Chris Turner, "Vegas, Baby!" Underbelly Bristo Square, Edinburgh. Friday 25th August 2023

You can't come through to the Edinburgh Fringe and see just one show. That would be a crime against effort and time and a disservice to all the performers who've plastered every available surface of Edinburgh with their show posters. So, having locked in Mike Birbiglia at 7.15 pm, I checked the listings to see what other shows were nearby afterwards. I plumped for Chris Turner as I was curious to see how good he was in person.

If you've not heard of him, and why would you, he's an English comedian and freestyle rapper who received a standing ovation following his debut performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. From there, he won a contract to appear in Vegas at the Cirque du Soleil show, "Mad Apple". 

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

After Mike Birbiglia, we headed to the Underbelly Bristo Square to sample some of their 'udderly good summer drinks' but found the bar service so slow my wife had time to return from the Ladies' toilet before the first person at the front of the queue had received their order. So, instead, we went to the nearby Gilded Balloon, hoping their Library Bar might be a bit quicker and quieter. Unfortunately, no one was paying attention to the irony. Finding somewhere to sit was like playing musical chairs, only with everyone cheating and the music never stopping. We eventually snagged one chair for my wife and I stood until a second one became available. At least the drinks were cheap.

One door into the bar was hobbit size and I spotted a number of people hitting their heads on the way in. I'm not saying they were stupid (or tall) but I did note the moustache and mullet have made a fashion return (as in 80's Brookside, only with posher accents). We sat for a while until I got antsy, always OCD about being early for the queue. Only, I forgot we were in the Gilded Balloon venue and not the Underbelly so had a mild moment of panic as I realised I didn't know where we were going. Fortunately, the Buttercup was easy to find once I'd spotted the sign for the Underbelly. It is a bit of a maze finding these small venues.

I didn't want to sit at the front so chose a seat on the second row much to the annoyance of the usher who wanted all the seats filled consecutively. She didn't push it as the show was sold out and every seat was going to be filled anyway.

His hour this year describes his experience of getting to Vegas thanks to the Late Show ovation, revealing his good fortune was thanks to knowing Americans will follow anyone's lead. Spoiler: his wife was in the audience. 

Tonight, the audience suggestions for his signature freestyle rap were: an auburn Shetland pony, Defenestration, Bigfoot, a pole-vaulting New Zealand cat and Kinder egg toys being banned in the USA. His raps never fail to astound, even if he admitted he was still jetlagged having flown back to Edinburgh just that day to finish his Fringe run.

The jokes were great, the audience banter funny and he finished with an upbeat number that got everyone on their feet clapping (at his insistence). 

Afterwards, I managed to grab some stage time and can now claim I've appeared on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe. I can't claim to be any good, in fact, the audience left while I was on but it still counts, doesn't it? (explanation: we had to walk across the stage to get out).

Ticket price: £14.     

Blurb:

Award-winning comedian makes sure what happened in Vegas... comes to Edinburgh!

When Cirque du Soleil offer you a Las Vegas residency as the first comedian to perform with them, you don't say no... even if that means bringing your newborn baby along for the ride. Don't miss your chance to see 'a virtuoso... a hip-hop machine' (Guardian), with over 40 million YouTube views and sell-out shows across the globe. As seen on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Mike Birbiglia, The Old Man and the Pool, Underbelly, Bristo Square, Edinburgh. Friday 25th August, 2023

Seeing Mike Birbiglia live has long been on my bucket list. Going way back, I've loved his long-form storytelling, admiring how a comedian could take his stage stories and craft them into movies. His UK dates thus far have only been in London so I jumped at this opportunity to catch him in Edinburgh. I even paid extra for the Sirloin seats so we could get early entry and better, unreserved seating.

As the venue filled, I said to my wife "I'm surprised it's not a sellout." 

And she said, "Maybe that's because no one's heard of him." 

So I said, "How could no one have heard of him? He's a big name in America."

And she said, "But we're not in America."

So I said, "But his shows have won Broadway awards. He's acted in loads of things on TV and film. He has numerous comedy specials on Netflix." 

