Comedy

Inter Alia: NT Live

07/09/25

Cineworld, Edinburgh

What Suzie (Miller) Did Next was bound to garner a lot of attention. The mega-success of Prima Facie, starring the inimitable Jodie Comer, has catapulted the Aussie playwright into the limelight, and left the theatre world waiting with baited breath to see what else she has up her silk sleeve.

Inter Alia, a three-hander starring Rosamund Pike, serves as a kind of companion piece to the 2019 monologue, this time examining the legal system’s response to sexual assault from the vantage point of the Bench. Pike plays Judge Jessica Parks, a high-flying professional, juggling work and family life. She’s got the drive and energy to give both her all, but there’s no escaping ‘mom guilt’, however feminist you are. Still, she and her barrister husband, Michael (Jamie Glover), seem to be managing well: their teenage son, Harry (Jasper Talbot), isn’t exactly happy – he doesn’t really fit in at school and is the victim of some mild bullying – but he’s generally okay, mooching through his days and studying for A levels. He’s a gentle, sensitive boy, nothing like the entitled defendants Jess encounters in court, with their swaggering justifications for rape…

Until, one fateful night, when the ideals Jessica has long-espoused are suddenly called into question, along with her integrity. Who is to blame when a floundering young man commits a crime? And is it possible to be guilty and innocent at the same time?

Prima Facie‘s director, Justin Martin, is back on board for this follow-up polemic, and it’s just as gorgeously kinetic as the earlier piece, perfectly encapsulating the frantic nature of Jess’s life as she hurtles from conviction to kitchen, from case files to karaoke. The set, designed by Miriam Buether, is ingenious, a combination of the domestic and the professional, with props, costumes and doorways cunningly concealed in the kitchen units. At key moments, a wooded park is revealed beyond the dominant interiors, a glimpse into the outside world – both real and online – where Jessica isn’t in control, and which Harry has to learn to navigate for himself.

This is a gentler play than its predecessor, but no less audacious or thought-provoking. Pike is extraordinary in the lead role, and ably supported by her fellow actors. Miller doesn’t offer any easy answers or let anyone off the hook, but she expertly straddles the fine line between trying to understand assailants without diminishing their victims. Like those around us, we leave the cinema deep in discussion, trawling through our own experiences, trying to work out what we would do in Judge Jessica’s place.

I’m still not sure. But I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that Inter Alia is another searing commentary on our times, and – as such – another must-see from the National Theatre.

5 stars

Susan Singfield

Wodehouse in Wonderland

22/08/25

Assembly George Square (Studio 3), Edinburgh

Not so much an impersonation as a celebration, Robert Daws is clearly having a whale of a time in William Humble’s Wodehouse in Wonderland, and, after a few minutes of uncertainty while I tune in to the tone of the piece, so am I. Wodehouse is, of course, one of those writers who almost defy belief: incredibly prolific, very successful in his own lifetime – but remembered now for the accusations levelled at him for his ‘collaboration’ with the Nazis during World War Two.

We meet him in the 1950s, living in exile in Long Island and reluctant to return to his British homeland. He’s still writing fiction (though a book now takes him six months rather than three) and he’s also hankering after another shot at writing for the theatre with his old partner, Guy Bolton, who lives nearby.

Daws offers a relaxed and jovial performance as Wodehouse, mixing martinis as he talks, expressing his intense dislike for the great Russian authors (too gloomy) and making slyly humorous observations about his wife, Bunny’s profligacy. He also speaks lovingly about his adopted daughter, Leonora – or ‘Snorkles’ as he prefers to call her – who he claims is his ‘Number 1 critic.’

He talks – with great reluctance – to his American biographer, who eventually nudges him in the direction of that unfortunate business with the Germans… and, lest the tone grow too serious, every so often, Daws interrupts proceedings to launch into a rendition of one of the author’s comic songs.

Wodehouse in Wonderland is a revelation in many ways. I was a fan of Jeeves and Wooster back in the day and read several of their adventures when (just like Wodehouse in his youth) I was sequestered in a rather unpleasant boarding school. I learn quite a lot about the author over the hour and realise that I have been misinformed about that ‘collaboration’ business – so it’s nice to have the record set straight.

Towards the conclusion, there’s also a moment of sweet sadness, which Daws handles with absolute assurance. While this may be best suited to those familiar with Wodehouse’s work, it’s not essential. Those looking to spend a pleasant and rewarding hour on the Fringe should find plenty here to keep them thoroughly entertained.

4.4 stars

Philip Caveney

Fly, You Fools!

