Category Archives: Magic

The Edinburgh Fringe Full Monty (nearly) – Day 19, 23rd August 2022

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Wanna know what’s scheduled for today in Edinburgh?

Here’s the schedule for 23rd August:

11.30 – Death of an Author, Greenside @ Nicolson Square. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:

Death of an Author“What if your favourite characters didn’t quite like the way they were written? What if they decided enough was enough? When an unnamed author is found dead, his characters are brought in for questioning. And they all have motive. Death of an Author is a celebration of untold female stories and a murder mystery like nothing you’ve seen before… come solve the crime in Edinburgh! Will you catch the killer?”

This sounds like a fascinating play – I often think that it’s the characters who are in charge of a book. It will be interesting to see if this play agrees with me!

UPDATE: A very clever premise,  excellent performances, extremely well written, and surprisingly moving. Lots to think about – and truly intriguing for literature buffs! I shan’t reveal who murdered the author…. but no jury would convict! I also liked how the detective did a spot of mansplaining! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

13.40 – Man of 100 Faces, Gilded Balloon Teviot.

Man of 100 Faces“One performer. 100 characters. One hour. Impossible? Not for The Man of 100 Faces. This is the unbelievably true story of Sir Paul Dukes. A child runaway who, with just three weeks’ training, was made head of MI6 in Russia during the bloodiest year of the Revolution. He’s the man that nearly defeated Lenin. The man that first brought yoga to the UK. He’s a master of disguise, the original inspiration for Bond and the only British spy ever to be knighted. But can The Man of 100 Faces unmask who he really is?”

This could be brilliant – or it might be a bit iffy. Only one way to find out!

UPDATE: The story of Paul Dukes. Never heard of him before, and he sounds like one helluva guy. But it needs a larger venue for the loud and physical performance that Saul Boyer gives. In the middle of the front row, we felt  uncomfortable, were sprayed with sweat, and constantly bellowed at. I’m sure that three or four rows back it would have been much more enjoyable. Tremendous commitment from the performer, but our own personal experience was not one I could recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

15.55 – Messiah, Underbelly Bristo Square.

Messiah“Jesus tells his disciples: ‘the Messiah will never come, so we have to create one’. An intense and darkly provocative retelling of the myths and realities surrounding the rise and fall of Christ. Fusing realism and surrealism, history and the present, poetry and vulgarity, we enter a beguiling picture of the last days of Jesus’ life and those that surround him. A cast of four play multiple characters, moving between ensemble, monologue and song. Includes nudity.”

This is another intriguing show – a blank canvas on which anything could be written. Let’s hope it’s good!

UPDATE: Very good, thought provoking play, as you would expect from the pen of Steven Berkoff. We particularly enjoyed the brainstorming session on how to make the resurrection really work!  Very good performances, lots of fourth walk breaking, well worth seeing – and deserves a larger audience. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

18.00 – Rosie Holt: The Woman’s Hour, Pleasance Courtyard.

Rosie Holt“Social media sensation and Chortle Award winner Rosie Holt debuts an hour of character comedy based on her hit satirical videos. A right-wing “opinionist” distorting the news, an MP desperately defending a failing government, a left-winger wanting to say the right thing but scared of getting it wrong. These characters and more come together when their creator accidentally becomes the news, as they try to speak their truth whatever the facts. ‘If she can stay in character long enough, she’ll have a Telegraph column and a seat on Question Time by teatime’ (James O’Brien).”

Can’t wait to see this. Rosie Holt’s tweets are a thing of genius. This is going to be amazing!

UPDATE: Will the real Rosie Holt stand up? Very good use of video, and virtually 100% new material, which I wasn’t expecting. I liked the confusion of who is Rosie and who isn’t, super interaction with the audience, and all in all an extremely funny hour. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

21.15 – Foil Arms and Hog – Hogwash, Underbelly Bristo Square.

Foil Arms and Hog“Ireland’s top sketch comedy group. With over 500 million online views the internet sensations return to McEwan Hall to premiere their new show, Hogwash. A mix of sketch comedy, audience participation and improvisation. Best reviewed show at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018 and 2019. Sold out 2009-2019. ‘Quite simply, a sensation’ (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine). ‘Very funny show’ (Rowan Atkinson). ‘Hilarious lads’ (Kevin Bridges). ‘An effervescent hour of fast-paced gags, fizzing with energy, invention and great lines’ (Chortle.co.uk). **** (Times). ***** (Irish Examiner). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (Metro). ***** (EdFestMag.com).”

Foil, Arms and Hog are another of the terrific acts that bring us back to Edinburgh year after year. They’re always fantastic, and know they will be again.

