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ISSUE 4: COMEDY, THEATRE, MUSIC AND MORE – YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE FESTIVAL FREE! DAVID GREIG GOES NUCLEAR WWW.FESTMAG.CO.UK

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Page 1: Fest 2012 Issue 4

ISSUE 3: COMEDY, THEATRE, MUSIC AND MORE – YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE FESTIVALISSUE 4: COMEDY, THEATRE, MUSIC AND MORE – YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE FESTIVAL

FREE!

LETTER OF MASS DESTRUCTIONDAVID GREIG GOES NUCLEAR

WWW.FESTMAG.CO.UK

Page 2: Fest 2012 Issue 4

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Page 3: Fest 2012 Issue 4

BOOM BOOM CLUB

BRIEFS

SUSAN CALMAN SPANK ONE MAN STAR WARS

ONE MAN LORD OF THE RINGS

SHAYNE KOYCZAN BASIC TRAININGLATE SHOW

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B tch Boxer4pm 2-26 August

Chapel Street2.50pm 2-26 August

Glory Dazed5pm 2-26 August

One Hour Only5.20pm 2-26 August

Strong Arm4.10pm 2-26 August

*

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Underbelly Productions and Strut & Fret Production House present

TOM THUMTOM THUMBeatboxing virtuoso and star of Edinburgh hit Tom Tom Crew

“Thum is truly phenomenal” The Independent

“Tom Thum appears to have swallowed an entire orchestra and several backing singers”The Guardian 6.45PM 2-27 AUGUST

NOW IN ITS 11TH STELLAR YEAR!

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A5 layout.indd 1 03/08/2012 11:23

Page 4: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk

Fest asks some top Fringe acts to describe what

the festival means to them, through the medium of

plasticine. Obviously.

Hannah Gadsby I have fashioned a rudimentary Super Virgin Mary. She

represents the unrealistic expectations one can have of

the Fringe. I want fame, money and artistic integrity but

I would have more chance having a child with my hymen

intact. Her green skin might represent professional

jealousy or it could indicate the average complexion of

someone spending a month in festival conditions.

SHAPING the fringeFEST IS YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE EDINBURGH FESTIVALSPick us up from venues across Edinburgh

PUBLISHER Sam Friedman

EDITORIALEditor Ben JudgeDeputy Editor Charlotte LyttonComedy Editor Stevie MartinTheatre Editor Caroline BishopKids Editor Caroline BlackEditorial Consultant Evan Beswick

PRODUCTIONCreative Director Matthew MacLeodPhotography Editor Claudine QuinnOffice Manager Hannah PutseyWeb Editor Anna Feintuck

SALES TEAMLara Moloney, George Sully, Tom McCarthy, Michaela Hall

CONTACT [email protected]

PUBLISHED BY FEST MEDIA LIMITEDRegistered in Scotland number SC344852

Cover Photo Claudine Quinn, www.lensonlegs.co.uk

REGISTERED ADDRESS 3 Coates Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7AA

Every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the information in this magazine, but the publisher cannot accept liability for information which is inaccurate.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the printer or the publisher.

© Fest Media Limited 2012

Welcome to

Fest

4 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012

festcontents

PlasticineHunt & Darton of Hunt & Darton

Café have created there collaborative plasticine construction/expression in yellow, green, beige, blue and red responding to ‘What does the Fringe mean to you?’ and titled ‘Little bit of paradise.’ Our own desert island in the middle of festival chaos, complete with palm tree, pineapples, Bat-tenburg and of course roast dinner sandwiches. Seated on the island, Hunt & Darton are ready to serve any weary festival goers that wash up on their shore.

NB: This object should be viewed whilst listening to Chaka Kahn’s ‘I’m Every Woman’

Page 5: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 5

festcontentsfestcontents

8 FEATURES8 Letter of Last ResortEvan Beswick has a nice, gentle conversation with Scotland’s top playwright, David Greig... about nuclear war.12 Hi-KickEdd McCracken polishes his football skills with South Korea’s finest16 Theatre Talent ScoutingYasmin Sulaiman follows Steve Marmion, the director of the Soho Theatre, around Edinburgh looking for the next big thing.

21 COMEDY24 Ben TargetThe mad-cap comedian has a hit on his hands.31 Trevor NoahHailing from South Africa, Noah tackles the issue of race and racism with wit and skill.34 David O’Doherty2009’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner is back, doing what he does best.39 The Committee RoomEllis James and James Corcoran preside over this hilarious meeting.

41 THEATRE43 Mies JulieA reimaging of August Strindberg’s classic play as part of Assembly’s South African season.45 MessA heart-wrenching tale exploring anorexia.46 CountryBoy’s StruggleA hip-hopera about a Cornish lad’s battle to make it as a rapper.61 TatyanaThis stunning ballet is the highlight of the EIF programme so far.

62 MUSIC62 Dead Cat Bounce!The Irish pop-rock comics return to Edinburgh.65 And They Played Shang-a-LangScottish 70s nostalgia wrapped up in a musical.

66 KIDS66 Monsters Got TalentToby Mitchell talks to Fest about talent shows, morals and flying by the seat of your pants69 The Amazing Bubble ManOur kid critics are blown away by the bubbly fun on offer.

70 LISTINGSYour essential what's on guide to the world's biggest arts festival.

Advertise in fest Contact [email protected] for more information

Page 6: Fest 2012 Issue 4

6 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20 www.festmag.co.uk

perfectday

the perfect dayFace it: you're never going to see or do everything that the

festivals have to offer. But with a bit of planning, you can at least

see the best. Better still, let the fest team plan your perfect day

Edinburgh Larder

BLACKFRIARS STREET

Start the day off right with an excellent range

of locally-sourced breakfast options, from

healthy porridge to the full Scottish breakfast.

And No More Shall We Part

TRAVERSE

You’d have a hard heart indeed not to be

moved by Tom Holloway’s quiet story of

a couple coming to terms with the end of

their time together.

Kieran and Joe: Friends of Steel

PLEASANCE COURTYARD

Double act Kieran Hodgson and Joe Parham

reckon they know the key to the perfect

friendship – it’s a secret they want to pass

on in this upbeat, pacy series of sketches.

8:00

10:00

12:00

15:15

Horrible Histories

PLEASANCE COURTYARD

Take the kids to see William

Wallace, Henry VIII and Guy

Fawkes get ready for battle!

Page 7: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 7

perfectday

Whighams Wine CellarsCHARLOTTE SQAURE

Just a stone’s throw from the Book Festival, this cosy basement restaurant offers a variety of tasty contemporary Scottish dishes.

The Mojito Embassy

321 BAR, ASSEMBLY GEORGE SQ

Make your way to the hip Havana

Mojito Embassy and learn how to

make the perfect Cuban Mojito.

Boris and Sergey’s Vaudevillian Adventure

PLEASANCE COURTYARD

Boris and Sergey are two

Eastern European confidence

tricksters who also happen to

be faceless leather bunraku

puppets - a perfect evening of

dark, surreal comedy.

17:00

18:30

21:15

23:00

Glory DazedUNDERBELLY COWGATE

Part of the Old Vic New

Voices Edinburgh season,

Glory Dazed is a powerful

and affecting look at

adjusting to life in the UK

after military service.

Page 8: Fest 2012 Issue 4

8 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20 www.festmag.co.uk

THE HYPE ain’t never what it’s cracked up to be. And so, it’s with an inevitable degree of wearied scepticism that one approaches

the bible of bombast that is the Fringe programme. Still, in billing David Greig and David Harrower as “two of Scotland’s greatest playwrights” the Traverse might just have raised the PR bar this year.

“Well, it’s not... I wouldn’t have written that!” laughs Greig. What this definitely isn’t, however, is a denial. Pausing for a moment’s consideration, he continues, hesitantly: “I think they are trying to harness their feeling of excitement about me and David Harrower being on the same bill... and the feeling that it is a special moment. You know... I think I would agree! I think it is quite special. I wouldn’t use that language because I think it would be strange and hubristic to do so. But I’m very, very proud to share a bill with David Harrower. That’s certainly something that is exciting.”

Throughout our conversation, it’s a rare step back from assured eloquence for Greig – an eloquence all the more impressive given that, as we speak, the poor chap is languishing in bed with what he poetically diagnoses as “an incipient lurgy.” But even through the fug of ailment, it’s patently obvious that his excitement is genuine. And given the pedigree of both Davids, it’s pretty hard to deny: their pairing on the same bill is an exciting prospect.

Both CVs are exemplars of prolific—and prolifically acomplished—theatrical production. Harrower shot straight to success with his first play, Knives in Hens

NUCLEAR SUMMER

With Letter of Last Resort, David Greig returns triumphant to the Edinburgh stage. Evan Beswick

talks to him about learning to love the bomb.

– still performed professionally now, 17 years on. Alongside his original works (2003’s Dark Earth, another highlight), Harrower has wrought further acclaim adapting the works of giants of the stage (Brecht, Pirandello and Chekhov, amongst others) for modern audiences. Greig, meanwhile, is perhaps best known for Midsummer: a play with songs, a rom-com beloved by audiences and, remarkably, critics alike. Let it never be said that either David draws back from a challenge.

Restricting themselves here to terse, tense dialogues, two short plays form the headline 80 minutes of the Traverse programme: Harrower’s Good with People charts a long-avoided return to Helensburgh, the home of Britain’s nuclear deterrent programme; The Letter of Last Resort, Greig’s two-hander and by many accounts the most startling of the playlets that comprised the Tricycle theatre’s collection The Bomb—a partial history, takes as its subject one of the more unusual of a new prime minister’s chores—the writing of a letter to be opened in the event that Britain suffers a nuclear attack. The nuclear question, it seems, has a particular allure for dra-matic treatment by Scottish writers.

“David [Harrower] lives very near [the nuclear submarine base] Faslane,” Greig explains. “He has submarines going past his window, so that’s in his imagination. And for me, although I was asked specifi-cally to do nuclear, I chose to do this story because I’d seen the submarines too, and because Faslane is... it’s a strange kind of monster in the middle of Scotland.

Photos above, over page: Claudine Quinn

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www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 9

“I remember all through my child-hood—and I also talked to David about this—growing up with this feeling that we had these... creatures on our doorstep. So it was inevitable in a way that we would both end up writing something about that at some point.”

Indeed, anyone who has seen one of the Navy’s crow-black nuclear submarines slinking around the Scottish coastline (or, indeed, beached bulkily and embarrassingly on a sandbank off

the Isle of Skye in the manner of HMS Astute) will recognise “creature” as an apt metaphor for the hulking vessels. “They move sort of silently like sharks or something,” he continues. “They move under the water invisibly and then when they emerge they are shocking in their size, and the feeling that comes off them when you see them.”

There’s a care and precision here with which Greig choses his words that makes a particularly strong impression. u

“Nuclear weapons are kind of complicated... I only began to write the play when I thought it was possible that I could support them.”

Photos above, over page: Claudine Quinn

Page 10: Fest 2012 Issue 4

10 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20 www.festmag.co.uk

festfeature

t What’s noticeable is that, despite their accretions of potential metaphor, his language throughout is strangely value-less. Indeed, in a single line of The Letter of Last Resort, Greig drives at the nub of the nuclear debate with a clarity rarely seen in the tit-for-tat staple of cod-philosophical natter: “To write ‘retaliate’ is monstrous and irrational,” Greig’s prime minister observes. “To write ‘don’t retali-ate’ renders the whole nuclear project valueless.” It’s a line which, one suspect, will earn Greig his slot in anthologies of British playwriting. It seems certainly to earn him his magniloquent billing at the Traverse.

“Nuclear weapons are kind of compli-cated,” he explains. “I only began to write the play when I thought it was possible that I could support nuclear weapons. Otherwise it was pointless because if I really don’t like nuclear weapons, what am I going to say? I know there isn’t anything to discuss, really. But when I realised that there was actually a strong argument for nuclear weapons that I could be persuaded by, I thought well, OK, I might be able to write something. Because there’s a fight, isn’t there? There’s a fight between different voices, and that’s when you get a play.”

It’s an ambivalence that might also cause discomfort for Edinburgh’s more right-on theatregoers. But, perhaps, it’s a measure of Greig’s success that he’s able to take such risks: “Because I’ve been writing in Scotland for nearly 20 years, there is a thing where one begins to feel the possibility of being very brave because you think the audience will come with you on that journey.”

