Author: Bouquets & Brickbats

Edith in the Dark

23/08/15

Momentum @ St Stephens, Stockbridge, Edinburgh

I was looking forward to seeing this play. I loved E. Nesbit’s books when I was a child (although, even at eight years old, I used to laugh at their over-privileged world-view – expecting readers to identify with a family whose idea of poverty means only being able to afford the one servant to do all the cooking and cleaning), and was intrigued to learn that she had also written a collection of ghost stories for adults. The play’s premise is strong: Edith meets a fan, and reads some of these stories to him, allowing us some insight into the author’s world, as well as bringing the ghostly tales to life.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work here. We’re told that the stories are dark and horrifying, but then they are played for laughs; the tone is so muddled it becomes incoherent. It’s not funny enough to work as a comedy, and it’s not frightening at all. Playwright Philip Meeks acknowledges a debt to the old Amicus horror films (“They’re schlocky and almost camp…”) and that’s clearly the angle director Keith Hukin is aiming for here, but he doesn’t really pull it off. It all ends up seeming just a little bit silly, which is a shame, because it could have been so good.

Blue Merrick, as Edith, is clearly a talented actor, and she manages to hold the piece to some extent. But she’s wasted on this material, and her fellow actors don’t fare as well in their supporting roles. It’s dispiriting stuff: four people walk out half way through the piece, and I can’t say I blame them. It’s a rare sunny day in Edinburgh, and there are far better places to be than this.

2 stars

Susan Singfield and Philip Caveney

Fully Committed

24/08/15

Underbelly Potterrow (Venue 358)

We all know Marcus Brigstocke as a stand up comedian and radio show host, but can he act? On the strength of Fully Committed, the answer is a resounding yes. This sprightly one-hander tells the story of Sam Peliczowski, an affable out of work actor who, for the moment at least, has the more mundane task of running the reservation phone lines at Manhattan’s most exclusive restaurant. We join him at the beginning of an absolute day from hell, when his co-worker has failed to turn up and Sam is left to run the show single-handed. But didn’t I say that this was a one-hander? Well, yes, because the trick here is that Brigstocke voices all the characters that Sam speaks to on the phone lines (40 of them in total) supplying their respective accents and mannerisms into the bargain. It’s a monumental undertaking and the script must have been a nightmare to memorise, but Brigstocke handles it effortlessly, giving us amongst others, a foul mouthed Bronx chef, an anxious female socialite and his own father. Most of the characters are American and the wonder is that the audience never struggles to know which character is speaking at any given point.

For the first few minutes, I wasn’t sure the play was going to work, but once into his stride, Brigstocke manages to convey the madness and anxiety of the situation spelled out in Becky Mode’s frothy script, snapping from character to character at lightning speed and as the demands on Sam become ever more frenetic, you can’t help feeling for him.

This is classy stuff and Brigstocke seizes the opportunity to extend his range. Catch it before it’s gone.

4.2 stars

Philip Caveney

Markus Birdman – Grimm Realities

22/08/15

Canon’s Gait, Edinburgh

There’s an absolute multitude of acts available on Edinburgh’s Free Fringe this year and we rather liked the sound of Grimm Realities, even though it meant squashing ourselves into a hot and sweaty cellar room in order to experience it. Birdman is an interesting character. He’s done plenty of regular stand up work, over the years, but because he’s also an illustrator (as a child, he was made to draw bible stories by his preacher-man father) he decided this year to integrate his artistic endeavours into his set. And it works well.

It’s mostly about a father’s anxieties as his 10 year old daughter takes her first tentative steps into adolescence, and Birdman’s sly, witty patter is punctuated with extracts from two illustrated books he’s produced, twisted versions of the classic fairytales Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. Pages from the books are displayed on a screen by way of a visualiser – essentially a souped up version of an OHP. As you might expect, Birdman’s versions are franker than the originals, spelling out the issues that the Grimm brothers could only allude to. (If you’re in any doubt, Birdman makes regular use of an insert with the words ‘This is an metaphor’ printed on it.

It’s appealing stuff. When Birdman asks if there’s a father and daughter in the audience, Grace and I seem to be the only ones who qualify (or at least, the only ones willing to own up.) This let’s us in for plenty of comic asides and knowing looks. And as a father who published a book that was originally written for his daughter, I found a lot here to identify with.

So, if you’re in Edinburgh and your finances are running low, make your way to Canon’s Gait and grab a pass for the afternoon show. It’s cheek by jowl down there, but well worth the effort.