UPDATE: At first we wondered if Foil Arms and Hog had reached their pinnacle, and were beginning to lose their way a little. A very long get-to-know the audience introduction (vital for later material) followed by a too-long sketch based on a ghost story experience, meant that half the show had already gone before we started getting into the really good material, but rest assured it’s as good as ever. I loved the suitcases on the carousel, and the long lost reunions were inspired. Three genuinely hilarious guys – you don’t get better sketch comedy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Edinburgh Fringe Full Monty (nearly) – Day 17, 21st August 2022

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Have I got some Edinburgh shows for you? Yes, I have!

Here’s the schedule for 21st August:

12.15 – Mat Ricardo: The Extraordinary Gentleman, Gilded Balloon Teviot. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:

Mat Ricardo“A unique, hilarious and unmissable one-man show from the worlds most critically acclaimed variety artist. Scalpel-sharp wit and astonishing skills honed over three decades travelling the world’s stages, streets and spiegeltents come together to create an unforgettable hour of big tricks and big laughs for all ages. ‘One of the greatest variety artists working today’ (Scotsman). ‘The most talented man at the Edinburgh Fringe’ (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Breathtaking’ (Evening Standard). ‘Terrific’ (Guardian). ‘The Derren Brown of juggling’ (LoveFringe.com). ‘Mat Ricardo is amazing!’ (HRH Prince Charles).”

I’ve seen Mat Ricardo a couple of times as part of the Burlesque Show that used to come to the Royal and Derngate in Northampton, and he was always superb. It’ll be good to see him in a full show by himself!

UPDATE: Good to see Mat Ricardo again – his juggling skills are second to none. A few gasp out loud moments – he said there would be. Whilst he’s technically brilliant, I’m slightly less sure of his ability to host a complete hour with his presentation style, but that’s just me. Nevertheless, it was thoroughly entertaining, and the hour flew by. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

14.05 – Fritz and Matlock, Pleasance Courtyard.

Fritz and Matlock“In a Sheffield basement, two men try to bury the bodies of their past to find a hopeful future. With no way out, will Fritz make it to his wedding? Will Matlock get away with murder? Or will the police finally raid the marijuana grow in the attic? A new dark comedy with a fresh take on men’s mental health, the care system and addiction. 2021 Offie nominees for Lead Performances and Most Promising New Playwrights. ‘Reminiscent of the works of Beckett and Pinter’ ***** (TheReviewsHub.com). **** (Stage).”

As well as Beckett and Pinter, this sounds rather Ortonesque, which is what drew my attention! Fingers crossed that it works well.

UPDATE: Definitely Pinteresque; not so much Beckett and definitely not Orton. Two excellent performances in an intriguing play with a clever twist that I certainly didn’t see coming, and I definitely won’t tell you about! Not sure that the plot was entirely watertight, and there were a couple of scenes that weren’t sufficiently clear for us to understand. But the acting certainly carries the day, and the play is definitely worth seeing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

16.00 – Afghanistan Is Not Funny by Henry Naylor, Gilded Balloon Teviot.

Afghanistan“In 2002, whilst researching a comedy, triple-Fringe First winner Henry Naylor and two-time Scottish Press Photographer of the Year Sam Maynard, went to the Afghan war zone. An extraordinary tale ensued in which they were threatened by a war criminal, captured by the Mujahideen and nearly blown up by the Taliban. Performed by Naylor himself, the show takes us back to the start of the modern Afghan tragedy. It comes direct from the Adelaide Fringe, where it won twelve five-star reviews and two major awards. European Premiere.”

This sounds like a truly fascinating mix of dark comedy and true tragedy. But it’s considered a hit, so that’s good enough for me!

UPDATE: A fascinating and very personal account of Henry Naylor’s time in Afghanistan, coupled with some extraordinary photographs that speak volumes, are at the heart of this slightly unbalanced show. Whilst everything to do with Afghanistan in this hour totally captures your interest and imagination, the framework surrounding it, with his dealings with the Gilded Balloon, and his psychotherapist, largely miss the mark. But it’s a very intense and thought provoking show. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

18.00 – Tim Vine: Breeeep! Pleasance Courtyard.

Timi Vine“Tim Vine returns with his new stand-up show. A mountain of nonsense. One-liners, stupid things, unlikely songs, wobbly props. (Plus utter drivel.) Tim’s like the manager of a sweet shop where all the sweets are replaced by jokes, and he serves them in the order he chooses. So, it’s like a sweet shop where the manager just throws sweets at you. Winner of Dave’s Best Joke of the Fringe 2010 and 2014. Star of The Tim Vine Chat Show (BBC Radio 4) and numerous TV appearances. Enjoy the foolishness. Then leave. ‘A symphony of silly’ ***** (Times).”

It’s been the sin of omission that we’ve never seen Tim Vine live before, so I’m sure this will be magnificent!

