Comedy duos

Fancy a sardine sandwich?

bruceonthefringe 2024, Comedy, Comedy duos, Comic theatre, Edinburgh Fringe 2024, Fringe reviews, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

That’s a duo of duos with a filling of Sardines; a fine concept if the showtimes had lined up, sadly not. My, a sandwich like this could really give you bizarre dreams afterwards (mmm, actually yes, probably as well it doesn’t exist). First on the board, BriTANick: Dummy.

BriTANick are from the States, a sketch comedy duo who’ve worked together for some time (oh, and the good-looking one is married to Karen Gillan). There’s a charm about them, their comedy is surreal, often subverting the audience’s expectations, but always charming. BriTANick are not afraid to follow ideas way down deep into the rabbit hole when timider comics would stop and head back to the light; the reward is a highly entertaining, deeply funny hour. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

On to the filling, Sardines a surreal comedy about William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. I’ll admit I was very unsure about picking this, like in one of those sandwich shops where it’s all unusual fillings, so you just have to choose and hope for the best. Oh, my Fringe-dar was so on point! Truly, wonderfully silly, there’s sweet and sharp, whimsy and dark. Another brilliant production at Paradise in The Vault but take note it finishes on Saturday 17th, if you like your theatre on the absurd side, do catch it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And completing the sandwich are those Grubby Little Mitts with yet another ridiculously brilliant show, how do they do it? Hmmm, I reckon that Rosie and Sullivan skipped into a rabbit hole went right to the end, then extended it, and stuck in a few sneaky doublebacks just for fun – they’ve built a whole damn warren! And watch out, this is comedy with a soupsant of unease, and a shiver of disquiet (it’s Rosie, I tell you, she’s scary, looks sweet but …). Without doubt a contender for my top show of the Fringe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌟

More later, toodle pip!

What are the odds?

bruceonthefringe 2023, Comedy duos, Comic theatre, Edinburgh Fringe 2023, Fringe Venues, Reviews, Theatre, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

… On being sat a few seats away from the same person at your first show of the day and then the last show you see?! No, I don’t know him but he was pretty distinctive, so definitely the the same chap. Well, you obviously have similar tastes, Bruce. Erm, the first was Max Norman: A Pirate’s Life For Me, a jolly silly romp, and the last was Fabulett 1933 on the life of a gay man in early 20th century Germany. A day of light and dark, my third show of the day was Tom GK: Chemodian, a lovely upbeat guy whose body is riddled with tumours, for the darkest of subjects it’s quite an upbeat show, oh, with plenty of dark humour ☆☆☆½

Back to Max Norman: A Pirate’s Life For Me a show for all the family. Max Norman has a sense of gleeful wonder about him, he has silly in spades with a creative, make-do attitude that almost seems quaintly old-fashioned (dare I say it, I was reminded of Brian Cant). If you have kids they’ll love it, if you don’t, then just take your own inner child and be pirates together! ☆☆☆☆½

Another odd coincidence in the last couple of days, two mentions of Cornish pirates. Max Norman mentioned Pirate Captain was Cornish, the old stereotype for a pirate (they do say aaarrr a lot); just the day before I know I was told the origin for the accent (by a man dressed as a Cornish pixie) in Tre, but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was, dammit. I gave this a bash as I have a soft spot for Cornwall, but well, I did quite enjoy it, it’s not bad, but… ummm. Tre is just on until Saturday 12th, interesting Cornish facts in there.

Fabulett 1933 was excellent. Felix is the emcee at Fabulett, a cabaret club in Berlin, it’s February 1933, the club is about to be closed down by government order. Throughout the performance there’s reminders that the clock is ticking down, Felix uses the hour to recount his life from childhood, conscription to fight on the Western Front, to Berlin. Much of his story is told in song (accompanied by pianist, Hans), well naturally, we’re in a cabaret club! The music perfectly sets the scene, the singing spot on, the story fascinating and powerful ☆☆☆☆☆

I was actually in the same room an hour and a half before, I did mention last post that Monday was my Underbelly day. The two shows before those two were through the same outer door, two venue rooms next to each other – a warning for Clover and Daisy goers, make sure you’re queuing for the right show! And Clover people, unless you have a long body and upper half, best be in the queue early or almost last. If you’re three or more rows back good luck seeing what’s happening, but the back two rows are on higher seats so you can see really well there (I will having a full-blown rant about seating in a post very soon!).