And with great power, presumably, comes great responsibility? There’s a level of hyperbole Greig won’t let pass: “If you ever start thinking ‘is this line worthy of an important playwright?’ then it’s just awful! All art is going to turn to ash in your hands if you have that thought. So you just have to... you have to have the same anxieties and neuroses that you always had.

“It doesn’t matter what you do, it’s always taking your clothes off in public. And if you start feeling happy about tak-ing your clothes off in public, then you’re probably on a spiral that you don’t want to go down.” f

Traverse Theatre, times vary, 15–26 Aug, not 20, £18.00 – £20.00

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www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 11

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12 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20 www.festmag.co.uk

SOME MIGHT consider it cheating. As I clamber onto the craggy side of Arthur’s Seat on an overcast afternoon, I feel less of an

underhanded sneak and more of a pilgrim honouring the patron saint of underde-veloped 1980s kids, Daniel Larusso from The Karate Kid. I too seek guidance and wisdom from the Far East. Hence, I have come to meet a group of skilful warriors who will endow me with the secrets of their art form.

Their name is Hi-Kick. They hail mainly from South Korea. Their Edinburgh show features unearthly footballing skills. They alone will help me vanquish the Cobra Kai of the Fringe: the comedians’ football team.

On Sunday 19 August at 2pm on the Meadows I will lead out a rag-tag bunch of critics against these more popular and talented individuals in the annual Am-nesty International Critics vs. Comedians football match.

Frankly, we’re not very good. We critics hide behind pithy sign-offs and the threat of giving one-star reviews. In reality a life behind a keyboard has withered our arms to weedy dino-size and physical co-ordination stops at being able to simulta-neously hold a pint and write disparaging, self-satisfied comments in our notebooks during gigs.

In contrast, the comedians have been known to “sweep the leg” with abandon. Their captain, Mark Watson, rules with an iron fist. He insists his team call him sensei. Defeat does not exist in his dojo. They strike first, strike hard. No mercy. He commands them to “put them in a body bag.”. u

BOOTCAMP

With the annual Amnesty International Critics vs. Comedians football match looming, Edd McCracken meets one of the Fringe's top sporting acts in the hope of learning tricks to defeat the funnymen

Photos: Claudine Quinn

Page 13: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 13

Page 14: Fest 2012 Issue 4

14 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20 www.festmag.co.uk

COMEDY NEEDS A NEW ICON.Discover Southampton Solent University’s Comedy and Performance Degree

www.solent.ac.uk/comedy E: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)23 8031 9536

COMEDY AD:Layout 1 24/07/2012 15:46 Page 2

t Fear and desperation has led me to this moment on Arthur’s Seat: repeatedly heading a football against the ground with all the apparent sanity of a caged elephant, whilst holding the pose of an oversized chicken. Young children and dog walkers stop and stare. Hi-Kick’s resident strongman Ahn Jeongmo assures me this is a vital skill. This must be how young Larusso felt when presented with a car bonnet and some wax.

But I persevere. Hi-Kick should be the perfect show to help me prepare for the match. It tells the simple story of good versus evil through the medium of football. A sage-like footballer helps a bunch of no-hopers become maestros on the pitch and defeat their brutish, callous opponents. It’s like seeing Sunday’s game unfold on stage.

The show began life in Seoul, South Korea 18 months ago. San Theatre Com-pany gathered together 12 performers from a variety of backgrounds. Former professional woman’s footballer? Check. Ballet dancer? Check. Boxer? Come on in. Taekwondo expert? Fill your boots. Two of the three girls hail from Thailand, where they played sepak takraw, a hugely entertaining mix of volleyball and football.

All are supreme athletes. What hope is there for a bald, gangly, uncoordinated journalist? Quite a bit, Hi-Kick believe. It is one of the Thai girls, Supakarnkamjorn Kasidinthorn—Maem to her friends—who coaches me through another spectacular if seemingly impractical trick.

She traps the ball mid-air in the cradle between the front of her foot and her ankle, then flicks it up, catches and bal-ances it on her finger, then with a quick pointing action, rolls the ball along her arm. Easy. The practical application to an actual football match is unclear, but the rapid finger poke might help blind Watson and his crew, should the match get all South American derby on us.

With little spoken English but gallons of good-will, Maem teaches me the constituent parts. I quickly find out I have the most awkward arms in Christendom. When they should be relaxed and flexible, they are either like ramrods by my side or arched like some demented piece of Gothic architecture. Despite this, thanks to my coach, I start trapping the ball and getting it onto my finger. Admittedly it stays there for a millisecond before I start careering around our grassy knoll trying to balance it, like Fawlty Towers’ Manuel overloaded with plates. But damn it, I did it.

Next up is the overhead kick. Choi Youngjo is my guide through the myster-ies of this gravity defying, balletic move. Despite his comedy bowl haircut, Youngjo used to be a boxer, can kick twice his own height, and is the closest thing Hi-Kick has to Jackie Chan.

He throws the ball in the air and then does an explosive somersault, attacking the ball in mid-flight, before landing per-fectly on the ground. The ball has soared into the back of our makeshift nets. I start to wonder how many reviews one needs to do to qualify as a critic. He might not speak English, but I’m sure Fest could publish some of Youngjo’s musings on the Scandinavian comedy scene.

Nanny, the other Thai girl, also has a go at the overhead kick. Again she completes it with astonishing grace and nimbleness.

Next up it’s me. When Peter Crouch, my kindred physical spirit, scored a spec-tacular goal against Chelsea last year, The Guardian memorably likened his blizzard of limbs to “a windmill falling down the stairs.” My attempts are more like a wind-mill imploding. There is no forward move-ment, no dynamism, no goal. Just 12 stone of emaciated writer hanging in the air like a sub-standard Turner Prize exhibit, arms and legs blindly searching for something, anything, in the void, before crumpling in on itself, leaving a groaning, mangled heap of bones on the ground.

Hi-Kick gasp. Youngjo runs over to make sure I’m okay. Gamely he talks me through the basic moves again. This time I nail it. I am on a roll. Giddy after that success, Hi-Kick talk me through a bevy of other tricks, from balancing the ball on my head, catching it behind my neck, rolling it around the circumference of my arms, do-ing a handstand and heading the ball. All of which they manage with metronomic efficiency in their stage show. I manage clumsy variations of some, others remain frustratingly far from my grip.

But, thanks to the skill and tutelage of Hi-Kick, by the end of our training session I emerge a more tricksy footballer. As Daniel Larusso discovered, you must learn to stand before you can fly. Watch out comedians, Hi-Kick has given the critics some wings. f

Assembly Hall, 4:05pm – 5:05pm, 15–27 Aug, not 20, £13.00 – £15.00

festfeature

Page 15: Fest 2012 Issue 4

COMEDY NEEDS A NEW ICON.Discover Southampton Solent University’s Comedy and Performance Degree

www.solent.ac.uk/comedy E: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)23 8031 9536

COMEDY AD:Layout 1 24/07/2012 15:46 Page 2

Page 16: Fest 2012 Issue 4

16 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20 www.festmag.co.uk

IT’S BEEN little over two years since Steve Marmion became Artistic Direc-tor at the Soho Theatre in London, but he’s always been clear about his

vision for the venue. “It should feel like Edinburgh,” he tells me over lunch, during a packed day of Fringe shows. “It should feel like the best of Edinburgh actually. We want to feel like a conservatoire of production whilst having an amazingly buzzy festival programme 365 days a year.”

And with six slots an evening to fill across three spaces, Marmion has his work cut out for him every August. In 2010, his first year in the job, he saw nearly 200 shows at Edinburgh. He only picked up two: Little Bulb’s Herald Angel Award-winning Operation Greenfield and Bryony Kimmings’ Sex Idiot, which won a Total Theatre Award and then went on to develop last year’s 7 Day Drunk with the theatre.

After that exhausting first year, he now relies on his network of colleagues and trusted associates to help him cover the Fringe. But his enthusiasm stems from his own experiences as a writer and director bringing work to the festival. Marmion has been coming to Edinburgh every year since 1996, when he was a fresh university graduate who’d written a play about the 1989 Hillsborough disaster (he was at Hillsborough that day). It caught the eye of the National Theatre’s Jack Bradley but Marmion says that “other than that first year, I’d never managed to get anyone to see my work. Not anyone who would have given it further life.”

We meet on the first Monday of the Fringe; Marmion’s already been in town for a few days and seen around 20 shows. So far, he’s most enthusiastic about Bitch Boxer —“It’s one of the proudest hours I’ve ever spent in the theatre”—and Boris and Sergey’s Vaudevillian Adventure, an adult puppet show recommended to him by Mervyn Millar, puppet director on War Horse.

His next stop is Carnival of Crows, a free show whose company members

work with Marmion at the Soho Theatre. Marmion is there to show his support, rather than because he’s had a hot tip about the work. It’s a macabre story about Victorian carnival sideshows, and Marmion is engaged by the play and im-pressed by the one-woman performance. But—as with many plays he’ll see at the Fringe—he’s much more likely to build a relationship with the company off the back of this rather than give it a straight transfer to the Soho.

He explains the process: “I’ll have a drink with the guys in the company one evening up here or in London and ask what they’re up to, what their plans are and how we can support them. It’ll probably mean some rehearsal space here and there, or I’ll watch a run-through and offer notes or a script-writer attachment. The one way I can’t help is with money. We haven’t got any – no one has. But I can help with the artistic resources we’ve got.”

Knowing Marmion, or one of his trusted advisors, helps if you want to get his attention at the Fringe. But the the-atre aims to see every Edinburgh show they’re invited to. So if you pitch your show correctly, it’s likely to get a viewing from him or a Soho associate.

“The people who tweet me to come and see a show are less likely to get there than the ones that have written me an email,” he admits. “The way to get me there is to know me already and have made contact. Come and see my work, too. Tell me, ‘I like what you’re doing at your theatre. I think my play would fit this space beautifully and this time slot.’ Make it impossible for me to say no, that’s the way people can really get me along to their show.”

For Marmion, Edinburgh is a two way street. In one direction, you’ve got the shows that the Soho Theatre has helped produce or develop to bring up to the Fringe. This year, that includes Phil Porter’s Blink at the Traverse, Joel Hor-wood’s I Heart Peterborough and Oh, the Humanity and Other Good Intentions by

THE NEXT BIG THING?Within the industry, the Edinburgh festival is the largest trade fair of the year.

Yasmin Sulaiman follows Steve Marmion, the artistic director of the Soho Theatre in London, as he scouts out the hottest new theatre shows.

Page 17: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 17

Will Eno. And since the opening of its downstairs comedy and cabaret space, the theatre has also become influential in the comedy world: this year they’ve helped bring Bourgeois and Maurice and Doctor Brown’s Befrdfgth, one of this year’s hottest tickets, to Edinburgh.

The other direction is “pegging it from venue to venue and seeing who’s next”. And although Marmion is resistant to having one-man shows in the main Soho theatre (“We do them already,” he shrugs, “and they’re called comedy”) he thinks there’s a space for the right solo pieces in the theatre’s more intimate upstairs venue, which is about “those young and emerging companies – that raw work, work that’s at the convergence point of genres.”

Coincidentally, the next show we see together turns out to be a one-man piece – Oliver Reed: Wild Thing. Over the

two minute walk from our lunch spot to the venue, Marmion seems every bit the Edinburgh veteran, waving to or pointing out people he knows on every street. In the queue for the show, we bump into Ali Robertson—Marmion’s counterpart at the Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol—and, as the two chat frantically about everything they’ve seen so far, the extent of the director’s trusted network becomes clear.

Oliver Reed is an engaging hour and, again, Marmion admires the performance. Yet, despite a brief scene in which the young Reed visits seedy Soho for a night of debauchery, it’s not edgy enough for him to feel it merits a transfer to his theatre. But although today hasn’t brought any big surprises or exciting discoveries, he’s still convinced that Edinburgh is the only place to find the best new companies in the UK.

“Where else would you do it?” he says. I suggest Brighton’s own expanding Fringe, but he’s not convinced. “I don’t go to Brigh-ton. There are other festivals, and things like Latitude and Glastonbury. But you couldn’t invent this festival from a blank page. What’s wonderful about Edinburgh is that it’s really democratic and open access. It’s up to you to make your splash and it’s up to me to find out what the buzz is and come and see the good stuff.

“And it’s not just up to me on my lovely Soho throne,” he continues. “It’s up to every single punter here to find their own Edinburgh. It doesn’t matter how many posters you’ve got on a lamppost, people will find it if the work’s right. If there’s a picture of someone in a Liverpool kit on a poster, my head turns. I can’t help it but that’s the work I want to see and it’s all here for me.” f

THE NEXT BIG THING?