UPDATE: Having realised we’ve only seen Tim Vine in short spurts on TV we became concerned that a full hour of him might be too much. And so it proved. The relentless silliness quickly palled with us, and whilst others guffawed throughout, we only chuckled occasionally. As Mrs C noted, she wasn’t expecting it to be quite so *infantile*. Not for us, but I completely accept that he went down a storm with others! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

21.00 – Ballet Freedom, Pleasance @ EICC.

Ballet Freedom“Spectacular world renowned ballet company journey from Kyiv. Freedom Ballet celebrate their 20th anniversary in Edinburgh with 14 incredible dancers. An outstanding dance collective. Their intimate, sensual ballet is astonishing. This adaptation of their hit show Boudoir is about the moment of life, when knowing yourself, your love and your loss, you can truly see yourself in the mirror. Credits include performing with Franco Dragone, legendary director of Cirque de Soleil, and sharing the stage with Dita Von Teese, Queen of Burlesque Cabaret. Sold out tours in more than 30 countries with over 5,000 performances.”

Given the appalling situation in Ukraine I can only believe that this will be a truly emotional performance. I’m sure it will be a rewarding dance experience too.

UPDATE: Audience reviews online were about 75-25 in favour of this show, but those who didn’t like it *really* didn’t like it! We thought it was terrific; inventive, dynamic choreography, danced with joy and skill, frequently very tongue in cheek, lots of dark humour and even a few instances of audience participation (and don’t think by not sitting in the front you’re safe – you’re not!) Invasion by a hostile neighbour was tastefully suggested in a few of the dances. I was very disappointed at the amount of photography and videoing from audience members, which was extremely disrespectful of both the performers and other audience members. But we loved the show! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Edinburgh Fringe Full Monty (nearly) – Day 16, 20th August 2022

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Another day in Edinburgh heavy on comedy!

Here’s the schedule for 20th August:

12.00 – Joe Wells: I Am Autistic, PBH’s Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:

Joe Wells“Joe is not a “person with comedy”; he’s a comedian. Nor is he a “person with autism”; he’s autistic. His video Having a Brother Who is Not Autistic went viral, with over 2 million views. Support for Frankie Boyle and Alexei Sayle. ‘Some of the most surprising and thought-provoking material coming from any comedian’ (Guardian). As seen on BBC Two’s Ouch! Storytelling Live, BBC Three’s Quickies and Dave’s Comedy Guide to Life. Writer for Have I Got News For You. A show about being proud of your weird brain.”

We first saw Joe Wells at the Fringe a few years ago on the strength of word of mouth and were blown away by his brilliant incisive observations. We never miss a chance to see him! I’m sure this will be as good as ever.

UPDATE: Always one of our favourite comedians, Joe is on fantastic form with a show that gives rise to pretty much non stop laughter, mainly about autism – and yes I know it sounds unlikely. He’s a truly gifted comedian, with a beautifully crafted set, and there’s no better way to start your Fringe day! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

14.45 – Trevor Lock’s New Show, PBH’s Free Fringe @ Bannermans.

Trevor Lock“The UK’s number-one comedian returns to the Fringe with a brand-new show that, as usual, will probably be entirely different each day. ‘Blew me away – an absolute masterclass in comedy performance’ ***** (Scotsman). ‘The most fun you can have without taking your clothes off’ (Mirror).”

Trevor Lock is new to us, so it’s a bit of a punt but he gets good reviews, so here’s hoping!

UPDATE no 1: in a change to the advertised programme, we’re going to see Oleg Denisov, Escaped Artist, instead!

UPDATE no 2: Oleg’s a funny guy, with great material, solid, reliable delivery, and I liked how he looked the Ukrainian conflict head-on, there’s no point trying to deny or ignore it.  Plenty of good jokes that stem from being a foreigner, living overseas, trying to make a living from comedy. He’s also trying to be feminist, which creates more comic delights. Very good indeed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

16.15 – Richard Stott: Afterparty, Underbelly Bristo Square.

Richard Stott“Richard Stott returns to the Fringe with a brand-new show filled with trademark storytelling and joyously acerbic one liners. The runner-up in Dave’s Jokes of the Fringe 2019 talks about stripping down for a documentary, club nights that turned into afterparties and then into crime scenes, and finally starting to grow up and beginning to like the adult he’s become. All while living with a disability… perhaps. As seen on ITV2’s Stand Up Sketch Show. ‘Definitely one to watch out for’ (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Thoroughly enjoyable’ (Skinny). ‘Reminiscent of Jonathan Pie’ (ThreeWeeks).”

More comedy, again from someone we don’t know but again they get good reviews. You have to take a risk in Edinburgh!