Did you read my last post? To write or not write about shows I haven’t enjoyed so much, that is my predicament. Especially I feel that stand-up comedy is such a personal vibe, not getting a stand-up doesn’t mean they’re rubbish (or maybe they are!). So, I’m not really on the same vibe as Tom Lawrinson but he did go down very well with the crowd. I did laugh plenty, you know that hyena laugh, when you’re joining in with the pack and part of your brain is thinking “yes, I can see the amusement value of what was just said, but I’m not half as amused as this sound I’m making would imply”. I certainly didn’t walk out thinking I’d wasted an hour of my life, but neither will I probably go see him again.

Well, I’ve waffled quite enough for one post. Yes, I still haven’t gone back and completed my previous reviews I know, but the sun is shining out there! I will just mention the other show from yesterday (just to complete the set). Finlay and Joe: Past Our Bedtime was so much fun! The second show of my day opened and finished with a song with lots of silly inbetween. Now, these guys are on my wavelength, inventive, bonkers, with an occasional slight hint of whimsy ☆☆☆☆ I can’t believe I didn’t figure out the author’s name! I realised there was a joke in there but I couldn’t see it, bah.

Now where are my sunglasses? Toodle pip!

Make me an offer, please

bruceonthefringe 2023, Comedy duos, Edinburgh Fringe 2023, Previews, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

I have Fringe tickets, woohoo. I mentioned as much at the end of my last blog post, I have even more now, thanks to an email update from Underbelly. I just wish I’d opened and read it sooner – I’d have saved a few quid! Only a few but it all adds up. Underbelly had announced a special offer of £6 tickets for shows up until 10th August, one just had to be organised enough to buy them by midnight tonight, oops. I only read the email after I had booked a wodge of preview shows; I did feel a tad disgruntled, my own fault, I know, I really should check my emails more regularly.

At least I’ve managed to save on booking fees, that old bugbear! The Fringe and Underbelly box offices have once again capped the booking fees at £5 per transaction (£1.25 a ticket). Organisation is key, fifteen tickets in and a tenner spent on fees, not that I see that as a saving, just less irksome.

Assembly have for a number of years now done an offer for locals at the start of the Fringe, they just like to announce it quite late on. To make us sweat or just so’s we might have already paid full whack? There’s a number of Assembly shows I quite fancy, that I may fancy even more with a cheap offer, only one has made my must-see pile.

My favourite comedy duo from last year are back, and with a new show, Grubby Little Mitts: Hello, Hi. Well, I had to get a ticket, this is one second outing I’m confident will be as funny, clever and dark as the first (not always the case).

It’s a tad late, I shall away to bed. I leave you with a peek at my possibilities…..

It was a very good year (part II)

bruceonthefringe Comedy, Comedy duos, Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe 2013, Fringe history, Previews, Radio 4 comedy, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

2013 saw McNeil and Pamphilon Go 8-Bit! Okay so if I just saw those words it would mean nothing to me, but the pic and blurb informed me it was about classic videogames. I had never been into videogames or particularly understood the appeal, but, well it was M&P so hilarity was expected. And how! So I didn’t know any of the games, but from my distance it was an entertaining hour of anthropomorphic insight; comedy, rivalries and the most evil forfeits (I really felt for Pamphilon by the end). The sheer enthusiasm and joy of watching a bunch of comedians mucking about and having a laugh was just a pleasure.

Go 8-Bit! embraced the new multimedia, these were young, tech-savvy comedians, or least, they knew someone who was! The following year the tech went even higher, the audience participated on their mobiles! Needless to say, I didn’t, and just as well as interaction meant you may be picked to play the next videogame – that would not have been pretty! The technology and interactiveness really fascinated me, but only as an observer.

The Pin was our opener that year (was or were? The name of a comedy act, but it’s a double act) two fresh-faced youngsters, Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen. It was the first preview which is possibly why they seemed to be trying too hard for the first while, but then it became much funnier as they relaxed. My journal says “They do have potential. ☆☆☆” I have seen them since and indeed, they’re doing well, they’ve even had the 6:30 comedy slot on Radio 4. I’d say that’s doing well.

