LISTEN TO THE FULL VERSION OF THE RADIO SHOW, “STUART CAMERON AT THE FRINGE” HERE
THE OBERONS – THE TELEPATH & THE CONJUROR
***** Sometimes you stumble across a show by accident and it turns out to be one of the highlights of The Fringe, and the Oberons charming show “The Telepath & The Conjurer” at the Fleming Theatre at The Space@SurgeonsHall blew me away.
Marc and Emily’s show is world class! It’s a fairy story too because they both met while doing their own shows on a Cruise Ship with Marc the magician and Emily a superb soprano vocalist. Now they have developed their act into something very special. Emily has an extraordinary talent for mentalism and the combination of the music, magic and mind reading puts a unique stamp on their show.
They can be seen at 6.15pm til the 23rd and I would urge anyone to go along and see them in this intimate environment before their act inevitably explodes into the stratosphere.
It’s one of the best hours I’ve spent at the Fringe this season, and I’ve spent a lot of hours. You get such a buzz when you see something for the first time which makes such an impact. Charlie Caper did it for me last year and for 2025 it’s definitely The Oberons.
An interview with The Oberons is here.
BOB DYLAN UNDER COVER
***** Of all the tribute shows I saw at the Edinburgh Fringe this year this was my favourite and the most unexpected too. I’m not a big Bob Dylan fan but I kept hearing about this show and people raving about it. There was no male impersonator playing Dylan songs for 50 minutes. Most of the audience will have been surprised that a fresh new 18 year old girl called Kiah Spurle walked onto the stage un-announced and started to sing a song with just her guitar to accompany her.
The voice was unbelievable. Further investigation uncovered that she was discovered by Dan Clews from Night Owl busking and put centre stage in this production with a nod to the great Bob Dylan.
She delivered the story of Bob superbly – didn’t fluff a line and looked so confident on stage. When the band joined her for fantastic songs like “Hurricane” and “Like A Rolling Stone” the place was jumping. It was no surprise to see her performance interrupted towards the end to present her with the “Best Debut Act” award at the Fringe. Thoroughly deserved and not even bullets will stop this youngster from going on to big things in the world of music. A stunning 5 star show!
CABIN FEVER
***** The fun thing about the Fringe is when you bump into acts on the Royal Mile who you have never heard of and you end up being intrigued enough to go and see their shows. With thousands to choose from and only so little time to take in just a few, the chances of finding that needle in a haystack is extremely limited.
So I bumped into Aurelia and Beth, a two-girl creative machine, who were flyering and promoting their own show which they have written, produced and star in. For two students to go all out and produce this show set in an airplane and take it all over the world, is inspiring and they have produced a masterpiece.
They play different characters from inside the plane and the observations they have made in bringing these characters to life (and we all recognise them instantly!) is spot on. It’s so well written and very funny and no wonder they have sold out their entire run of shows in their second year at the Fringe with this fantastic piece of work.
They have not made it easy for themselves either. Switching characters in an instant with brilliant comedic timing is so hard to do yet they were both magnificent at it and added a completely new dimension to the production. I thought this was excellent and I’m so glad that I got to see them do this, particularly as they are likely to come back next year with a new play.
The potential for these young stars is enormous. The Fringe has a habit of producing stars of the future and I have absolutely no doubt these two will be household names in a very short time. Talent like this doesn’t come along that often, and they are bound to be snapped up by some big companies soon. I wish them the best of luck with their future work and I will be following their progress with great interest.
CHARLIE CAPER – MAGICAL
***** Charlie Caper is no stranger to the Fringe – he’s done it for nearly 20 years and it shows. This is the perfect definition of a must-see show. I have seen his show for the last two years several times and I have to keep coming back and trying to guess what he’s up to. I was even on stage with him this year and got as close as it’s possible without getting intimate to observe his sleight of hand work. It is sensational and mind-boggling.
The gimmick of the bow tie disappearing and re-appearing throughout the show is charming and funny and impossible to work out – believe me I’ve tried!
He won Sweden’s Got Talent several years ago and talking to other magicians at the Fringe he is very highly rated among them. Such a nice guy too and the audiences just love him. He is probably the best known free fringe act but people were falling over themselves to show their appreciation with cash and card gifts at the end.
His new show “The Future” featuring his passion for robots is reviewed elsewhere and is equally as good, but if you haven’t seen Charlie yet you are really missing out!