UPDATE: First of all, I see absolutely no similarity between Jonathan Pie and Richard Stott! A very well structured show, where Richard is coming to terms with being in his mid-30s without being ready to accept it yet. Afterparty becomes a metaphor for those bleak years after the fun of your 20s. Likeable and easy to identify with, Richard has a good attacking style, although some of the material could do with a bit of sharpening up. Nevertheless, very enjoyable! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

18.40 – Pear, Underbelly, Cowgate.

Pear“You have a one in 250 chance of being an identical twin, so for Hugo and Patrick McPherson, they started life by being a bit unusual. And that’s not all: 6’8″, benders of the truth, and standing at 6’7″, these enormous twins now launch their debut show, Pear. A riotous, absurd and hilarious collection of sketch comedy and wacky characters. There was originally cultural commentary; it got cut for time. But it was as brave as much as it is now not in the show. An unapologetically original hour of comedy.”

Fringe favourite Patrick McPherson, whom we’ve already seen once this Fringe, returns with his brother for a series of sketches.

UPDATE: “Are there twins in the audience, oh oh, oh oh, are there any twins in?” 🎵 🎵 I guarantee you’ll be singing that for ages.

Patrick and Hugo do an amazing double act, with a nicely structured, incredibly silly, beautifully funny show, with perfect callbacks and audience interaction. You don’t stop beaming from start to finish! Is there nothing these McPhersons can’t do?! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

21.15 – Adults Only Magic Show, Assembly George Square Studios.

Adults Only Magic Show“Winner of Best Magic Show and Adelaide Fringe Weeklies. Prepare to be wowed out of your seats in this jam-packed, 18+ spectacular! Featuring an array of raucous comedy, mind-bending illusions and a cheeky hint of nudity seen on stages all across the globe! The Penn & Teller of Australia! ***** (GlamAdelaide.com.au). ‘Wildly hilarious, wonderfully confident and wickedly inappropriate!’ ***** (TheatreTravels.org). ‘This duo is a force to be reckoned with!’ ***** (WeekendNotes.co.uk). ‘Magic at its finest and funniest! **** (FringeFeed, FringeWorld.com.au).”

Always up for a bit of naughty magic! This show has been going for some time but we’ve never seen it – first time for everything.

UPDATE: Sam and Justin have put together some amazing magic and framed it within this “adult only” naughty presentation, to the delight of everyone. Very funny, very naughty and very incredible! Not a clue as to how any of it was done. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

23.20 – A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception, The Space on North Bridge.

Shoddy Detective“A bumbling detective is called upon to uncover the mystery of a priceless stolen painting, but when he cannot solve it himself he is forced to enlist the help of an old nemesis. Together, the pair must interrogate the many characterful suspects that reside at the manor, in order to catch the conniving culprit and solve the crime of the century. A multi-roling, slapstick comedy bringing the classics of comedy to the 21st century. **** (LondonPubTheatres.com).”

From the comedy whodunit genre – let’s hope it’s more hit than miss!

UPDATE: They may call themselves Shoddy Theatre, but there’s nothing shoddy about this brilliant piece of nonsensical, physical theatre, packed with terrifically ludicrous scenes, hilarious characterisations, knockabout humour and superb stage fighting! Loved every minute of it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Edinburgh Fringe Full Monty (nearly) – Day 13, 17th August 2022

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Fewer shows today as we’re meeting up with family!

Here’s the schedule for 17th August:

10.45 – Pundemic, Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:

Pundemic“From running an online pun show gaining hundreds of thousands of views to the culmination of an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, a lot has happened over the last two years for this prolific pun-producing comedian from Glasgow. Join him as he presents the best of his puns as written all through this Pundemic. UK Pun Championship finalist (2017, 2018, 2020, 2022). ChampiPUNship runner-up 2019. UK Pun Off Puntest of Champions runner up 2021. ‘Corny’ (David Walliams). ‘Scotland’s Prince of Puns’ (Johnny Beattie). ‘Likeable and a funny guy’ (Alesha Dixon).”

An hour of puns with Iain MacDonald. What’s not to like?

UPDATE: A fun and entertaining way to start the day, with Iain MacDonald delivering exactly what it says on the can. My only criticism is that his delivery style is quiet and measured; all the other punsters I have seen deliver their material fast and furious, with no time for you to reflect before moving on to the next joke. So, it could be a little punchier (geddit?) but it was still very enjoyable. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

16.45 – Magical Bones: Soulful Magic, Assembly Checkpoint.

Magical Bones“Following a totally sold-out debut in 2019, the Britain’s Got Talent finalist returns to the Fringe with ‘a dazzling show… full of imagination and flair’ **** (Guardian). Direct from appearances on America’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us, BBC One’s BAFTA Awards, ITV1’s This Morning and Sky’s Around The World in 80 Tricks, join Bones as he brings you a brand-new hour of the most awe-inspiring and high-energy magic you’ll see this year. ‘What’s happening on stage really is magic’ (Telegraph).”

