Reading Time: 2 minutesJo Griffin is on a mission to say yes to more things. Yes to hiring child actors to get one over on “Matt Hinge” (although a non-speaking role, not at those prices), yes to model-esque lollipop ladies, and yes using Colombian business woman Griselda Blanco as a role model.
Reading Time: 2 minutesIt’s always fun to see how the pre-show music translates to the show itself. With Ruby Carr’s show eBae, we’re setting the scene with Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop”, before Madonna’s “Material Girl” has the audience humming along, and Ruby enters to the Kaiser Chiefs “Ruby” (of course).
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reaching for the stars, this 6ft 7 seeing double, double act will have you in fits of giggles as they take on “Satire” (their producers say it’s “in” at the moment but the two haven’t the foggiest what that is!)
Reading Time: 2 minutesStumbling out of the Grand at Pleasance Courtyard, 45 minutes later than I was meant to, I can unequivocally say that Zach Zucker (the brains behind the brainless persona of Jack Tucker) is a genius.
Reading Time: < 1 minuteIn her debut stand-up hour A Bite of Yours, Canadian comic Zoe Brownstone delivers punchline after punchline with the smoothness of a Fringe veteran.
Reading Time: 2 minutesLast at the Fringe 7 years ago, Hannah Gadsby is back with their new show ‘Woof!’ which aims to ask all the big questions. Gadsby continues to hold the space between comedy and tough truths with a self-awareness that is highly relatable and on numerous occasions had the audience burst into applause in agreement.
Reading Time: < 1 minuteidiots… GAY idiots is exactly what it says on the tin. Very gay and very idiotic! Enter this vaudeville cabaret for an hour of belly laughing whilst watching various acts including drag, stand up, comedy and buckets of tomfoolery. The show is “sort of hosted by Grace Fool and actually hosted by Jennifer Schmenier.” The pair are a slick, entertaining and funny, funny, funny double act. They bring the glitz, the glam, some great one liners, hilarious songs and a bunch of funny sketches. They share the stage with various acts who all brought a hilarious and wonderful uniqueness to their shows. From show twinks to gays on rollerblades and a witch with a basket ball plus that woman dressed as a milk-man slash cow- this show is a whirlwind of some of the best gay idiots around and they sure do know how to give you a great time!
Reading Time: 2 minutesFilm Noir Frog is a delightfully charming, absurdist character comedy focusing on the titular puppet frog detective in a parody film noir adventure filled with groan worthy puns, overly dramatic monologues and a character I couldn’t get enough of.
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRocketing into his Fringe debut, Mark Bittlestock’s I Need a Straight Guy is a tight one-hour journey about coming out, being on the scene, and, ultimately, why so many of the gay stereotypes that Bittlestock often pastiches on his social media have a great deal of heart behind them. Appearing at the top of the show in a rhinestoned England strip, Bittlestock has a confidence of a stand-up who has done dozens of Fringes - his crowd work is excellent, if sometimes going on a little bit too long. It certainly adds to his comedy - especially in the case of the performance I watched, in which a very dry Dutch couple were giving him a run for his money. Full of quick callbacks and brilliant multimedia elements, the show also seeks to dissect, in a small way, Bittlestock’s internet persona, and how that is impacted by his identity. No spoilers, but: the Facebook screenshots are a highlight.
Reading Time: < 1 minuteAn American, a Dutchman, and an Englishman walk into a bar - and Derek Mitchell is ready to take the piss out of all of them. An absolutely brilliant, jam-packed hour of frenetic accents, absurdist character comedy, and crowd work worthy of Nobel Peace Prize.