The Edinburgh Fringe Full Monty (nearly) – Day 18, 22nd August 2022

Posted on August 21, 2022 by therealchrisparkle

Let me tell you what we’ve got lined up in Edinburgh today!

Here’s the schedule for 22^nd August:

10.20 – 50 Ways to Leave Your Employer, Laughing Horse @ City Cafe. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:

“The Great Resignation? We call it The Great Escape! Join hilarious Brits abroad Jess Bauldry and Sharon VS to hear how they broke out from the 9 to 5 and their musings on the meaning of work. There’s also a ukulele. Good luck! This is stand-up for grown-ups that shows that adult themes doesn’t have to mean dick jokes. Our show re-examines the workplace through the female gaze. It is uproarious, educational and cathartic.”

Sounds like a fun and refreshing way to start the day!

UPDATE: A bright and funny start to the day, with two stand up sets and a career change clinic added for good measure. Lots of great material; a very good morning laugh. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

12.50 – Hotel Elsinore, The Space on the Mile.

“Denmark. 2am. A hotel room. Three weary travellers, an unexpected will and a production of Hamlet to rehearse before morning. Tragedy and humour blend in this new play about the challenges of family, forgiveness and Shakespeare. Written and performed by award-winning actor Susanna Hamnett, featuring her son and daughter, Joshua and Lily MacGregor. Susanna Hamnett: ‘A virtuosic performer’ (New York Times). ‘A mighty theatrical force’ (Press and Journal). Joshua MacGregor’s The Teeth of Haros: ‘One of the best-written theatre scripts I have seen during my time at the Fringe’ (BritishTheatreGuide.info).”

Yet another way of putting a new twist on Shakespeare – but I’m up for that, no question!

UPDATE: A mother with issues, two tired teenagers and Dad’s ashes in an urn turn up at a hotel in Denmark at 2 am, then receives phone call inviting them to perform a production of Hamlet the next morning. An all-night rehearsal follows. I won’t tell you the final plot twist, but it completely bamboozled me with its sheer oddness. Sometimes you just “get” a play, and sometimes you don’t. I didn’t get this at all. Not to say there aren’t some nice moments, but I couldn’t see the point of it. It all felt like an exercise in futility. If they’d simply decided to do a three-person Hamlet, it could have worked really well. But embedding it inside a framework of visiting Elsinore with some ashes is pure distraction. Not for me, this one. ⭐️⭐️

15.00 – Olaf Falafel: STOAT, Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree.

“Olaf Falafel is the holder of ‘Dave’s Best Joke Of The Fringe’ but more importantly he is also the holder of ‘Person Whose Show Description You Are Currently Reading And Are Tempted To Book Tickets For’. Olaf guarantees two things – it will be stupid and it will be funny.”

It isn’t Edinburgh without Olaf. He’s one of the funniest guys anywhere! I think I’ve already worked out what STOAT stands for.

UPDATE: I was right about the meaning of Stoat! I won’t tell you the twist to Olaf’s tale but, sadly it’s something of a downer, even though he tries his absolute best for it to be something positive. In all the appearances we’ve seen him before, this is the first time he hasn’t just sailed through on a sea of delightful silliness. Still loads to laugh at, of course, but it doesn’t quite hit the spot in the same way as previous shows. Don’t let this put you off though! Four stars is a very good rating! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

20.30 – Robin Morgan: Snip Snip, Bitch (Work In Progress), Laughing Horse @ The Counting House.

“Robin Morgan (as seen on Mock The Week) has an hour of new jokes and stories. Writer for The Mash Report, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Have I Got News For You. Tour Support for Ellie Taylor, Rachel Parris and Iain Stirling. Warm-up for The Graham Norton Show. ‘Bloody funny. He must surely be on the verge of nationwide fame’ (Chortle.co.uk). **** (Sunday Times).”

We saw Robin Morgan at the Leicester Comedy Festival a couple of years ago and his was the best show we saw – so I’m hopeful for something great!

UPDATE: Robin is even slicker and funnier now than he was when we saw him in Leicester! There’s no real narrative thread to his act, it’s just observations and memories and quirkinesses, all of which somehow combine together to create a very satisfying whole. He’s so very likeable and persuasive; you end up letting your guard down and telling him things you’d normally keep under your hat. Absolutely brilliant! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review – The Comedy Crate at the Black Prince Pub, Northampton, 15th July 2021

Posted on July 16, 2021 by therealchrisparkle

Those lovely comedy lovers at the Comedy Crate had already resumed residence in the back garden of the Black Prince a few weeks ago, but this was the first show that we’d been able to catch – and my first non-Zoom comedy gig since their show last October. Such are the ways of the pandemic. The line-up had unavoidably changed a bit between being first announced and the show on the night, but that’s often the way with live gigs!

Our MC for the night was Jenny Collier, whom we last saw on one of the Comedy Crate’s online gigs earlier this year. She’s a sparky presence, with her charming appearance and cut-glass accent acting as a great juxtaposition to some ribald language. She’s been working as a GP receptionist for some of these Covid times, which was a source of some excellent material. However, I most enjoyed her account of giving a – I can’t dress this up in any other way – stool sample for the medics to explore. We were an occasionally unruly crowd, so she had a lot on her plate for the evening, but she was great fun and kept the show going at a great pace.

