Category Archives: Other

Edinburgh is home to many small venues providing a stage for live performance all year round. Recently Edinburgh49 has reviewed shows at City Nightclub, The Kilderkin, Mary King’s Close, The Vault and elsewhere.

+3 Review: Spoon-Feeders (The Space@ Surgeons Hall. Until Aug 27th, 20:30)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2016, Other, Theatre by

“Watson will certainly be a playwright to look out for in the future.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars: 

Tension is build from the start even as the audience take their seats to the soundtrack Go! by Public Service Broadcasting. On the small stage is a brightly-lit office set: a desk and chair beneath a window, the view outside blocked with a heavy venetian blind. Large filing boxes are stacked to the right hand side. Go! fades and is replaced by the sound of public disorder: a large crowd shouts, chants and the sound of police sirens. Max enters: forehead glistening, his business shirt heavily marked with sweat. He twitches the blind to view the scene outside but rapidly turns away. This is clearly a man under a huge amount of stress, steeling himself for something momentous.

The mood is totally shattered by the loud strains Sinatra’s New York, New York, badly sung a cappella by staffers Tibby and Jons as they literally prance into the office. Their carefree existence is soon under threat however, when Max informs them that a graduate, Stephen, will be joining the team. Will the office dogsbody, Fizz, ever get her time to shine?

Max (performed by the play’s author Patrick Watson) owns the acting agency and employs the others. His company specialises in voice-over for broadcast news items. They don’t actually gather news: the blind remains resolutely shut on the disturbances outside. Instead it is their job to repackage and filter: deciding what makes it out for public consumption. This, along with the office politics, forms the themes of the play and results in the creation of a dark satire.

Light relief comes from Tibby (Aidan Clancy) and Jons (James Howlett), whose characters are totally outrageous. This leads to some incongruity because Max, Stephen (Joseph Campbell-Smith) and Fizz (Alex Burns) are played in earnest. If there is a weak point to this production it may be the characterisation. It is hard to imagine any of them having much of a hinterland, or existing beyond the performance space. Then again this may be intentional on the part of Watson, a sly nod to the morality tales of theatre ages past when audiences were presented with characters as symbols, used to represent deeper truths.

There is an awful lot to praise in this outing by Newcastle University Theatre Society. Production values are very high – way beyond those usual to the Fringe – with excellent use of sound, set and props. The actors all perform well within their remits so due credit to them and director Lucy Sherratt. This is Watson’s first play and he should be applauded for taking on big issues from the outset. If he continues to do so, Watson will certainly be a playwright to look out for in the future.

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Martin Veart (Seen 25 Aug)

Visit the Assembly Roxy Bedlam Church Hill Theatre Festival Theatre King’s Theatre Other Pleasance, Potterrow & Teviot Summerhall The Lyceum The Stand Traverse archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: The Glummer Twins (Paradise in The Vault: 22-28 Aug. 11.35am 1h.)

Posted in 3*, Comedy, Just Read The Poems!, Music, Other, Rated: Nae Bad, Spoken Word, Stand-Up by

“The guys are genuinely funny”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars: Nae Bad

On a small, well-lit stage, deep in subterranean Edinburgh, The Glummer Twins start their set with Just Turned Sixty and Taking it Badly: a really good bemoaning of being the owner of an ageing body.  Through the medium of beat poetry and music, the Glummer Twins (David Harmer and Ray Globe) take a look back to 60’s childhood, 70’s aftershave and 80’s yuppies.  They ask the important question of whatever happen to the mods?  Autobiography is included, such as after moving from south London, the warm welcome David received from his new Doncaster school chums.

The Twins look forward to the future with the poems  Old Bloke Blues and Fiery Jack: the latter a must-hear for any pharmacist or person taking a large range of medications.  Groans and laughs are generated in equally generous measure as we follow the puntastic adventures of poet-noir detective Percy Shelly – private dick.  The poems comes thick and fast, with fifteen being delivered over the hour.

The theme of the show is ageing and reminiscing because there comes a time in life, theirs in particular, that there is a lot to look back on but not so much to look forward too.  The Glummer Twins state they have been coming to the Fringe for thirty one years and obviously love what they do.  The audience are in the safe hands of veterans.  Both were members of the performance group Circus of Poets, which in the 1980s appeared on nation television and toured Europe.

