FESTIVAL COMEDY REVIEWS

WITTANK At least the trio was having fun ●●●●●

The comedy troupe of three return to the Fringe after a bout at the Beeb with more of their quick and quicker-fire sketch show fare. Occupying the ground between enthusiastic amateurs and reliable professionals, WitTank tick all the boxes with a show that incorporates everything up to and including the obligatory audience participation section and a num- ber of ‘gaffes’ that prompt the performers to laugh at themselves (or their own jokes). The show moves fast enough not to outstay its welcome, just. And the spirited performances do go some way to winning over any uncertain view- ers, despite most of the material being mediocre to awful. For the most part, the short-short vignettes come across like snippets of improv (though they aren’t), while the longer sketches feel like rejected routines from a better show. All that said, there are one or two decent moments, one involving a debo- nair yeti, another a sleazy Latin lover, both of which are returned to more than once during the course of this disappointing show. (Miles Fielder) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug, 6.20pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8).

THE PIN Former Footlights trio make their mark ●●●●●

The beauty of sketch comedy lies within its potential to bring together the two worlds of theatre and comedy with the aim of creating something far larger and more consuming. With such limitless opportunity though comes great risk: a bombed gag, an awkward silence or a poorly received sketch all infest the perilous waters and, unlike more conventional stand-up, deviation from the pre-laid road is nigh well impossible. The show must go on.

Thankfully for those gathered in this sell-out Pleasance venue The Pin deliver, and how. Whether your bag is unsubtle comedy, poignant drama, dark humour or thoughtful, layered and thematic theatre, The Pin strike gold with each and every effort. Beginning at the end of the story, the perfor- mance rewinds and fast-forwards through time revealing the dramatic culmination of an event that is then unfolded in front of us.

With skilful synchronisation of lighting, sound and onstage theatrics, there is a refreshing com-

plexity to the show that keeps the cogs turning while portraying each event with perfect clarity. In addition to all of this, it should be considered that the trio of performers (ex-Footlights guys Ben Ashenden, Mark Fiddaman and Alex Owen) adopt a minimalist style and such an engaging display is achieved with virtually no props to aid them. As the show draws to an end, an atmosphere of poignancy and sadness descends and you are left to ponder why, after such a cripplingly funny show, you should feel this way. Perhaps the answer lies in a feeling of withdrawal; that a production stylised with such craft and which has engaged us so effectively through onstage wizardry and lightning-fast cohesion has reached its finale. (Jamie Cameron) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 27 Aug (not 20), 4.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

RACHEL STUBBINGS Agony aunt adept at causing pain ●●●●●

If the words of Rachel Stubbings are to be believed then a combination of charm, people skills and gen- eral awesomeness is all that is required to remedy even the most deeply rooted personal torment. And she possess all three. In Stubbing Out Problems, Rachel Stubbings (geddit?) plays the part of a psy- chologist/agony aunt whose flippant and carefree attitude towards her clients soon evolves into a far darker issue: herself.

The awkward smugness that the comic possesses will chime a familiar chord with fans of The Office, as Stubbings skims briefly between numerous issues, solving each in her own unique way before giving a wry, knowing smile and delivering her tagline, ‘stubbed it out’. Akin to David Brent, Stubbings pos- ses a particular ability to dictate mood with a fleeting facial expression. Maintaining the audience as an integral part of the show itself while incorporating some craftily planted props and clever visual aids, Stubbing Out Problems has much to admire whilst never taking itself too seriously. (Jamie Cameron) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 27 Aug, 3pm, £8–£9 (£7–£8).

MUNFRED BERNSTEIN’S CABINET OF WONDER Imagination abounds but delivery flops ●●●●●

An elderly amateur taxidermist fathered by an alcoholic monster-hunter and cursed with feminine ankles, Munfred Bernstein is an intriguing proposi- tion but doesn’t quite live up to its promise. Though adept with a ukulele and organ, performer Jamie Bowen isn’t a great storyteller. The rambling, inco- herent plot feels like a hasty pick’n’mix of Tom Waits and Terry Gilliam motifs all tattooed dwarves and pickled memories while the eccentric old-man shtick is a little too accurate: burbled nonsense can quickly become wearing.

Bowen is best when he sticks to songs. A number about the suggestiveness of bananas is as uninspir- ing as it sounds but there’s an amusing if slight blues pastiche that merits a mention and a twisted love song that would be genuinely interesting if it didn’t sound so much like a Waits tribute (Bowen’s bowler hat doesn’t help). Although seemingly innocent, whimsy is a devilish thing to master and Bowen struggles to keep hold of the reins in this imaginative but ultimately under- whelming hour. (Nione Meakin) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 27 Aug (not 21), 3.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

32 THE LIST 16–23 Aug 2012