4 stars

Philip Caveney

Alfie Brown: -ism

22/08/15

The Box, Assembly George Square Theatre, Edinburgh

Alfie Brown exudes promise. He’s seething with potential brilliance, and some of this uneven set is genuinely great. There’s real ambition on show here; this is not a cosy, resting-on-the-comedy-laurels kind of gig at all. And when it works, it really works.

Brown has an engaging intensity; he clearly sees comedy as a vehicle for challenging perceived wisdoms, and pushes himself (and the audience) to think beyond the obvious. He never seems to go for the easy laugh – even when, quite honestly, it might help the show along. There are some routines, such as the brutally honest tale of his relationship with Jessie Cave, where he is in total command of his material, and the audience responds really well. But the set lacks a coherent structure, and peaks and troughs in odd places. The final section, an attempt to discuss political posturing and the pointlessness of preaching to the converted, has the makings of a fine routine, but is derailed somewhat by the audience’s reluctance to answer his question about our own political views (I, in fact, did volunteer a response, but I was the only one), and never really recovers from this, failing to reach any sort of conclusion, or even provoke a lot of thought. Still, I’d rather watch this ambitious young comedian experiment with an idea that doesn’t quite come off, than sit through an hour of safe crowd-pleasing with someone better-known (and there’s a lot of that about, of course).

Take a chance; give him a go. I think he will be really big one day.

4 stars

Susan Singfield

Aunty Donna

21/08/15

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh

I didn’t think I liked sketch comedy. I don’t, much, when it’s on TV – when ideas and catchphrases are repeated throughout an entire season, and it all gets a little bit dull.

I discovered tonight, however, that I might like sketch comedy when it’s live – I liked this sketch comedy, anyway. They’re certainly popular; the venue was packed. It’s great to see strong acts getting the audiences they deserve.

Aunty Donna are three Aussie blokes (Broden Kelly, Zachary Ruane and Mark Samual Bonanno) and their frenetic, silly, high-octane antics kept the audience truly entertained. There was never a let-up in the pace (within minutes the trio were raining sweat upon the front row) and the sheer variety of sketches was most impressive. Standouts included the Bubble Bath Boys (who’d hijacked the show), a scene about taking in a ‘stray man’ and the recurring trope of ‘the man who…’ – a delightful piece of whimsy, which really made me laugh.

The ideas are all drawn together nicely at the end, making this a perfect choice for a Friday night show: it’s energetic, irreverent and a whole lot of fun.

4 stars

Susan Singfield

Sarah Kendall: A Day In October

21/08/15

Assembly, George Square, Edinburgh

You’ll find plenty of stand-ups at the Fringe, good, bad and indifferent but Sarah Kendall works differently to most other comedians. In ‘A Day in October’ she gives us what is essentially a protracted exercise in skilful storytelling, something that’s clearly based around real life experiences she had in her youth, in Newcastle, Australia. From her vivid descriptions of the inhabitants, it wasn’t on the tourist routes. This is the story of George Peach, a boy at her school who was constantly bullied and it’s about the awful accident that turned his life around.

Kendall really excels here, building the story piece-by-piece, layer-by-layer, dropping a whole bunch of clues that really should warn us about what she’s going to do, but at the same time, expertly misdirecting us so that the final twist, when it comes, is absolutely shattering. I don’t want to give the impression that this is not brilliant comedy: it is, and those in search of a good laugh will not be disappointed. But there’s also a deeper intelligence at work here, something which elevates this show above much of the competition.

The term ‘comedy gold’ is often used but rarely as thoroughly deserved as it is here.

5 stars

Philip Caveney

Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl

20/08/15

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh

Rebecca Perry is Joanie Little, an anthropology graduate, working as a barista and dreaming of a different life. The monologue is interspersed with songs, and the story moves from a wry contemplation of the mundanity of a dull McJob, into a fantasy about love and possibility.

Perry is a charming performer with a lovely singing voice, and she tells her tale with wit and warmth. She takes us with her into Joanie’s world, and paints a vivid portrait of the characters she meets.

It’s an enjoyable show, as frothy as cappuccino – but, ultimately, the espresso doesn’t have much kick. The people-as-wildlife trope has perhaps been done too many times to have much impact now, and it’s all just a little too feelgood and saccharine to really make its mark.

If you like your theatre decaffeinated, this might be the show for you.

