their children’s well-being, and educators seeking insights into safeguarding students. Set against the backdrop of the growing mental health crisis among teenagers, the writer hopes to create an open dialogue, greater awareness and support for all, with plenty of tears and laughter.”

WHERE: theSpace @ Niddry St – Lower Theatre (Venue 9) 

WHEN: 14:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes it is my first time in Edinburgh and at the fringe. It’s been a really valuable experience to learn about promoting a show, managing money, sustaining your energy, and looking after your mental health for over a month. It has been awesome to be surrounded by people with similar interest, in a hub of creativity. I have felt safe here especially against the backdrop of riots across England. I do wish the fringe was even more diverse, and was inclusive for people from lower socio economic backgrounds.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Since doing my first show in East London last year, I have learn to be more assertive as a young female director. It has been great to create work that I am proud of with a diverse, versatile and talented cast that really cares about the message we are shining a light on. Doing it every day has been a lot, we have all had to find time to rest, recharge and have fun!

Tell us about your show.

I wrote the play last year, when I was 17, after my therapist suggested I write down my story. It was a cathartic experience, especially when I got to share it with others and realised I wasn’t alone. I was blown away when so many young people who watched the play told me they had felt seen and so many parents/educators/medical people told me it helped them understand a teenager’s perspective. I am hoping to study English and Drama at university next year and want to build a career writing stories that give a voice to people and topics that are not represented. I have started to write my next play called “intersectional”.

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

So Young – a beautiful and fresh take on growing old, dealing with loss and moving on!

Dear Annie I hate you – a creative approach from a courageous young woman overcoming her own fears and the medical system in dealing with her brain aneurysm (a serious subject with plenty of laughs)

Abrasion – an insightful look at the silent suffering of so many young women in dealing with the medical health system, hilariously portrayed.

Dave Ahdoot: ethnically ambiguous – a very funny perspective of having a face that most cultures relate to and consider as their own, and how that means $$$ for the advertising industry

Vir Das – a brilliant Indian comedian that had us in fits of laughter

What happened to love and hope – I haven’t seen it yet but it’s written by a young person of mixed heritage, exploring some similar themes

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‘How a Jellyfish Saved the World’ (Venue 33, until AUG 18th)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“A wonderfully absorbing, visually compelling, always funny, and often thought-provoking piece of workshop work by a company I hope to see much much more of in the years to come.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Outstanding)

There is a lot of plastic in places it shouldn’t be. There is too much plastic in the sea. Something needs to be done to minimise and mitigate the impact on the creatures with which we share our homeworld. Clyde the orphaned jellyfish is not alone in the world. He is surrounded by weird and wonderful companions with whom he shares an ocean of possible adventures. But is there someone truly special for Clyde?

Jam Jar Theatre Company presents some of the most compelling, thoughtful, and entertaining puppetry to be seen anywhere this EdFringe. There’s plenty fewer fish and crabs in the sea since so many have turned up in Pleasance Courtyard to take part in this fine example of family-friendly programming.

We enter to discover an arched white screen on which some properly magical shadow puppetry will happen, flanked by two of the best-painted theatrescapes any of us have seen in an age. The art of backdrop painting for theatres has not exactly been lost, but it needs rediscovering in this age of big, cheap and cheap looking TV screens. This is a tech lite production until one of the songs which was disappointingly pre-recorded. Did someone miss their train to Waverly or their flight into Turnhouse. It’s a jarring note in a production that is otherwise lively and fluid performed by a cast of bright young things with a story to tell and a message to share.

In her EdFringe notebook, the one with Copenhagen’s statue of the little mermaid on the front cover, Daughter 1.0 (9yrs) wrote: “I went to How a jellyfish saved the world. In the show there was lots of shadow puppets as well as normal puppets to show the undersea characters apart from the two hilarious crabs who helped the young jellyfish make his friend happy. There was also a stylish crab who decorated himself with plastic witch was beaing thrown into the sea! The moral of the story is to look after the undersea creatures and their home.”

There are times when this script feels like an underwater camel, a seahorse designed by committee. The really rather fascinating asexual reproductive ability of jellyfish is touched on but bounces past the bouncy people in the front row with the speed of a Tiger on a trampoline on a jet ski. Clyde’s backstory and his romance are not as well connected as they might be. Still, this is a wonderfully absorbing, visually compelling, always funny, and often thought-provoking piece of workshop work by a company I hope to see much much more of in the years to come. With my school governor’s hat on this is a production I would urge colleagues to very seriously consider adding to any programme of live events.

Come for the wonder, stay for the delight, leave with a hopetomistic sense of what is possible. Get your coats on and go see this!

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‘Rosie and Hugh’s Great Big Adventure’ (Venue 33, until AUG 18th)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“Every time you think, “There’s no way she’s got more to bring” Ellis steps it up a gear.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

The songs of Nick Cope saved my life. OK, they didn’t save my life, but they did really help me. By the time Lockdown finally ended our relationship with Daughter 1.0’s school had finally broken down. Parked on a hill is not an instantly easy concept for us Cambridgeshire folk to grasp, but the handbrake was failing, the SLT was flailing, and the hopes for a better tomorrow were fading. We took the decision to follow other village families in search of a better fit at the new primary in the new town over the parish boundary. There was the usual bureaucratic kerfuffle but it all came right in the end. She would make the switch after the half-term holidays. Nothing left to do but walk her down to the cafe, buy her an ice cream, and tell her the news. There were tears. Mostly mine. A day or so before a Bedford pal had told me about a Nick Cope song that might make things just a little bit easier. SPOILER ALERT! It really did. Thank you Nick. It’s fair to say we had high expectations going into ‘Rosie and Hugh’s Great Big Adventure’. SPOILER ALERT! We were none of us disappointed.

We enter to find it’s the morning of the last day of the holidays and Rosie wants to make it massive. Rosie needs a massive distraction from the thing she doesn’t want to think about. Rosie talks through the adventuresome options with her BHF (Best Hedgehog Forever), Hugh. There’s loads of possibilities but it is the end of the summer and they’ve done most of them already. Then a lightning bulb sparks, what if they could make it so that it was the last day of the holidays… forever!

That would take a powerful magic. You’d need a witch for something like that. Do Rosie and Hugh know of any witches? What would the witch need to hold back time forever? The parameters for a pacy, smart, and captivating adventure are programmed into the navicom before an interstellar cast sends this exquisite production into hyperdrive.

In her EdFringe notebook, the one with a rusty robot on the cover, Daughter 1.0 (9yrs) wrote: “I went to Rosie and Hugh’s great big Adventiar Adventiaur. Adventieur Adventure. I really liked the singing the witch, and the dragon. The dragon rode a teeny tiny bike and was called Keith. (Keith did tap dancing) The funniest bit was the bit where Hugh had to cross the A32 but was very scared about crossing (don’t worry he was fine.) I also liked the bits where they sang Nick Cope’s songs.”

As Rosie, Alice Vilanculo is.. is… pls insert your own words here if you can find any that suitably adjectivate the feelings and the excitement generated across this packed house by her perfectly poised performance. I am genuinely lost for words. In a cast of heavyweights giving the most delicate of performances, Vilanculo shines like the star she is. Scott Brooks’ professional information states that his hair colour is dark brown, that his voice character is “assured” and that his voice quality is “deep” – no crap Cumberbatch. As the timorous and occasionally tetchy Hugh, Brooks is pitch-perfect. He really does have a properly lovely voice which he deploys alongside the full broadside weight of his growing professional reputation like Nelson pointing canon before his battle with the Nile – take that! you troublesome tributaries. Vilanculo and Brooks do justice to the quality of this Nick Cope / Victoria Saxton collaboration like Batman and Spiderman wearing powdered wigs and drinking auld Baileys in a high court.

Offue Okegbe and Andy Owens are the pommel of the piece, bringing balance and brilliance. Daughter 3.0 (2yrs) is particularly taken with Owens’ dragon wings while I am an unashamed Okegbe fanboy. If you hate talented people being really good at what they do, then these guys are going to bring you out in hives.

If Mary Poppins’ overnight bag – the one in which she keeps her favourite standing lamps – was an actor it would be Katy Ellis. Every time you think, “There’s no way she’s got more to bring” Ellis steps it up a gear. As Rosie’s down to Earth mum and as the not-as-scary-as-we-first-thought witch, Ellis is the corresponding grip, tang, shoulder, and écusson that allows this production to chop, dice, slice, and mince 60 minutes of stage traffic into an hour’s worth of unforgettable children’s theatre. Ellis is one to watch and is as watchable as rainbow waves splashing against a starlight shore. To say Ellis is talented would be like saying UK elections are always held on a Thursday. It goes without saying.

Any one of these actors would command a stage and a big box office return. Together they bend time and space. This is a production with more value than the New York Stock Exchange in which you’ll see more heart than cardiologist specialising in Blue Whales.

Put your brave face on. Get your coats on and go see this!

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‘The Kids Always Win’ (Venue 24, until AUG 25th)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2024, Gilded Balloon, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“Strong stage presences, very funny and excellent with kids”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

We arrived at The Patter House early and I had time to witness a crime against humanity. £6.80 of His Majesty’s Pounds for one of the worst pints of Guinness I’ve ever had in my life served in a plastic cup. This was not the fault of the lads behind ‘The Kids Always Win’. I had to suffer that pint. It is only fair readers understand the things I suffer for my art.