This our first magic show of the Fringe; Mrs Chrisparkle isn’t always easily impressed by magic (whereas I gape open mouthed at the simplest tricks) so we’ll see how well Mr Bones entertains her!

UPDATE: A slick and skilful magic show, with a few breathtaking tricks, all nicely paced and amusingly presented. We *think* we worked out how he did one of his tricks, but the rest were pretty astounding. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

19.00 – Troy Hawke: Sigmund Troy’d! Underbelly Bristo Square.

Troy Hawke“Last year he found the nefarious link between Ikea, the Nazis and Kanye West. Now 1930s throwback home-schooled investigator Troy Hawke returns to battle a new enemy on behalf of all people everywhere…psychotherapy! Leicester Comedy Festival Best Show nominee, 2022. Leicester Comedy Festival Best Show nominee, 2020. Perth Fringe World Comedy Weekly Award winner and main award shortlist, 2020. Perth Fringe World Comedy Weekly Award winner and main award shortlist, 2019. Total sell-out run Edinburgh Fringe, 2019. Top 40 best reviewed comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019.”

Milo McCabe’s brilliant creation Troy Hawke returns with a new show and he always effervesces with wit – I’m expecting nothing less this year.

UPDATE: Effortless characterisation, the mischievous Milo has formed a brilliant, creative set of material for Troy based on a random tweet that caught his imagination. With scrabble values, psychotherapy, magic numbers, shop greetings and pizza dedications, this is an extraordinarily detailed flight of fantasy. I know that by sitting in the front we were asking for it – and we got it. But so did many others! Fabulously funny! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

21.00 – Dog / Actor, Greenside @ Infirmary Street.

Dog Actor“Two hilarious and explosive plays written by Steven Berkoff, performed back-to-back by the same actor. Dog follows a day in the life of a racist football hooligan and his beloved pit bull terrier Roy, who changes his life. Actor is a spoken-word monologue which delves into the heart of the acting industry, humorously and poignantly portraying the trying life of a struggling artist. Without the use of any set or props, Dog / Actor presents a masterclass in physical theatre and comedic storytelling, promising a thrilling theatrical experience. ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). ***** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk).”

As soon as I saw this show in the listings, I knew I needed to see it. Stephen Smith is the actor (and dog) in question. I always like the works of Steven Berkoff so this is a must-see for me.

UPDATE: A true masterclass in acting from Stephen Smith in this Berkoff double bill. Berkoff’s superb writing demands excellent characterisations, and that’s exactly what Mr Smith delivers by the truckload. He’s also amazing with the physical theatre – in “Dog” particularly you really got a sense of the powerful and aggressive Roy. An enthralling show! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review – John Archer, Against the Odds, Underground at the Derngate, 21st February 2020

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John Archer Against the OddsAs a prelude to what we hoped would be a weekend of riotous laughter at the Leicester Comedy Festival (more of which soon), Mrs Chrisparkle and I were joined by our friends the Squire of Sidcup and the Wise Woman of Wembley for dinner, drinks and an evening in the company of comedy magician John Archer. Mr Archer was recently on Britain’s Got Talent (apparently – we’re never in to see it.) However, clearly a lot of the good burghers of Northampton had watched his appearance because when we arrived twenty minutes before the show was due to start (normally plenty of time to get a good seat) we had to make do with the back row. Not a great position from which to observe close-up magic.

J ArcherHowever, that’s not really Mr A’s style – you didn’t need to be in the front few rows to watch any sneaky dexterity. Most of his magical feats were mind-based; predicting the numbers that people would choose to create a fantasy lottery ticket, for example, or which card from a selection, all bearing different words on them that an audience member would pick unseen. There was yet another very clever trick where he had £80 in an envelope, with four other worthless envelopes, and he manage to convince audience members to pick all the other envelopes except the one with the dosh.

John ArcherBut he’s not just a fantastic magician. He has a lovely, gentle comedy style – self-deprecating, whacking out short silly songs on a ukulele; playing slightly on the fact that he won’t see 55 again but there’s definitely life in this old dog yet. An intriguing and impressive act; there’s no way that you’ll work out how he performs those feats of magical intellect – and to preserve the mystery I’d really rather not know anyway. No gimmicks, no pyrotechnics; just good old-fashioned entertainment. Nothing more to add! John Archer is touring his Against the Odds show in various venues around the country between now and May. Very enjoyable!

4-starsFour he’s a jolly good fellow!