The style of comedy is, fair to say, gentle.  That does not mean unfunny: far from it.  While Percy Shelly is undoubtedly the comedic highlight, the spirit and black humour of South Yorkshire is also evoked.  Whatever will happen to Derek the Trainspotter?  One also has to ask, in the wake of the recent Brexit vote, whether there is deeper meaning to the poems Mediterranean Homesick Blues and Speak Scandi?

Harmer and Globe are good, solid performers who deliver rhymes and laughter.  Globe handles the musical side with electric guitar, pedal beat boxes and shares vocals, while Harmer’s performance is spoken word and costume change.  The show is squarely aimed at older generations.  They know that their style and material are not going to rock the foundations of comedy but that does not matter.  The guys are genuinely funny.  Watching The Glummer Twins is a fine way to wind up a morning on the Fringe.

P.S. – if one wants to know the origins of the name, Google “The Glummer Twins” and see what comes up.

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Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Martin Veart  (Seen 26 August)

Visit the Assembly Roxy Bedlam Church Hill Theatre Festival Theatre King’s Theatre Other Pleasance, Potterrow & Teviot Summerhall The Lyceum The Stand Traverse archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: Penetrating Europe, or Migrants Have Talent (Paradise in Augustines: until 28th Aug: 21:35: 1hr)

Posted in 3*, Comedy, Musical Theatre, Other, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“Sandalovych doesn’t simply engage the audience, she immerses us in the tumultuous narrative.”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars:  Nae Bad 

Our host (Dave Strudelbar) for this evening’s episode of Migrants Have Talent bounds down the stairs before introducing the evening’s two judges: immigration officer, Nigel Nobson (Uilleam Blacker) as well as glamorous former illegal immigrant, Nigella Smith (Lesya Liskevych).  Nigella explains that she was talent-spotted after five years of cleaning the toilets at Television Centre. She cleaned toilets under her original name, she minor celebs with a new one, changed by deed poll. Together Nigel and Nigella decide who stays and who is deported, with the audience voting in the event of a tie.

There are five contestants. Actor Iaroslav Tsigan’s character is from Ukraine. He traveled to Britain on false Polish papers. A likeable character, his honesty fails to impress the stern judges. Interwoven with the talent show format are the stories of two young people, who relate how it is to travel and cross borders. One is going east to Ukraine for an adventure; the other west, by land and sea, to join family already in Britain.

These paired stories, delivered solo with other cast members playing the role of various officials, are the most effective part of the production.  The contrasting experiences and expectations of the two young people are increasingly moving. Actor Ira Sandalovych compellingly portrays a descent into fear. Sandalovych doesn’t simply engage the audience, she immerses us in the tumultuous narrative.

Most of the large cast are employed in the Migrants Have Talent sections.  Writers Blacker and Olesha Khromeychuk deploy a tongue in cheek style of satire that seeks to lighten what are, in reality, stories of genuine human suffering. At no point are we allowed to forget that not a million miles away from the Fringe, real people are really living through such uncomic tragedies. Still, this is above all a theatre piece. How effective (as opposed to affecting) is it?

The message is crystal clear. Humanity is common: borders and suffering man made.

If there is a problem it’s is one of counterpoint. Does the satire sparkle bright enough against the darkness of the immigrants’ tales? The lighting is handed well and sound, with the ensemble song describing cranes flying away to die in foreign lands (a poem from 19th century Ukraine) is truly beautiful in such a small venue.  However, with such a large cast, the staging does slip into awkward moment but, overall, this is a more than likeable production whose heart is definitely in the right place.
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Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Martin Veart   (Seen 23 August)

Visit the Assembly Roxy Bedlam Church Hill Theatre Festival Theatre King’s Theatre Other Pleasance, Potterrow & Teviot Summerhall The Lyceum The Stand Traverse archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: The Other Guys – Well Sung (TheSpace@ Symposium Hall: Aug 16 – 20: 16.10 : 50 mins)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals, Music, Other, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

https://i0.wp.com/edinburgh.carpediem.cd/data/afisha/o/8c/a9/8ca969a213.jpg

 “Substantive, deep and intricate”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars Nae Bad

I think the mark of a good group name is its capacity for inciting mild social chaos when you try and explain you’re going to see them. And whilst The Other Guys win points for being delightfully vague from the outset, their talent is nothing if not definite.