16/08/25

Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond), Edinburgh

New York-based theatre company Recent Cutbacks specialise in producing no-budget parodies of epic films. Last year, their Hold Onto Your Butts (an unlicensed version of Jurassic Park) gave us plenty of cheap laughs and, as predicted in our review, they’ve returned with that show – and also a companion piece, Fly, You Fools!, their interpretation of Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Rings.

Three performers – Nick Abeel, Kyle Schafer and Regan Sims – team up with Foley artist Kelly Robinson, plus a collection of props that look like they’ve been salvaged from the back of a wardrobe, and do their damnedest to perform a version of the movie for a packed crowd at the Pleasance.

I have to confess to being a fan of the Rings trilogy, which for three years of my life were a birthday go-to for me and my daughter – but I can’t deny that they have more than their fair share of pomposity and illogical happenings, which makes them fair game for a debunk. Clearly today’s audience is in full agreement. There’s raucous laughter as the performers switch from character to character and height to height, doing their level best to depict Frodo and his crew making their way to Mordor – or as they prefer to say it, Morrrrrrdddddoooooor.

And yes, that most pertinent of questions does get a mention: why didn’t they just fly there there on the back of an eagle and save themselves a lot of hassle?

The story was developed by Matt Zambrano and directed by Kristen McCarthy Parker. It’s a fun way to spend an hour but is it as strong as HOYB? For my money, Fly, You Fools! doesn’t er… land quite as effectively as its predecessor – a lengthy sequence featuring crap shadow theatre slows down the pace somewhat – but there are close to three hundred people at Beyond who appear to be having the time of their lives.

Mission accomplished. (Now there’s a franchise they might have some fun with…)

3.8 stars

Philip Caveney

Lachlan Werner: Wondertwunk

15/08/25

Pleasance Dome (10 Dome), Edinburgh

Originality counts for a great deal at the Fringe and I have to say that Lachlan Werner has that commodity in spades. We’re here to catch his act mostly because a publicist we work with casually mentioned that she thought it would be ‘right up our street.’ The fact that it so definitely is probably says something about us, because this is utterly weird – but, I should add, in a good way. And it’s clear from the audience reaction that we’re far from the only ones delighted by what we’re viewing.

Werner plays Jack Hammer, the Strongest Boy in the World. He might not look the type to be lifting weights and bending steel bars, what with his impeccably-plaited curls, his grotesquely-painted features and his cupids-bow lips; and yet, thanks to some shonky-looking props, he manages these macho skills with ease. He performs every night in a circus owned by his clearly dodgy dad (depicted by a monstrous life-sized puppet), and his only friend in the world is a talented sea lion called Slippy, who, it turns out, can balance wine glasses on his nose.

Werner is a gifted ventriloquist, able to switch from his own cartoonish little voice to his dad’s gruff tones (or the distinctive bark of a sea lion) with apparent ease – and, while on paper the ‘jokes’ are simply a string of lame puns and outlandish boasts, there’s something so utterly beguiling in Werner’s delivery that I find myself laughing helplessly along from start to finish.

There are elements of horror in the story which put me in mind of the theatre of Grand Guignol, as Jack slowly begins to uncover grisly secrets about his father and, ultimately, himself. A guy from the audience is invited onto the stage to become his assistant and ends up as the object of his affection, an integral part of the show, as Werner flirts outrageously with him. By the show’s final stages, the entire audience is cheering Jack on, wanting him to to vanquish the powers of evil, to find a new identity and a suitably happy ending.

This show takes me completely by surprise and I’m fairly confident that other first-timers will have the same experience. One thing’s for certain: unless you’re already a fan of Lachlan Werner, you won’t have seen anything quite like it before. It’s sublime.

5 stars

Philip Caveney

Help! I’m Trapped in a One-Woman Show

14/08/25

Pleasance Dome (10 Dome), Edinburgh

Kate Skinner offers a nuanced perspective on widowhood in this frank one-woman show. The septuagenarian actor lost her beloved husband, Ron McLarty, in 2020, after seventeen years of marriage – and has mourned him ever since. “The thing about closure,” she tells us, “is that it isn’t real. It was made up by Oprah.”

But it’s been five years now and Skinner is torn: she doesn’t want to “move on” into a future without Ron, but she’s still here and she wants to live. Over the course of an hour, we learn how she makes her peace with this dichotomy, accepting that her grief will always be present, while forging new connections for herself.

Make no mistake: there are a lot of laughs to be had here. Skinner is searingly open, divulging every detail of her disastrous foray into online dating. It’s refreshing to hear an older person speak so candidly about sex; so often, these voices are muted. Her occasional bitchiness is also amusing, and she’s a born performer, creating a relaxed and intimate tone, so that we feel we’re being taken into her confidence.

