Review: Ali McGregor's Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night

Ali McGregor's Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night

Ali McGregor

Rarely have I ever experienced laughter and an intense urge to retch simultaneously, but after witnessing Gypsy Wood dancing around the stage while menstruating (thankfully, using fake blood), I am a changed man. Fortunately, this is the most 'exotic' that this production gets, as we are treated to Ali McGregor's alternative but fascinating cover songs and her slimily hilarious butler Saxon McAllister, accompanied by evocative accordion music. The variety show presents a whole range of true fringe performers focusing on stand-up comedians, burlesque performers and sideshow acts, all of which are hugely entertaining. McAllister does a brilliant job of turning the audience into a rowdy rabble hooting and cheering to provide an excellent night of funny, racy and sexy cabaret.

Assembly @ George Street, 6 - 30 Aug, 10.30pm, prices vary, fpp 21

tw rating: 4/5

Review: When Wendell Was A Wasp

When Wendell Was A Wasp

Unfinished Theatre

Bad: bad accents, bad jokes, bad plot, bad acting, bad costumes, bad venue, bad storyline, bad lyrics, bad style, bad theatre. The show seems to revolve around a wasp, a boy with a rubbish whale-hat and a bear-cum-stand-up-comedian who revels in telling bad jokes, coming together to create a bad children’s play. In fact, I’m worried that this show is aimed at children as throughout the forty-five minutes of the performance there were references to bestiality and Wendell the Wasp was needlessly and unemotionally killed. The only saving grace to this performance was some of the songs, which added a more child-friendly touch and the use of slick projections. Certainly seemed to be unfinished theatre.

The Space on the Mile @ Jury’s Inn (V260), 7 - 15 Aug (not 9), 1.00pm, prices vary, fpp 17

tw rating: 1/5

Review: ComedySportz UK

ComedySportz UK

ComedySportz UK/Laughing Horse Free Festival

Cheesy and corny but in a fun way, ComedySportz UK provides a degree of humour for all the family, by pitting two teams of over exuberant youths against each other in an improv-off judged by the audience and a compère-cum-referee. As you would expect from a non-established improv troupe, the comedy is not laugh a minute, but the contestants do show good imagination and creativity and are obviously up there for fun rather than to be the best comedians in the Fringe. The atmosphere, being light-hearted, is reminiscent of when you play charades with your family on Christmas Day, except for being surrounded by strangers, in a large hall, in August, without any snow, or presents, or crackers.
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tw rating 2/5
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14-22 Aug, 4.20pm, free, fpp 38

tw rating: 2/5

http://edinburgh.threeweeks.co.uk/review/8353

Review: Sketchatron: Nano

Sketchatron: Nano

www.sketchatron.co.uk

Like a comedy pick ’n’ mix, ‘Sketchatron: Nano’ trawls the Fringe to bring showcases of the best sketch troupes, choosing a different selection every week, which on this occasion included the experienced Fringe returnees, The Penny Dreadfuls, and award-winning ‘Clever Peter’. The groups that I saw ranged from above average to excellent, providing fast-paced, witty skits of various styles, subjects and hilarity. However, the nature of the showcase-style performance provides a chance for the best talent to win over the audience with their quick-witted improvisation, despite the occasional technological hiccups. It’s worth a visit, if for no other reason than to have a laugh and discover some Fringe shows that you might also enjoy.

Bedlam Theatre, 9, 16, 23 Aug, 3.00pm, £8.00 (£6.00), fpp 99

tw rating: 3/5

http://edinburgh.threeweeks.co.uk/review/8419

Review: She’s Not Just Quiet..She’s Dead

She’s Not Just Quiet..She’s Dead

Tracy Crisp

In this soul-destroying venue, Tracy Crisp purposely sets out to talk about a soul-destroying subject in a soul-destroying manner. Fortunately, she fails with her aim and pulls off a decent account of her adventure with the “dead Head Librarian”. The piece is cleverly written, playing around with words, repetition, rhyme and metre, making it eloquent and entertaining for those word geeks such as myself. Unfortunately, the piece did seem to drag and I found that Crisp’s deadpan monotonous voice was encouraging me slowly to close my eyelids. The comedy itself was very sporadic, starting off strongly but waning quickly. If the events of this piece were condensed to allow time for more comedic situations it could be much better.

The Space on the Mile @ Jury’s Inn, 6 - 22 Aug (not 9 or 16), 7.35pm, £7.00, fpp 96

tw rating: 2/5

Review: Antigone

Antigone

Edinburgh Graduates Theatre Group

This play opens up to a theatre of sighs as Antigone & Ismene express themselves through a whole gamut of sighing, the range of which one did not imagine was possible. Unfortunately, although the acting style changes as different actors appear, the play doesn’t improve and while the graduates appear to have set it in modern times, they have done nothing to reinvent the classic story, denying it of any theatrical excitement it deserves. It didn't help that the venue was extremely hot and cramped, spoiling any of the pleasure I might have had in watching the play, which at times had decent moments of theatre. If you have seen or know the story of Antigone, I would give this performance a miss for boredom’s sake.

Quaker Meeting House, 17 - 22 Aug, 8.15pm, £8.00, fpp 180

tw rating: 2/5

Review: The Bitter Belief Of Cotrone The Magician

The Bitter Belief Of Cotrone The Magician

Andrea Cusumabo-CeSDAS

On an island in the middle of the Firth of Forth with birds circling ominously overhead, one is initially impressed with the boat ride and the brief introduction explaining the context of the ‘mystery’ isle of Inchcolm, however this is quickly shattered by the slow moving, often non-existent plot. When Cotrone, a Prospero-esque figure is on stage, the production seems egotistical and pretentiously protracted, but when his band of misfit-clowns, creatures spawned by his imagination, steal the spotlight, the magic and mystery of Inchcolm is accentuated. The twenty-five pound price is worth the boat trip and parts of the play, as if you find yourself bored, you can watch the extensive wildlife chatter around you. Bring warm clothes!

Sweet in the Firth of Forth, 8 - 16 Aug, 7.30pm, £25.00 (£20.00), fpp 183

tw rating: 2/5

http://edinburgh.threeweeks.co.uk/review/8515