And she said, "So maybe he's only famous to comedy nerds."

So I said, "Maybe that comment explains your lack of sense of humour," which she didn't find funny, which kind of proved my point. 

Okay, that exchange did not take place but I could tell that was what she was thinking. 

I've tried to work out why the show was so good.   

Essentially a long-form monologue, he starts the tale in the doctor's office where he's so unfit he can't blow into a machine then takes us on a journey via his medical history, his family and his fears about dying (actual dying, not stage dying) to the aforementioned Pool from the title. Throughout, he is in total control of the narrative, with every word placed for maximum comedic or dramatic effect. His use of callbacks is superb. Despite not having the set he used in New York, the stagecraft is subtle yet profound. The use of the big screen behind him is minimal but impactful. He is the master of the form, finding the sweet spot between comedy and theatre. The surprise ending was a great payoff to a brilliant show. 

If you can't catch him in Edinburgh or London, I urge you to watch any of his Netflix specials. You won't be disappointed.    

Ticket Price £26 (£6 premium for Sirloin seats and early access to venue).

Blurb:

"Chronicling his coming-of-middle-age story Mike asks the big questions: Why are we here? What’s next? What happens when the items at the doctor’s office that you thought were decorative become functional?  This tale of life, death, and a highly chlorinated YMCA pool resonates with audiences ages 12 to 112, and won rave reviews whilst playing to sold-out houses in the US. Now “the best comedy of the year" (The New York Times) promises to charm audiences."

James Acaster: Hecklers Welcome. Theatre Royal, Glasgow. Tuesday August 15th 2023

The first time I saw James Acaster was in 2011 when he supported Milton Jones on the Lion Whisperer tour at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow. I remember him mostly for the jumper he wore which made him stand out as oddly funny. 

He's still oddly funny but now he's a superstar, especially to the mostly young crowd who've helped sell out this four-night run at Glasgow's Theatre Royal. You could tell they were young not just by their appearance or the clothes they weren't wearing but by the large number who returned after the interval clutching the free cups of water, having been unable to afford the bar prices. A few had forked out for ice creams but they were probably on dates and didn't want to appear cheap. Or had mental health issues and needed a sugar high to continue living.

This tour has James tackling his fear of the audience, though on tonight's evidence, he has little to worry about. Hecklers were few and far between, bar one person who shouted out "Watch yer mouth, ya wee prick" during a routine referencing the reaction to the Queen's death. The intervention did seem to throw him as he tried to figure out what the intention of the heckler was, his requests for an explanation eliciting a stony silence, leaving him with no other option but to suggest he'd be ruminating over this heckle all night later in his hotel room.

One lady with a delayed cackle also brought the house down a number of times, forcing James to eventually remark about the situation, suggesting she was one audience member he had no worries about. She was plainly enjoying his performance. 

As James reflected on his childhood, returning to the roots of his neuroses, I couldn't help but sympathise with his situation. This was comedy through pain and painfully funny. I loved how he casually slipped the callbacks into his routines, even acting out one while relating a completely different story. Such a craftsman. 

I noticed a few members of the audience rushing away at the end not realising he would return for an extended encore. Watching them slink back to their seats was hilarious. They couldn't all have needed a pee.

I did make an idiot of myself a couple of times tonight. (What, only twice?). My first was when I got excited about finding a free parking space near the theatre. Racing to nab it, I neglected to pay attention to the pothole puddles at the edge of the road and accidentally splashed a triad of Chinese youths who turned to scowl at me as they walked past my now-parked car. I feared they would return and trash my vehicle after I left for the theatre. But they didn't. It was totally wrong of me to think they were all black belts in vandalism.

The other situation occurred when I tried to be funny during the interval. Despite the show being a sellout there were two empty seats beside me. These were spotted by a young girl who asked me if I minded if she and her friend took them. I stated she would need to leave them where they were. As soon as it came out of my mouth, I cringed. Fortunately, she didn't care. She just wanted the seats so she and her bearded chum sat down to enjoy the second act from their better view. 