KAREN DUNBAR
**** She’s not called a national treasure for nothing, and after a long 18 years away from the Fringe, Karen Dunbar breezed into a small 80-seater venue and blew her audience away from the moment she stepped on stage. The star of “Chewin’ The Fat” and “The Karen Dunbar Show” who proudly owns a BAFTA for her part in a game (and she mentions it a few times – after all if you’ve got a Ferrari you don’t keep it in the garage!) she was so at home on stage, and she didn’t put a foot wrong.
You cannot help to fall in love with her from the get-go. One of the most naturally funny people I’ve seen on stage. She genuinely came over as someone who absolutely loves people and loves being on stage. She always has done from the moment she started quiz and karaoke nights as a teenager. She was on form when I saw her. She specialises in making people forget any problems they might have for 50 minutes and that’s a gift. Belly-laugh jokes and stories were delivered at 100mph and after the show she was available to everyone who wanted a selfie. She’s in the middle of a massive tour – if you missed her at the Fringe make sure you catch her at a theatre near you soon!
JESS ROBINSON – YOUR SONG
***** Jess is one of the world’s greatest impersonators, and her speciality of mimicking singers from the likes of Billie Holiday from the past to Adele in the present is out of the top drawer. She works an audience so well from the moment they queue up outside to interacting with them before the show, so immediately they are on her side, which is a clever touch and one that thrilled the audience.
The quality of her impressions were spot on and the energy in the show was impressive. The idea of the show is a fun one – she loves Elton John and she rattles through plenty of his hits but as different female vocalists from Streisand to Spears and even throwing in a bit of Lorraine Kelly and Cerys Matthews from Catatonia along the way.
Nothing phased her at all, her Kate Bush was better than Kate Bush herself and if she ever wants to do a one-off of Kate’s music the world is crying out for her to do so. I remember back in the day when Freddie Starr put on a few Elvis shows and played it straight and it was a side project that went down incredibly well.
That might not be what Jess is looking at but this is a lady who oozes fun from every pore and puts on a dynamic show. Just one negative – there were a lot of kids in the audience and despite no age warnings on the advertising her language was quite fruity at times unexpectedly, but other than that it’s five stars all the way.
JOAN COOPER SNARK – BETWEEN A C*** AND A BARD PLACE
*** When you visit the Fringe you have to immerse yourself in the culture sometimes and recognise the fact that there are a lot of off-the-wall shows, many put together by universities from all over the UK, but some are by individuals who want to create a platform to showcase an idea they may have, and one such show was put on by the larger-than-life character of Joan Cooper Snark, a poet from Liverpool who is not short of confidence!
Mixing poetry with extreme strong language and adult humour, she chose the Fringe to showcase her debut play to an unsuspecting public, and it was interesting to spend some time with her over a period of a few days to find out what it’s like to promote your own show as an unknown, and it’s certainly not easy! You have to go out and get rid of flyers, accost members of the public and cajole them into spending an hour with you.
But when you have a character like Joan then it’s hard to resist her charms and I witnessed many entering her show not knowing what to expect. I was one of them and she certainly gave everything to the cause and was very entertaining. She found her niche audience and it was good to see her show become more popular as the weeks went on. She delivers some very funny poetry, clearly it’s not going to be to everyone’s taste, and she puts everything into her performance. If you like dark humour and dollops of zany slapstick humour then this is the show for you. I am sure she will be back next year having learned a lot about her show and the Fringe itself and I look forward to seeing her come up with a 2.0 version of this or a brand new show. I expected the unexpected and I got it!
MATT FORDE – DEFYING CALAMITY
***** After what Matt has been through in his life, how he still has the energy and the resolve to even want to go on stage and entertain people is extraordinary. His health issues have been well documented and I won’t go into them here but this show must be therapy for him because he talks about his cancer and what he’s been through very openly and honestly, and that is refreshing if uncomfortable at times.
This is a comedy show packed with political impressions which is what he’s brilliant at, and he took the audience on a journey with him – quite a rollercoaster ride actually. By the end he received a standing ovation. His impressions were spot on, he totally won the audience’s respect and it was an inspirational performance which was also very funny indeed. His Nigel Farage and Donald Trump impressions were absolutely brilliant. Matt is still very much at the top of his game and let’s all hope that he continues his long journey through hell and back so we can selfishly enjoy him for many years to come.
LUKE OSEY – MAGIC HANGOVER
***** This was the first time I’d come across Luke and he’s a busy guy with three shows for different age groups. Magic Hangover is his adult show and he managed to sell out the venue the night I went, and I can understand that because “word of mouth” is your friend at the Fringe and he is being talked about by many people.