Above from top: Blink, I Heart Peterborough; Left from top: Bitch Boxer, Boris and Sergey’s Vaudevillian Adventure

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THE STAND COMEDY CLUB0131 558 7272 | thestand.co.uk

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me

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Photo: Claudine Quinn

HHHH

Get ready for some comedy mathletics in the standup's latest turbocharged showPage 30

NICK MOHAMMED

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Pappy’s: Last Show EverHHHHHFair play to sketch troupe Pappy’s: the trio have done a fantastic job bigging up this year’s show as a last chance to indulge in an apparently significant moment in comedy history. Pay your money, folks, and hail for one last time the conquering heroes. But after an hour in their company, one is forced to admit that the self-made hype isn’t entirely

unjustified. Pappy’s cement their position here as the tightest, smartest and most consistently funny sketch troupe on the circuit – indeed, the steady realisation that this might not be curtains for them comes as a pleasant relief.

Ostensibly, Last Show Ever revolves around a neat conceit which sees the three aged performers reliving the fateful last show in an at-tempt to recall why it proved to be their swan song. There’s some fun to be had in playing

the old codgers, and in the various misrememberings which cloud their doddery minds (this baguette, it seems, is not just a baguette). But to read too much into the narrative is to miss the point of this deliciously silly hour. It’s a neat device to cover costume changes and link the otherwise unlinkable in a show which relies on pace, timing and a high laugh-per-minute rate for its eminent success. Though well-worked recurring jokes (‘head,

shoulders, knees and toes’, for instance, is used inventively throughout), variation of tone and pitch, and judicious deployment of audience participation, the typical constraints of the sketch format are, if not completely overcome, then largely swept under the carpet. Pappy’s is dead; long live Pappy’s. [Evan Beswick]

Pleasance Dome, 8:20pm – 9:20pm, 15–27 Aug, £12.50 – £14.00

Casual Violence: A Kick in the TeethHHHHHTragicomedy sketch group Casual Violence are refresh-ingly dark. Their latest offering A Kick in the Teeth takes us to tense sketch comedy environments and isn’t afraid to explore their strangeness in search of a laugh. The result is a promising hour with strong performances all round and several memorable characters,

the deranged ‘Poppyman’ selling Remembrance Day poppies a clear highlight.

Separating Casual Violence from the hordes of budding sketch comedy troupes at the Fringe is a comprehen-sive control of tone. James Hamilton has done a slick job of infusing the writing with their specific eeriness, further cultivated by their ‘keyboard sidekick’ who soundtracks the hour in a suitably unset-tling manner. In truth, Adam

Felman’s role is more integral than musical background or sidekick, despite being trapped at his keyboard stool he comes to shine in providing an element of musical comedy between set changes and during sketches. Here, Casual Violence demonstrate they have a keen awareness of the boundaries of sketch comedy and are able to experiment within them, while still maintaining their particularly intriguing collective voice.

Some scenes fall a little flat, with a lengthy ‘cop who is constantly narrating rather than taking action’ sketch risk-ing the audience’s patience. But it’s clear this experimentation with the form aims to capture our interest and, along with their strength as performers, shows serious promise for the future. [Gemma Flynn]

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 10:00pm – 11:00pm, 15–26 Aug, not 21, £8.00

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Michael Mittermeier: A German on SafariHHHHHTalk about having your cake and eating it. Michael Mit-termeier is quick to dabble in ironic Nazi references, brand-ing his venue a bunker as soon as he takes to the stage and going on to suggest he has unfinished business with the roomful of allied audience members. We’re confident that he’s joking at these points, but as he staggers before us, groaning and contorting his face in what he says as an impression of a ‘handicapped’ person, it’s difficult not to at least question his views on eugenics.

It should come as no surprise that ‘Germany’s best-selling comic’ is happy to casu-

Discover Ben TargetHHHHHA suspicious welcome comes courtesy of Ben Target’s minions, swaddled in con-tamination suits and doling out sweets said to come “from the bottom of Ben’s aunt”. Or possibly “heart” – it wasn’t clear. We are promised some-thing “a little bit different and altogether beautiful,” which in this case means an exercise in messy, prop-based idiocy.

So crucial is the element of surprise here that only so much can be revealed. Target—a skinny, bearded goon who booms in thespian tones—has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, down his trousers and stashed in his Tardis of a jacket. Deadpan, he unfurls a repertoire of absurd visual gags, crap sorcery and brazen feats of audience coercion.

Physical comedy has bred a sort of arms race and Target enters it with gusto: who can push the crowd furthest without getting arrested or attacked? Though

not the most extreme of its belligerents, he inflicts things on the paying public that surely warrant legal action. The laughs elicited tend to be cheap, but there will always be a place for the sadistic plea-sure of seeing a ticketholder terrorised or the satisfying sight of flotsam left strewn across the floor.

This familiar formula of orchestrated mayhem proves largely reliable, but alone it provides no guarantee of success. Presentation still matters, and while his plodding delivery lends impact to tricksy lines, it saps momentum as often as it adds tension. What really makes or breaks this pushy approach, though, is that the maestro must have an infectious energy, the charisma of a cult leader. And here Target, build-ing to a scrappy, disorientating finale, gains his fair share of disciples. [Lyle Brennan]

Underbelly, Cowgate, 4:55pm – 5:55pm, 15–26 Aug, £9.00 – £10.00

ally mock the most vulnerable people in society for the sake of a few cheap laughs. After all, his entire set is constructed around uninspired reactions to difference and otherness. There is simply no room for the individual in Mittermeier’s hackneyed, nationalistic world view. We must all be defined and categorised.

Over the course of his Edinburgh debut, we learn that each country differs greatly from the next. For instance, Germany has no speed limit whereas the UK does, meaning that everyone in the former drives recklessly while we go at a slower pace. Honestly, the people of each nation couldn’t be more dif-ferent if they tried! When the comic reveals that phrases from certain languages don’t always survive translation

with their meaning intact, we interpret this as an explana-tion for the clumsiness of his own material. As he treats us to a comedy impersonation of an Indian man, however, it becomes clear that A German

on Safari’s many faults stem from Mittermeier himself. [Lewis Porteous]

Pleasance Courtyard, 9:30pm – 10:30pm, 14–27 Aug, not 20, £9.00 – £10.00

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www.boundandgaggedcomedy.com BoundAndGaggedComedy @BandGComedy

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Marcel Lucont: Gallic SymbolHHHHHAlex Dubus’ masterful comic creation Marcel Lucont is par-ticularly robust in this latest session of Brit-baiting – this year the Kiwis get a tongue-lashing as well. 

Bookended by a pair of short films, it’s a performance of consummate professional-ism where every small Gallic glance, shrug and leer elicits laughs.

The monstrous Frenchman sets his stall out early for the newcomers – opening musical number ‘I’m Better Than You’ distilling the very essence of Lucont’s arrogant yet loveable character into two minutes of sneering song.

An undoubted highlight is when Lucont sniffily deigns to try out some “English-

Michael Workman: MercyHHHHHMichael Workman is listed under ‘comedy’ in the Fringe programme, but this multi-talented Australian stubbornly refuses to pander to genre in this affecting and effective storytelling tour de force.

Workman’s yarn is about Augustus and Freda – a young 1960s Cuban couple who are expecting a child. Minutes after becoming a father, journalist Augustus is arrested for criticising Fidel Castro in print and set adrift on a boat (the Mercy of the title) as punishment. This exile is the cue for a series of fantastical adventures featur-ing comedic sharks, an angel called Keith and a ‘starmaker’ who constructs constellations from bad teenage poetry.

The lyrical monologue is only part of this multi-layered treat – each part of the story is illustrated with

Workman’s witty drawings and soundtracked by his own original hypnotic score.

This isn’t joke-a-minute stuff, it’s a gentle meandering journey more likely to leave audiences choked with emo-tion than crying with laugh-ter. When Workman sings, it’s not to deliver a cheap comedy song, but rather a heartfelt ballad to progress the journey. Wry chuckles give way to goosebumps.

It brings to mind Daniel Kitson’s early experiments with whimsical theatre, inter-twined with Demitri Martin’s sense of the absurd. Add in Workman’s intense, magnetic stage presence and this is a killer combination. He landed the Best Newcomer gong at the Melbourne Comedy Festival last year, and with Mercy, he might have to clear some more space on the mantlepiece. [David Hepburn]

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 6:15pm – 7:15pm, 15–26 Aug, £9.00 – £10.00

style” comedy. It’s a risky move for an English comedian to pretend to be a French raconteur pretending to be an English comedian, but it

successfully adds an extra layer to a performance which could otherwise be one joke stretched to breaking point.

It’s a danger that Dubus

is clearly aware of as there seems to be more variety than in previous shows. Child-hood diaries give an insight into the young Lucont and his bendy friend Maurice, whose sexual talents are the subject of a number of nice callbacks.

Other songs also follow, including the only real low point in the set – a bafflingly puerile (even for the las-civious Lucont) number titled “Continental Breastfest.” He soon recovers though and, maintaining the obsession with all things base, con-cludes with erotic poetry and some dubious sex advice.

It’s a fun and filthy hour from a character who has now become a Fringe staple. [David Hepburn]

Underbelly, Cowgate, 10:25pm – 11:25pm, 15–26 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

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The PinHHHHHThe Pin are almost dangerous-ly slick. Words like “immacu-late” and phrases like “directed to perfection” are bandied about far too much these days but, in their case, it’s the only way to describe them. 

Scene changes are conducted with almost mes-merising precision and while many a trio have attempted some sort of ambitious nar-rative structure, most have either failed or, at best, sort of succeeded. The Pin’s debut hour runs backwards; each sketch ending where the previous began, starting with an unexplained shoot-out and working backwards. Ben Ashenden, Mark Fiddaman and Alex Owen “rewind” proceedings with the sort of physicality normally spotted in physical theatre, while the sketches and skits themselves

Jim Campbell: Nine Year-Old ManHHHHHThe Fringe rarely lacks a surfeit of comedians who appear to be stumbling through some kind of second childhood, but self-awareness of one’s arrested development seems to be more of a theme than ever this year. Perhaps it's the infantilisa-tion of our culture, or the fact that the recession and recent government policies have made the experience of youth more brutally unpleasant than usual. Whatever the reason, the struggle to grow up, or a resistance to doing so, has been given centre stage by much of Edinburgh’s class of 2012.

Jim Campbell should arguably be at the head of that crowd, since he has found a happy equilibrium between an often well-founded fear of the real world and a witty, literate means of expressing it. As a stranger in the strange land

of adulthood, Campbell admits that the show is part of his plan to become a function-ing grown-up. Whether he succeeds or not, the results on stage can be considered a mod-est triumph.

Campbell’s routines run through some fairly banal sub-ject matter—the perils of being single versus “smug couples,” the unattainability of manic pixie dream girls, dealing with an ex-girlfriend’s somewhat odd religious beliefs and tales from his days at the job centre—but does so with a refreshing lack of misanthropy, so when he does unsheathe the cyni-cism, it’s all the more effective. Though occasionally too polite for his own good, Campbell displays talent and intelligence, not to mention some unexpect-edly proficient rap battle skills. [Sean Bell]

Underbelly, Bristo Square, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, 15–27 Aug, £9.00 – £10.00

far too reliant on volume as opposed to skill.  

Overall, though, this is an impressively executed, promising debut from the trio; it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with next year.  [Stevie Martin]

Pleasance Courtyard, 4:45pm – 5:45pm, 15–27 Aug, not 20, £8.50 – £9.50

are equally flawless.It’s not that there’s

anything wrong with the writing—it’s excellent in places—but some sketches hit and some miss. A nicely executed dig at the crudity of Shakespearean fools and an unashamedy silly restaurant sequence are highlights, while a sketch involving buying a stereo reverts to the lazy

straight-man-weird-man for-mula done to death by every sketch troupe going. Similarly, the performances vary de-spite them all having their moments – Ashendon steals it with an impressive versatility, subtlety and perfect comic timing, Fiddaman has some great moments but is a little more one-note, and Owen in comparison to the others feels

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Jimeoin: What?!HHHHHObservational humour is often maligned for being shallow and safe. It’s a reputation which Jimeoin, one of the masters of the genre, playfully toys with at the beginning of What?!. “You’ll be no wiser at the end of this,” he promises.

