Adventures of Pink Peter e
What do you get when you cross dress an ex-Blue Peter host. Croydon‘s premier ex- personal shopper and Vera. pretend sister of Valerie Singleton? Stuart Miles. ghost of childhood past. dons heels. wigs and desperation in an attempt to cast off that goody reputation. This is muddled. flat and sometimes buttock-clenchineg embarrassing to watch. (Peggy Hughes) Sweet Tet'iot Place. 0870 24 I 0136. until 24 Aug. 6.30pm. £8.50 (£7.50).
Aliens Ate My Schnitzel! e Generally speaking. Fringe sketch shows with deliberately wacky titles are about as entertaining as the Star Wars prequels. This is no exception. This duo barely have enough half-decent material to fill five minutes. let alone an hour. The pop music played during the costume changes is annoyingly catchy and that‘s about the best thing that can be said about this show. (Tom Maxwell) Pleasanee Dome. 556 6550. until 25 Aug (not 18). 9.40pm. £8—f9 (£7—£8).
AL Kennedy see Those familiar with Kennedy‘s profound award-winning fiction will be surprised by her style of stand-up. Affable. enthusiastic and a little amateurish. Kennedy‘s routines revolve around commonplace subjects ranging from a visit to the dentist to pulling a bloke for a casual shag. all of which are the pleasing antithesis of her published prose. (Miles Fielder) The Stand II. 558 7272. until 24 Aug (not 18). 4pm. £8 ([7). Alyssa Kyria see Employing an easy chann and fluid banter. Kyria takes her audience on a rather oddly contrived trip to Greece. introducing us to her cavalcade of stereotypes. Many elements do shine: a geographic shift of Estelle‘s ‘American Boy‘ to Glasgow is particularly enjoyable, and Kyria is a sparkly performer. charismatic enough to keep her audience engaged through an amiable hour. (Murray Robertson) Pleasanee Dante, 556 6550. until 25 Aug (not 18). 6.15pm. £8.50—£9.50 (£7—£8).
The Americans so A typical US family gather up to see how they are going to deal with the threats looming over their way of life. Dad Sam. mom Libby (Liberty: geddit‘?) and gobby daughter Mary (sounds a bit like America. apparently) tackle the issues with sketches broken up by vox pops of people describing America in five. usually damning words. A ham-listed and blatantly obvious satire of Bush‘s US without enough of the humour that might have carried it home. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon Teviot. 668 1633. until 25 Aug. 3pm. £9—£10 (£8-£9). Amsterdam Underground Comedy Collective sees If you were to ask the audience why they were laughing hysterically at Hans Teeuwen. they probably couldn‘t tell you. This is because Teeuwen‘s humour is so stupidly bizarre. so darkly deadpan. so poetically distasteful. with a Kaufmanesque quality. a lot of bravado and just a little jazz thrown in. that it tickles you in places you didn‘t know were there. An enjoyable mind twister. (Emma Lennox) I’leasant'e Dome. 556 6550. until 24 Aug ( not I 8 ), 8.30pm. £ 10—! ll (£8.5()—£9.5()). Andrew Clover e Jumping off from his Sunday Times column. Clover spins tales of his marriage and burgeoning fatherhood. but with little faith in the humour of his material. he tells his
audience when he thinks they should clap. cheer and holler. Any good laughs in the writing. presented as a series of trivial vignettes. are lost by a pained performance. (Murray Robertson) Pleasanee Dome. 556 6550, until 24 Aug. 6.50pm. £ 9. 50—[ I 0. 50 ( £8—£9).
Andrew Lawrence see
Lawrence may be cleaner cut than the former tramp-devil he once played. but that hasn‘t dampened the amusing malevolence seeping from his mouth. He isn‘t the only comic this year to make the connection between the Shannon Matthews discovery and the Joseph Fritzl horror. though he could have kept his Madeleine McCann thoughts to himself. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasanee Courtyard. 556 6550. until 24 Aug. 9.45pm. [IO—£11.50(£8.50—£10).
Andy Zaltzman see Political comedy may have been on the wane for some time. but thanks to this Art Garfunkel doppelganger. it‘s heart- warming to see that the flame is still burning somewhere. The Olympics. credit crunch and Mugabe naturally get a full airing. but Zaltzman's political palette is wide. long and very funtty. Hard to believe he once opened for Joan Rivers. (Brian Donaldson) The Stand. 558 7272. until 25 Aug. 2.40pm. [8 ([7).
Arnold Brown see Quite why this veteran comic needs a warm-up act is anyone's guess. Irish stand-up Ian Macpherson has got a perfectly fine line of patter. but Brown is such a consummate and idiosyncratic comedian you want a full hour of him. Nevertheless. the impish Glaswegian has canny observations about happiness. but the real joy is the way in which Brown translixes his audience with hilarious pregnant pauses and mischievous knowing grins. (Miles Fielder) The Stand Ill & IV, 558 7272. until 24 Aug. 3pm. £8.50 (£7.50).
The Axis of Awesome eeee Catchy tunes. brilliant lyrics and hilarious banter make this one of the tnost feelgood shows around. Australia‘s answer to Spinal Tap start with a spot-on parody of
Europop before singing about adult mutant
ninja turtles and a Bond villain with a lazy eye. The highlight is an extravagant medley of dozens of four-chord pop tunes. In a word: awesome. (Toni Maxwell) Gilded Balloon levlot. 668 [633. until 25 Aug ( not 20 ). 10.30pm. £8. 50--£9. 50 (£7.50—£8.50).
A Beginner’s Guide to Happiness G The highlight of Paul Conneely‘s torpid rumination on happiness is an anecdote about missing a train when a man at the front of the ticket queue asks a meaningless and complex question while those behind suffer silently. l can identify - not so much with the joke. but because I found myself suffering silently while the
Londoner stumbles through time-honoured
comedic fodder in a lumbering. cliched. evidently nervous manner. (Nick Mitchell) Holyrood 'Ioo (03 Faith. 225 9764. until 24 Aug (not I 8 ). 10.15pm. £6 ([5). Bernard O’Shea ee Despite the rainy night and damp. undersized audience. ()‘Shea soldiers on with a show that rails against the confines of society. There are some nice moments and the premise is a good one bttt it rambles into ennui and the three false endings. though tying up the narrative structure. only emphasise the over-long feeling of the
performance. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasant‘e :
32 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 14—21 Aug 2008
Courtyard. 556 6550. until 25 Aug.
9. 45pm. £8 . 50—£ 9. 5 0 ( f 7 —[ 8 ).
Bunny Galore see No-one knows how old aging actress Bunny Galore is. but rumours abound that she was the first Neolithic pin-up. Assisted by her middle European nurse ()lga. Galore belts out songs ranging from Patsy Cline to the Divine Comedy. shows us clips of her Acorn Antiques-esque sitcom and attempts to duct with a stuffed rabbit. A lo-fi little show with some obvious gags but enjoyable nonetheless. (Marissa Burgess) Zoo Soutltside. 662 6892. until 25 Aug. 5pm. [7 (£5).
Clarkson and Crouch ee
Given the obvious talent of writers and performers Jonathan C larkson and Rob Crouch. this show simply doesn‘t deliver as many laughs as it should. Seeing two of the Thundercats being reunited at a former colleague‘s funeral and watching Shelley and Byron as advertising slogan writers are high points. but obscure sketches about lishmongers and ‘reverse centaurs‘ fall distinctly flat. (Tom Maxwell) Gilded Balloon 'Iei'iot. 668 I 633. until 25 Aug.
4. 15pm. £8. 5 ()—£ 9. 5 0 (f 7. 5 0-- £8. 5 0 ). Count Arthur Strong eee
There‘s bumbling idiocy aplenty as Steve Delaney's masterful creation makes a triumphant return. Wearing mismatched shoes and with a coat hanger dangling frotn his jacket. the deluded elderly Doncaster thesp takes you through some of his career highlights. including the time he guest-starred as an inept Cyberman and a hilarious turn as host of 70s quiz show Ask the Family. (Tom Maxwell) Assembly Rooms. 623 3030. until 25 Aug (not 19). 7.27pm. [ll—fl3(£10~£ll).
Craig & Roxburgh e
Christopher Hitchens caused outrage when he said women aren't funny. Lucy Craig and Kate Roxburgh. performing feeble gags on family life. poshness and being Brits-who-live-in-l.A. are adding treacherous fuel to his fire. This needs ‘stand-up‘ in the title so you know it actually is a comedy show. (Emma Newlands) Sweet 'Ieviot Place. 0870 24/ 0136. until 24 Aug. 7.10pm. £8 ([7). Craig I'll" see Time shitntnies in the company of all-singing. all-bitching comedian Hill. The East Kilbride leather- kilted diva draws a huge crowd due to his magnetic. conspiratorial presence. and is never lost for words. his whip-cracking wit so sharp it whistles through his hapless victims. An hour with Hill is one hilariously spent. Just lock up your menfolk and be wary of the front row. (Peggy Hughes) Gilded Balloon let'iot. 668 1633. until 25 Aug (not I 8). 8.15pm. [I I.50—£l4 (£I().50-£12.50).
Creation Nation so A chat show hosted by two camp New Yorkers which falls into disrepair when they can't decide whether to have a fall-out or make a pass at one another. Unhilariotts footage of tnain guy Billy Willing annoying punters at NYC’s Fashion Week might be so 1998. but his rant at Johnny Depp/Oprah jUst about saves the day. (Brian Donaldson) Assembly Rooms. 623 3030. until 25 Aug. 1 0. I 5pm. [1150-17250 (HO-£11). Danny Robins sees Previoust DJ Danny. this year Robins has upped the stakes to stage his own festival and we‘re all invited. With a little help from health and safety rapper Doc Brown. he shares the importance of eating sensibly by way of a dance mix. performs Gothic karaoke
and toasts marshmallows with a blow torch. A fabulously feel-good hour. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasanee Courtyard. 556 6550. until 25 Aug. 6pm. £1 l-£12
( f 9. 50—2” I 0. 50 ).
Dermot McMorrow ee It‘s hard to decide whether Sligo-bom comedian McMorrow should be hailed as a cult hero or stretchered off to the loony bin. Wavering between wide-eyed nutter and intelligent. left-field observer. he reflects on fractal maths. reads animal suicide letters and wonders how bi-polar bears feel. A twitchy delivery means it‘s sometimes difficult to follow where he‘s leading. but it‘s good. surreal fun if you get there. (Claire Sawers) Gilded Balloon Teviot. 668 1633. until 25 Aug. 2.30pm. £8—[9 (£7—£8).
Des Bishop so An early move to Ireland from New York was probably the best thing to happen to Bishop‘s career as his routine is full of fond pokes andjibes at the people of the Emerald Isle. Less well done are his recoveries frotn unexpected audience banter and the show suffers when he struggles to stay on track. Uncomfortany earnest at times. bttt with some worthwhile funny moments.
( C armody Wilson) Assemth Rooms. 623 3030. until 24 Aug (not [8). 8.50pm, [ll—£12(£10—£ll).
Diet of Worms e ‘Let's get this over and done with as quickly as possible.‘ says one character during yet another interminany dire ‘sketch‘. Please. A recurring theme here is the tortured equation that a puffin plus a cat is apparently a ‘pufftncat'. And. therefore. five Irish comics minus a decent script equals an extremely regrettable waste of anyone‘s time. (Emma Newlands) Gilded Balloon Teviot. 668 I 633. until 25 Aug. 5.15pm. [85049.50 (£7.50—£8.50).
Ed Byrne sees The perennial Irish Fringe favourite delivers a masterclass in venting irritation. From an opening gag about a misleading slogan on a pre- pubescent‘s tracksuit. through pondering his class status. to the tortuous and very expensive wedding preparations he. recently endured. Byrne doesn't put a smartly-shod foot wrong. (Marissa Burgess) Assembly Hall. 623 3030. until 25 Attg. 10.20pm. [14—[17 (£l3-[l6). F**k This Show (You Know You Want To) see This is a surprising little late-night midget gem of a show. and for those of you who like the rough-and- ready game-of—two-halves stand-up. Nicole Korkolis and Becky Donohue come up trumps. It's jagged around the edges. but feisty in all the right places and these girls work hard for their money. (Jill Peacock) Gilded Balloon Tet'iot. 668 I 633. until 25 Aug. 11.15pm. £9-£10 (flit—£8.50).
Gavin 8. Gavin so The two bickering Gavin sisters pillage their Irish heritage to offer up domestic skits and ‘aren't the Oirish funny‘jokes while lamer trying to undercut their nice-girl personas with misjudged vulgarity bombs. When they reach an anecdote about secretly loving being forced to do a ‘turn‘ on stage at family functions. it seems as though they are still there but playing to a much less indulgent crowd. (Suzanne Black) Gilded Balloon Tet'iot. 668 I633. until 25 Aug. 6.45pm. £9—£ I 0 ( [ll—£9). Glenn Wool see Following on frotn his shaggy-dog surrealist wanderings of last year. Canada's loudest man gives us