The Edinburgh Fringe One-Weeker 2019 – Magic Faraway Cabaret, 18th August 2019

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Magic Faraway CabaretOur last show for Sunday is our first toe-dip this Fringe into the world of burlesque and variety, and that’s Mister Meredith’s Magic Faraway Cabaret, at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms at 22:30 on Sunday 18th. Here’s the official blurb: “Always packed, this ‘fab lil’ cabaret party’ (Time Out) returns for its sixth year. Magic, variety, burlesque and sideshow acts are gift wrapped by Mister Meredith in a world of fun and games. This night really is like no other at the Fringe; the boundaries of innocence and worldliness collide, featuring top names and fresh new acts in The Voodoo Rooms’ unique buzzing speakeasy atmosphere. ‘An amazing compère’ (BurlesqueBibleMag.com). ‘A subversive compère who takes pride in getting the city boys a little hot under the collar’ (Telegraph). ‘One of the greatest cabaret performers of his generation’ (ScotsGay.co.uk).”

We’ve already met Mister Meredith yesterday for his Singalonga Pub Quiz night – so it will be interesting to see him in a different light tonight! Check back around midnight to find out what happened. By then the first preview blog for tomorrow should be available to read too.

No Burlesque in tonight’s line up but very enjoyable nonetheless. Irish comedian Gráinne Maguire did a brilliant set about being Irish in London and explains hilariously why the Ryanair experience is what it is; then we had the President of the United States (no really) as he is in Trump’s Fake TV show; the fantastic Viggo from Zach and Viggo fame who had us on stage including me lying down whilst others mourned my passing; belly dancer Shantisha, and ending up with magician Elliot Bibby. A wonderful line up in a comfortable, fun environment. Great way to end the evening!

Review – Bluelight Comedy Magic, Borjia, Northampton, 27th April 2017

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BluelightI’ve discovered a new (to me at least) fixture on the local comedy circuit – the Bluelight Comedy Magic show, which has been going for some time but last night had their first outing at the rather swish and showy Borjia bar in Northampton. All proceeds from the evening went to Rape Crisis to support their important work (and I won a very fine looking bottle of champagne in the raffle into the bargain!)

BorjiaMrs Chrisparkle and I, along with Lord and Lady Prosecco, Prinz Markus von Köln (second in line to the Prosecco family estate) and our hosts for the evening Mr and Mrs Jolly-Japester, took our specially reserved seats across the front row. Not quite sure how we scored that, but I’m not complaining. I think we were five on a bench for three, so only a small portion of my posterior felt the pleasure of the padding, but three pints of Asahi made up for that.

TrixtaOur MC for the evening, and the man behind the Bluelight, although I think he’s now chucked in the blue light for full time comedy and magic, was The Trixta (aka Ashley), who kept everything going at a cracking pace but also left us plenty of time to get our glasses charged – always a vital element of any comedy night.

Chris Randall VegasFirst up, and all the way from Las Vegas – I kid you not – was the fantastic magician Chris Randall. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such extraordinary magic at really close quarters and yet not have a clue as to how he did what he did; but then I am a sucker for magic. Mrs C always pooh-poohs it as some inferior kind of entertainment until she actually sees it, and then her jaw drops just as far anyone else’s. The thing is, one always itches to know how someone performs a magic trick, but I am so glad that I don’t know how magic works, because if I did, it wouldn’t be magic anymore; so don’t tell me!

Chris Randall cardsMr Randall did a trick with what appeared to be dental floss, pushing it up into his neck so that it apparently went right through the skin; and when he pulled at either end of it, the skin either side of his neck got pulled out too! Made me feel quite queasy but it’s an amazing illusion. He procured two £20 notes from members of the public (including Lord Prosecco) who wrote their names on the notes and which he then made disappear, only to reappear sometime later trapped inside a satsuma! He got me out of the audience and performed a trick where torn bits of paper were strangely re-assembled to create a hat, but what particularly impressed me was that whilst I was onstage with him, he managed to get my watch off me and put it on his own wrist without my noticing. Mrs C is right – I am so unobservant. He did plenty more tricks besides, including ending up with an extraordinary display of cardsharpery. He’s one helluva magician.

Robin BootAfter a break, we next met Robin Boot, armed and extremely dangerous with his guitar and he’s not afraid to use it. If I tell you that, for his opening gambit, he sang – to the tune of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger”, Toe of the Camel, I think you’ll get his general drift. That song will never be the same again. He’s a really funny guy who blends ridiculous and reasonably filthy humour with his disarmingly enjoyable guitar work to great comic effect. He also achieves a great rapport with the audience and we all loved him. Mr Jolly-Japester was required to exercise his dong during his act. You had to be there.

Dan NightingaleOur headline act for the evening was comic Dan Nightingale. One of those gifted guys who makes it all look so easy, he kept us laughing our socks off for ages. Whether it was about being a Mancunian, with all that accent entails, or being a young father with all that sleeplessness that entails, or having a wife that deleted your only tv appearance off the skybox, with all the resentment that entails, his great material just kept coming and coming. He’s a very likeable guy with effortless style and again, he really went down well with the whole room.