It’s a great start and segues into the kind of mate-rial the Irishman has been lauded for in the past – novel observations which provoke laughs, claps and thigh slaps of recognition. From the practicalities of a missing shirt button, to the revolving doors of the venue, Jimeoin succeeds in his admittedly modest aims.

Unfortunately it’s not long until the quality heads south. The measured, controlled delivery remains, but the jokes become almost will-fully prosaic – reaching the lowest point with a riff about women being similar to cats and men having more in common with dogs.

With 15 minutes remain-ing he digs out his notebook and tries out some new material. At first this seems like part of a more ambitious joke but it soon becomes clear that he is, genuinely, just reading out potential lines for future shows. “Do Chinese people ever get sick of Chinese food?” is one such quip read out from his Moleskine, suggesting there’s a reason these musings haven’t yet been worked into his full act.

He pulls it back at the end, delivering what is by far the best segment of the set and leaving the stage on a high, but it doesn’t make up for what has come before.  [David Hepburn]

Venue150 @ EICC, 6:00pm – 7:00pm, 15–26 Aug, not 21, 22, 23, 24, £13.50 – £15.50

Sarfraz Manzoor: The Boss Rules HHHHHObjectivity can be a harsh mistress. Though one tries to keep personal prejudice from infecting the critical faculties, if someone had gone out of their way to design a theme for their show that would ren-der your faithful correspon-dent helplessly biased, they couldn’t have done a better job than Sarfraz Manzoor’s paean to Bruce Springsteen. You either get The Boss or you don’t. 

Audiences will quickly be divided between those nodding along with Manzoor’s every breathless word of

Bruce worship, and those who simply put up with it, indulgently or otherwise. Nev-ertheless, Manzoor’s engag-ing, eloquent autobiographical lecture should find admirers everywhere, whether they have the good taste to be Springsteen fans or not.

Manzoor, a journalist and documentary-maker rather than a comic, begins by em-phasising how The Boss Rules is not a comedy show, and should not be viewed as such. While this may be so, Manzoor still manages to be funnier than the majority of standups at this year’s Fringe. Though Springsteen and his music are central to Manzoor’s unfolding story—the Boss ‘Rules’ of the

title are “like the Ten Com-mandments, but with guitar solos”—it also touches on growing up as a second-gen-eration Pakistani immigrant in Luton (birthplace of the English Defence League), his marriage to a non-Muslim and the birth of his daughter.

Manzoor’s personal narra-tive keeps the audience rapt, while the life lessons he draws from New Jersey’s finest son never seem contrived, instead summoning a charming, even moving sense of how impor-tant music is to us while we’re young. [Sean Bell]

The Assembly Rooms, 3:45pm – 4:45pm, 15–26 Aug, £10.00

Jim SmallmanHHHHH“I don’t feel I have enough friends. So I thought I’d do a gig about making friends and by the end I’ll be friends with all 45 of you." Jim Small-man’s set is unapologetically, shamelessly life-affirming. He is, he informs his audience, attempting to balance out the misery of the set the year before – he wants his audience to leave feeling good about life.

Smallman is being overly harsh on himself here – this declaredly fresh brand of optimistic comedy is less

of a departure than he pretends. He has always been a storyteller of warmth and humanity, particularly on the subject of his personal life, from which Smallman draws most of his material. Like many proud parents, he can’t resist discussing his “brilliant” daughter – about the time she bettered him in a battle of wits for instance, or the precocity of her puns. Sometimes his stories sag a little, weighed down by his continued expressions of enthusiasm and, as comedy (rather than just a spot of nice storytelling),  such routines are less successful. But they

are delivered with such guile-less joy you can’t help but moved all the same – just not always to belly-laughter.

His pleasure in juvenile jokes is still very much in evi-dence; there are some knob-oriented gags and musings over any number of puerile activities but Smallman, for all his tattoos, exposed y-fronts and razzled edges, resembles more an overgrown puppy. And who can resist making friends with a puppy? [Mi-randa Kiek]

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 4:30pm – 5:30pm, 15–26 Aug, £9.00

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Vladimir McTavish and Keir McAllisterHHHHH20 minutes into their politi-cally charged double act, Keir McAllister promises us that the preceding Alex Salmond fat joke will be their last. “Why?” responds Vladimir. “Have you forgotten the rest of the script?”

This neatly sums up the contradiction of McTavish and McAllister's Look at the State of Scotland; while it aims to achieve something unconven-tional and necessary, many of the gags it pulls out are ach-ingly familiar, and as comedy routines on Scotland go, tread some very well-worn territory. McTavish and McAllister aren’t wrong, however, when they point out that the artistic and satirical response to Scotland’s upcoming independence referendum has been mysteri-ously muted. The pair conclude this is down to public apathy, something they find under-standably disgusting when it

comes to the biggest decision in a nation’s history.

Though never so partisan it becomes alienating, the duo approach their topic with an obvious nationalist undercur-rent—though the SNP get as many jabs as anyone else—which lends the performance a nice streak of antiauthoritari-anism it might have lacked if their political sympathies lay elsewhere. Their best material is fired with righteous anger and wry cynicism, but relies heavily on punchlines and one-liners, the remainder of their monologues tending to wander and fizzle for far too long. Though anyone with more than a glancing interest in Scottish politics will find something to appreciate, the show falls far short of its inten-tion. McTavish and McAllister will enliven little debate, but they do raise a few laughs. [Sean Bell]

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, 15–26 Aug, £8.00

Nick Mohammed is Mr Swallow: 2012HHHHHNick Mohammed, polymath and character comic extraor-dinaire, is 164cm tall. But as a show-off of the highest order, what he lacks in stature he makes up for in just about everything else. He returns in the guise of Mr Swallow, the shrill and garrulous lifestyle guru whose 2010 outing taught us how to enhance our memories.

“What’s this year’s restrictive theme?” he asks, knowing full well that he will digress from the set subject of numbers. His height is one of a grab bag of digits thrown up via slides as he wages war on “mathematical bullshit”. With pace and pedantry Mr Swallow tears through supermarket deals and the Twelve Days of Christmas, taking issue with zero and infinity. His instinc-tive, turbocharged chitchat evokes a small-town gossip in the grip of a manic episode. 

Mohammed has a whole menagerie of characters at his disposal, but here he lets Mr Swallow hog the limelight. Threads of his backstory are toyed with and abandoned, and when Mohammed breaks off for a caricature of his absent-minded accountant it comes out of nowhere – but the show’s scattiness is part of its charm. 

The work put into this show is plain to see, and not just in the arithmetical acrobatics of its finale. From the first words Mohammed squawks, he finds fun and innovative ways to earn our attention, whether he’s challenging us to rig a Countdown number round against him or asking inane questions to which we could not possibly know the answer. An impressive, dense and relentlessly funny hour, this adds up to astonishingly good value. [Lyle Brennan]

Pleasance Courtyard, 6:00pm – 7:00pm, 15–26 Aug, £11.00 – £12.00

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Pete Firman: HoodwinkerHHHHHPete Firman has come a long way from 2007’s Hokum..

Once a fun, unashamedly geeky antithesis to the bland showmanship of suit-wearing mainstream magicians, Fir-man’s schtick is now that of the bland showman complete with the suit and the self satisfied narcissistic jokes and a penchant for mining his participants for cheap laughs through unimaginative in-sults.  This direction may have worked for the TV producers (as seen on BBC One’s The Ma-gicians) but we preferred Fun Geeky Pete. What happened to him? 

Firman’s promising opener, a Rocky style video, gives us a glimpse of aforementioned Fun Geeky Pete, the guy who didn’t take himself too serious-

Trevor Noah: The RacistHHHHHTrevor Noah has no race. No, really: born in apartheid South Africa to a black mother and a white father, the state af-forded the mixed-race child no racial status, a postnatal kick in the teeth which remains as a blank on Noah’s birth certificate. It’s hardly surpris-ing, then, that the 28 year-old has spent much of his life thinking about issues of race and identity – or “teams,” as his thinking has led him to af-fectionately term them. What’s more, in between learning four languages he has clearly found time to think pretty damn hard about it, the result being a fresh and unusual reminder of comedy’s capacity to trade in a currency far more valuable than cliché and stereotype.

In particular, Noah is fascinated by the status and power dynamics which follow various racial labels.

So he speaks eloquently, for instance, about his grandpa Temperance Noah, a man “so entrenched in apartheid” that he couldn’t help but be deferential to his grandson, driving him around in the back of his car to show the “white boy” off. And yet all young Noah has ever wanted is to be “black” – “white” status, he cannily observes, being a pure and protected realm no half-cast can ever aspire to. But where others might use this racial no-man's land as a position from which to lash out, Noah is too smart not to recognise the hypocrisy this would entail. His final satisfac-tion at being called the “black Hitler” in a German sandwich shop comes as the deliciously problematic culmination to a riotously funny hour from a performer reaching his stride as a class act. [Evan Beswick]

Pleasance Courtyard, 7:15pm – 8:15pm, 15–27 Aug, £9.00 – £10.00

ly while catching you off guard with some pretty cool magic tricks. Sadly, he’s exchanged the goofy fun for a slick TV-ready hour, and if you’re going to go all slick on us, your tricks had better be top quality. Sure, he’s a good magician—there’s some mindreading, some nice card tricks and a whole lot of other inventive stuff (running out of synonyms for “magic tricks” here)—but it’s not really

enough when everything else is so run-of-the-mill. 

There are better illusionists out there, but Fun Geeky Pete made it, yknow, fun – mixing the odd great trick with a load of enthusiastic silliness. Consummate professional magicians who take the piss out of their audience are pretty boring, to be honest; his old warmth and humour was much more entertaining.

As a technical magi-cian, add two stars but, as a show, this is disappointingly lacking in heart and humour. When thanking us after a flourishing finale, he seems sincerely happy we came. Why didn’t we get this all the way through?   [Stevie Martin]

Pleasance Courtyard, 9:10pm – 10:10pm, 14–26 Aug, £12.00 – £15.00

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Denise Scott: RegretsHHHHHThere’s not much that can charitably be said about Denise Scott’s Regrets. Her on-stage presence is comforting and she certainly delivers an assured standup perfor-mance, indeed, her gentle command of the room puts her mature audience at ease. Throughout her set, Scott fre-quently refers to her status as a beloved star in Australia and it may well be the case that her tales of husband John and observational humour work

far better in bigger 2,000 seat arenas than in this cramped and stuffy room. It has seem-ingly drained all of the energy, giving her set the feel of a dramatic monologue.

But much of the blame for what is a rather unsatisfy-ing hour lies with Scott, relying too heavily on tired post-menopausal cliché and frequently highlighting the lack of laughter by portraying herself as the cheeky comic there to make a joke out of everything. If the jokes are there, they are too well-hid-den or at the very least, stifled by the atmosphere. Anecdotes

referring to previous gigs of Scott’s which have resulted in humorous audience interac-tion only leave this audience wondering when our own big laughs are coming. There does seem to be some form of catharsis in relating to Scott’s experiences, but there are unforgivably few genuine laughs in Regrets and Scott as the loveable mother-figure simply cannot count on so much charity from her audi-ence.    [Gemma Flynn]

Assembly Hall, 6:30pm – 7:30pm, 15–26 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

Markus Birdman: Love, Life and DeathHHHHHThere’s no shying away from life’s big questions in this fiercely personal standup set from English comic Markus Birdman.

The generously quiffed vicar’s son was moved to contemplate his place in the world after suffering an unex-plained stroke shortly after his 40th birthday - a birthday he celebrated by getting a large Mexican Day of the Dead skull tattooed onto his arm.

The same skull motif is repeated on a large, intricately hand-drawn poster used as a stage backdrop, such impressive artwork including illustrations and key words and phrases from the set. It’s a meaningful backdrop for a comic with a lot to say. 

Birdman’s illness makes up the first half of the show and he talks in great detail about losing a quarter of his vision as a result of the stroke. Sure, it all sounds a little heavy, but it’s testament to his talents that even brain scans and injections of radioactive dye provide fertile ground for jokes.

A short section on religion, which includes some of his most razor-sharp barbs, makes way for a second half which is basically a self-help seminar with gags. He lists his recommended ‘tips for living’ which appear trite in isolation (take pleasure in the little things, don’t be scared, do what you love) but are made just about palatable by Birdman’s easy-going charm and obvious sincerity. 