Formed in 2004, the St Andrews based acapella group has already received significant critical and celebrity accolade; and from the moment the voices start raising, it’s immediately clear why. Well Sung, despite the punderful name, is a set list with multifaceted focus: the quality of the vocals, tonal layers and overarching charmingness of the performance all come together to form what is certainly a spectacle worthy of spectation.

From the first note, what is immediately apparent is the sheer singing skill present throughout the group. The way in which many solo vocalists seemed to swoop and crest throughout their range was genuinely (and indeed, pleasantly) surprising, and it certainly makes for good acapella. It goes a long way to making the sentiments behind the songs seem genuine – for those of the patriotic persuasion, prepare for a performance of “Loch Lomond” that’ll make your knees shiver.

But even more than quality, what marks out The Other Guys is their rich tonality. Falling somewhere between glee club and old school barbershop, the harmonic layering of each vocalist during more group-orientated numbers is so rich and layered that it’s difficult to convey without hearing it. It’s the taste of red wine, or the smell of pine smoke – substantive, deep and intricate.

However, this interoperability is a fickle advantage: despite lending a definite veneer of quality to their songs, it comes at a cost: the more energetic numbers sometimes lacked the volumatic punch needed to fully capture the spirit of their original composition; and whilst tailor-made to show off that rich barber-shop-esque quality, the arrangements occasionally failed to show the same uniqueness which makes the vocals themselves so compelling.

Ultimately, though, it’s hard to deny the charm and talent of this group of young men. From acapella virgins to die-hard fans, this is a show that demands to be seen. Despite its shortcomings, Well Hung is a rare thing: a feast for the ears in which one can choose their portion. It’s very easy to get lost in the sheer vocal texture – but equally so to simply watch as the beauty unfolds.

 

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Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 20 August)

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THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: The Master & Margarita (Zoo at St.Cuthbert’s: until 29th Aug (not 19-20, 25th) Aug: 22.00: 1hr 30mins)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2016, Other, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre, ZOO by

“A Hell of a show”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars: Outstanding

It was with a certain amount of trepidation when I met The Sleepless Theatre Company on the Royal Mile and discussed with the crew their production of The Master and Margarita. How on earth are they going to do it?, I thought.

Action opens with the procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, in court session over an apparently worthless vagrant, Yeshua Ha Nostri. The procurator is ill and it would be so simple to dismiss this tramp with two words: “Hang him.” Nineteen hundred years later, it is a hot May night in Moscow and the committee members of the exclusive Communist Party writers’ guild, are sweltering in a small meeting room, waiting for the Chair, Mikhail Berlioz, to arrive. He is late. None of them can know that dark powers have already entered the city.

For Russians, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov is the Soviet Union’s most famous novel. It is a wide-ranging satirical fantasy and the changes in location (across Moscow and Jerusalem), space and time are a daunting challenge for any adaptation. In this interpretation Sleepless Theatre does well at capturing those changes, using the magnificent setting of the St.Cuthbert’s Church to great effect. Like the cast, the audience too are expected to be mobile, following the action around the hall and even being participants if the scene demands. I found the flight of Margarita (Iona Purvis) over the rooftops of Moscow particularly effective: Purvis is obviously dance-trained and her graceful physical acting really added to the dreamlike quality. Against my expectations, the company’s low-tech approach often overcomes the staging challenges inherent in the novel and they should be highly commended for this.

The central relationship between Margarita and The Master (Jonny Wiles) is wonderful: both actors touchingly portraying the sacrifices each make for the other in the cause of their mutual love and Woland (James Blake-Butler) is suitably all-powerful and sinister. Gwenno Jones captures the tortured soul of Frieda perfectly; though as Yeshua, to me, Jones fails to show the calm and almost playful wit possessed by the character, even in the face of death. Coupled with Pilate (Georgia Figgis) lacking a real menacing streak, the opening scene rings slightly less true than the others, which are on the whole excellently delivered.

Narration is a large part of this production, with actors taking this in turn, and in the first scene I did have some concerns about the delivery (and, indeed the existence of) some crucial lines. During the interrogation Pilate lays too much emphasis on a certain word than is appropriate and leads the witness. The script sees the narrator point this out, rather than it being obvious from the acting, and it is a shame that writer Alexander Hartley keeps to narration here, rather than letting the acting speak for itself. Apart from this minor blip, the rest of the narration remains faithful to the book, and dedication to original text should otherwise be praised.

