Adam Acidophilus The Fable Man ('mni'ilv Dairy. Kinneilui Soul/Mule. until 26 Aug. 5.40pm. ('utting storyteller who has heen divulging modern satirical tales for the hest part of ten years.
Chris Addison .... l’lt'rtMitti't'. until 27.»lui:. 7.45pm. An all too common theme among la/y comics at the Fringe is cultural differences hetween nationalities. Some use it to haiidage together lame. underwritten material and when (‘hris Addison utters the phrase ‘put your hand ltp you‘re from Scotland' the heart sinks. 'l’hankfully for its all that's as cliched as he gets as he launches into his theorising on the British. travelling and one- time world domination.
During this extremely tight set. Addison simultaneously herates and celebrates the Brits. our lack of travelling prowess and international ineptitude. Arguahly the first performer on the Fringe not to boast ahout a ‘themed’ show and actually deliver one. If Addison can he this funny on just one topic for an hour. the potential elsewhere could he endless. lixcellent. (Mark Robertson)
All In The Timing Minni/uit/t Theatre (0.. Knitter/lit Sinitltyule. until 3!) Aug. 7pm. Furiously' paced sketch show which promises to aerate damp areas of the mind with its intelligent wit.
Am I Talking to You? With Mario De Niro l’lens‘iuu‘e. until 27xlug. Ill/mt. Mario dc Niro is a goodfclla who wants to get you in the family way.
Stephen K Amos I’l('ll.\llll('('. until 27 Aug. 7.30pm. (’omedy chameleon with multiple personalities known for his slick character guises and frenetic delivery. Angels With Dirty Habits I’leus‘unee. until 27.-lug. 3.55pm. .‘yltisical sketch show which tries to answer some of life’s more taxing questions and plunges to the depths of the human psyche.
Dan Antopolski: Antopolski 2000 .0. l’leusuni'i'. until 27x'lue. 8.35pm. Has it all gone to his head. then’.’ As l)an Antopolski says. he's ‘already got last year's reviews'. Why hotlier theii‘.‘ Jtist too many lame jokes are smoothed over by :\ntopolski\ reliance on charm. and there's only so many times that a virtue can he made of weak or non— existent punchliiics. That said. his verhal virtuosity can take hysterical turns. where the audience are the ‘expectant rahhits to his giant carrot'. And he can conjure realms of surrealism that Paul .‘slerton would happily inhahit. leading tis from carrots to Womhles destroy iiig an ey'ehrow, whose role of looking surprised is replaced hy an eiiiharrassiiig erection. l’hew. Fast-paced cerehral capers. ln— hetween. however. :\ltl()pt)lslsl would he wise not to trade so heavily off his award-- winning status at the audience's expense. (Ruth lledges)
Brian Appleton: Let’s Look At Sound 0... l’li'iiyuni‘e. until 37 Aug. 7pm. So those Nil/f ltttls are delivering a masterclass in heiiig a music journalist. are they"? Well. it looks like Mr Fellows has gone one hetter with his guide to recording in the music hi/. l-Lxcept you don‘t really learn too many juicy insider tips. What you do learn is that this sound engineer hasn‘t had it easy: that he‘s heen dtiiiiped. duped and ripped off more times than other artists have had his hit singles.
(iraham l-‘ellows is a pack leader in character comedy. and the pathetic figure of Appleton is us astute as ever. llis lilc story will invoke your sympathy. his
scene
Their show is underpinned by running motifs which come together
monstrously hflafious penultimate
Mat & Mackinnon
suicide attempts w ill have you reaching for the Kleenex. and his songs w ill have you smothering your laughter so you don't miss a heat. .\ highly original. progressive show. (Maureen lillisi
Archers Stars 'I‘Iu'v Slum! .tmm \ . _ Don 't llu’v.". l’lt'uuuu‘t'. until 3.";lue. .i’..i’5/nn. ('harlcs (‘olliiigwood and .ludy Bennett celehrate radio's longest running soap with an iiiteractiye comic show. Arthur Smith Sings Leonard Cohen .vlywnililv RUN/Hy. /7;lug.