A rousing finish, sticking two fingers up to death, concludes a solidly satisfying hour. [David Hepburn]

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9:20pm – 10:20pm, 18–26 Aug, not 20, £8.00

Sean Hughes Stands UpHHHHH“Let’s talk about the elephant in the room,” begins Sean Hughes, “I’ve put on a bit of weight.” But it’s not a beer gut, because the British-Irish comedian has recently quit booze – “quit everything in fact,” he reveals. A clean-up probably comes none too soon for the late Bill Hicks’ for-mer drinking buddy, though perhaps his confidence and flow are taking time to find stimulant-free balance.

I’m all in favour of stand-ups eschewing much of their prepared material in favour of

bantering with the crowd, but Hughes’ ad-libs are of erratic quality tonight. Beginning by brazenly suggesting to a 17 year-old at the show with his dad that he shouldn’t be here but instead “fucking someone against a skip” sets an edgy tone, but his half-hearted efforts to noise-up an aircraft engineer and a jeweller in the front row are tame. Granted, luck isn’t really with Hughes tonight – when one lady disappears to the toilet he tries that old chestnut of grilling her boyfriend for intimate details of her life to freak her out with when she comes back, but the guy isn’t especially forthcoming,

and his girlfriend takes an age to return. Still – Hughes should salvage better laughs out of the joke going wrong. After having counted down for about half the set to the point when he “fucks off,” he ends up overrunning by about 10 minutes in search of a decent out, finally settling for a garbled routine about how sobering up has killed his libido. By most other comics’ standards this was still an entertaining show, but by Hughes’ own it has to rank as poor. [Malcolm Jack]

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 8:15pm – 9:15pm, 15–27 Aug, £13.00 – £14.00

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Jeff Leach: Boyfriend ExperienceHHHHH“I have no shame!” trumpets bad-boy comedian and TV presenter Jeff Leach about half-way through his act. But after last year’s exploration of his drink and drugs habits, he’s actually cleaned himself up. Now it’s time to tackle his sex addiction and, after his several hundred sexual relationships, to discover whether he really is suitable boyfriend material.

Leach seems a bit desperate to tell us that he’s got problems. But although he’s certainly cheeky and unafraid to talk about racy matters, he’s not as shocking as he thinks he is. He reminds us of naughty exploits several times during the show, while simultaneously coming across as likeably egocentric, albeit a bit needy as opposed to downright outrageous.

A lot of the show is surprisingly soft: his views on women, for example, or an endearing anecdote about tak-ing a toddler to the loo. Some of it feels a little meandering, though. An overly lengthy routine on a Texan politician’s namesake with decidedly dodgy views doesn’t really go anywhere. He also has plenty of ire for critics, showing a video montage of his worst reviews and returning to the subject several times. This probably means a lot more to him than it does to the audience, as the laughter soon dissipates into a couple of indulgent chuckles.

So if the bad-boy stuff isn’t really true, what’s he got left? Well, he’s quick, confident, and he’s got a great way with spon-taneous banter. It’s certainly a good show, but he’ll need stron-ger, tighter material and a more convincing persona to make it a great one. [David Kettle]

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9:30pm – 10:30pm, 14–27 Aug, £9.50 – £10.00

Simon Donald’s School Of SwearingHHHHHSimon Donald’s new show favours a style similar to Robin Ince that, to coin a phrase for the wordlover, could be classed ‘docu-comedy.’ His School of Swearing gives the history and evolution of swearwords while placing them in the comic context of his own quips. Cerebral filth this is, citing Germaine Greer, Ian Dury, and Johnny Rotten in its footnotes. 

 At 48, the co-founder of adult Beano mag Viz is still charmingly enamoured with the childish gag, though

he doesn’t perform live his typical comic-book caricatures. Dressed as an anarchic head-master, Donald gives a mock-term at his School of Swearing complete with exams and zany last-day antics. He even wheels out a TV to keep the class interested with an inter-active gameshow of Celebrity Swears, teaching the favourite profanities of Stewart Lee and the like. “Can anyone put that word in a sentence for me?” he asks the crowd with affected condescension gesturing at a compound obscenity. 

Donald’s not just been browsing Urban Dictionary but reflecting touchingly on his own swearing biography.

Highlights include the magical Disneyland moment when he realised he could add an ‘e’ to ‘shit’. His passion further leads him to rail vigorously against targets such as censorship laws as well as the more obvi-ous Piers Morgan-shaped digs.

Those looking for a solid hour of laughs may be disappointed. Early on Donald teaches us that swear words stimulate a different part of your brain than normal words. This witty and scintillat-ing smutfest stimulates all areas. [Catherine Sylvain]

The Stand Comedy Club II, 10:30pm – 11:30pm, 14–26 Aug, £8.00

Seize the David O’DohertyHHHHHThere’s something to be said for the dependable comic. No, they may not offer edgy innovations that will change the landscape of standup, but they can still put on a bloody good show. Enter David O’Doherty.

Seize the David O’Doherty doesn’t so much follow a narrative as simply addressing two major issues in his life: a recent breakup and an overwhelming fear of ro-dents. But the comic isn’t ask-ing for sympathy, or reliving a

horrifying return of his teen-age years of sexual reticence (as is so common amongst male standups). Instead, the show functions more as a series of whimsical observa-tions about everything from his distaste for vintage shops to his father’s ineptitude with chip and pin devices. 

It is this comic simplicity that has cemented O’Doherty’s status as a Fringe favourite: there is no esoteric elitism to be found in his anecdotes, just a dishevelled Irish comedian with a rudimentary knowl-edge of keyboard playing and a deft ability to get his crowd onside within moments.

The energy does tend to dip a little in the second half of his set, though, but a brilliant segment in which he sings excerpts from “the Torah of the ladies”—a decades-old Cosmo sex tips book—livens things up again with a suitable dose of silliness. For a man who repeatedly states that he only has three “proper” jokes in his repertoire, O’Doherty’s ability to sustain an hour of irrelevant and irreverent com-edy seems pretty impressive. [Charlotte Lytton]

Pleasance Courtyard, 7:20pm – 8:20pm, 15–27 Aug, £14.00 – £15.00

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Luke Benson: Backseat HeroHHHHHThey say a week is a long time in politics but a mere hour can seem even longer in comedy – a fact fully demonstrated by Luke Benson’s debut Edin-burgh show.

The title of the set refers to a tale about ‘the Bensonator’ being pursued by an angry taxi driver after a prang with his bike. It’s a story filled with comic potential but he careers through it barely pausing for breath, never mind laughter.

So quick is the gangly Ge-ordie’s delivery that the story

Adam Hills: Mess AroundHHHHHThis year’s Fringe sees regular Edinburgh highlight and nicest man in standup Adam Hills pare down his show to focus on us, the audience. Hills’ improvised exchanges are an extraordinary sight to behold; having honed a sense for where the laughs in the room might happen, he infuses this process with his friendly persona, delighting the crowd and providing a truly unique evening.

The only problem with placing the audience at the centre of the show in this compere-style approach is that Hills has to work with what he’s got, which due to his TV appearances are largely Scottish locals and Australians who revel in Hills’ astute comparisons between the two. The result is a very pleasant, but quite standard, 30 minutes which tends towards national stereotypes and cliché. However, the relatively small segment of standup material, which is masterfully executed and a testament to his craft, is then warmly embraced by the crowd who by this stage feel

Return of the LumberjacksHHHHHIt’s been 14 years since Glenn Wool, Craig Campbell and Stuart Francis last brought their redneck roadshow to the Fringe. And they sure seem happy to be back.

With Francis a regular on TV panel shows, Wool a suc-cessful touring comic both in the UK and in North America and Campbell carving out a successful niche as a crowd pleasing audience handler, expectations for this year’s Return of the Lumberjacks are high. As far as Fringe triple-bills go, this is a pretty big deal.

Things are not helped, unfortunately, by a tech delay meaning that this Friday night audience is less boisterous than it might otherwise have been. Campbell does an ad-mirable job of warming them up, but the little energy that is generated is lost during the first change-over. This leaves Wool delivering his—objec-tively strong—material to a strangely lukewarm reception. Perhaps it doesn’t help that he is also retreading the ground covered in his highly acclaimed 2010 show.

The appearance of Francis, however, shifts the dynamic of the audience completely. Despite his one liners hardly being at the cutting edge of standup, tonight they’re lapped up with raucous belly laughs. Even Francis himself seems a little taken aback at this reception.

Coupled with an ill thought out appearance from pro-wrestler turned standup, Mick Foley, this is a strange return to Edinburgh by the Lumberjacks. Nevertheless, their obvious skill and poise make it a perfectly enjoyable hour. [Ben Judge]

The Assembly Rooms, 8:10pm – 9:40pm, 14–26 Aug, not 20, £15.00

only takes up half of the hour; the other 30 minutes are filled with a range of confused mus-ings backed by fairly pointless sound effects.

It’s exhausting. Snippets of material are successful and his accent, look and demeanor all bring to mind a young Ross Noble. Unfortunately that’s where the comparisons end. There’s no control, just a rambling stream of conscious-ness. Some of it’s good, some bad, most indifferent, but not a single line is allowed to hang in the air before the next takes over, which could perhaps work if the lines were all killer gags. 

close to Hills’ heart. The content of Mess

Around isn’t going to challenge or provoke, but by develop-ing the relationship between performer and audience, Hills is testing the art form while

providing an undeniably charming hour of comedy. It’s a crowd pleaser in the nicest possible way.  [Gemma Flynn]

Assembly Hall, times vary, 15–19 Aug, £12.00 – £13.00

On a more positive note, there are some real gems among the comedy rubble for those that can keep up. Benson also deals with the thorny issue of a less-than-full venue with considerable aplomb but the overwhelming impression is that he just isn’t ready to front a full solo hour. He’ll be one to watch in future years, though, after a bit more experience and a chance to rethink his overly pacy deliv-ery and patchy writing.  [David Hepburn]

Pleasance Courtyard, 8:45pm – 9:45pm, 14–26 Aug, £9.00 – £10.00

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Armageddapocalypse: Threat Level DeadHHHHHTo start with the the nega-tives: Armageddapocalypse: Threat Level Dead is wholly stupid. Taking a nerd’s delight in farting around with the ludicrous tropes of action films and espionage novels to a defcon level for which there exists no colour, this is comedy at its daftest.  A show based around agent Jack Lang (“the renegadiest agent in the whole agency”) and his attempt to defeat #1 terrorist Dragomir Volkov, it’s a thick soup of terrible puns, outlandish stereotypes, and embarrass-ing bathos. There’s a simple answer to the question of how seriously to treat an hour whose narrative arc culminates in a good, hard kick to the balls: not very seriously at all.

The thing is, it’s also pretty funny. Helped by their wholehearted commitment to the ridiculous affair, the four-some from Cambridge sustain a tribute to the Hollywood monster which gets funnier by accretion. One bad pun isn’t very funny; two are even

Neil Delamere: DelaMere MortalHHHHHFor all his fresh and clever scripted stuff, Neil Delamere never tops his rollicking first 10 minutes when the Irish-man comes out all guns blaz-ing, intent on warming up the crowd with some honest to goodness piss-taking. The six-foot-plus guy immediately in his eye-line? “Not you, you’re a big fucker.” The long-haired bloke from Glastonbury? “I look at you, and I think ‘yeah.’” The lady who “puts people on projects overseas”? “The IRA used to that in the 1970s.”

When Delamere describes how there’s nothing funnier in this venue than letting

latecomers climb the stairs to the side of the seating block without warning them it’s a dead end, a guy enters and just that happens. It’s freak-ishly perfect.

The premise for DelaMere Mortal was his realisation that, having just turned 33, he’s now lived in Dublin as long as he did his rural family home. What has Delamere learned in the 16 years since? Handily enough, as a 16 year-old, he twice captained teams on Irish TV schools quiz Blackboard Jungle. The video footage – which offers ample opportunity not just for witty self-reflection, but also good-spirited fun at the expense of teammates and opponents – is a comedy

time-capsule cracked open to brilliant effect.