I see a lot of magic shows and always looking for something different to be amazed at, and there was plenty new material and new ideas in Luke’s show. The ending is brilliant and baffling and has. The wow factor – exactly what you want from a show – something to make you leap out of the venue feeling good.
Luke has certainly got the patter and four years on from his debut he has perfected his art. He made reference to the fact that his first show four years ago was not great but he’s clearly worked hard and his career is on the right trajectory to see him go on and find his own place in what is a crowded market place. The audience loved him and it was a delightful way to spend an evening in Edinburgh. The phone call gag was extraordinary!
QUEEN – THE LEGEND OF QUEEN
***** While Night Owl shows don’t rely on lookalike-soundalike performers, putting the emphasis instead of quality music, top musicians, telling great stories, entertainment value and audience involvement, in Pete Marchant they have the perfect Freddie Mercury soundalike, and he’s not far off Freddie in looks either although there’s no moustache on his upper lip.
Pete really does excel in this show. As close to Freddie’s sound as I’ve heard (and I’ve seen dozens of Queen tribute shows) but the energy he gives out along with the voice, he was totally in command as he went from one hit to the other, lapping up the applause from the packed theatre and along with the Bob Dylan Under Cover show this was the top Night Owl show of them all. 5 big stars for this. How could I not give him top marks when he absolutely nailed some of the toughest songs vocally like “Somebody To Love” which was as good as it gets.
It didn’t go un-noticed that the star of the Bob Dylan show, Kiah Spurle, was providing back-up for him illustrating once again what a tight-knit “community” the Night Owl all-stars are. Lovely people off stage as well and they’ve really captured the market at the Fringe. Every show of theirs I saw was pretty much sold out and I would suggest, judging by the reactions, there would have been a very high satisfaction rating for all their shows. Congratulations to all involved.
SMILE – THE CHARLIE CHAPLIN STORY
**** – This solo show featuring Marcel Cole from Australia is charming and has an informal feel about it. Plenty of audience participation and after a fairly low-key start the audience certainly warmed to him as he made his way from the early days of Charlie Chaplin through to the end in the space of under an hour.
This is a unique performance from a man who is very much at home in the world of dance, and we did get to see glimpses of this throughout the show. There’s plenty of surprises to enjoy along the way and once this production got into its stride you could feel the crowd warming to him.
There’s a clever link from the silent movie period to the talkies when the audience were convinced the show was over, only for Marcel to launch into the second period of the master’s life. The show relies very much on the willingness of the audience to take part, and on the show I reviewed the star couldn’t have wished for better characters to help deliver the story.
For an opening performance it was good and will get better no doubt as the run continues. I certainly came out of the show entertained and knowing a lot more about Charlie Chaplin than when I went in. It’s an 11.10am start and a great way to start a day at the Fringe.
SIMON EVANS – HAVE WE MET?
**** Ever since I saw the man from Brighton-and-Hove on “Live At The Apollo” many years ago I’ve been a fan. I’ve seen him several times since then, and it was a joy to see him in one of his two shows at the Fringe this year.
Simon is a master at his craft – his effortless delivery and the way he engaged with the audience is wonderful to see and he immediately put everyone at ease, as he kicked off with plenty of topical banter which was thoroughly enjoyed.
He’s a conversationalist comedian who tells stories rather than jokes, although he has written jokes for some of the top comics in the business including his friend, the late Sean Lock, who he pays tribute to in the show.
His strongest material was definitely in the first half, with some cracking stories and observations which everyone could relate to. What was different about this show though is the way it went from comedy to tragedy at the end, with the final part of his set taken up with the story of another close friend who sadly died.
The show changed gear sharply, and while the audience appreciated his words, I don’t think many were ready for this ending, but Simon is a charming man who delivered a masterclass and this show is well worth catching.
JAMES PHELAN – THE MAN WHO WAS MAGIC
*** The marketing this guy and his team have put in to selling this show at the large McEwan Hall has to be applauded. On opening night he filled the place, and at the end he said how overwhelmed he was to be playing to this size of venue. I certainly was drawn to buying a ticket for this on the strength of the publicity – sadly I was disappointed to a certain extent.
I saw three magic shows in a row. I started with Derren Brown at Sunderland and ended with Kevin Quantum at the Fringe. Sandwiched in between was James Phelan, and perhaps unfairly, I had to judge all three and sad to say James was a distant third to the other two.
