Catafalque, Summerhall.
Every so often a play comes around that stops you dead in your tracks and makes you see life from an angle you’ve never encountered before. Amy Conway writes and performs Catafalque, a stunning play that investigates so many dark problems; starting with the problems a civil celebrant faces when the family of the person whose funeral she’s conducting hold back from telling her anything about their lost loved one. Fern suspects something is being concealed from her, over and above usual bereaved reticence. But when the truth about Martin slowly becomes obvious, Fern’s own issues are triggered – and sometimes you simply have to tell the truth. Amy Conway delivers a superb performance as Fern, but more than that, it’s an extraordinarily beautifully written drama with endless twists and surprises that challenge the audience in so many ways. One of those rare plays where you come out of the auditorium a different person from the one who went in. I couldn’t recommend this more strongly.
Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret, Pleasance Dome.
It’s not often you can get truly up close and personal to a West End Star, but Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret gives you that opportunity. A sequence of familiar, and less familiar songs that all take an individual look at the natural world is the thread that unites this show to create a stunning hour of music for the ears and compassion for the planet. Accompanied by two singer/dancers, Sophia Priolo and Josephina Ortiz-Lewis, and the amazing violinist Sarah Harrison and accordionist Igor Outkine, the music just flows over you as you sit there frankly entranced the whole time. My own personal hairs-on-the-back-of my-neck moment came when Janie sang Sondheim’s Another Hundred People whilst Sarah alongside her played a stressed, frantic string arrangement. Every show has a different guest artiste and we couldn’t have been more delighted to welcome Frances Ruffelle singing Piaf’s Je ne regrette rien in both English and French. But the whole show was sensational; cabaret with a message – not preachy, just heartfelt, with amazing music.
Will Sebag-Montefiore: Will of the People, Underbelly Bristo Square.
Will only had two jobs this year – to write an Edinburgh show and get married. The show was all done and dusted earlier in the year until Sunak announced the election; Starmer won, and all poor old Will’s songs and skits went out of date. He hasn’t even written his vows properly yet either, so he spends the whole show planning his wedding, with a member of the audience playing the part of his intended; in the performance we saw, that was, er, me. And I must say he paid court very nicely! Will’s online satire translates deftly to the stage, and – despite his opinions to the contrary – his voices for Starmer and Trump are very impressive! Not every joke lands but it’s still a very good hit rate and Mr S-M is so likeable on stage that he could probably get away with literal murder and it would still be funny. All in all, a very positive Fringe debut!
KAREN, Underbelly Cowgate.
Ah, the office romance! When you’ve been with Joe for four years and you go to Alton Towers for your 30th birthday treat and it’s an odd setting but maybe, just maybe, this is where he’s going to propose…. Or is it KAREN whom he’s fallen for? Dumped halfway through her Calippo, she has no alternative but to try to get her life together; she can pick over the bones of her past love with best friend Stacey, and she can hope that boss Tony might give her that great promotion to New York – but will she just get over it, or will KAREN always be the worst thing that ever happened to her?! A joyously written and energetically performed tale, there’s something for everyone in this blisteringly funny yet also surprisingly sad play. Writer/performer Sarah Cameron-West leads us through her character’s hilarious and memorable journey through heartbreak and beyond. A total delight!
Kavin Jay: Unsolicited Advice, Hoots @ The Apex.
Kavin Jay’s new show Unsolicited Advice takes you back to all those times when your family and friends know much better than you how to deal with your problems. This is a universal issue – Kavin Jay may be from Malaysia but it’s just as prevalent in the UK! Mr Jay cuts a very warm and welcoming figure on stage – and even though we all agreed he has the kind of face where we would lock the car door if he approached you – we didn’t mean to offend him. It’s a fun, fluid hour of very relatable comedy with a Malaysian twist; I loved his idea of how you might spice up your sex life, and his mechanic uncle’s foolproof way of conceiving a child. Lots of laughs, and the kind of stand-up show where you come out feeling good about the world. Thoroughly enjoyable; if Mr Jay is a new name to you, trust me it’s well worth spending an hour of your precious Fringe time in his company.
Amos Gill: Going Down Swinging, Underbelly Bristo Square.
Amos Gill comes on stage, all guns blazing, exploring comic ideas where angels fear to tread. His initial opening gambit – that straight white men have it tough at the moment – is a risky tactic and one which many in an Edinburgh Fringe audience might not warm to – but, fair play to him, although he dangerously teeters on the edge of giving offence, he always manages to steer clear of it, and that’s down to his excellent word-craftsmanship. He has a terrific routine about bringing his racist father to one of his New York comedy gigs, which uses the concept of racism as a creative comedic tool! Not a lot of subtlety but with some very valid comic observations, and a strong, confident, attacking delivery.
House of Life, Underbelly Cowgate.
Do you want to be saved? Not only saved, but reborned, self-esteemed, and purged? All this and much more awaits you at the House of Life, a riotous show featuring the Rave-rend, who leads us through this bizarre ceremony and creates an extraordinary quasi-religious fervour with a few instruments, a TV screen and assistance from his faithful sidekick Trev. A show that doesn’t take itself remotely seriously and gets a huge, active response from the audience who play an essential part in sharing this cult-like, faith-defying hour of sheer joy. All very funny and anarchic, most of the audience ended up on stage at the end singing Spanish lyrics to revive our beloved Rave-rend out of his trance. Unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, and largely defying description; you just have to see it for yourself!
Heckling Masterclass with Diploma – Ben Clover, Laughing Horse at Bar 50.
What is it about Ben Clover that makes him always omit his name from his shows’ titles? This year he hits Edinburgh with his Heckling Masterclass (With Diploma), a thoroughly hilarious idea where he takes his willing (and not so willing) students through the art of delivering top quality heckles – at the right time, to the right person, in the right way and with the right motivation. Anything less is a no-no; transgress, and you might not come away with your diploma (secret: none of us did.) Ben has an unerring knack of relaxing and moulding his audience so that they are absolutely ready for his style of humour; and I can tell you, our audience totally lapped the whole show up. It was a particularly funny moment for me when he realised, with huge relief, that the media tickets issued for this performance hadn’t been snapped up by The Guardian but by Yours Truly. Clearly, I lulled him into a false sense of security so I’m therefore awarding him only four stars because a) it was brilliant but b) I don’t want him to get cocky.
SILENCE!: The Musical, Underbelly Bristo Square.
The Silence of the Lambs is one of those films that got underneath the nation’s skin… and there’s no doubt that SILENCE! The Musical could do the same. What impressed me the most about this show was how well the story and the film lends itself to a musical adaptation, albeit in parody form. SILENCE! takes those lambs very seriously, as they make up the all-singing, all-dancing chorus that binds the show together, a truly ovine ensemble if ever there was one. There are some lovely nods to other Big Musicals – I noted Newsies and A Chorus Line at least – and some hilarious characterisations, and superb musical performances. Some of the lyrics are, perhaps, not for Granny; but then she’s unlikely to be up at 11:15 pm in the Underbelly Cowbarn. Very funny, very musical and totally outrageous!