The Master & Margarita is a massive challenge for any company to take on, and for the most part Sleepless Theatre Company do a really good job: the central themes of the book come shining through. If you know the book, see Master & Margarita for the joy of seeing it live. If you have never read the book, go see. You are in for one hell of a show.

outstanding

StarStarStarStar

Reviewer: Martin Veart (Seen 16th August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: The Accidentals – Tone Down For What (theSpace@ Symposium Hall: Aug 17-20, 22-27 : 18.20 : 50 mins)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals, EdFestivals 2016, Music, Other, Rated: Outstanding by

” A nonstop vocal joyride”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars Outstanding

Returning to a group you have vastly enjoyed at the Fringe previously is like releasing a paper airplane into a storm: there’s not much you can do but hope – and as I sat in the audience for the next instalment in The Accidentals’ success story, I could definitely hear the wind whispering at the stage door. For me, this Fringe has certainly raised the quality bar in terms of performances I’ve seen, and my worst nightmare was that my favourite a capella choir just wouldn’t be able to stand up to the wonder. My only advice to other prospective audience members would be this: fear not. The Accidentals aren’t just coasting on the wind, they’re soaring.

Running the variety gauntlet once again from traditional Scottish tunes to lip-battering beatbox performances, The Accidentals are a joy to watch from the moment they enter the stage. The sheer variety of voices they represent is staggering: expect the tooth-rattlingly low and the glass-breakingly high, all wrapped up in a nonstop vocal joyride.

Tone Down For What is not just a show of the same quality that audiences have come to expect from these returning Fringe champions: this year’s edition comes with bells and whistles, including the first successful audience participation exercise in a musical show which didn’t sound like a slowly deflating, middle class balloon. As someone who prefers to sit silently in the back like a rock with great taste in theatre, I’m deeply skeptical of audience participation at the best of times: but I’ll be damned if this wasn’t the only time I’ve been happy to be part of one of those wild experiments in awkward enthusiasm.

The evolution of The Accidentals this year seem to run deeper than superficiality: things have taken a wickedly feminist turn, and tonally, it couldn’t have been done better. It’s hard to address the inequality of perceived competency between male and female singing groups, especially without dragging what would otherwise be a lighthearted show into preachy seriousness, but The Accidentals pull it off flawlessly – it’s cheeky, it’s defiant and unapologetically mocking.

Of course, the preceding points would be moot without the vocals to back them up, and this show doesn’t disappoint. A personal shout-out goes to Ruth Kroch, whose rapping sans mic was both impressive and powerful, despite the looming possibility of being drowned out by the note-perfect vocals of her peers; and also to Steph Boyle – hearing the sheer brute force of the voice coming out of such a small woman is like watching a pea-shooter fire ICBMs. But I cannot stress enough that each and every performer in this group is one to watch. Tone Down for What is an ensemble piece in its purest and most brilliant form, even down to the tongue in cheek comedy. If you’re looking to get blown away by the power of the female voice, this would be the place to do it.

A few quite noticeable tech fumbles notwithstanding, I couldn’t see a misstep on stage. For an opening night, that’s really impressive. The only real criticism I could find with the show is that it reminded me how bitter I am about the fact their version of “Who Did That To You” isn’t available on Spotify.

 

outstanding

StarStarStarStar

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Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 15 August)

Visit the  Other  archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: Clare Plested – Flock Up (Ciao Roma: 6-27 Aug: 17.50: 1hr)

Posted in 4*, Comedy, EdFestivals 2016, Other by

“Squeezes the last dregs of pulpy laughter “

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars

As folk descend into the basement of the Ciao Roma Restaurant, Clare Plested wastes no time in working the audience, asking if they are up for being selected and happy with participation. Plested is an excellent warm-up and soon the entire audience are settled in with the expectation of a good show.

Plested does not disappoint: soon the first character of her creation is ripping into the audience like a barracuda through a shoal of baitfish. No one is safe: even after coming out of character she utters “Christ! I’ve just picked on the reviewer.” I was eviscerated with the rest but everybody, including me, was left laughing instead of floating belly-up.