I once saw Dynamo perform on stage and I was disappointed with his lack of stage presence, and I felt the same about James. The illusions were brilliant but both fell way short of delivering the material. I’m afraid there was a lot of stumbling dull dialogue, a lack of communication with his audience and it made for a very long show – particularly with just four set-pieces in that time.
While the tricks were well done I’d seen it all before 10-15 years ago when Derren Brown was performing something similar. Being generous I’ll put this down to first night nerves but I left the auditorium wondering what all the fuss was about.
THE STORY OF STING AND THE POLICE
**** The music of the Police and Sting is an excellent choice for a tribute show – one of 14 staged by the Night Owl team, and it works well. Musically the crack musicians on stage got to grips with the complicated drum patterns of Stewart Copeland and the clever bass lines of Sting, not forgetting Andy Summers’ exquisite guitar work. They delivered that sound so well underlying yet again the quality of the people on stage who are proud to wear the Night Owl badge.
Angus Monro loves Sting and the Police and that really does come across. This is no jobbing band performing a few lacklustre covers! Every lyric and every note is respected and delivered, and as well as Police hits, time was devoted to Sting’s “Field Of Gold” and other solo tracks.
Again, the research that went into this show was clear – some fun and interesting anecdotes were punctuated into the set and it was another triumph.
KEVIN QUANTUM – UNBELIEVABLE MAGIC FOR NON BELIEVERS
*****. Having just witnessed a disappointing James Phelan show (good tricks but very poor mumbling presentation which ruined the show for me) I immediately crossed Princes Street to watch Kevin Quantum deliver a show which showed how important delivery of material is.
Kevin had the audience in the palm of his hands from the first second and they warmed to him as a person and his sharp wit, immediately putting them at ease. There were a few opening night tech issues which will be ironed out further down the run, but he dealt with them so well and professionally, and from the brilliant “breakfast” opening (I won’t spoil it!) it was a treat and the hour vanished so quickly – the mark of an excellent showman.
His close-up magic was totally amazing and the camera captured this for the audience – another sharp contrast to the show I saw directly before which had no camera.
The difference between the lukewarm reaction at the end of James Phelan’s show and the very warm applause gifted to Kevin from his audience was clear to see. Thoroughly entertaining evening at the Assembly Room Ballroom and a must-see for any fan of magic – whether a believer or a non-believer.
JO CAULFIELD – BAD MOOD RISING
***** Jo is no newcomer of course and her professionalism oozes out of her. She simply owns the stage and the audience from the first second. It’s always good to see a comic who effortlessly puts on a show and is funny from the opening moment right to the end.
She’s an angry woman on stage. The title of this year’s show is “Bad Mood Rising” and she has a pop at everything she takes issue with. Her off-the-cuff throwaway lines are brilliant too as were her stories – many of which are aimed at her husband Stuart. I’m sure she loves him really though!
She hardly had time to draw breath as she hurtled through her one hour set, but I would have gladly sat through much longer. The way she links her stories seamlessly is an art form that any new comedian would learn so much from. There were plenty of her fans in the audience who came back to see her, but, like me, there were plenty who hadn’t seen her live before, and she won them over easily. One of the best shows on the Fringe undoubtedly.
BITCH
**** I will admit straight away that this kind of show is not really my bag, so I didn’t get the buzz that I got seeing other shows, but I can’t ignore the fact that there were many in the audience who really bought into this, and I’ve seen a lot of five star reviews for the show so clearly there are plenty of people who “got” this big time and the message hit home convincingly.
It’s a play about a girl, played by Marty Breen, who also wrote this, who hits the bottle after a failed relationship and vents her anger. She sings so well and the production is outstanding. The transformation between the two characters she plays is stunning.
There are comedic moments for sure but there is an underlying message in this which is very dark and at times very uncomfortable. Sexual assault and dealing with it is challenging and Marty delivers in spades. As I said this is not a play for me, but I recognise the talent, the work that went into this and the reaction from many of the audience and reviewers who see this as one of the hits of the Fringe. Go and see it and make your own mind up.
JAMIE MACDONALD – TOXIC BASTARD
**** Jamie is one of the funniest comedians on the circuit and has so many fingers in so many pies as an actor, comedian, voiceover artist and a star guest on a number of shows such as “Have I Got News For You” and his show is a delight.