2013 was our third outing to see Max and Ivan, who had moved into the Pleasance Queen Dome for Max and Ivan: The Reunion (they were going up in the world!)  The show was nominated for Best Comedy, though for me whilst it was slick and very well-done, it didn’t tickle my funny bone quite as much as their previous two shows. Indeed, the first time I put “A very enjoyable show, even though poor Holmes had broken his ankle… ☆☆☆☆+”, yes, Max Olesker had broken his ankle but he carried on and even got laughs out of it. Radio 4 beckoned and they’ve had two series of The Casebook of Max and Ivan with some great guests like June Whitfield and Reece Shearsmith!

Ah, I’ve just spotted on Thursday 15th at 14:10 I saw Sock Puppet in The Cellar at the Pleasance Courtyard. It was a monologue about a murderous possessed sock, and my first encounter with John-Luke Roberts. What a bloody fine year it was!

(To be continued……)

 

Bears and foxes and sockses, oh my!

bruceonthefringe Comedy, Comedy duos, Edinburgh Fringe, Television shows, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Yes, there’ll be bears and a fox and a pair of socks at the Fringe this year, yay! After a year off Goodbear are back with Dougal, no, not the dog, it’s the name of their new show. Oo, I might even make that a first night show, it’s always good to start well and I’m sure Mr Barnes and Mr Perryment will not disappoint me.

The Abbott and Costello of the sock world, the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre are back with Roll Up! I’ve been following their show development throughout the year on Facebook, bits have come and gone, and there’s plenty of video footage. I expect it honed to perfection by August!

And the Fox? Why, it’s my childhood hero Basil Brush! Apparently he sounds slightly different these days, but it was forty plus years ago when I was watching him on the telly. If only he’d come to the Fringe in 2015 – he could have met up with his old pal Rodney Bewes (this tablet wants to make him Rodney Beers! No, tablet demon, it’s Bewes). Mr Rodney was Basil’s side-kick in 1968, he’s the first one I can remember. After that there was Mr Derek, he stayed around a few years and was very good, but my favourite side-kick/straightman was Mr Roy, I loved it when he would grab Basil’s snout in exasperation to shut him up (while trying not to laugh).

Turns out Basil first appeared on telly as a support act to a magician before getting his big break with his own tv show. He was very influenced by Terry Thomas, he liked the charm and droll wit, and was always seen wearing a cravat (and comparing his clothes to now, he definitely had a better tailor back then, probably Saville Row). The stars were all queuing up to be on his show, Lulu, Cilla Black, Demis Roussos, to name a few, all eager to duet with him. Yes, Basil was so popular he even made a cameo appearance in The Goodies Rule-OK? 

Indeed, I shall have to go see the Fox, why, I learnt all my wit, humour and sarcasm from him (and Dougal, yes, the dog, and Brian). I wonder, will he still talk about Dirty Gertie from Number Thirty?! Does he still have that laugh? He must still use his catchphrase. Until next time, my friends,

Boom! Boom!

 

Post Fringe Blues

bruceonthefringe Comedy, Comedy duos, Edinburgh Fringe, Late night shows, Pay What You Want, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hi folks! I’m writing this from the doldrums, the pit of despair, aka postfringe-Edinburgh. Motivation is currently a four-letter word. My get-up-and-go got up and left with the Fringe and all it’s accoutrements. My joie de vivre has taken on the tone of Marvin, “Life? Don’t talk to me about life.” Was it only six days ago it all ended again? I was still in full Fringe-mode this time last week (eleven o’clock Sunday night).

This time last week in the rather warm Monkey Barrel 2, I was trying to see round a rather large gentleman to watch some bad wrestling matches. Yes, I finally got round to going to Brendon Burns and Colt Cabana Do Comedy and Commentary to Bad Wrestling Matches and can confirm you need know nothing about wrestling to enjoy this show. It may help to know something or be a fan, but just an enjoyment of hilarious video clips is enough, and the banter between Burns and Cabana is a joy to behold, like some old married couple. There were a few guests on to add to the mix and chat, the last of which was John Hastings; he must always have a lot of posters up as I’ve never seen him but I knew who he was  (unlike the other guests).

