Edinburgh Festival Fringe
August 7th – 31st, 2015
Edinburgh, Various venues
Foreword
by Joanna Orland
Merely skimming the surface of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, it was easy to see a bit of a different scene burgeoning. In recent years, the Fringe has become a playground for comedians to run rampant. But in 2015, something old has become anew as theatre, circus, dance and clowning return to centre stage, garnering the attention they so deserve.
The comedians are still there and still thriving (see Michael Che review) but the variety of acts in the spotlight has become more interesting – the comedians turning to storytelling and politics, and the clowns coming out to get their silly on, including our new favourite Trygve Wakenshaw performing no less than two shows per night.
Star ratings also continue to thrive, and here are ours from this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe:
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Bruce
Reviewed on August 8th, 2015
Underbelly, Cowgate
by Michael Drew
Two men. One sponge. It doesn’t sound like the most promising start to an adventure through time and space, but with a skilful blend of mime, acting and puppetry, Tim Watts and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd somehow pull it off… read more
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Joe Wenborne: Fight Back at 50
Reviewed on August 25th, 2015
Gilded Balloon, Wee Room
by Bernie C. Byrnes
Joe Wenborne is a Radio Broadcaster, Raconteur, After Dinner Speaker and Author of new book Fight Back At 50. In this live version of his self-help book, Joe promises to take his audience on a journey looking at life after the skinny jeans by “the man who has been there, bought the t-shirt and gone back and exchanged it for an Extra Large.”… read more
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Love Birds: A new musical by Robert J. Sherman
Reviewed on August 24th, 2015
Pleasance Courtyard
by Bernie C. Byrnes
Love Birds of 1923 is an avian vaudeville run by plesiosaur Armitage Shanks, determined to keep his show clean in a cutthroat competitive market. When the star, Baalthazar (the Feathered Caruso) walks out due to unacceptable audience behavior (a response to him being “a gentleman of colour” – he’s a macaw), Shanks needs to find another headline act or he’s ruined. Fortunately three (meant to be four) penguins arrive to save the day… read more
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Luke Toulson: Grandpa, Hitler and Me
Reviewed on August 12th, 2015
The Stand Comedy Club V
by Joanna Orland
Luke Toulson lucked out when he found the hundreds of letters that his grandfather, a Royal Engineer who served in the Second World War, wrote to wife Kate during his service. There is a wealth of meaningful storytelling, history and sociology lessons available in these letters, and Luke has brought this wisdom to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the form of his show Luke Toulson: Grandpa, Hitler and Me.. read more
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Massive Dad 2.0: Step Up 2 Massive Dad
Reviewed on August 10th, 2015
Pleasance Dome
by Michael Drew
Before I begin, I should make a disclosure: I spent the first 10 minutes of the show trying to subdue my inner hulk as my neighbour let out loud pizzicato bursts of laughter at seemingly random intervals. I know she was only enjoying herself but why did she have to enjoy herself next to me?
Now back to that review… read more
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Michael Che: Six Stars
Reviewed on August 9th, 2015
The Stand Comedy Club 3
by Bernie C Byrnes
Back in October there was an internet hoo-ha about Michael Che’s comments about catcalling. He even closed his twitter account in January as a result after accusing his critics of missing the point: ‘i think some of u are misunderstanding that post. im simply just making fun of something that is important to a lot of people.’ And that’s the root of Che’s comedy – poking fun at popular culture and questioning pretty much everything… read more
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August 8th, 2015
Pleasance Grand
by Bernie C Byrnes
There is something awe-inspiringly cool about the Pleasance Gala launch. Maybe it’s the thumping bass at 11am, the light show, the buzz or the rare chance to see a large Edinburgh Fringe Venue full to bursting that makes for an exciting event, but it all adds up to the feeling akin to sneaking into your big sister’s party undetected. Pleasance’s reputation is built on 31 years of quality programming, so the anticipation that greets their launch is, unsurprisingly, high… read more
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Trygve Wakenshaw: KRAKEN
Reviewed on August 11th, 2015
Underbelly, Cowgate
by Joanna Orland
Trygve Wakenshaw has crafted one of the most fascinatingly silly shows in existence with Kraken. Wakenshaw first came onto the physical comedy scene with his cult hit Squidboy. Kraken is his sophomore project which he has generously brought back to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, alongside his latest show Nautilus… read more