Bluelight in full flowAt only £10 that was fantastic value for money and also hopefully raised bucketloads for Rape Crisis. Apparently, the next show will be in June, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for further details. Brilliant fun, can’t wait for next time! (P.S. You don’t have to look too hard to spot Mrs C and me on this photo!)

Review – The Burlesque Show, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 14th January 2017

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Burlesque ShowOnce again, the Ministry of Burlesque have trundled into town bringing their collection of stunning costumes, jugglers balls, magic tricks and nipple tassels. We’ve been coming every year since 2011 and it’s always a sheer delight. Last year’s show was just a tad of a disappointment as there were so many acts giving us the same sheer delight that they had given us in previous years. That equates to sheer delight for newbies, and pleasurable reminders for us old hands.

Lili La SHowever, this year they rang the changes in true style. The biggest and brightest change was in the beguiling personage of our new host, Miss Lili la Scala. Mrs Chrisparkle and I have seen Lili once before, in Edinburgh last summer, where we decided to partake of one of her Another F*cking Variety Shows, a late night cabaret entertainment where Lili introduces us to a range of artistes plying their trade at the Fringe; and it really was a splendid show. For the Burlesque Show, she looked perfect in the elegant setting of the Royal Theatre, entertaining us with songs old and new. Mashing up two different Let Me Entertain Yous is an inspired way to start a show; I really love how Lili retros a modern song into a cabaret setting. In Edinburgh she gave us a moving but refreshing Space Oddity; in this show we enjoyed her semi-operatic version of Female of the Species. She has a winning combination of demure and daft which makes her quite irresistible in many ways; what the late Dowager Mrs Chrisparkle would have called Strictly a Female Female.

lena-maeStarting the show, and finishing us off, so to speak, was the delectable Miss Lena Mae with two classic Burlesque strip routines, full of allure, humour, teasing, and costumes with surprises of their own. We hadn’t had the pleasure of her company before and clearly it’s been long overdue. She conveys all the joy of what she’s doing out into the auditorium and we love her back for it in return. Classy, sophisticated and with more than a twinkle in her eye. We also had two (well two and a half really) delicious helpings of Miss Abigail Collins; Peggy Suedfirst in her guise as Miss Garden Verandah, where, in a floral-inspired outfit, she performs her amazing hoop act, and secondly as Miss Peggy Sued, who spent the interval in the bar introducing herself to unsuspecting punters (well, draping herself across them) and then came out and did her extraordinary balancing act. It’s unlike any other you’ve seen – basically she picks on two blokes and then does the splits whilst balancing on their shoulders. Well done Gary and Steve for your sterling effort. It was lovely to see Miss Sued back cavorting on stage, pulling her leotard here and there to prevent it from chafing her personal areas, singing and dancing like there’s no tomorrow.

Alexandra HofgartnerMore acrobatics – of the slightly more traditional kind – were provided by frequent visitor Miss Alexandra Hofgartner, effortlessly weaving herself in and out of a hoop in the sky with only a long chiffon for extra support. Miss Hofgartner exudes dignity with everything she does and is always a wonderful addition to any Burlesque show. Another new face to us, Robin Dale, gave us an intriguing juggling act with wine glasses (sometimes filled with “real” wine),boon-and-bailie then came back in the second half with his friend Jack Bailie to perform further feats of juggling whilst they both took their clothes off. Fortunately, protective top hats were at the ready to prevent anyone in the audience from having a stroke. A very funny act, but be careful where you sit, or else you might get Robin’s thong flung in your face.

Pete FirmanAnd you can never get too much Pete Firman. We’ve seen him perform his magic many times and on each occasion he perplexes me. Just a few tricks for this show – the cards that magically keep increasing in number, the rope that gets cut in two and somehow self-heals, and the £20 note taken from a member of the audience that disappears and is found, not in a monkey-nut but sealed inside his zipped wallet. I specifically watched him like a hawk during that last trick because I was determined not to take my eye off where I think the note was kept during most of the act. Fat lot of use that was; although I think I may be one stage closer to working it out. Just maybe. The audience proved something of a handful for Mr Firman, though. His choice of assistant for the rope trick was Pat in the front row. Would she get up and help him? Would she buffalo. But Mr F was not in the mood for picking on someone else. Resistance was futile. When she finally got up, after much persuasion, she had no need for alarm, it all went swimmingly well. Would the same thing happen with the £20 note trick? Mr F’s victim was the shy and retiring Phil – not! If ever a magician’s assistant gave as good as he got, it was our Phil. I think I actually saw Mr F – temporarily – stumped for a response. I guess that’s always going to be a risk when you call on bright sparks from the audience.