Then, what happened at the very end of the show made me very glad I’d finally gone ….. Brendon announced it would be his last time of co-presenting it!! His reason being he’s getting old – er, 47?! Old? It was quite touching the emotion in the room, while everyone tried to stay very manly about it! Ya big softies! So I’m very glad I finally made it to BBACCDCACTBWM for Burnsy’s swansong, now I wish I’d been earlier, like six years earlier.

Toodle pip!

Who needs a good bear, when you have Camels?

bruceonthefringe Comedy, Comedy duos, Comic theatre, Edinburgh Fringe, Fringe Venues, Places to go, Shakespeare, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Ok, so I mentioned in So long, farewell, ta-ra, toodle pip! three shows I’ve seen but hadn’t mentioned before, well, they’ve gone now anyway! Bloody good shows they were too!

What of all the other shows you’ve seen, Brucie, I hear you ask (mooses have very good hearing), and you said you’d tell us more about the early shows?! Yes, I know, but it’s hard in the madness that is Fringe to keep all one’s plates spinning. So I’ll press on and rundown my shows til I had to depart Edinburgh on my mission of mercy.

Preview Friday I managed six shows, yup, six, but that was from ten in the morning ’til one the following morning! The Shakespeare For Breakfast crew were on top form again!! I was surprised how many seats were left, hopefully they’re now selling out with their excellent modern twist on The Taming of The Shrew. A great start to my day!

Next up, new to me Camels, which excitingly was in part of the all-new singing, dancing underneath of McEwan Hall; very modern and entered via the blob thing in Teviot Square. Oo these chaps are good, recalling my Seeing double post from last year, this comedy duo make up for a lack of Goodbear this year! Tom Neenan’s: It’s Always Infinity was another corker from him (maybe not quite to the heights of last year’s Attenborough) it took a wee while to pull me in, but by the end, with the by-then obvious punchline in sight, the audience were all sitting cosily in the palm of Tom’s hand. What a piece of genius writing, long may he grace the Fringe with his wit and style! I did spot, though it took me a while, that the chap in the video clips was non other that David Reed from the Penny Dreadfuls (as is Thom Tuck).

Next up was a show in a big blue box, from Switzerland, umm, the humour just didn’t translate for me, and I’m going to leave that one at that. I recovered myself with a curry at the Mosque Kitchen for tea, first visit this Fringe and it won’t be the last; good, quick, tasty grub. I finished my day at the Gilded Balloon with first the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre: Superheroes, finishing with the wonderful Will Seaward now telling his ghostly tales in the Dining Room. The SFSPT:S was good but having seen plenty of trial bits previously on their Facebook page, I think some of the dumped bits were better. If you hadn’t seen them, then the show is perfectly fine with plenty of laughs and groans, and some rather obscurer fanboy jokes. Then the clock struck twelve and it was Will Time!! Nuff said really, another late hour of terrifying tales and howling horrors but in a bigger room this year!

And then it was home to bed! Well, it’s time for me to maybe venture oot into the rain. It’s been chucking down all day, hence my catching up here. Time to book a few more shows, methinks.

Toodle pip!

A work in progress

bruceonthefringe Aussie comedians, Comedy, Comedy duos, Edinburgh Fringe, Horror, Music, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

Goodness me, how time flies when you’re having fun! Just have time to give you a quick rundown of shows so far – before I have to run back up to the Gilded Balloon for another one.

First night, top show was Russell Howard: Work in Progress what a lovely lad still and blimey it was 2007 when I last saw him at the Fringe, before all the fame on the telly. In second place comes Rob Kemp: The Elvis Dead, more on this show later, but if you like the film Evil Dead II and old Elvis songs, go see it! In third place on the first night, sorry guys, The Pin: Backstage. It was still very good 4☆, but at times it felt a teensy bit lame which was a shame because most of it chugged along fine with brilliant flashes from time to time.

Thursday I managed four shows. No obvious order of brilliance here, Games by Henry Naylor was more of his usual, minimal stage, thought-provoking, powerful female performances – go, watch, learn. Belly of a Drunken Piano at the Assembly Rooms, if you like Tom Waites you’ll love it, if you don’t you won’t. My highlight was Martha, it’s so long since I played it. Next up Felicity Ward: Busting a Nut, a bundle of neurotic joy! One of my favourite Aussies. To finish the evening with a bang Thrones! The Musical!  Definitely more on that later!