There’s not a lot more I can say: this is a gentle and ultimately life-affirming piece of work. It’s a pleasure to spend sixty minutes in the company of this vivacious woman, who is unafraid to address a complex emotional subject that clearly resonates with many in the audience.

3.5 stars

Susan Singfield

Living on the Moon

12/08/25

Gilded Balloon at Patterhouse (Dram), Edinburgh

I have to hand it to Molly McFadden. Recently diagnosed with ‘mild cognitive impairment,’ she could be excused for deciding to take things easy and put her feet up. Instead she’s opted to bring a show to the Edinburgh Fringe, a daunting ambition for the average teenage drama student, let along for a woman in her seventies. The fact that she recently discovered that she has the gene for Alzheimer’s must feel like a potential threat and was perhaps the spur she needed to bring her show to the Fringe.

Living On the Moon, directed by Michael Glavan, is mostly about Alzheimer’s (a recurring theme this year) and is based around McFadden’s recollections of her own mum, who spent the last twelve years of her life stricken by the condition. Those who’ve managed to catch Lost Lear at The Traverse, will have seen the subject captured and portrayed to harrowing effect, but McFadden’s approach is more gentle than that. In her one-woman show, McFadden’s mother, ‘Memory’, is a skilfully-made puppet: a carefree, occasionally irascible mother-figure given to interrupting her daughter’s torch songs with unfettered recollections of earlier times when she was clearly ‘a bit of a one.’

The tone here is whimsical, suffused by a bitter-sweet sense of loss, and McFadden’s former career as a cabaret singer comes to the fore. She has an impressive vocal range and delivers the songs with absolute authority. ‘Memory’ is a delightful creation, full of character and mischief.

I do however sense that in places, McFadden is pulling her punches a little, shying away from the full horror of the situation. Perhaps she needs more time to process what has happened before she can fully explore its depths. Nevertheless, she delivers an absorbing hour on the stage.

Those who prefer a soft approach to this most distressing of subjects will find McFadden (and Memory) at the Gilded Balloon, Patterhouse.

3.6 stars

Philip Caveney

Michelle Brasier: It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year

12/08/25

Gilded Balloon at the Museum (Auditorium), Edinburgh

Ah, who doesn’t dread a wee-hours-of-the-morning shame spiral? It turns out that even the uber-confident Michelle Brasier has to deal with these joy-sapping tummy-churners. Yes, that’s right: the bold, brash, in-yer-face Aussie, who struts about the stage like she couldn’t give a flying fuck, even she lies awake wincing with embarrassment, remembering old slights, reliving awkward encounters. But, unlike most of us, Brasier decides to tackle them head-on.

The title of the show refers to something a mate said to her at the end of Year 6. Clearly, it resonated, making her second-guess herself for years, wondering what was wrong with her. I’m guessing Brasier is popular IRL: she comes across as warm and funny, open and engaging. But still, that comment niggled, chipping away at her self-esteem.

It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year is a gentler affair than last year’s Legacy and, to our great delight, this venue has much better sound. This really matters: we get to hear the full range of her impressive singing voice and can also discern most of what she says (her speaking rate still clocks in at a gazillion words per minute). IASWWBFNY is a nostalgic show, looking back at the hurtful moments that shaped her: that offhand remark from a primary school pal; a scathing comment from an industry snob; a brutal review from a snippy critic. Brasier decides to track them all down and demand answers.

With musical support from her partner, Tim Lancaster, the show is cleverly-crafted, as poignant as it is hilarious. And it’s not all about the bad stuff: there’s a lot here about the positive differences people can make, most notably the high-school drama teacher, who provided a safe space for her and other “freaks”, telling Brasier that she could fly and opening the window to a wider world. The standout for me is a song about her schoolfriend Sally, which makes me cry. Sensibly, there are no jokes in this section, just a beautiful reminder of why we need to “stand up for the dolls”.

Part self-reflection, part-eulogy to that drama teacher, IASWWBFNY is a memorable and thought-provoking hour of musical stand-up. And you’ll learn more about The Fast and the Furious franchise than you ever wanted to.

2 stars (just kidding)

4.5 stars

Susan Singfield

James Barr: I’m Sorry I Hurt Your Son (Said My Ex to My Mum)

11/08/25

Underbelly George Square (Buttercup), Edinburgh

Comedian/presenter James Barr tackles the thorny issue of domestic violence in this candid one-hour show, as he looks back on an abusive relationship and considers how it has affected him. There’s no denying that there’s some dark material here, but Barr is quick to assure us that we’re allowed to laugh – he’s a comedian, he says; if we don’t respond to his macabre jokes, then we’re just adding to his trauma.