But what of the show? The concept is simple. A game show – spinning around deep audience participation – where, you’ve guessed it, the kids always win.

Tom and Max are strong stage presences, very funny and excellent with kids. Numerous kids get up on stage and they are all made to feel at home.

The games are gleefully funny (I was thrashed by my eight-year old). There are switcheroos, goalposts are shifted and adults are thrown curveball after curveball. There are a nice few running gags throughout. My two are experienced Fringe goers now and they enjoyed this show both commenting on how fun it was and how much they laughed. The show was also about 50 minutes long rather than an hour. This is not a criticism. For kids from 4-8 this is probably the ideal length – other performers who aim their work at children really should know this.

The kids loved the result and I won’t spoil a small surprise every kid will love towards the end. Admittedly, there were a couple of moments that didn’t quite land as well but that is to be expected in any show that relies entirely on audience participation. Overall this was a grand wee show that deserved the full house and deserved to be at a bigger audience. Just the sort of silly, puerile, crackers show that the Fringe needs for kids. No, it isn’t massively deep. No, it doesn’t really have a core message to connect with our core. It was a good old fashioned kids show that had them laughing throughout. And there is nothing wrong with that. Quite the opposite.

Come for the gameshow. Stay for the raucous interaction. Get your coats on and go see this.

 

‘Ironing Board Man’ (Venue 8, until AUG 17th)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“Kamali is to physical performance what Motörhead is to British rock.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Jody Kamali is a high-octane, high-impact, high does he make it sooooo funny? physical character comedian whose growing reputation as a Fringe favourite has been chronicled in glowing terms elsewhere in these pages. Mr Sleepybum’s other show of EdFringe24 is a straightforward telling of that auld chestnut – Man and Ironing Board find love at first sight. Man and Ironing Board are married. All is bliss. But Man is living with a crushing secret and an unavoidable destiny. Man and Ironing Board stumble on the way to true happiness but reconcile and start a family of little ironing boards only to have their lives steamrollered by Man’s arch nemesis, an authoritarian ironing board supervillain with blood on his hands and world domination in his sights. It’s Hollywood Jim, but not as we know it, or even as we knew we wanted it… until now.

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” Those wanting to understand the power of man-made objects to ensnare our emotions and illicit our devotion need only witness the genuine distress felt by all of us at Ironing Board Man’s grief or the shared jubilation as justice is served. Kamali is to physical performance what Motörhead is to British rock. It’s grungy sophistication. This is a show with so much character development, action, and pathos I found myself wondering whether the Assembly Crate isn’t in fact a Tardis containing more on the inside than the external dimensions would suggest.

For all the meticulous planning of each exquisitely bizarre moment, Kamali is always a playful player. His audience work, and the way he makes his audience work, add a delicious spontaneity to proceedings. This is a buffet of boundaries pushed and genres redefined served up with more laughs than a laundry room full of nitrous oxide and easily-amused hyenas. It takes serious smarts to be this silly. It takes serious showmanship to win and keep a crowd with an ensemble of easily the least beloved articles in the home. Until now I thought of ironing boards as cumbersome, dull, time-consuming objects devoid of charm or possibility – a mundane and functional item, but for Kamali ze basis of an entire comic universe.

Come for a true genius, with a genius for storytelling who will change your notions of ironing boards forever… well maybe not. Next year perhaps Kamali will be back with a dehumidifier and a clothes rail.

In the meantime, get your best-pressed coats on and go see this!

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‘Chris Grace: Sardines (A Comedy About Death)’ (Venue 17, until AUG 26th)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“To chronicle the high points of ‘Sardines (A Comedy About Death)’ would be to provide a complete script. It’s all amazing.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars ( Outstanding)

Chris Grace has been a part of my EdFringe landscape for over a decade. I was the first reviewer to critique him as Christian Grey in 50 Shades the Musical – “Be assured, Gizmo has been doused and this cultural gremlin has arrived.” There are one or two BIG beasts in the EdFringe wilderness and Chris Grace is one of them – admired by his colleagues, loved by his audiences, applauded and awarded with all the laurels the greatest arts festival in the world can bestow on a favourite son. Chris Grace is practically a venue in his own right. The list of productions in which he’s performing this year makes the mind boggle. Chris Grace gives so much pure joy to so many and yet in the past 10 years The Universe has been downwrong beastly to Edinburgh’s Beloved Bonnie Big Beastie snatching his nearest and dearest like the cyclopes having his tea with Odyseeus’ crew. ‘Sardines’ is our Chris’ reply.