I(). 15pm. ’l‘he hrillianl Arthur Smith returns with an extra performance of last year's tongue-iii-check lrihutc to the master of gloom.
Bachman And Evans 000
:lyse/iiltlv It’tnnny. until 3,—xlue. 5.45pm. .\
surreal duo who gleefully stretch their preposterous storyline for all its worth and rcyel in its iiiiplausihility. Some tjtiite spectacular comedy falls and witty captions on the hackdrop complete the frolics. making a show that‘s not only imaginative and entertaining. hill is also intelligently and creatively put together. Ballet Who?!
... (illrlr’il li’ulloon it! li’tlttl Ii’oii llouvt‘. until Suing. Ill. l5/nn. l.csly ti lidwards is .\ladaiiic Korsakoya. a fifteen» stone halleriiia w ith a (iertrude Stein cut. and jolly hockey sticks
oy erhite. \Vill non halletoiiiaiics get much ol a kick out of this character comedy .’ Hard to say. Btit if classical datice pretensions and egos tickle your fuimyhoiic. this low -ht!dget two liaiider w ill he lllltl much.
The Balloon Debate (ii/(lat Ital/mm in 'Ii'i‘iot ly’oii llouvt'. until 3~.lllL’. 5pm. -\ panel of l‘riiigc performers decide which cultural icons of the Iflth century to evict from a sinking hallooii. Becks or l’osli. l’rcsley or .\loiiroe'.’ Predicting the oyerall winner could win you t5”.
Barry Peters Presents 0000
White li’nlilti/ (’oii Inn \. until 3/) .lug. SAW/Hit. .\like Keat. of(’uhaii Brothers fame. giyes its an insight iiito the heady world of the Halifax llospital Radio l).l. Sure to he a good night ll pre\ iotis work‘s anything to go hy. heat will also he appearing with the (‘uhan Brothers at ley iot Row 's ('luh l'estiyal on Io t\' l" .'\tl:_'
BBC Stand Up Show Alive I’li’tiyiint't' l)onu'. ltlIlIl Silug. inn/nig/il. l.atc night eahat'et show casing the hest puryeyoi's of stand tip iii the lestiyal and heyoiid.
The Bedlam Improverts lttlllll’til'g'lt ('nii‘i'i‘yitv l/u'titi‘e (o. li’t'tlltun llu'iitn'. until :5 .lug. lla'lliun. l'reiictic sketch action reliant on energy. alcohol and audience participation.
Best Of Irish Comedy I/itv .sitmi/ ('nnu’ilv ('lult /. until 3/) .lug, ()IHII. Big value craieing li'ish showcase starring at least three comedians eyei'y night,
Best Of Scottish Comedy llu sin/ill (‘imu’th ('lult /. until 3/) lug. ‘l..\'(l/nii. ngltll} \clt‘cltttlt ttl lltl'cc til St'tlllillltl.\ [tip purveyors of patter hosted hy .laiie \lackay, Best Of So You Think You’re Funny (iiltli't/ Ii’iil/oon. until .‘ilug.
Ill. IS/tin. .\ selection ol the hesl pcrloi'iiiei‘s from the last fourteen years in ('haiinel ls annual competition
Best Of The Fest 2001: Sponsored by lntagen .\\\t'inlt/\ Roomy. until Lillie. niulnizjlil. lrawl through the depths of the l’l iiige from the comfort of your seat in (his prime pick of the festival.
Forum-Wuhan:
mm... mm
Pat Candaras: Grandmother‘fucker 0000 It" you can picture a female lrish (’atholic version of Woody Allen then you have gone a long way to getting a handle on Part (‘andaras Boasting a Brooklyn accent and the love of an odd confessional tale or two. (inunlnmtlu'tj/iu’ki'r hristles with the kind of lines Damon Runyan would have heeii proud of. if he had had a mind to write the word fuck a lot.
