16/08/24

Queen Dome, Assembly, Edinburgh

Flo & Joan are established Fringe favourites, loved by many. I enjoy their quirky songs which are celebrations of all matter of unlikely subjects – waiting for an Amazon delivery, the weirdness of their parents’ ornaments, the pressures when siblings make music together… seemingly trivial subjects mined for their sheer silliness. But I’ve often wondered if they might one day apply their undoubted talents to a single theme.

One Man Musical is exactly that, a look at the life of a VERY famous musical theatre entrepreneur – let’s call him “Andy”. He’s played by George Fouracres with such absolute assurance, I can’t help wondering why he hasn’t come to my attention before. He sings, he dances, he tells jokes, he plays the world’s smallest piano and he gives a priceless demonstration of how not to talk to a member of the audience…

Flo & Joan (or Nicola and Rosie Dempsey if you prefer) take a back seat for this one, providing solid support on keyboards and drums respectively and somehow maintaining those trademark impassive expressions. (God knows how, since the sell-out audience spends pretty much the entire hour convulsed with laughter, me included.)

This is wonderfully irreverent stuff and the selection of songs, though as witty as ever, seem to benefit from sticking to one central premise. “Andy”, it turns out, has seen more successful days and is now coasting on his back catalogue. He strives valiantly not to be bitter, but his efforts are in vain. When he sees former partners doing well with other musical collaborators, he can’t resist sticking the knife in.

And he’s keen to point out that a humble white, upper-class, privately-educated lad like him, from a palatial home in England, has really had to struggle to make it in the cut-throat world of musical theatre. A soulful ballad to this effect almost makes me start to feel sorry for “Andy”… until he weighs in with the next bunch of sour grapes.

One Man Musical is an absolute delight and anyone in need of a good laugh should make their way to the Queen Dome where – unless the real “Andy” issues them with an injunction – the show will continue.

4.6 stars

Philip Caveney