The title of the show reflects his “want” to be a toxic bastard if he wants to. As he says people think of him as a “funny wee disabled guy” who is really nice – and of course he is that, but sometimes he just feels like he wants to be the opposite and have the right to be a toxic bastard if he wants to be!
In his act he talks about how much better things are for disabled people since we live in a more inclusive society, but along the way he delivers some cracking stories and one-liners that are right on point. Well worth a visit to see Jamie on stage and his burnt orange suit!
I absolutely loved his show.
THE RISE OF THE EAGLES
**** This is one of the newest shows from Night Owl and Alex is clearly very comfortable in this as him and the team work their way through 50 minutes of Eagles hits and a few hidden gems like “James Dean” and “Seven Bridges Road”.
Of course there are some hits they couldn’t possibly miss out including the iconic “Hotel California” which is impossible to edit so you get the full 7 minutes at the end along with a radio edit of another long song, “Lying Eyes”, and I particularly enjoyed their version of “One Of These Nights” which was impressive.
I won’t repeat the general comments I have made about Night Owl shows in other reviews from the stable but it is a pity that the Fringe dictates that pretty much all shows are under an hour as there are so many productions at the same venue, and they need time to get set up, so I totally get that. This show certainly has potential to be much longer and in the 11 months outside of the Edinburgh Fringe I know that the company do do this, so well worth checking their website for details of tours so you can catch your favourite shows in the future and enjoy much more than the tasters you get here.
I have to say that there are some concerts on the Fringe where ticket prices are higher for a solo act singing to backing tracks. That’s not value for money. Night Owl shows certainly give you more bang for your buck with full productions including this.
CHARLIE CAPER – THE FUTURE
***** Having seen his “Magical” show several times (I can’t get enough of it) it was good to see Charlie perform his new show at the Piccolo Theatre, which was a perfect setting for him. He is obsessed with robots and technology and I was completely spellbound to see him work his magic on the audience.
He has spent hours building robots and delving into AI to bring a completely original show to the Fringe and the trick involving AI has to be seen to be believed. I’ve never seen anything like it and with this show he has taken things to another level technically.
The lovable Swede is so charming and he is brilliant at what he does. His timing is brilliant and I was thrilled to see that he still keeps the bow tie gimmick in his act too! I get the feeling that this show will develop even more in the future has he dreams up other tricks and treats to include. Charlie is loved by his peers and is right up there as one of magic’s true greats. Five star show any day of the week.
CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR BOYD – HOWLING AT THE MOON
**** There’s no doubting the pulling power of Christopher – appearances on TV have elevated him into an act that people want to see. His brand of comedy is immediately accessible to the mainstream and doesn’t overly rely on strong language to be funny. He’s a naturally funny guy and on the night I saw him perform his show was packed.
Most of the material was well received and his audience left the venue pretty satisfied. I’ve heard stronger material from comics but with Christopher’s presence and ad-libs he created a very good atmosphere in the room and there were no uncomfortable moments. He’s what I would call a “safe pair of hands” comedian.
You’re guaranteed a good night with this guy for sure, but I did feel he was in cruise control and has several gears at his disposal to up his game in the future.
EXPLOSIVE SCIENCE SHOW!
*** Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way from the off! For a show called “Explosive Science Show” you do expect big set pieces and big bangs. You don’t get that so there’s an issue there right away where the show is being mis-advertised and sets itself up for a fall, because people will be disappointed if their experience doesn’t live up to the advertising. That is a marketing issue I would suggest if I’m being kind.
Now the positives. “Magnus Danger Magnus” – the Australian mad scientist – knows how to handle a young audience and no one can complain that he didn’t entertain the kids. There was plenty of audience participation going on and I don’t think any of the youngsters would have been disappointed. The mums and dads probably didn’t reach that level of enthusiasm and largely because of the ticket price (too high) and the lack of any big set-pieces.
The lesson to be learnt is a simple one to avoid disappointing the adults (who will be the ones who complain). You must deliver what you advertise, and if you don’t do that, cover yourself by upping the size of your experiments, or reduce the price to reflect the kind of show it is.
TAM COWAN – OFF THE WALL
***** Like thousands, I’m a huge fan of “Off The Ball” so seeing Tam live was right at the top of my list when deciding what to go and see. I was not disappointed. He was everything and more – and it was terrific to see the man unleashed away from the BBC restrictions.
Tam is such a natural entertainer who delivered jokes and stories so quickly you didn’t have time to stop laughing from the previous gag. He creates an instant atmosphere in a room full of people who are dying to hear some old-fashioned genuinely funny (not always PC!) patter.