He was big, bearded, English and a vaper. The device looked like a long flash drive and the vapour he exhaled smelled sweet. I wanted to grab it off him and throw it at the stage but James had warned us violent behaviour would have us removed. I figured he was my punishment for the previous poor joke.

The evening ended with a rendition of 'La la la la Humpty', James' classroom party piece, where we provided the backing vocals and he accompanied himself on his childhood drums. 

A class act.

  

As he was in 2011

Blurb:

"One of comedy's most original voices" (Evening Standard) has written a new show. He's very proud of it. That being said, you are allowed to ruin it. Fill your boots.

WHY SEE JAMES ACASTER?

HECKLERS WELCOME

Irreverent and self-deprecating as they come, James Acaster has risen to the top of the comedy tree with his honest observational style, laying bare his life on stages, panel shows podcasts, books, and more. Don't miss this tall drink of water when he brings his new show, 'Heckler's Welcome' to venues across the country this year. Pitched as a way for Acaster to face his fear of live audiences after COVID, the show will be somewhat interactive, with James asking for your opinion on how he's doing!

Following the well-trodden path of many a comedian, James Acaster came to prominence after performing at the highly esteemed Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he was nominated for Best Show five times over. After that, it was only a hop, skip and a jump to the mainstream. His talents have seen him appear on numerous comedy shows, record a Netflix special, and start his own hilarious podcast; Off Menu with fellow comedian Ed Gamble. 

"Not So Smart: Raising Money For Crisis In Memory Of Andy Smart." 10pm Gilded Balloon Teviot Debating Hall, Edinburgh. Saturday 12th August, 2023.

 

Blurb:

The comedy community is joining forces for a special Fringe show to raise money for charity Crisis in memory of comedian Andy Smart, who died in May.

Smart was a long-time member of improvisation troupe The Comedy Store Players, as well as The Impro All Stars, with whom he would have been appearing at this year's Fringe.

Smart was an Edinburgh Fringe stalwart for over forty years, from being one half of double act The Vicious Boys with Angelo Abela to performing in plays, impro shows and his last solo show in 2019.

Many of Smart's friends and colleagues from the world of improvisation are performing, including Paul Merton, Stephen Frost, Mike McShane, Richard Vranch, Suki Webster, Ian Coppinger, Sally Hodgkiss and Rufus Hound.

Comedians Stewart Lee, Jo Caulfield, Fred MacAulay and Simon Munnery are also on the bill for what promises to be an unmissable evening.

Ticket price: £15.

I remember seeing Andy Smart performing at The Comedy Store. He blew away the other performers with killer lines that had them in stitches. Such was the power of his comedy. 

He died earlier this year so his friends agreed to put on this show to celebrate his life and raise money for Crisis, a charity for the homeless for whom Andy not only fundraised but also gave up his time. 

It was an interesting night. I was unaware (or perhaps had forgotten), that show lengths don't mean from the billed start time. Gillian Cosgriff's one-hour show finished at 9.30 pm from a billed start time of 8.20 pm. Her show still lasted an hour but she didn't come on till 8.30pm. That was fine because I had factored in sufficient time to get from the Pleasance to this show at the Gilded Balloon Teviot. This one was billed as starting at 10pm but we were still queuing on the spiral staircase outside the Debating Hall at 10.30pm.  A few punters had to give up and go, citing other places to be. That was a shame because the sellout show was fantastic. (Richard Vranch apologised to everyone in the queue individually, constantly repeating, "Sorry we're late, sorry we're late" as we all shuffled in).

Despite the callers off, the room was packed. My wife spotted Marcus Brigstock in the audience and I noted Clive Anderson, longtime host of "Whose Line is it Anyway?", sitting across the aisle.

The show started with a video message from Steve Steen who not only paid tribute to Andy, one of his longtime collaborators at the Comedy Store, but also was very funny. Steve would have loved to have been there but (rubs arm)... I'm lazy.

The hosts for the evening, Stephen Frost and Ian Coppinger, then came on, revealing the reason for the delay citing problems with the microphones. They joked, "It's what Andy would have wanted."