And, as an audience, we really were fired up by the whole show, from start to finish. Our willingness to get stuck in and react noisily to whatever shenanigans was happening on stage, helped this particular instalment of the Burlesque Show to be (probably) the most enjoyable I’ve ever seen. We even miaowed incessantly at Stage Manager/Producer Miss Kittie Klaw as she cleared the stage ready for each new act. She responded with some miaows back and the occasional bum-wiggle. Every act really performed their socks off (literally in a few cases) and it was a very funny and sexy night’s entertainment. Fantastically well done to one and all!

Review – Pete Firman, TriX, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 12th November 2016

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pete-firman-trixThis was the fourth time we’ve seen Pete Firman strut his stuff on the Royal stage, but who’s counting? That’s twice as part of the Burlesque Show, and also once in his own right as Trickster a couple of years ago. He’s obviously more streetwise now as the Trickster has become TriX; and he does exactly what it says on the tin, giving us trick after trick after trick, with nary a clue as to how he manages to achieve any of them.

petefirman-spellsI could just cheat now and refer you to my previous reviews because, essentially, his style hasn’t changed, his approach is the same, his Eric Morecambe-like patter hasn’t budged, his brilliant rapport with the audience is unaltered, and he still calls on members of the audience to help him out with all his tricks. He also still astonishes us with his bowling ball, with his sleight of hand card tricks, and with the mysteriously disappearing and reappearing £20 note; I know we’re being misled by those monkey nuts but I just don’t know how. I loved the tricks where £30 flew from one pocket to another; where a member of the audience was levitated, where five different types of drinks emerge out of the same Sainsbury’s juice carton; and I could go on but I’d be spoiling it for you.

petefirman-cardsHe is a brilliant entertainer; his magic stops you dead in your tracks and completely baffles you. He’s also very funny in a cheeky young whippersnapper sort of a way – I know he’s not that young, but he is in comparison to me. Mrs Chrisparkle and I were discussing in the interval with Mr Smallmind what we thought about Mr Firman’s not inconsiderable use of the F word. Mrs C found it refreshingly adult. Mr S thought perhaps it limited his audience. I sat on the fence. But he certainly does have a very lighthearted view on how a magic show should come across to the audience; no po-faced illusions here.

Pete FirmanNot a lot more to say really – two hours and a bit, crammed full of trickery and tittering. No need for support acts or beautiful hostesses when you have the population of Northampton to draw on to accompany you on stage. That was the penultimate night of his tour, so you’ve missed it now, I’m afraid, unless you catch him at the Soho Theatre for the week commencing 22nd November. But I’ve no doubt he’ll be back with another collection of mind-bogglers before too long. And I’ll certainly be booking.

The Edinburgh Fringe One-Weeker 2016 – The Naked Magicians, 23rd August 2016

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Naked MagiciansOne of our criteria for deciding which of the thousands of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe should be the ones that we choose to see, is that we should see shows that we’re not normally going to see back in good old Northampton. So our next show certainly falls under that heading. Proving that they have nothing up their sleeves, it’s The Naked Magicians, at Pleasance One at the Pleasance Courtyard, 60 Pleasance, at 22:30 on Tuesday 23rd. This is what the blurb has to say: “’It’s R-rated magic at its stunning best’ (TheGlobalGoddess.com). Following sold out shows and rave reviews in Australia, Asia, USA, Canada and New Zealand, the world’s funniest and naughtiest magic show The Naked Magicians is coming to Edinburgh! ‘They are hot, mind-blowing and seriously hilarious. Five stars!’ (Radio B105 FM, Brisbane). This boisterous R-rated magic show strips away the top hats and capes, promising full frontal illusions. Good magicians don’t need sleeves and great magicians don’t need pants. This show proves just that. ‘The most entertaining show of the year’ (AussieTheatre.com.au).”

Naked Magicians and bunnyI admit I’m just a little concerned at how the show will pan out – I hope it’s all done in the best possible taste, as Kenny Everett used to say! The magicians themselves are Christopher Wayne and Mike Tyler – I’m sure it will be a lot of fun, I just hope they don’t ask Mrs Chrisparkle to give them a hand with any of the tricks! Check back about 11:45 tonight to see if it would have made Sooty blush, and by then the preview blog for our final show this evening should be available to read too.

Post-show update:

I confess that the nearer this show got, the less I was looking forward to it; having been seriously embarrassed and irritated by the hen party mentality of the audience when we went to see The Full Monty. However, that was a proper play in a proper theatre, but this is a magic entertainment show with a twist. Not only were the audience simply out for having good natured fun, but the guys also performed the show with great style and humour. The magic is also pretty amazing, I’ve no idea how they did any of their tricks; and they also end up with a terrifically funny finale. This is a thoroughly good entertainment for…if not all the family, then by far the majority of them!