And that’s only up to last night! There’s another five I’ve seen so far today, and two more to come!!

Onwards and upwards!

Don’t worry madam, he’s a trained stunt dog.

bruceonthefringe Comedy, Comedy duos, Edinburgh Fringe, Fringe history, Mime, Sooo fringe, Uncategorized Tags: , , Leave a comment

Another sweltering night in Auld Reekie, the cars go swooshing by outside, the occasional drunk screeches her boyfriend’s name, a nearby gate gratingly squeals open and clatters shut again. Ah, the Gotham effect! Love that show, sooo stylish.

And a duo who definitely have their own distinct style would be The Establishment, not unlike a couple of really creepy henchmen, who you may be fooled into thinking are just buffoons but they’re really creative geniuses in the art of psychological torture. Do go see them😆  This year they’re doing two shows, Fool Britannia which runs right through to the final Sunday and Le Bureau de Strange just two nights where they’ll have “very special guests”. I’ll fit in Fool Britannia but I have a number of late night shows to choose from and at my age beauty sleep is essential!

Another duo, possibly the most distinctively recognisable duo at the Fringe for more than ten years are Gamarjobat; a mohawk-sporting, shades-wearing mime comedy act from Japan. Yeah, I know, mime, a word that can inspire almost as much disdain as juggler, but these guys are seriously and uproariously brilliant at it! They should be, they’ve been doing it for yonks.

The first couple or so years I think they were just a street show, then in 2006 Bud and I saw their first proper Fringe show and the following two years. In 2008 was probably the first time the second half of the show was The Boxer not a million miles from Rocky in it’s storyline, this was mime on another level, to this day a standout Fringe moment for me (and probably Bud too, he was a big fan of Rocky and got bits that I missed). They still perform on the street when they’re here, so even if you don’t go to the show you can catch them, still mohawked!

The Tuck returns.

bruceonthefringe Children's Shows, Comedy, Comedy duos, Comic theatre, Edinburgh Fringe, Fringe Venues, Pay What You Want, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hello peeps, today I am a rather poorly moose, though not half as ill as I felt yesterday, couldn’t hardly raise my head 😩. In my fevered condition my mind wandered (it does that a lot anyway, my little legs would be knackered if they had to actually go along too) to a name – Thom Tuck. Ah, where is he this Fringe? After being An August Institution last year I haven’t actually noticed him anywhere in this year’s programme. Hmmm. So having hauled myself from my sick bed and breakfasted on porridge with honey and raspberries I investigated……

Oh yayyy! Phew! The Tuck is back! He’s hosting the Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) with John-Luke Roberts late night at the Monkey Barrel Comedy Club. I shall definitely popping along to that. Tuck and Roberts together? That’ll be bonkers enough, never mind the guests! So, if he’s doing that late night, what’s he doing the rest of the time? Oo, he’s in one of those all comedians plays Courtroom Play: A Courtroom Play at 12.25 in the afternoon, plenty recovery time from the late night. Ah, just looked again at ACMS it goes on til 2.30 in the morning, every morning of the Fringe (Wednesday nights are quiz night), Tuck’s going to be tuckered out by the end of August 😆

I’ve also discovered he’s putting in a couple of appearances at the Comedy Club 4 Kids. A lot of comedians do it now, why not? The fans of the future and a different perspective to more adult-honed shows. In fact I’m rather miffed as Thom’s first date also has Brendon Burns and Colt Cabana there and I’m busy that day, grrrr. Brendon Burns for kids, I have to see that sometime!

Burns and Cabana are back with their Comedy and Commentary to Bad Wrestling Matches late night at the Monkey Barrel, hmmm, just a five minute overlap with ACMS, interesting! I’ve never been but have it on good authority that it is worth seeing. Brendon himself has downsized again, not quite the free fringe but Pay What You Want (or £6.50 ticket in advance) at Heroes@Boteco, apparently his twentieth solo hour! I shall be there.

Time for my lemsip, toodle pip!