It’s hard for any comedian who’s been doing this for a long time. They now have to “adapt” to the way of the world and try and not offend people. As he kept emphasising these are jokes and for balance he targets everybody! The sad thing is that you could tell there were things he would have loved to say on stage, but was very wary that one word out of place and he could easily be cancelled by the BBC. These are the times we live in I’m afraid, but despite this Tam had enough material to take his act to the edge and deliver a performance which delighted his audience.
Along with Jo Caulfield & Australia’s Elouise Eftos, Tam’s show is the best comedy show on the Fringe. Go and see it!
SCATTER – A HORROR PLAY
**** Patrick McPherson is a brilliant actor and he unveiled his Horror Play this year at the Fringe. It’s a chiller and there are plenty of jump-out moments thanks to the production of the performance and the loudness of the sound system. The setting is also well designed. All good so far, and if you are at the front of the theatre you would have heard the dialogue fine but unfortunately at the back I was struggling to hear the plot and what he was saying for most of the performance and that was such a shame, as I couldn’t engage properly.
This is not uncommon either at shows and it is something that really should be addressed before going public. Judging my audience reaction and critical reviews this is a very good play, but I have to drop a star because I just couldn’t hear Patrick deliver his words. Please performers take note that it enhances a performance if you mic yourself up. There is no point in making it difficult, particularly for people who are hard of hearing, when there is an easy fix. Patrick is not alone – Derren Brown (although miked up for his shows) doesn’t have his sound loud enough to hear properly – particularly if you’re at the back – and I am amazed how this isn’t a priority for all productions.
BOB MARLEY: HOW REGGAE CHANGED THE WORLD
**** If you’re a fan of Bob Marley and reggae music then Duane Forrest is a show you have to see. What’s not to like about the reggae sounds of Bob, the King of the genre, and throughout the hour Duane, as well as playing all the hits (with the audience happy to join in) gently took us on a journey to find out the history of reggae with his guitar as his only accompaniment. He also talked about his own difficult childhood and the stories behind some of the songs that he performed, and this was indeed revealing and at times shocking.
Duane is a gifted communicator and delivers a very enjoyable show. His personality is infectious and he was clearly emotional at some points in the set, which added to the performance. Music clearly cuts deep with him and with his story-telling it gave the songs new meaning. It would have been nice to have heard Duane with a band (maybe next time?) to make the songs even more powerful but I came away form the show, along with many others, more aware of reggae music and the culture.
THE ELTON JOHN STORY
**** Angus Monro is quite the front man – he knows how to entertain and he delivers a set in this show that doesn’t just have the songs you want to hear (and a lot due to time constraints that he doesn’t) but a couple of deep cuts too. Singing the wonderful “Skyline Pigeon” (B side of “Daniel”) was a thrill and most unexpected.
He captures the energy of Elton John at his peak and the guitar playing of Alex Beharrell on “The Bitch Is Back” along with Angus’s vocal on that song was a highlight.
Plenty of surprises too with the video clips and anecdotes thrown in to give information about the great man even some die-hard Elton John fans wouldn’t have known. The audience lapped the show up and that’s the bottom line.
GRACE MULVEY – DID YOU HEAR WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE?
**** Grace is from Ireland and is one very funny woman. The moment she comes on stage she has the charisma and the charm to put anyone at ease and for the next hour she was totally in control and had the audience in stitches.
She talks about death in her show and how in Ireland they have a completely different outlook on the subject. To Grace she’s happier going to funerals than weddings because, as she says, weddings are all the same but funerals last longer and the craic is so much better. She says you get to hear some great stories about the deceased when they hold wakes for friends and relatives to show their respects, with the open coffin in the house for 24 hours or more. That’s when you find out what the dead person was really like and what he got up to when he was alive. Cue numerous side-splitting stories which were thoroughly enjoyed by Grace’s audience.
Some people are just naturally funny, and Grace is right at the top of the list. Great fun and well worth a visit.
MONSTERING THE ROCKETMAN
***** Henry Naylor is a seasoned pro, and his one man show telling the story of the infamous legal battle between The Sun newspaper and Elton John.
Henry plays all the parts of the key people involved and the whole hour was rivetting.
I liked the way the old front pages of the Sun and the Mirror were projected on the screen so you could get a sense of what he was talking about. Tabloids love their dramatic powerful headlines and back in these days the sub-editors came up with some beauties!