The laughter is leavened with some pathos for the next persona: Kala Kale. It is clear that Plested is a fan of old television because there is little doubt that, physically at least, her model is Diana Moran, a.k.a The Green Goddess from breakfast TV of the 1980s. Character development for Kala is done perfectly and she culminates in a real belter of a gag. Less successful to my mind is Missy Marple. Perhaps her motivational drive is revealed a bit too soon, leaving the performance with less options. What openings there are left though, Plested really goes for them with good results.

Gaps between costume changes are filled in by videos of another of Plested creations: #KellyZee, the girl addicted to hashtags and stick-it notes. Some gags work, others not so much. We are going to need a bigger Twitter.

For the finale, Plested combines all the elements that go before and adds a thick layer of social satire with excellent effect. The laughter was loud and the applause, long.

Clare Plested is both funny and genuinely witty, which allows her to interact fully with audiences, whether in or out of character. She is also energetic and physically brave performer who squeezes the last dregs of pulpy laughter from people.

If you enjoy banter, interaction (or love seeing it happen to others) plus comedic character creation, invest an hour at Ciao Roma. Please feed the artists on the way out. Oh, and Clare: hope the rash clears up soon.

If you want to know what that means, see the show.

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

Reviewer:  Martin Veart (Seen 16 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: Albatross (Paradise in Augustines. 5 -28 Aug. Times vary. 1h35m.)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2016, Other, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by
Image: Andrew Brilliant/Brilliantpictures Inc.

Image: Andrew Brilliant/Brilliantpictures Inc.

” .. full-on theatrical broadsides”

Editorial Rating:  4 Stars: Nae Bad

Inbound from Watertown, Boston, MA, the Albatross has landed. Samuel Coleridge’s fantastic and ghastly Rime of the Ancient Mariner is rewritten and adapted for the stage by the Poets’ Theatre. It’s an expansive work that barrels along with bits of Pirates of the Caribbean about its rigging but where it matters, down on its spar strewn deck of a stage, it’s sound and faithful enough. It owns, as does Coleridge’s greybeard, ‘strange power of speech’ and compelling presence.

Despite water, water everywhere this is more wrap-around than immersive. You don’t sink into the Mariner’s story but Benjamin Evett, co-writer and solo performer, fastens it upon you and won’t let its folds drop until he’s done, which is how the poet would have it anyway. Evett’s acting is impressive, possessed by character, because there’s only penance left for an Irish American who knows he has ‘done a hellish thing’. He starts as a grouchy, foul-mouthed and dirty sailor and stays that way because he’s immortally cursed to tell his phenomenal tale. He holds his audience with his ‘glittering eye’ (and occasional insult) as he himself is held by his demons.

We’re told for fancy’s sake that the old sailor met Coleridge once, in Bristol, and mocked his lilting verse. You’ll hear the ballad quatrain in Albatross but in only in key snatches. The narrative shape of the ‘Rime’ is still there but is considerably amplified, particularly in Part 1 where the dastardly Black Dog, privateer at large, shanghaies the Mariner, chases down a treasure galleon and chews off noses. The visuals, sound and SFXs that accompany this action are full on theatrical broadsides with the Mariner hauling ropes, hoisting sails and … corralling penguins.

Nevertheless, Albatross would be serious about depicting a ‘soul in agony’, which is a must-have for any treatment of Coleridge’s poem. This is where Evett is most tested and where co-writer Matthew Spangler must have reached for words. I’m slightly surprised that they did not make more of the dice game between Death and Life-in-Death (a dead ringer for Lady Gaga?) and of its glaring image making. However, in our day and age the questions are as existential as they are Christian and it’s the philosophical open season when the Mariner snarls a reply as to ‘Why?’ Why, for Heaven’s sake, did he shoot the bird? Was it, God forbid, for fun? There is the prayerful close, which is good, but I was a little sorry to hear of a ‘zombie crew’ and not ‘this seraph band/Each one a lovely light’. No matter. If not for the Mariner, times are still a changing for the rest of us and this is a fullblown modern production in which caution is thrown to the to the wind.