3.4 stars

Susan Singfield

The Orchid and the Crow

20/08/15

Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh

In a hard-to-categorise show, Australian musician and cancer survivor, Daniel Tobias offers a meditation on a variety of subjects: the Jewish Faith, Father Christmas, Lance Armstrong and testicular cancer. These may seem unlikely bed fellows but it’s all expertly stitched together and along the way we are offered songs in a variety of styles – some jaunty rock n roll, a cabaret-style piece with a guest appearance from God and most effective of all, an Italian aria about the loss of one of the artist’s testicles, accompanied by a short film. It’s a quirky collection of ideas, never less than entertaining and in several places, it’s surprisingly informative – did you know, for instance that the word ‘orchid’ and the word ‘testicle’ have the same etymology? No? Me neither.

This show was a winner at the Ottawa Fringe Festival and it’s not hard to see why. Tobias has a likeable stage presence, and a decent voice, while the illustrative songs, written with various collaborators are of a suitably high standard to please the pickiest of crowds. If you’re looking for something a bit different than the usual Fringe fare, this would be a good bet.

4 stars

Philip Caveney

John Robertson: The Dark Room – Symphony of a Floating Head

19/08/15

Underbelly, Cowgate, Edinburgh

Fancy watching a genuine phenomenon? One that’s built around a love of those text-based 80s video games where you are invited to choose various options in the hope of winning? Well, essentially that’s what The Dark Room is all about. There’s a £1000 prize on offer… and before you say something like ‘yeah, that’s not going to happen,’ let me assure you that host John Robertson told me that the prize has been won twice (on two consecutive nights) in 2015. So chew on that.

Let me set the scene for you. You’re in a damp, rather smelly room on Cowgate. Images flicker up on a rumpled screen. Then in strides Robertson, dressed in a manner that makes you think he must have loved Mad Max: Fury Road. (Well, he is Australian.) He climbs onto the stage and quickly takes control of the sizeable crowd. Robertson is very funny, slick, sharp-tongued and a bit of a bully. He immediately chooses his first contestant which as luck would have it, is me. He gives me the name Darren (he gives everyone this name) and I start haplessly choosing options while Robertson hurls abuse at me for everything I do. Inevitably, I am dead after just a few goes and I am assured that this is the fastest round ever played on the Fringe (i.e. I’m completely useless) He gives me a prize (a plastic starfish) and promptly moves on to other victims.

It’s fast, frenetic. One contestant has clearly had way too much to drink and starts to get lippy, but Robertson deals with him expertly, turning the man’s churlishness back on himself. A thirteen year old girl has a go and Robertson walks an expertly balanced tightrope between what’s acceptable in such a situation and what clearly isn’t. Apparently the game gets a lot of repeat custom as punters come back, having decided that next time they’ll surely make the right choices.

I’ll be honest, we really didn’t think this one would be for us… neither of us have played those text-based games or have the first idea of strategy, but it hardly matters. This is enjoyable stuff, often laugh-out-loud funny and it’s not long before you’ve memorised Robertson’s repeated lines and are shouting along with him. ‘You die, you die, you DIE!’

4.2 stars

Philip Caveney

Gruesome Playground Injuries

19/08/15

Basic Mountain, Venue 106, Hill Street, Edinburgh

Phantom Owl Productions have given themselves a tough act to follow here. We’ve already awarded five star reviews to both Filthy Talk For Troubled Times and Fault Lines. What are the chances they can pull it off a third time? Well, when the production in question is Gruesome Playground Injuries by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph, the chances, it turns out, are very good indeed. This is a fabulous play that covers thirty years in the lives of its two protagonists.

Doug (Brad Fleischer) is a hapless, accident-prone kind of guy. He first runs into the already troubled Kayleen (Jules Willcox) when they are both eight years old and he has just ridden his bicycle off the school roof and cut his face open. We are then reintroduced to them through a series of non-sequential encounters that zip back and forth in time as Doug continues to carry a torch for Kayleen, who is too preoccupied with her own troubles to realise that he has fallen in love with her from the moment he first set eyes on her.

A word too about Larissa Kokernot’s direction of the piece – it calls for quite a few changes of scene and costume and I loved the way that these were all carried out by the two actors in full view of the audience, whilst exchanging tender looks and touches with each other, making it as much a part of the drama as the acting itself. This is a delightful Brechtian conceit that works beautifully. Fleischer and Wilcox make a captivating duo, never faltering as they switch their ages from kids to adults with total conviction and there are several moments here where tears will fill the eyes of all but the most stolid members of the audience.

I’ve said it before but it’s worth saying again; this is the best collection of plays we’ve seen at the Fringe this year – and trust me, we’ve seen quite a few. Seek them out and watch them while you still have the chance.

5 stars

Philip Caveney