Our first act, and one of my all-time favourite comedians, was Olaf Falafel, whom we’ve seen many times in Edinburgh. In his trademark stripy blue sailor’s shirt, which makes him look like an extra from There is Nothing Like a Dame, he attacked us with some brilliant material, playing off the crowd beautifully, and ending up with his famous biscuitology routine. His comedy is a wonderful mixture of the absurd and the childish, but with lots of devastatingly clever observations and woefully funny puns. Great to see him again.

Next up, and new to us, was Toussaint Douglass; a naturally funny guy with a very relaxed style but with some strong punchy material full of surprises, including some challenging stuff about race. A very likeable personality, with some nice self-deprecating observations, he struck up an excellent rapport with the audience. Very enjoyable, and someone to look forward to seeing again!

For our headline act we had the rather wacky and unpredictable Tony Law, whom we’ve seen a few times before and sometimes he goes down a storm, and sometimes he doesn’t! I very much liked his use of accents in his act, and he’s supremely confident with dealing with the crowd; you either “get” his flights of fancy or you don’t and, personally, on the whole, I don’t! But the majority of the audience did, so I admit it’s my problem not his!

There’s another Comedy Crate in the garden of the Black Prince on Thursday 19^th August. We’re going, are you?

The Edinburgh Fringe One-Weeker 2019 – Olaf Falafel Presents Knitting with Maracas, 22nd August 2019

Posted on August 22, 2019 by therealchrisparkle

One of the highlights of last year’s trip to the Fringe was Olaf Falafel’s There’s No I in Idiot show, so it was a no-brainer that we should see him again this year. Here’s Olaf Falafel Presents Knitting with Maracas at The Main Room @ Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree, at 14:50 on Thursday 22nd. Here’s the blurb says: “Critically acclaimed idiot Olaf Falafel is back once again like a renegade master. If you’ve been to any of his previous shows, you’ll know exactly what to expect – inventive jokes and stupid comedic leftfieldery all held together with the flimsiest of narrative structures. ‘Absurdity so well-crafted that silly doesn’t do it justice’ (Evening Standard). ‘A wonderful hour of professional silliness’ (List). ‘A barrage of absurdist humour and sharp one-liners’ (EdFringeReview.com). ‘Olaf Falafel is an idiot, and wouldn’t have it any other way’ (Steve Bennett, Chortle.co.uk). ‘Refreshingly odd’ (iNews.co.uk).”

I know this is going to be a complete delight. Check back just after 4 pm to see just how entertaining he was. By then the next preview blog should be available to read too.

As suspected, Mr Falafel is on top form again! Winner of the best joke award, although I thought the one about the prostate check was even funnier. Yes, of course, we got roped into the action, but it’s always terrific fun and incredibly good natured. A must see.

The Edinburgh Fringe One-Weeker 2018 – Olaf Falafel – There’s no I in idiot, 21st August 2018

Posted on August 21, 2018 by therealchrisparkle

Olaf Falafel was a guest on one of the Spank! shows we saw last year and he was absolutely hilarious – a Viking with no sense of personal boundaries. So our next show is Olaf Falafel – There’s no i in idiot at The Main Room @ Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree, at 12:15 on Tuesday 21st. Here’s the blurb says: “Critically acclaimed idiot Olaf Falafel is back with another hour of inventive jokes, audience participation and the very loosest of themes. You’ll laugh, you’ll be confused, you’ll enjoy most of it. ‘A wonderful hour of professional silliness’ (List). ‘A barrage of absurdist humour and sharp one-liners’ (EdFringeReview.com). ‘Olaf Falafel is an idiot, and wouldn’t have it any other way’ (Steve Bennett, Chortle.co.uk). ‘Refreshingly odd’ (iNews.co.uk).

If he’s as good over an hour as he is over twenty minutes we’re in for a total treat. Check back around 1.30 pm to see just how entertaining he was. By then the next preview blog should be available to read too.

Olaf’s beautifully constructed hour of fanciful and inventive fun! Sat in the front row and so got involved, but nothing threatening! Really enjoyed it and would heartily recommend!

The Edinburgh Fringe One-Weeker 2017 – Spank! 21st August 2017

Posted on August 21, 2017 by therealchrisparkle

Now it’s time for the show that we look forward to the whole year round. It’s the irrepressibly brilliant Abigoliah Schamaun and the amazingly wonderful James Loveridge hosting Spank! at Belly Dancer @ Underbelly, Cowgate, at midnight on the night of Monday 21st. Here’s the blurb: “Spank! returns for an incredible 14th year with sexy hosts, awesome comedians and gratuitous nudity. With the most exciting comedy and cabaret on the Fringe, don’t miss the ‘best wild night out’ (Scotland on Sunday) at the festival!”

This will be our first of three visits this week, and for this first one we hope to be accompanied by our friends Lord Liverpool and the Countess of Cockfosters and their entourage. Check back around 3am (or maybe early on Tuesday morning) to see who were the guests, who got naked and how much fun we had. By then the next preview blog should be available to read too.

So to my surprise the hosts were Danny O’Brien and Eleanor Conway – and they were great. We had an amazing nine acts, including The Establishment, Saskia Preston, Olaf Falafel, Danny McLaughlin and Sean Patton. The naked promo was by a doctor promoting the Anthony Nolan trust. We think we may have seen him before. All in all an amazing show, and we didn’t get back to the hotel till 3am.