 

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Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

Reviewer: Alan Brown  (Seen 11 August)

Go to Albatross at Paradise Green & at Poets’ Theatre

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+3 Review: Dreaming under the Southern Bough (theSpace @Niddry St, Aug 05 – 13 : 10.55 : 50 mins)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals, EdFestivals 2016, Other, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

 “Consistently charming and fun to watch”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars Nae Bad

If asked for which playwright 2016 marks four hundred years in the grave, you could be forgiven for answering “William Shakespeare”, rather than Ming dynasty writer Tang Xianzu. And with Fringe Shakespeare productions soliloquizing on every street corner, it’s almost refreshing to celebrate another famous, dead bard.

Telling an Alice-in-Wonderland-esque tale of transformation, reflection and po-faced absurdity, Dreaming under the Southern Bough follows the story of a veteran soldier gone to the dogs. However, a chance encounter with retainers from the Kingdom of Ants thrusts him into a world of royal intrigue, prophecy and war.

This is a performance which hits its stride when the surreality really hits the fan. As the plot goes into full swing, it’s hard not to be charmed by the performances at play: drunken retainers, pantomimic warlords and purer-than-thou royalty make for an experience which, whilst somewhat eclectic in terms of energy, is consistently charming and fun to watch.

Even with minimalistic lighting, stage and props, the atmosphere of classical mysticism is heavy even with the seemingly lightest of touches. Incorporation of the original Chinese in particular lends this production an often enthralling sense of place and context, adding significant substance to what in other hands may have been flimsy and unconvincing. Although the scenes taking place in the “real world” seem strangely jarring and stiff, the prose and flow of the writing feels right at home as soon as things hit microscopic.

The strongest aspect of this adaptation is the original writing, and it is a significant shame that the edition presented to Edinburgh is abridged – it would have been far more gratifying to spend more time amongst the follies and twists of the Ant Kingdom, rather than the emotionally unsatisfying ersatz-grit of the modern day bookends.
Despite its flaws, Dreaming under the Southern Bough is a pleasant and entertaining way to spend a lazy mid-morning. Whilst its denizens may be ants, it’s clear they’re standing on the shoulders of giants.

 

nae bad_blue

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 12 August)

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THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: Elf Lyons: Pelican (Voodoo Rooms, Aug 5-28 : 19.50 : 1hr)

Posted in 4*, Comedy, EdFestivals 2016, Other, Rated: Nae Bad by

https://i0.wp.com/static.wixstatic.com/media/d6333a_4e35550fa3104999ad420a1236578246.jpg

“A smörgåsbord of comic delights “

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars Nae Bad

Generally, I tend not to trust people whose names are actual words. So, phonetically speaking, Elf Lyons wasn’t starting from a point of strength. However, after a fantastically absurd hour of screaming, tortured analogies and jokes about the French, I realised that perhaps it’s worth a change in policy.

Returning to the Edinburgh Festival, “Pelican” is a show (as Lyons puts it) about wishing her mother was dead. As far as thematic linkages go, it’s a doozy, and links in neatly with a smörgåsbord of comic delights pulled from Lyons’ bohemian life.

Elf Lyons’ greatest strength is immediately visible from the moment she steps on stage. The Philip Gaulier school is lucky to have such a talented clown among them  – “cartoonish” does not do her justice: she has an almost fey energy to her, leaping and waving around on stage with strength unsuggested by her slim frame. Even when the occasional joke falls just short of the chortle line, her ostensibly boundless enthusiasm manages to nudge it across.

But, luckily, these scattershots are few. Far from allowing what is obviously a precocious wit to wither beneath her energy’s long shadow, it positively blooms. Much like her namesake, Lyons is far more of an opportunist than it may first appear, and an wonderfully unexpected sting after a few lighthearted puns definitely goes a long way. It’s not often that I’m surprised by a joke’s direction, but I’ll be damned if I wasn’t more than once during her short hour of comedy.

However, like many comedians, Lyons appears not to trust the quality of her own wit. Some jokes far outstay their welcome, when perhaps the beginning third would have been enough to coax a belly laugh from the audience. Her punchlines, though wonderfully clever, are delivered with more clarity than it appears she realises.

My usual recommendation for free Fringe shows is that you can’t go wrong: win or lose, nothing lost. But this is a show which deserves every penny it earns. The only reason against ticketing it is the possibility that someone will lose out on witnessing such a talented performer. Elf Lyons is certainly one to watch – though, don’t make the same mistake I did, and sit almost directly behind the pillar.

 

nae bad_blue

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 11 August)

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THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED