Besth Scottish
Gomedy/ Young Gifted And Green
Scottish comedians in front of an
FESTIVAL 10""llATE
almost exclusively Scottish crowd?
Must be a winner? John Paul Leach, compare, warmed up the crowd with his irrepressible good humour, if not his gags. Ford Kiernan continued in the same vein, spasmodically creating‘ the laughs although there was little chance of the Infirmary being swamped with folk having their sides
stitched.
Then disaster struck. John Gellick died on stage. Limp jokes, poor timing and crippling nervousness were inscribed on his headstone. Alan Taylor laced a tough task rebuilding any rapport but he managed. lle‘s young and a bit shaky but the base is
there to work from.
(in tonight’s show Scottish comedy is characterised by gentle humour, a little east/west coast rivalry and self deprecation. Not many English jokes
either.
As for Irish comedy, it seems like it has to leave home to find its way. ‘Young, Gifted And Green’ offers a triple dose of london-based Irish
. ‘z
Gael force larch:
humour. The Irish factor is obviously
, present (viz, the Pope, contraception
and an indulgence in a small libatlon).
Thankfully the stereotype stays in the
background enough not to impinge
upon the rest of their sterling stuff. While Ardal 0’llanlon and Kevin
Gildea focus on the absurdities of
advertising and childhood, Dermot
night.
Gannody has turned his hand to incorporating his geetar skills into his caterwauling act, with his very personal rendition of a Prince classic (replete with moans and orgasmic groans) being the highlight of the
Final score: home advantage for
Scotland matched by slightly superior finishing from Ireland. 1-1 draw.
(Jonathon Trew, Ann Donald) Best of Scottish Comedy (Fringe),
Gilded Balloon (Venue 51) 225 6520,
until 3 Sept, 11.30pm, £6 (£5). Young, Gifted and Green (Fringe), Gilded Balloon (Venue 51) 225 6520, j until 3 Sept, 10pm, £6 (£5).
V COMEDY V COMEDY
BITCH! OYKE! FAG HAG! WHORE!
As this show opens you find yourself asking — is Penny Arcade the Jim Rose of (Jo-Go? While she introduces a writhing posse of dancers. she proceeds with an entertaining clutch of sex industry scenarios. playing madame to the naive and confused clients on the phone.
Bel/c Dc err this is not. as Arcade wisecracks and deconstructs her way through ‘ver game'. The personal history of Arcade The Bisexual Fag-Hag composes the main body of the show. Sentimental nostalgia. lesbian Barbies. the myth of PC and a vehement if confused attack on censorship feature large. Although her diatribe can be unfocused and tiresome. Penny Arcade comperes and soliloquises this triumph for ‘alternative‘ sexualities. (Bethan Cole) I Bitch! Dyke! Fag ilag! Whore! (Fringe) Penny Arcade. Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 226 2428. until 3 Sept. 1 1.45pm. £9 (£8).
MARK LAMARR
It's sad to see such a sharp comic having to turn audience non- participation into the butt of his jokes. ()ne lonely heckle — shouted more in desperation than anger — was swiftly gunned down. bttt it was kind of like shooting fish in a barrel. Mark Lamarr deserves better. something. or someone. to really get stuck into.
Lamarr chipped away at an unresponsive audience — a mutes' day out. he speculated — but was forced to return to his prepared material more often than he was clearly used to. Much of it was excellent and he got plenty of laughs. but the here-we-are-now- entertain-us atmosphere of the Assembly Rooms prevented Lamarr from really flying. (Eddie Gibb) I Mark Lamarr (Fringe) Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 226 2428, until Sept 3. 10.30pm. £8/9 (£7/8).
V THEATRE
JACK
Spotlit in darkness. three shrouded sirens lie.
vertical and immobile. reciting a disjointed account ofJack's life. Nearby. a man (Jack. presumably) sits. glum and staring, surrounded by vacant chairs. It could be a lesser-known outing of Beckett's. were it not for the surgical drips which dangle above the women. and the hospital gown worn by Jack. And the video screens.
Jack is a multi-media piece about AIDS and identity. As the unremarkable history of Jack's life. family. sexual exploits and infection unfolds. documentary footage of real patients appears onscreen.
It‘s a pained. almost mind-numbing response to AIDS. but lacks variation of tone — Jack’s own monologue is as vaguely pitched as the women‘s narration — and leans heavily on the video material for shock value. Powerfully affecting nonetheless. (Andrew Burnet)
I Jack (Fringe) Aspects Touring Company. The Mad Abbot (Venue 84) 447 88 l 1, until 27 Aug (not Sun 21). 11.30pm. £2.50 (£2).
JIM ROSE CIRCUS
' SIDESHOW
There's a rock ‘n’ roll feel to this show — live fast and die young. Probably messily. There‘s no chance of leaving a beautiful corpse.
All the old favourites are here to disturb your
dreams along with a few . new nightmares like . chainsawjuggling and the
Amazing Armenian Rubber Man who can fit
the head of a tennis racquet.
Weird? You bet. but the show begs the question.
‘How do you discover that
you can lift domestic irons
with a hook on your
foreskin?’ It doesn't happen by accident. Best not to ask and just thank God that you only have to watch. (Jonathan Trew) I Jim Rose Circus Sideshow (Fringe) Acropolis On Calton Hill (Venue 26) 557 6969. until 3 Sept (not 22. 28.
j 29 Aug). 10pm. £8.50.
AND NOW...
present KAREN FRANCIS
MAE WEST IN
'WES T DREAMS '
a new play by Clive Shilson AT VENUE 6 - CELTIC LODGE BRODIES CLOSE. LAWNMARKET
AUG 15 - 27 (norsunzn AT 1215 AM TICKETS £4.50 (CONCS. £3.50) BOX OFFICE: 225 7097
as
V COMEDY STAN STARBURST
In the beginning there was Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. Now. Start
. Starburst attempts to join
the pantheon of comic book heroes immortaiised
in Saturday morning : adventure serials. With - their cheap sets. cheaper
costumes. bad special effects and even worse dialogue. somehow those 50s TV classics have
: endured.
With a healthy dose of sci-ft kitsch. Festival Theatre USC-USA pay
: their homage with this Jim Rose: he's weird his entire body through
comedy-musical tale of Stan Starbust's endeavours to save the Earth and get the girl. Despite the suitably dodgy costumes and space weaponry. and the knowingly ironic playing of an enthusiastic cast, an hour and twenty minutes is stretching the joke a bit far. Stan is a great name for a superhero. though. (Stan Ferguson) I Stan Starburst (Fringe) Festival Theatre USC- USA, Old St Paul's Church (Venue 45) 557
i 6696. until 3 Sept (not
Mon). 10pm. £5.
PERICLES
AND
by Weller Sovogc londor
(INS - l864)
Two women. And 0 mon.
Simply, boouly.
Siobhan Nitholos, Glee lender
Diluted by Chris Burner
ST COLUMBA'S BY THE CASTLE Johnson Terrace, Edinburgh (Venue 4)
14 - 20AUG: 12.15em (1.2Sem) 22 - 27 AUG'10.4OIm(11.50Im)
TICKETS: £5.00 (£3 ooncs)
VENUE BOX OFFICE: (031) 220 5959 FRINGE BOX OFFICE: (031) 226 5138
STIGMA THEATRE PRODUCTIONS
.. it“
Join the Fantasy Godesses of Comedy Mayhem for a night of illegal pleasure.
Party time is 8pm.
Southside Venue 82.
9
Aug 1 1th - Sept 3rd (not weds)
Tickets 667 7365 £5
ICED JEMS GIVEAWAY
I’imluu v llll\ .qu-rt .il llit' Suttllisult- Inn nllu r and girl \lllll lRl'l “('Kl IS 3 (mus unli " .i\.n|.ili|t- I..-
lN'llnllll-IIHI‘\HI) Itu-stlut Until
.00 (£4 .00)
“"731 s/
1/
2 In! .\ “llll -\tu( lu kt'l\ \ull lw I\\ll|'tl Hll .i Inst 1 nine llt\l \«'i\‘ .l Int-nu
nti tlu- «Ln u! IllI' slum Itntii lllnrit In (min I llllllt'tl In utiv [mu [M'l |N'I\Hll
The List I9—25 August I994 81