Henry demands attention from an audience for his delivery and style – the way he put over the script was right on point and the subject matter provided him with plenty of material to cram into the hour show. This was a moment in history where a national newspaper was so powerful it could build stars up then knock them down. In those days the saying “why let the lack of truth get in the way of a good story” was never more appropriate.
If you’re thinking of going to this expecting to hear music you’ll be disappointed. It’s an incredible story which I think would make a great film one day. Exceptional play and highly entertaining.
THE FLEETWOOD MAC STORY
**** Another of the Night Owl shows proved to be a great success. They really do have the likability factor and the audiences for all their shows instantly warm to all on stage. The 50 minutes on stage makes it hard – actually impossible – to fit everything in, and it would be easy to play the biggest songs by Fleetwood Mac and I’m sure everyone would go home happy, but a theme of all Night Owl shows is that they don’t do that.
They are committed to not just the big hits but some deep cuts, and we heard “Oh Well” from the early days with Peter Green involved and some lesser known Mac songs, as well as just the right amount of information via clips on the screen and details even some big fans would perhaps not know. It all makes the time go very quickly indeed.
As you expect with the highest calibre of musicians you get a very high standard of musicianship and bags of personality from the lead vocalists endearing them to the audience. Always leave your audience wanting more and that is definitely the case here! Just when you are right into the set they have to say goodbye but this is one show which would definitely benefit from 90 minutes to two hours and I can’t wait for that to become a reality outside of the Fringe.
One suggestion that may be worth pursuing for Night Owl and other companies with multiple productions – because of the sheer volume of different shows available at the Fringe, and the costs involved for people spending a lot of time at the festival, why not offer a season ticket at reduced prices to enable people to watch more of their shows? Night Owl have 14 at the Fringe and I’ve seen most of them. I’m sure there are plenty who would love to catch many of them over a period of time.
Just a thought – I think it would be a very attractive proposition to get an entertainment “Meal Deal” !!
ANNIE BOYLE – SMOOTH CRIMINAL
**** I adored Australian Annie’s YouTube clips and it’s because of these I made a point of seeking out her show at the Daisy Theatre.
The easiest way to describe her style would probably be a female Jack Dee, but she’s much more than a funny girl who delivers all her material dead pan. I was pleased to see her perform a fresh new show with only a couple of old favourites from her YouTube clips in there.
It’s mostly new material with a funny nod to the film “Chicago” which she parodies beautifully, and she didn’t break character once. I think we will be seeing plenty more from Annie after this run at the Fringe and I highly recommend her show. It’s a small venue so make the most of this intimate showcase because larger crowds will be flocking to see her in the future for sure.
SINDHU VEE – WORK IN PROGRESS
**** India’s top female comedian is using the Fringe to warm up for her new tour, but unlike some “Work In Progress” events I’ve been to, this was a banger.
Sindhu is such a likeable person and as she pointed out at the start, she wasn’t expecting all her new material to go down well. That’s the point of a “WIP” show of course. She needn’t have worried because everything she said was well received and genuinely funny, and if she was looking to ditch some of this material, she may have to think again!
Exceptional material and well delivered. This is a very funny show and if this is the germ of the make-up of her new touring show I cannot wait to see her perform the finished version. She is on track to enjoy one of the biggest successes of her career so far.
SIMON & GARFUNKEL AND BEYOND
**** The idea of the Night Owl tribute show presentations is a great one. There are a core of musicians who combine to perform at a number of different shows at different times, and they have literally captured the tribute market here at the Edinburgh Fringe. They are now touring all over the world and the format is spot on.
Dan Clews and Pete Marchant were front and centre with the new Simon & Garfunkel and Beyond show, and this works well. I was quoted on another S&G show’s posters for many years saying that theirs was one of the best tribute shows in the world, and I standby that quote, so seeing another tribute to the great Art and Paul was most interesting.
The boys do a grand job too. The vocals were good, occasionally let down by the sound mixer who didn’t quite get the balance right on a couple of the opening numbers where we heard more of Dan’s harmony than Pete’s lead vocal, but to be fair that was remedied later in the set.
I did like the idea of including solo hits from after the duo broke up, and to have a crack at “You Can Call Me Al” complete with tape looping was pure genius. This made it different to any other S&G show and it was thoroughly enjoyable and very well received.