The first act to perform was Fred MacAuley, followed by Jo Caulfield, Simon Munnery and Stewart Lee, each getting five minutes or so. They were all great but I especially loved Simon Munnery's deconstructed routine. The man has comedy bones and not just the ones with nerve damage.

We next got some improv sketches with Richard Vranch and Paul Merton, Suki Webster and Mike McShane, followed by a couple of group games involving everyone. The final game descended into chaos as the eight performers had to mouth and act out what the performer beside them was saying. 

We were then treated to an In Memorium song sung by Phil Jupitus (in his dressing gown), accompanied on keyboards and backing vocals by someone whose name I don't recall. Sorry. The screen showed slides of the comedy people we've lost recently, among them Paul Byrne, Barry Cryer, Sean Lock, Paul O'Grady and Gareth Richards. 

The show had started with the hosts recalling the last time they saw Andy, performing his party trick at the Latitude festival. They finished with that video clip: him setting fire to a length of toilet paper dangling from his butt cheeks then downing a pint in an attempt to finish it before the fire reached his bare arse. It wasn't a long clip but was a great way to raise a cheer to celebrate his life. 

    

Gillian Cosgriff: Actually, Good. Cabaret Bar at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Fringe. Saturday 12th August.

Gillian Cosgriff: Actually, Good. 

Cabaret Bar at Pleasance Courtyard. 8.20pm (1hr) Ticket Price: £15

I felt a wave of nostalgia standing in the queue waiting to get into the Cabaret Bar to see Gillian Cosgriff. I used to travel through to the Festival regularly in my youth but for various reasons hadn't done so in years. The Pleasance was buzzing, the Courtyard packed with a thousand conversations, every bench taken temporarily between shows, the place a petri dish of different cultures (and other infections). It's an excellent space for comedian spotting. We'd already seen Nabil Abdulrashid leaving the venue, Mark Watson standing alone near the Cellar and Marcus Brigstock talking posh with a crowd of friends/fans.

I'd never seen any clips of Gill before but figured anyone who'd won the Golden Gibbo and Most Outstanding Show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this year was worth a punt. Five-star reviews from the Scotsman and Chortle helped too.

She describes herself as an actor, singer, writer, musician, composer, comedian and procrastinator who lives in Naarm (Melbourne). I'd describe her as an Australian Victoria Wood or a female Tim Minchin in that she writes and performs clever comedy songs and crafts a witty narrative to bond the show together. She's confident and engaging and creates a warm atmosphere in the room (okay that might be down to the poor air conditioning).

The core of this show is her telling us about her top ten favourite things in a joyous affirmation about everything good in life. She pre-empts these admissions by asking us to share our own top ten, one at a time, from 10 to 1, and we volunteer things like 'eating the last dollop of a good sauce from the plate with your finger' (at 9), 'sex dungeon Halloween party' (at 5) and 'watching kids play in a den of their own making' (at 1). Comedian Lara Ricote, who was in the audience with her family, called out no 6: 'watching old people eating ice cream' (Lara has a distinctive laugh and, by the sound of it, found the show very funny - which it was). Gillian writes our suggestions into her Top Tens book, each page a record of every show she's performed (making it available for anyone to peruse after the show), then tells us her favourite things, each one building a narrative about her life, revealing a theme at the end.    

It is an entertaining hour, leaving you feeling optimistic despite the message being that life boils down to two things: Now and Death. It's what you choose to do will all the Nows that makes life good. 

I was delighted with my choice to see this show.

What are your top ten best things in life?

Mine -

10. Discovering a new flavour of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream

09. Getting through a day at work without feeling exhausted afterwards

08. Driving to Edinburgh, ignoring the sat nav directions and finding the perfect free parking spot yards from the venue.

07. Dextrously catching a falling object that otherwise would smash

06. Writing an inconsequential joke into a story, then using it later for a greater purpose

05. Watching my dog do zoomies, leading the other dogs who can't catch her

04. Getting a great view at a gig not surrounded by idiots

03. Enjoying time in the company of friends

02. Having a new idea for a story and unlocking all its potential

01: Saying something funny to make my wife laugh, like I do.