Straightforward standup – about the folly of getting lippy with Edinburgh cops when caught drunkcycling, and ex-changing angry notes with a motorcylce owning neighbour over parking – fills much else

of the hour amply. The finale, featuring more video footage and we’ll say no more, is a les-son in how to neatly wrap up an hour.  [Malcolm Jack]

Pleasance Courtyard, 9:00pm – 10:00pm, 14–26 Aug, £10.00 – £11.00

worse. But 20 of the buggers will break down even the toughest resistence to a giggle. There’s also some frankly delicious lines (“stop your Freudian mind games and give me a pint of mother”) which benefit from being delivered

as hammily as they are. Sure, the four students spend a little too much time making each other corpse, but it’s forgivable insofar as it doesn’t usually impinge upon the breakneck pace of this faux thriller. Ar-mageddapocalypse sets itself a

target of driving an intelligent audience to laugh at a kick to the balls – and it largely hits its mark. [Evan Beswick]

Underbelly, Bristo Square, 9:30pm – 10:30pm, 14–27 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

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Chris Corcoran and Elis James - The Committee MeetingHHHHHAn early afternoon dose of character comedy from Welsh talents Chris Corcoran and Elis James, The Committee Meeting is reliant on good natured audience participation. As committee members, the crowd packed inside the Wee Coo today is expected to join in with in an introductory ice breaking game, take minutes as proceedings unfold, treat an old man to his first kiss in 50 years and catch a pervert hidden somewhere in our midst. Nominations for each duty must be seconded in what may be the Fringe’s most democratic show.

A slight but entertaining narrative revolves around a Mastermind showdown between our caretaker Rex Jones and his estranged brother Vernon, employed in the same capacity by the local

Conservatives Club. The fact that, because he is on first name terms with Rebekah Brookes, David Cameron and Jeremy Clarkson, the crowd is encouraged to express its disapproval of Vernon gives a good indication of the show’s target audience. The Commit-tee Meeting is unquestionably utter nonsense, yet good old-fashioned fun, celebrating certain values with sincerity.

With Corcoran’s Mr Chair-man creation presiding over the hour, James comes and goes as Rex and his cousin Steve. Both break character too many times to count and revel in the show’s brazen sloppiness. The pair may not take their roles particularly seriously, but there’s no doubt-ing the work they’ve put in to making the show such a highly enjoyable hour. [Lewis Porteous]

Underbelly, Bristo Square, 1:30pm – 2:30pm, 15–27 Aug, £9.00 – £10.00

Marcus Brigstocke: The Brig SocietyHHHHHMarcus Brigstocke comes on stage dancing to the theme tune from High School Musi-cal. No, seriously. While this brief moment of frivolity may initially seem questionable, its lyrics, “we’re all in this togeth-er” tie neatly into Brigstocke’s overarching theme, or rather subject for attack: Cameron’s Big Society. Clever, that.

Brigstocke sets about lambasting the failings of the coalition, the banks and all of the other Big Important Things People Are Outraged By. But while open about his own boarding school educa-tion, Brigstocke suffers from a growing problem amongst certain comedians – middle class guilt. So desperate is he to distinguish himself from ‘Cam-moron’ and his cronies, the vast majority of his set is spent bemoaning their sense of entitlement and feverishly trying to cement his status as their complete antithesis. There are flashes of self-awareness when Brigstocke ridicules his own privileged upbringing (bea-gling, anyone?), but these are comparatively scarce, making his tirade seem a touch hypocritical.

Much of his observational humour (crass impersonations of Chinese people aside) is spot on, and a rant towards

the end of his set about the ineptitudes of public transport users is sublime in its simplic-ity. Brigstocke does have a tendency, however, to get so carried away in his own MP-induced vitriol that he loses the audience completely, and his own political persuasions occasionally hinder, rather than help, the show. The Brig Society is intended as a com-edy, after all, and Brigstocke would do well to remember that during his next diatribe. [Charlotte Lytton]

Assembly Hall, 9:10pm – 10:10pm, 14–25 Aug, £12.00 – £14.00

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festth

ea

treWAITING FOR STANLEY HHHHHA simple premise blossoms into an exquisitely realised ode to the women of World War II

Photo: Claudine Quinn

Page 48

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Love Letters to the Public Transport SystemHHHHHOne woman espousing her love for TFL and Northern Rail may not sound like everyone’s cup of tea. And on paper, Molly Taylor’s solo performance, Love Letters to the Public Transport System, has the potential to dissolve into twee schmaltz. Trains, buses, and how they ‘transport’ us? Hmm. But in fact, this show is far from cutesy, carried by a thoughtful artist who falls into none of the typical pitfalls of solo-performer acts.

It would be an underes-timation of Taylor to call her mastery of storytelling simply natural. A one-person show captained by a trained actor will always run the risk of getting hammy and becoming a vehicle (no pun intended) for ‘character work.’ Taylor’s restraint from becoming too theatrical is clearly engineered with surgical precision. And for this restraint, the hour with her in the Assembly Rooms becomes an unforgettable one. We truly are hearing Taylor’s

stories—from the troubled artist desperate to reconnect with a newly high-profile friend, to a Glaswegian woman finding redemption through her bus driver, to Taylor’s own bittersweet Brixton love story—rather than witnessing a thesp showcase her versatil-ity. There are only a handful of

funny voices, promise.Taylor is aware that she

could easily antagonise her audience with overwhelming charm (she has lots of it), and the strength of Love Letters... comes in its writing first and its performance second. If a self-awareness of her medium comes off as preachy

at times—the final five minutes are arguably an unnecessary restatement of the the show’s more subtle themes—then it only fleetingly distracts from this poignant and engaging work. [Arianna Reiche]

Assembly Rooms, 6:15pm – 7:15pm, 14–26 Aug, not 20, £10

Strong ArmHHHHHRoland Poland has an unfor-tunate name. Overweight as a child, it didn’t take much imagination for bullies to make his life hell. After one particu-larly embarrassing incident, Roland joins a gym. Roland will become strong, strong enough to reshape his body, strong enough to reshape the world.

Roland’s transformation from human beanbag to Arnold Schwarzenegger is wit-tily told. There are some great lines, especially when parody-ing the bombastic language of supplements and training regimes. In addition to writing the monologue, Finlay Rob-ertson convincingly embodies

Roland as both obese and ubermensch, despite his own slight frame. He gives Roland a heart as big as his biceps.

This is commanding work. It is debateable how much insight Strong Arm gives into the world of bodybuilding, however, Roland’s obsession will speak to anyone that has tried to significantly change themselves. Strong Arm nails the nuclear fire of anger it takes to break yourself down, then remake yourself as something stronger.

Unfortunately, there are problems. Roland may wish to be ‘hardcore,’ but at the centre he remains too soft and sweet to be believable. Also the play moves back and forward in time in jerking motions that no

personal trainer would allow in the gym. What’s more, by the end Strong Arm collapses under the weight of its im-agery, struggling to combine weightlifting, masturbation and the periodic table into something coherent.

Nevertheless this is an impressive debut from Robert-

son, presented as part of the Old Vic New Voices Edinburgh season. Lean and powerful, Strong Arm is evidence of a young talent flexing his muscles. [Jonathan Holmes]

Underbelly, Cowgate, 4:10pm – 5:10pm, 15–26 Aug, £10.00 – £11.00

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Mies JulieHHHHHIn this stormy adaptation of August Strindberg’s classic play, Miss Julie, South African director Yael Farber, who’s been praised in the past for her adaptations of Julius Caesar (Sezar) and The Oresteia trilogy (Molora), has created a forbidding, intensely sexual landscape. It’s set wholly within a kitchen in a house in the Eastern Cape, and there’s a vivid sense of the dangerous world outside and the violent societal beliefs that still linger in South Africa nearly 20 years after the end of apartheid.

Farber really makes the work her own, so familiar-ity with Strindberg’s original story is unnecessary. Julie is the unbalanced daughter of a Boer landowner, who’s just been jilted by her fiancé. She turns up in the kitchen drunk, beseech-ing John—the son of the house

Woza Albert!HHHHHThirty years after this defin-ing political satire was first performed in South Africa, this supreme adaptation of Woza Albert! shows it hasn’t lost any of its power or poignancy. Writ-ten by Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema and Barney Simon in 1981, it presents a series of scenes from contemporary South African life and wonders what might happen if Jesus Christ (Morena) came to South Africa. It’s all performed by two astonishingly energetic actors, who flit from scene to scene with ease and play the multitude of characters here with just the right balance of humour, anger and desperation.

Earlier this year, this production played to packed out theatres in Johannesburg’s Market Theatre, where it made its debut three decades ago. And although you don’t neces-sarily need to be familiar with the play’s context to appreciate

this brilliant version, it helps to remind yourself that many of the more absurd scenarios here—for instance, during apartheid, black workers need-ed a “passbook” to work outside their designated “homeland”—are doused in truth.

Woza Albert!’s format de-mands a riveting performance from its two actors, who per-form exquisitely here – though watch out for the occasional spray of sweat droplets if you’re sitting in the front row. Despite its serious subject mat-ter, there’s touching humour and a musical undercurrent which gives it a joyous rhythm and tempo. Ultimately, it’s a deeply spiritual play which highlights South Africa’s desperate need for salvation in the early 1980s, the severe frustrations of waiting for a revolution and, implicitly, asks how much things have really changed. [Yasmin Sulaiman]

Assembly Hall, 4pm – 5:30pm, 14–27 Aug, £14 – £16

cook, who she has known since childhood—to dance with her. At first resistant, John’s life-long tangle with Julie’s existence is slowly laid bare until the strong sexual tension between them comes to an aggressive climax, and everything falls apart.

This is a stunning re-imagining, its oppressive feel

enhanced by a bewitchingly eerie score, composed and per-formed by Daniel and Matthew Pencer. Hilda Cronje and Bongile Mantsai ooze chemistry as Julie and John, drawing us into their sticky web of emotions as they furiously renegotiate their re-lationship. But it’s the strength of Farber’s imagination that

really carries Mies Julie along to its blood-soaked finale, proving that it’s not just Shakespeare who can travel through time and space and still remain shockingly relevant. [Yasmin Sulaiman]

Assembly Hall, 2pm – 3:30pm, 15–27 Aug, not 20, £14 – £16

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Just A GigoloHHHHHAngelo Ravagli was, to quote Alan Bennett, the fodder of art. The inspiration for virile gamekeeper Mellors in Lady Chatterley’s Lover gains a rare voice in Just a Gigolo from veteran film actor Maurice Roëves. But it’s a stilted voice and one whose grasp of Eng-lish and of empathy is limited. If writer and director Stephen Lowe means to humanise Ravagli with this monologue, he’s unsuccessful. 

The Italian Ravagli is repug-nantly seedy. No reference to food, nature, or vehicle is just that, but some thinly disguised metaphor for satisfying the needs of a frustrated woman – a woman like Frieda Lawrence whose affair with household handyman Ravagli allegedly inspired the infamous novel. 

But by the play’s 1959 setting, Ravagli is sexually neutered by age. It depicts him struggling to gain the up-perhand over the art that will outlive him, bartering obscene paintings by DH Lawrence to a Greek hotelier in New Mexico. A slideshow of the gaudy works is projected in the sparely staged production and each provokes some new remi-niscence for Ravagli. These are disparate and difficult to follow and only a tale of his drinking alone with the ashes of Lawrence is memorable. 

At 75, Roëves must be the oldest star of a one-man play at the Fringe. He brings a bracing sliminess to Ravagli but no sympathy. The frequent insistence he’s no gigolo is too easily cracked by a desire for recognition in any form. Despite raising clear issues about art and its human subjects, this hour alone with him is ultimately unpleasant.  [Catherine Sylvain]

Assembly George Square, 3:20pm – 4:30pm, 14–27 Aug, £14.00 – £15.00

Camille ClaudelHHHHHWritten, performed and directed with uniform skill by Gael Le Cornec, this one-woman play examines the relationship between sculptor Auguste Rodin and his muse, fellow artist and protofeminist Camille Claudel.

The tragic tale is told entirely from the perspec-tive of Claudel, incarcerated in a mental asylum in 1913 following an absinthe-fuelled descent into madness.

Whirling backwards and forwards in time, Le Cornec skips between characters with simply a flick of her dress or pirouette across the stage.

Commentary on the doomed romance is provided by wine-sipping Gallic gossips – scandal, jealousy and pity following the highs and lows of her life.

It’s a sad account of a woman desperately trying to succeed in a man’s world. “They say I sculpt like a man,” she laments before pleadingly asking the audience whether they can tell the sex of an artwork.

Returning to the mental asylum at regular intervals, Claudel’s version of events sees her betrayed by Rodin, who steals her ideas and even goes so far as to sign her works, claiming them as his own. Whether this is paranoia or something more concrete is

never made clear, as the play’s slippery grasp on reality mir-rors the protagonist’s failing faculties.

Le Cornec lives and breathes the character in a sublime performance, whether singing and dancing, sharing a drink with the front row or cursing her devilish lover. The tone darkens as the end draws near but a hint of redemption tempers the bleakness.