THE BLONDIE STORY
**** When the show started and I saw a brunette coming out with not a white hair in sight I was apprehensive. That lasted about 30 seconds because by then I had ditched that thought to concentrate on the sheer power and charisma of lead vocalist Reine Beau.
The jury has always been out with regards tribute shows which use video clips and narrations within the set, and for several years I’ve always felt that I’d rather have an extra couple of live songs rather than hear about the acts’ history, but now I’ve come to accept it and when it’s done well I think it works well; and the Blondie Story was a case in point. There were some gems of information on screen and told by Reine that I never knew and that added to my enjoyment of the show.
Reine has a helluva voice – perfect to replicate Debbie Harry and also on another of her shows “Women In Rock” and she was backed up by a band who were not there to make up the numbers like so many we see! Keyboard player Ross Taylor was leaping about like a man possessed and this added to the enjoyment. Great versions of the hits from the band were musically out of the top drawer and all five on stage were clearly loving what they do – their enthusiasm was infectious. Top class show.
THE BILLY JOEL STORY
**** Angus Munro is a key member of the Night Owl gang and as well as fronting the Elton John tribute show (which I thoroughly enjoyed last year) he is also Billy Joel in this one, and the audience reaction this show got was outstanding. Some people will question whether or not Billy Joel is popular enough for a tribute show to be dedicated to him, but if they sat through this they would be amazed how many hits the man had.
Again, like all the Night Owl shows, images are used on screen and anecdotes are trotted out, but rather than being intrusive, they were informative and well-researched. They didn’t get in the way of the music.
Missing, because of the 50 minute slot, were hits like “My Life”, “Movin’ Out”, “Just The Way You Are”, “An Innocent Man” and “Tell Her About It” to illustrate the wealth of material Billy has made, and of course when you have someone like Angus who can play a mean sax you have to use that talent on a couple of songs, which is understandable.
It’s a great show – my only criticism is aimed at the Fringe rather than Night Owl. The Fringe dictates a maximum of 1 hour per set (to my understanding) and shows like this would benefit by being longer. Me and the audience wer left wanting more – much more!
ELOUISE EFTOS – AUSTRALIA’S FIRST ATTRACTIVE COMEDIAN
***** Well well well. I think we have found a hidden gem here! Undoubtedly one of the surprise hits of the Fringe so far – an Australian comedian making her Edinburgh debut and absolutely storming the place. I cannot believe that she is on at a 55 seater venue, but I can guarantee that she will sell out.
She comes here to Scotland on the crest of a wave of controversy. Like Sacha Baron Cohen he built characters that people thought were real, which enabled him to present his own brand of humour to an unsuspecting audience. Elouise has created this character (albeit under her own name) who is billed as Australia’s First Attractive Comedian.
As you can imagine, this didn’t go down well – particularly with other comedians from down under! – but the joke is on them! Elouise is playing a character so convincingly and those in on the joke can sit back and enjoy it! This is so funny. Elouise’s acting ability is used to great effect. She can sing, she can dance and she is naturally funny. The use of video is brilliant and this is a show like no other I have ever seen.
I’m limited by space as to what I can say here but if you only go to one show this August make sure it’s this one. Another star is born at the Fringe. Brilliance!
BODY COUNT
**** Issy Knowles is the star of this play which she also wrote. The subject is controversial, inspired by the two high profile girls who used Only Fans to get 1000 men to sleep with them. It’s a challenging subject to write about and an important one too where Issy plays the part of Pollie, a girl who decides that this is something she has to do.
All the characters in the one-woman play are played by Issy. If you are going to this to get a cheap thrill from the (almost) nude character you will be disappointed. This is an extremely well-written and well-performed comedy which addresses serious issues and is thought-provoking and entertaining.
It’s a brave choice to produce something like this and important to go into the theatre with an open mind. The audience were mainly women but men were well represented on the night I attended. It was technically well done and Issy deserves a high rating for presenting something very special indeed. Leave your preconceptions at the door and if you have an open mind and are not easily embarrassed, you should give this a go.
MASON KING – THE MIND SPY
**** This was a thoroughly entertaining and absorbing show which was handled expertly by the super cool Mason King. Mind reading fascinates most people. This show is centred round Project Stargate, which was/is a real-life psychic research programme, and the audience are taken on a journey through psychic experiments. It is interactive and quite the experience. The whole act is packaged extremely well and had everyone captivated from start to finish.
There’s no fancy production here, just a man who knows how to deliver a show to an audience who was under his spell for 50 minutes. Highly entertaining and intriguing.