While she taps into that rich pool of attitude that makes the Big Apple that rare thing — a
city with its own peculiar sense of humour
Assent/ily Rooms. until 2 7 Aug. 8pm.
this New Yorker has a style that is very much
her own. As a result you can enjoy an angle on humour which isn‘t that of a young bloke. around the age of 3() w ho is desperate to get on the telly. She may not be able to work the audience like these young pups and she may he more of a storyteller than a conventional stand» up. htit her uiiahashedly personal style works to a large extent. Her heavily autriliiogi';ipliic;il material on the other hand is faultless. Divorce. storecard debts and psychoaiialy sis all get a refreshing overhaul. She may say rude words but Pat (‘andaras sure
is a lady. (‘l'iiii :\hrahamsi
Danny Bhoy 0.. l’letixiuui'. until 3".lu'e'. ‘l. /.‘_/nn. l‘l‘N's ()peti .\lic w inner still has a tan hit of hoy ish charm in him. which means that while his act takes a while to get into gear. most of the audience are happy to wait and hask in his easy. coiiyersatioiial chat. Bhoy 's topics this year are heer and religion to liiiii. one and the same thing. although as he points otit ‘no one has any pi'ohleiiis heliey ing iii heerf Once he gets iiioy ing. regional stereotypes get a predictahlc htit entertaining kiiockalyout. with (ilasgow ei'iiiiinals. (ieordie line judges and southern (offs coiiiiiig in for particular iiotice. Blioy 's tales do not go much heyoiid his ow ii experience. htit he makes a \ nine of keeping it real. dissecting l.:\ drinking hahits and life insurance policies with aplomh. (.laiiies Smart)
The Big And Daft Christmas Show li’ig tlllt/ Int/t. (iili/ei/ Balloon (1/ let in! Run l/uusi'. tin/ll fit-lug. ‘l/tltt. Boundlesst energetic trio tipped for the flip, \Vatch out for special appearances from .-\dam Bloom and Andre Vincent. Big Value Comedy Show . . . Early St it'd/nine Ii’liu' .llunlt'r ( 'nnuulv. (ii/e li’ovti/ fringe I'lu'iili‘t’. until 30 slug. "Hill/mi. (‘omedy caharet featuring comedians. competitions and cheap lino/e.
Big Value Comedy Show . . . Late St i'i'tiniing li’lui' .l/im/t'i' ( ~onu'i/v. ("ii/e ly’ovnl lringi' I'lu'titn’. until 30 glue. lit/mi. late night comedy eahai'et.
Big Word Performance Poetry 0... (.lll'HII-t’o. until Silug. (i. l5/nn. Ben lilton and Pam .\y res in a car crash. lliis is performance poetry always a
according
risk. hut holshy hards Jem Rolls. l.ucy linglish and Rob (ice pull it off in an intimate hour of political rhetoric. romantic musing and tales of dental horror. Blind Mirth (.I'UH'IH' Plaza Hotel. until 25 slug. 7.25pm. This improv troupe are at your mercy. hasing their comic ftiii and games on audience whims.
3Adam Bloom . . . And God Created Adam l’lt'UStl/lt'l'. until 27 Aug. 7.05pm. l‘NS‘s liringe was Bloom's launching platform; this year could propel him into the stratosphere. After all. he is the chosen one.
The Bootlegs (ii/(lei! Bill/min. until 27 slug. iii/mi. Disappointing performance last year. htit the sketchy four-piece return with some new material.
The World Of Spencer Brown .0. l’leusuni‘e. until 27.41432 8. [Up/n. While sorely lacking some much-needed focus. jumping from spiritualism to juggling and then filthy knoh gags. it‘s all performed with the vigour of a schoolyard prattkstet‘.
Bruhaha Rttl't' llit‘ils I’I'tultu‘limts. llolvnnul 'Iiii‘ern. until 26 slug. ‘)..i’()/nn. ('apstiek and Buss get together for cheeky sketches and questionahle costumes. Peter Buckley Hill And Some Comedians Free ’I‘luw-Quarters. until 27,-lug. 9.25pm. Six years on and still hanging in there. Buckley llill returns to introduce four comedians every night. One Man And His Frog, Free l’eter Buckley llill. 'I‘liree-Quarters. until 24 slug. iii/int. l-‘ringe stalwart Buckley-Hill won't he joined hy any ainphihians. instead expect unfettered kooky material and musical accoiiipaniment.
to 21’ Aug) 9001 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 21