Where some theatre makers would wish for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention, Grace has o’erthrown all his charms and what strength he has is his own. Not only is he his own venue, he is his own tech – literally, there are no lighting changes, music, big screens, or projectors. Everything is conjured in the mind’s eye by this wizard of Wow, seriously how does he do that? What Chris has given up and left out in order to better tell the story of what he has lost leaves so much more on stage. Picasso could not have been more pleased with his animal sketches than Chris and his fanbase (me included) should be with the results to be seen on the most demanding and fringiest of stages in the Assembly stable. 

The absence effects is eerie, like a covered mirror during Shiva. Clad entirely in white (even his ring), Chris is wearing the colour primarily associated with mourning in Asian cultures but this is a far from sombre show. The next morning, over the breakfast table, Daughter 1.0 asks me how I enjoyed my shows yesterday. I explain that I saw a show about a dear man losing those dearest to him… and… that it was chuffing hilarious. Quick check by her that no legs are being pulled and her jaw drops in the direction of her kippers and marmalade. A scarcely believable thing has been made to happen.

To chronicle the high points of ‘Sardines (A Comedy About Death)’ would be to provide a complete script. It’s all amazing. In the Daoist sense, there are no high points since there are zero, none, nadda, corresponding low points. This is a tour de force by a master craftsman of the art, science, and magic of theatre. The biggest meta laugh is, fittingly, on Chris. The subject of one of his two ultra-dark jokes – the ones darker than the darker shades of a blackhole playing hide-and-seak under a blackout curtain, the gags so dark his family suggested he leave them out – Chris’ late mother, steps into the limelight in the only recorded AV accompaniment in the whole piece. The poem she recorded to music shortly before her passing is a show-stoppingly poignant and urgent message to humanity on the value of a good life well lived. It takes someone with the grace of Chris Grace to share centre stage in his own masterpiece solo show.

Chris never fully reconciled with his late father who could not (or would not) make peace with Chris’ coming out or chosen career path. If I had a son with so much love to give and talent to share, I would crawl over broken glass and rattlesnakes to spend an hour with him. Sadly, this is probably what you are going to have to do in order to get a ticket to this supernova of a show exploding out of the darkness with the biggest of BIG bangs. 

Get your coats on and go see this!

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‘The Listies ROFL’ (Venue 17, until AUG 18th)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2024, Rated: Outstanding by

“Subtle their humour is not. In fact, it’s risquér than an uncertain fart on a first date while wearing a kilt and sitting on her favourite sheepskin rug.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

It’s bedtime but Matt isn’t sleepy. He’s going make the upward assent of the wooden hills to the Bedfordshire linen market as troublesome as possible for Rich who is doing his darndest not to lose his cool. Sound familiar?

Laurel and Hardy, Morecambe and Wise, Bert and Ernie. The list of male comedians sharing a bed is luminescent but Richard Higgins and Matthew Kelly outshine them all in this utterly brilliant, cheetah-paced, not-at-all-sensible, in every way perfect show that has our blended brood of chicks bouncing in their seats and screaming with laughter. Many British parents are unaware that the Disnified version of ‘Bluey’ served up by the BBC has had many of the most outrageous scenes and material bowdlerised. If they ever want to imagine what might have been left on the cutting room floor, they need to see The Listies keeping it unreal. Subtle their humour is not. In fact, it’s risquér than an uncertain fart on a first date while wearing a kilt and sitting on her favourite sheepskin rug. There is even a moment when The Current Mrs Dan’s bestie looks about to spew on her shoes (and she’s a homicide detective). The whole rest of the time, however, DI Deadeyes is laughing so hard, I’m wondering if her sides are about to split.

The Listies have been full-time kids entertainers for over a decade. For super-mega fans auld and new this latest instalment of carefully considered spontaneity, and precision mayhem is the perfect blend of performance, props, puns, and party-on. Higgins and Kelly’s bromantic onstage chemistry is hotter than dicyanoacetylene burning in ozone and shows no sign of flaming out anytime soon – touch a forest full of wood. Like any great couple, they are a joy to be around sparking off each other with a competitive symbiosis that gets the job done.

In her notebook, the one with a fluffy stuffed koala as the cover, Daughter 1.0 (9yrs) wrote:

“We went to The Listies with my friends. It was about two Austrailian comidiens who had to go to bed but can’t get to sleep! They sing songs tell stories and try to tick off everything on there To Do List. My favorite bit was the story Jack and the beans talk. It was like Jack and the beanstalk evept Jack eats the beans and farts to space where he touches a golden goose and gets attaked by … a shark! a dinosaur (or crocodile) and a unicorn! I really enjoyed it.”

Come for the low comedy. Stay for the high levels of talent and theatrical trickery that combine to make this one of the must-see shows of EdFringe24. Get your jim jam coats on and go see this!

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