This is clearly a labour of love for Le Cornec and a worthy tribute to the remark-able Madame Claudel. [David Hepburn]

Pleasance Courtyard, 1:30pm – 2:30pm, 15–27 Aug, not 21, £8.50 – £9.50

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MessHHHHH“This is not the real version of the play,” Josephine and Boris repeatedly insist. But this show is about as real as they come, with the painstaking neuroses plaguing an anorexic twentysomething played out in excruciating detail. Repeatedly breaking the fourth wall to inform the audience that they are performing a scaled down version of the show, one that will include zip wires and a revolving stage when they get to London, this production is sublime in its simplicity.

The premise of Mess is a play within a play: neurotic Jose-phine (Caroline Horton, named The Stage’s Best Solo Performer in 2010) enlists the help of friends Boris and Sistahl in a bid to bring her traumatic, anorexic years to a public forum. There is one extra layer, though, as in

reality, Mess is Horton’s own au-tobiography of a disorder that notoriously trades on secrecy. The poignancy with which she recounts each objectively mundane, but subjectively dev-astating, detail about a prized colour-coordinated calorie chart, or her struggle to eat an apple, comes from a place of

heartbreaking honesty.An eating disorder may

sound like a curious source for comedy, but there are many light moments during the piece which are remarkably self-aware: glimpses of rationality in Josephine’s erratic behaviour where she recognises an opportunity, a necessity, for

laughs. But this never detracts from the startling sincerity of the piece, centred round an issue that affects so many, yet is voiced by so few. [Charlotte Lytton]

Traverse Theatre, times vary, 15–26 Aug, not 20, £17.00 – £19.00

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CountryBoy’s StruggleHHHHHRap has long been the musical genre most associated with re-demption, providing the poor and the disenfranchised with a voice through which they can transform hardship into positive and inspirational mes-sages. Though the ingeniously staged CountryBoy’s Struggle concerns itself with the rise of a white MC whose roots lie in

remote Cornwall, it’s firmly in keeping with the traditional rap narrative and delights in spite of its obvious plotting.

Written by and starring Maxwell Golden, the one man show relates the life of Michael Crompton to us through a combination of storytelling and hip hop. In a bold move, we are introduced to the character immediately prior to his birth. He values the comfort and security provided by his mother’s

womb and longs to postpone his harrowing fate, his visceral and evocative description of the event establishing Golden as a writer of rare form. This scene is mirrored in impact by Michael’s account of his for-mative exposure to music. An outcast among his parochial peer group, our hero must achieve success in London’s rap scene before he can find true peace.

What makes CountryBoy’s Struggle such an affecting

work is Golden’s multifaceted performance in which he brings several characters to life with humour, sensitivity and affection. He possesses a keen eye for detail and an innate understanding of people. His work feels very much alive and his science is pretty tight to boot. [Lewis Porteous]

Pleasance Courtyard, 2:35pm – 3:35pm, 15–27 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

The Ugly SistersHHHHHThis reimagining of the Cinderella story is no fairytale. Brash, angry and dark, it’s a parable for our manipulative times, in which the underdog is briefly championed before being humiliated and discarded.

The Ugly Sisters, in this case, are Emerald and Pearl – not ugly at all, but dishevelled, neglected twins, the victims of a difficult upbringing. When their mum, Ruby, takes

them to live with a new fa-ther and step-sister, Arabella, they become further depen-dent on each other’s company as Ruby treats Arabella like the perfect daughter Emerald and Pearl never were.

Accompanied by the band Not Now Bernard, the two sisters express their rage and hurt as though fronting a rock band, singing both thrashing, thumping anthems and sad, wistful numbers. It’s enjoy-able, with a slightly deranged, Tim Burton-esque feel.

There’s nothing fantastical

about the modern twist, sadly. Desperate for approval, the girls apply for a reality show in which the winner—after a succession of humiliat-ing games—gets to marry the Prince (C5 show The Bachelor anyone?). Pitted against their step-sister, they are, without knowing it, the comedy con-testants, a duo of Jade Goodys the viewing public loves to laugh at. It’s an obvious com-ment on the superficiality and cruelty of our society, where vulnerable people are made famous for their flaws rather

than their talents.This comment has

been made before—Charlie Brooker’s recent Black Mirror springs to mind—but Rash-Dash has an original style which engages the audience even if, towards the end, it becomes a bit wearing. Nev-ertheless, this is an energetic, fresh piece of storytelling from a talented duo. [Caroline Bishop]

Northern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 10:00pm – 11:00pm, 14–25 Aug, not 21, £14.00

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Letter of Last Resort and Good With PeopleHHHHHFor the more prudent Fringe theatregoer, few productions offer better value for money than this Traverse double-header from two of Scotland’s leading playwrights.

Letter of Last Resort, by David Greig, is a philosophical exploration of nuclear deter-ence: the concept of mutually assured destruction, which carries the scarily prophetic acronym, MAD. It’s the new Prime Minister’s first day in office, when in walks a grey civil servant—John from ‘Ar-rangements’—who needs her to write a very important letter. In this letter, the PM must decide whether, in the event of a nuclear strike on London, the UK’s Trident nuclear subma-rines will retaliate or whether they won’t.

This is a fast-paced, almost Sorkinian, political dialogue: it’s honest, clever and entertain-ing. Greig is an expert guide through the subject, explaining the technicalities, procedures and processes of the UK mili-tary bureacracy in a way that is sparky, funny and surprisingly accessible.

But where Letter of Last Resort truly shines is in its en-gagement with the philosophi-cal side of the nuclear weap-onry debate. Its clear-headed, balanced and endlessly witty engagement with the ethical and logical dimensions reveals genuine complexity of thought; Greig’s portrayal of the conflict between international law, the logic behind mutually assured destruction and the morality of ordering the murder of 20 million civilians as high farce is magical to behold.

Shored up by faultless performances from Belinda Lang and Simon Chandler, Let-ter of Last Resort is yet another reminder of why David Greig is held up as one of the UK’s

finest living playwrights.On the other half of the bill

is David Harrower’s Good With People, a kitchen sink drama set in the Scottish town of Helensburgh, which borders the Faslane naval base, home to the UK’s nuclear submarines. This is something of a comedy of manners—albeit without the comedy—exploring the con-flicts and snobbery between Faslane’s submariners, their families and the Helensburgh locals.

Where Letter of Last Resort deals with high politics, Good With People is much more local in scope. It focuses on two ordinary people: Evan, the grown-up and worldly son of a navy seaman, and Helen, who works at the B&B he is staying in during his brief return to

the town. In such a small community, inevitably the two have history.

Good With People examines the basis of social misun-derstandings, of bitterness carried over for years—even decades—and the impact of living in the shadow of the military-industrial apparatus of the state. And it does so in a solid and compelling way. Blythe Duff’s turn as the uptight Scottish hotelier is the beating heart of the production, a picture of sincere reserve in contradistinction to Richard Rankin’s hot-headed visitor. The dialogue and char-acter development is vintage Harrower, giving away only as much as is necessary. It is a subtle, intriguing work.

However, Good With People

suffers for sharing a ticket with Greig’s far more ambitious production. Indeed, one can’t help but feel that, as a double-bill, the two don’t quite work together. Though linked by a common thread—nuclear weap-onry—it’s a link that feels a little tenuous. While Greig’s meta-physical exploration of political theory tackles the issue head on, Harrower has the Bomb very much in the background. It’s an unsatisfying blend.

Then again, given the fact you’re getting two plays—one good, the other truly exem-plary—for the price of one, this is a minor quibble that can be easily swallowed. [Ben Judge]

Traverse Theatre, times vary, 14–26 Aug, not 20, £18.00 – £20.00

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Right Honourable MemberHHHHHA school-age would-be Labou-rite gives a speech at the model EU parliament which should have sealed her rise within the party. Instead, victory turns to failure as her arch rival turns the room against her. Back at the hotel she takes solace in drink and, bizarrely, a rent boy. What follows is a strange little piece which finds itself trapped between confused intentions: it’s not nearly believable enough to be dramatic, not nearly funny enough to be farce.

The central relationship between head girl Connie and escort Vince is particu-larly troublesome. Writer Tobias Wright sets up a series of op-positions (rich vs poor; academic vs earthy; Shakespeare vs Star Wars) and sets about translating these into witty repartee. Two problems: first, Wright is clearly more comfortable writing prosy monologues than dramatic dialogue. Second, the scene seri-ously lacks credibility: within minutes, the client and escort bear their souls in sassy back and forths, Connie waxing lyri-cal on her strategy for success while Vince responds in the wise, folksy narratives of the working-class savant. Connie’s rival, when she enters, fulfils her role as the ambitious other, but lacks the charisma to be believable as the next big thing in politics.

Perhaps the least appealing aspect of this self-styled study of success, education and repu-tation is its implicit investiture of some degree of significance in the rise and rise of its two political protagonists – both upper middle class, privately educated high flyers. One can’t shake the feeling that the role of artists is to challenge the world as they find it, not simply mirror it. [Evan Beswick]

C aquila, 4:45pm – 5:45pm, 14–27 Aug, not 16, 17, £10.50

Waiting for StanleyHHHHHThe year is 1945, the war is over and a beautiful red-nosed clown (Leela Bunce) waits eagerly at a bunting-covered station, a banner in her hands lovingly embroidered with the words ‘Welcome Home Stanley.’ As you may guess, Stanley isn’t on the train.

What starts out as a simple premise blossoms into an exquisitely realised ode to the women of World War II, a one-woman homage to the mothers who watched their babies grow into children who had never met their fathers,

only to see them evacuated to the countryside; the women who rode motorcycles, worked shifts, kept their chins up and all the time waited for a husband who may or may not come home.

With endearing warmth and beguilingly subtle humour Bunce conjures up scenarios where Stanley has run off with a sultry French woman, imagines his war heroics in the field and pictures him as a tiny mechanical puppet writ-ing her letters about his socks. Her stage craft is as ingenious as any you’ll find at the Fringe but it is the depth of pride and hope she finds in her clown

persona that has us rooting for her from the bottom of our hearts.

Just as people in times of war have to find unique solutions to problems, so do clowns, and in this sense Bunce has found the perfect medium to honour both the terrible pain and the uplifting spirit of war wives. It’s a little embarrassing to admit that a clown show made me cry, but in this case it was for all the right reasons.  [Lucy Ribchester]

Assembly Roxy, 3:45pm – 4:45pm, 14–26 Aug, £10.00 – £12.00

FEST BEST5

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Gulliver’s Travels

Directed by Silviu Purcărete

Fantastical and viciously biting political satire, based on Jonathan Swift’s fourth book, from the artists who brought Faust to the Festival in 2009.

Fri 17 – Mon 20 Aug King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

Supported byBook now at eif.co.uk/gulliver0131 473 2000

Photo: Sebastian MarcoviciCharity No SCO04694

2012

13Theatre

Friday 17 – Monday 20 august 8.00pm Sunday 19 august 2.30pm

king’s Theatre, Edinburgh

Tickets £30 £24 £16 £12

2 hours approximately

eif.co.uk/gulliver

Radu Stanca national Theatre of Sibiu, Romania

performed in Romanian with english supertitles

Silviu purca rete director Dragos Buhagiar Set designer Shaun Davey Music

After the Festival triumph of Faust in 2009 director Silviu Purca rete returns with the Radu Stanca national Theatre of Sibiu, Romania and the world premiere of his version of Gulliver’s Travels. Irish writer Jonathan Swift’s savage political satire is seen through the eyes of visionary theatre maker Purca rete with an original score by Irish composer Shaun davey. driven by davey's musical journey, Purca rete’s production gathers cultural and social aspects of contemporary society and explores themes of voyage, dream, exile, immigration, emigration, solitude and togetherness.

‘purca rete’s mighty show delivers a visual and aural experience so jaw droppingly bold that it makes most attempts at immersive theatre seem like a paddle in the shallows’ The Scotsman on Faust, Festival 2009

Gulliver’s TravelsAFTER JonaTHan SWIFT

Supported by

EIF-2012-6-17-Theatre-220212-Hi.indd 13 23/02/2012 09:10

Page 50: Fest 2012 Issue 4

Bruntsfield

Links

Princes Street

George Street

Queen Street

Lothian Road

Melville Drive

South Clerk Street

Clerk Street

Nicholson Street

South Bridge

North Bridge

Leith

Str

eet

Leith

Walk

Broughton Street

Waterloo Place

Shandwick Place

Morrisson Street

Wes

tern

Approach Road

Earl Grey Street

Brougham StreetBrougham

Place

Hom

e St

reet

Leve

n St

reet

Brunt

sfie

ld P

lace

High street / Royal Mile

Lawnmarket

Castlehill

High street / Royal Mile

Canongate

Regent Road

Calton Road

Market Street

East Market Street

Waverley Bridge

The Mound

Mound Place Bank st.