By sharing his story, Barr exposes some of the masculine stereotypes that amplify his feelings of shame: he’s a man; he’s not supposed to be a victim. And there’s the added pressure of being gay: of having already been through the stress of coming out, defending his homosexuality, reassuring his family that he will be okay. How now to admit that he’s really not okay at all?

Directed by Madeleine Parry and Chris Gau, ISIHYS (SMETMM) is a bleakly funny piece, with plenty of laughs to leaven the mood. In fact, I think there’s too much humour here – which I know is an odd criticism to level at a stand-up show. It’s just that the joking feels like a defence mechanism: whenever Barr gets close to revealing some emotion, he cuts away to a smutty one-liner. While these are always funny and elicit laughs, they also serve as a barrier, pushing the audience away. Perhaps he needs more distance from his trauma before he can really open up and mine this material to its full effect – or maybe he will never be comfortable with that.

Either way, ISIHYS (SMETMM) is a witty and thought-provoking stand-up show, and it’s a pleasure to spend an hour in James Barr’s company.

4 stars

Susan Singfield

Matt Forde: Defying Calamity

05/08/25

Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond), Edinburgh

It’s rather lovely to see Matt Forde strolling out to greet a sold-out house at the spacious Pleasance Beyond, the mere sight of him bringing back memories of alcohol-fuelled nights at earlier fringes (in smaller venues) in those far-off days before we went on the wagon.

Anyone coming to this show after spotting the poster and expecting some kind of Wicked mash-up will be sorely disappointed. That title is, I think, a reference to the comedy-impressionist’s own recent brush with cancer and the couple of years he’s spent learning how to adjust to his new condition. If anything, the experience has given him an added openness, a willingness to talk about his own situation in unflinching detail. I now know a lot more about erectile dysfunction than I did before.

Which is not to say that this isn’t a rollicking evening of laughter as he flits from impersonations of one politician to another: a hapless Keir Starmer, trying his level best to do the right thing but invariably putting his foot in it; a swaggering Nigel Farage, fired up on pints of best bitter and loudly opposing anything his opponents present him with; and is there any other impressionist who can portray the execrable Donald T with quite such skill, capturing the man in all his awfulness which just a frown and a grimace?

Forde is also rather adept at making me reconsider views that that I’ve long held, merely by coming at a subject from a slightly different direction. He’s a staunch centrist, and I’d like to hear his views on the new Corbyn-Sultana alliance, but maybe it’s too recent an event for him to have built a routine around.

Tonight’s set offers an overview of Great Britain as it stands at the crossroads of change. Just exactly where our country is headed remains to be seen, but it’s great to have a skilled comic like Forde to provide the commentary, offering his own authoritative insights into the world of politics.

I’m glad to see him back on stage, where he belongs.

4 stars

Philip Caveney

ROTUS: Receptionist of the United States

04/08/25

Gilded Balloon Patterhoose (Snug), Edinburgh

Meet Chastity Quirke (Leigh Douglas), a God-fearing young Republican, who has used all her guile and skills to manoeuvre her way from humble intern to the coveted role of receptionist at the White House – or, as her good friend president Drumpf likes to refer to her, ROTUS. If you want to meet Drumpf you have to get past Chastity first.

Loyal, determined and always ready to turn a blind eye to the underhand dealings she’s witness to on a daily basis, Chastity finds herself surrounded by ruthless congressmen, who count on her to act as their eyes and ears, ready to tip them off to anything they might use to their advantage. She’s ruthless – and has the requisite skills to make any innocent remark she makes sound like an indecent proposal.

Chastity believes that she has what it takes to stay at the top of her nefarious game. But is she a player? Or is she simply being played?

With the current smouldering powder keg that is US politics, ROTUS couldn’t be any more topical – and Douglas, who also wrote the whip-smart script, is an assured and confident performer. This is as bitingly funny as it is disturbing to witness, as we watch Chastity manipulating her way through the rampant misogyny and deceitfulness of the MAGA patriarchy. Director Fiona Kingwill keeps everything stripped back and allows Douglas to strut her stuff: the result keeps the audience hooked until the final moment. Little wonder the relatively compact Snug is selling out on a daily basis.

Those who fancy a slice of this delicious satire should book tickets at the earliest opportunity. As we take our seats, Storm Floris is raging outside but Douglas cooks up her own perfect storm on the little stage in front of us and we are spellbound. Don’t miss this one, it’s a keeper.

4.4 stars

Philip Caveney