Cockburn Street

Jeffrey Street

New

Street

Cowgate

Holyrood Road

Cowgate

Niddry Street

Blackfriars street

South Gray’s Close

St Mary’s Street

Guthrie streetBlair Street

George IV bridge

Victoria Street

Grassmarket

GrassmarketKing Stables Road

King Stables Road

Castle Terrace

Johnston Terrace

Cam

brid

ge St

.

Grindlay STreet

Spitt

al S

treet

Lady Lawson Street

West Port

Bread Street

Fountainbridge

Fountainbridge

Semple Street

Thornybank

West Tollcross

Gardeners Crescent

Riego

Hig

h Ri

ggs

Lauriston Place

Lauriston Place

Teviot Place

Chalmers Street

Lauriston Gardens

Panmure Place

Lonsdale Terrace

Fore

st R

oad

Bristo Place

Loth

ian S

treet

potterrow

Candlemaker Row

Chambers Street

West College St.

South College St.

Crichton Street

George Square

George Square

Buccleuch Place

West Crosscauseway EAST Crosscauseway

West Nich

olson Stre

et

West ric

hmond Street

Hill Place

Richm

ond Place

Roxburgh Place

Drummond Street

Roxburgh st.

Pleas ance

Infirmary St

rankeillor Street

Robertson’s close

Old fishm

arket Close

Chapel St.

Buccleuch Street

Hope Park

montague Street

causewayside

sciennes

sciennes road

melville Terrace

Gladstone Terrace

Livingstone Place

Sylvan Place

Argyle P

lace

Marchm

ont Road

Marchm

ont crescent

warrender park terrace

warrender park road

Marchm

ont Road

arden street

Spottiswoode street

Lauderdale street

Spottiswoode road

warrender par

k cr

esce

nt

Whi

teho

use

load

n

Glengyle Terrace

leven Terr.

Tarvit Street

Hanover Street

Hanover Street

frederick Street

frederick Street

North Castle Street

Castle Street

Rose Street

Rose Street

Rose Street

Rose Street

Young Street

Hill Street

thistle Street

thistle Street

St Andrew Sq.

St Andrew Sq.

York Place

Albany Street

barony Street

Broughton Place

Forth Street London Road

dublin Street

Heriot Row

Heriot Row

abercromby place

York Lane

St Colme Street

Charlotte Sq.

Charlotte Sq.

hope St.

QueenStreet

Gardens

Princes Street Gardens

Edinburgh

Castle

Waverley

Station

Calton Hill

The Meadows

1 Assembly Rooms George St

2 Assembly Hall The Mound

3 Assembly George Sqw George Sq

4 Assembly Roxy Roxburgh Pl

5 BBC @ Potterrow Potterrow

6 Bedlam Theatre Forrest Road

7 The Bongo Club Holyrood Road

8 C Venues Chambers St

9 C Nova Victoria St

10 C ECA Lauriston Place

11 C Too Johnstone Terrace

12 C Aquilla Johnstone Terrace

13 Cabaret Voltaire Blair St

14 Dance Base Grassmarket

15 Edinburgh Playhouse Leith Walk

16 Electric Circus Market St

17 Gilded Balloon @ Third Door Lothian St

18 Gilded Balloon Teviot Bristo Sq

19 Jazz Bar Chambers St

20 Just the Tonic @ the Caves Cowgate

21 Just the Tonic @ The Tron Hunter Sq

22 Le Monde George St

23 Liquid Room Victoria St

24 Meadows Festival Big Top The Meadows

25 Pleasance Courtyard The Pleasance

26 Pleasance Dome Bristo Sq

27 Pleasance @ Essential Edinburgh George St

28 Queen’s Hall Clerk St

29 The Space @ Jury’s Inn Jeffrey St

30 The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall Nicolson St

31 The Space @ Symposium Hall Hill Sq

32 The Stand York Place

33 The Stand II York Place

34 The Stand III & IV York Place

35 Summerhall Summerhall

36 Sweet Grassmarket Grassmarket

37 Traverse Theatre Cambridge St

38 Underbelly Cowgate

39 Udderbelly’s Pasture Bristo Sq

40 Venue 150 @ EICC Morrison St

41 Zoo St Leonards St

42 Zoo Southside Nicolson St

1

6

2

11 12

14

22

24

27

32 33 34

30

36

37

923 3840

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Page 51: Fest 2012 Issue 4

Bruntsfield

Links

Princes Street

George Street

Queen Street

Lothian Road

Melville Drive

South Clerk Street

Clerk Street

Nicholson Street

South Bridge

North Bridge

Leith

Str

eet

Leith

Walk

Broughton Street

Waterloo Place

Shandwick Place

Morrisson Street

Wes

tern

Approach Road

Earl Grey Street

Brougham StreetBrougham

Place

Hom

e St

reet

Leve

n St

reet

Brunt

sfie

ld P

lace

High street / Royal Mile

Lawnmarket

Castlehill

High street / Royal Mile

Canongate

Regent Road

Calton Road

Market Street

East Market Street

Waverley Bridge

The Mound

Mound Place Bank st.

Cockburn Street

Jeffrey Street

New

Street

Cowgate

Holyrood Road

Cowgate

Niddry Street

Blackfriars street

South Gray’s Close

St Mary’s Street

Guthrie streetBlair Street

George IV bridge

Victoria Street

Grassmarket

GrassmarketKing Stables Road

King Stables Road

Castle Terrace

Johnston Terrace

Cam

brid

ge St

.

Grindlay STreet

Spitt

al S

treet

Lady Lawson Street

West Port

Bread Street

Fountainbridge

Fountainbridge

Semple Street

Thornybank

West Tollcross

Gardeners Crescent

Riego

Hig

h Ri

ggs

Lauriston Place

Lauriston Place

Teviot Place

Chalmers Street

Lauriston Gardens

Panmure Place

Lonsdale Terrace

Fore

st R

oad

Bristo Place

Loth

ian S

treet

potterrow

Candlemaker Row

Chambers Street

West College St.

South College St.

Crichton Street

George Square

George Square

Buccleuch Place

West Crosscauseway EAST Crosscauseway

West Nich

olson Stre

et

West ric

hmond Street

Hill Place

Richm

ond Place

Roxburgh Place

Drummond Street

Roxburgh st.

Pleas ance

Infirmary St

rankeillor Street

Robertson’s close

Old fishm

arket Close

Chapel St.

Buccleuch Street

Hope Park

montague Street

causewayside

sciennes

sciennes road

melville Terrace

Gladstone Terrace

Livingstone Place

Sylvan Place

Argyle P

lace

Marchm

ont Road

Marchm

ont crescent

warrender park terrace

warrender park road

Marchm

ont Road

arden street

Spottiswoode street

Lauderdale street

Spottiswoode road

warrender par

k cr

esce

nt

Whi

teho

use

load

n

Glengyle Terrace

leven Terr.

Tarvit Street

Hanover Street

Hanover Street

frederick Street

frederick Street

North Castle Street

Castle Street

Rose Street

Rose Street

Rose Street

Rose Street

Young Street

Hill Street

thistle Street

thistle Street

St Andrew Sq.

St Andrew Sq.

York Place

Albany Street

barony Street

Broughton Place

Forth Street London Road

dublin Street

Heriot Row

Heriot Row

abercromby place

York Lane

St Colme Street

Charlotte Sq.

Charlotte Sq.

hope St.

QueenStreet

Gardens

Princes Street Gardens

Edinburgh

Castle

Waverley

Station

Calton Hill

The Meadows

4

8

7

3

5

13

15

16

18

1920

21

25

26

28

29

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Captain Ferguson’s School for Balloon WarfareHHHHHThe story of the US army’s at-tempts to use hot air balloons as weapons during World War One is an intriguing premise for a play, but unfortunately this one-man show doesn’t capitalise on it.

Based on real events, Isaac Rathbone’s narrative centres on the eponymous Captain, who is determined to show his army superiors that balloons can serve not only for aerial surveillance but for stealth weapon deployment as well. This hour-long play follows him from instructing a ‘balloon school’ of young recruits to ordering his helium-filled fleet over Germany.

David Nelson, as Captain Ferguson, attacks the play with admirable aplomb, and there are some engaging mo-ments—treating the audience as pupils in his balloon school comes off well—but the writing is just too thin to make it more than momentarily diverting. The result is that whatever pa-thos and humour the subject matter could have provoked never materialises. Even a scene in which Ferguson tells of the vast loss of life in one initial operation fails to move, and another in which he ascends in his balloon basket against a backdrop of stars feels clichéd.

The production is visually pleasing, with an appropri-ately sepia-toned set and era-specific props, but the use of projections, to show Fergu-son’s three superiors as talking heads, isn’t as interesting as it wants to be. Like the Captain’s somewhat misplaced grand ambitions for his balloons, this show never takes you to dizzy heights. [Caroline Bishop]

Assembly Roxy, 11:15am – 12:15pm, 15–27 Aug, not 20, £10.00 – £12.00

FlâneursHHHHHPrismatic, restrained, humane and with all the spare beauty of a Haiku, Flâneurs, a new work by Edinburgh-based live artist Jenna Watt, is a medita-tion upon the bystander effect. Watt created the piece after hearing of a brutal attack on a close friend. What shocked her was less the attack itself than the fact that no-one did anything to help.

Watt is a narrator of quiet delicacy and warmth. From the moment she begins to the surprising twist at the piece’s conclusion, Watt shows her-

self able to keep an audience’s attention without ever seem-ing to try. She never raises her voice – she has no need to, as the audience hangs onto her every word.

Using only subtle lighting effects and an overhead projectory, Watt creates artwork live on stage. In one particularly memorable scene, the audience listens to a recording of the friend who was attacked describing the injuries he sustained. All the while Watt kneels by the projector and lets red ink from a pipette drip onto its screen. The effect is to make the white-washed walls of

Summerhall’s demonstration room seem to be blossoming blood.

A flâneur, according to Watt’s definition, is an urban explorer, someone who will investigate the crevices of a city. And although Watt never quite manages to draw all the strands of her work together, her audiences emerge as flâ-neurs of their own psyches. It would be impossible to leave the performance without having asked oneself: would I walk by? [Miranda Kiek]

Summerhall, 2:00pm – 3:00pm, 15–26 Aug, not 17, 18, £8.00

AmusementsHHHHH“You are an audience,” the Sleepwalk Collective tells us. “You are a machine for watch-ing. Remember everything.” Trust me: no one will have trouble remembering Amuse-ments.

In a lecture theatre in a former veterinary school, Amusements’ audience mem-bers seat themselves, read an instructional pamphlet and put on the headsets provided. The lights go down and the ‘ride’ begins. It is difficult to describe what follows, and if you are 16 or over and don’t suffer from claustrophobia or

panic attacks, it is absolutely worth experiencing. Imagine David Lynch aggressively trying to hypnotise you. Or if Laurie Anderson was 25, Spanish, and had you locked in a shed. If a theme is to be gathered from Amusements, it may well be manipulation. “None of this is real,” narrator Lara Solano Arana tells us. “But your body doesn’t know that.” And much of the show is indeed about manipulating our bodies – into a fear state. We are told we’re about to feel like we’re drowning. Arana’s voice transitions into a frightening man’s grumble – in line, we hear, with one of her dreams. The subconscious, it seems, is

a spooky place.This monologue covers

what is meant to be the breadth of human experience via audio immersion, but it would be absorbed better by its audience if the Spanish Sleepwalk Collective wasn’t trying to scare the bejesus out of us. With 50 per cent fewer demonic voices, Amusements would have succeeded in becoming what it set out to be: an existential theme park attraction; a life-altering, sur-real departure from the world outside the lecture theatre. [Arianna Reiche]

Summerhall, 5:45pm – 6:45pm, 14–26 Aug, £8.00

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WINSTON RUDDLE´SWINSTON RUDDLE´S

CIRQUE

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This Way UpHHHHHFringe audiences—usually well-stocked with idealistic performers and cultural aficio-nados—will probably be more automatically sympathetic than most to the plight of a young artist trying to hang on to dignity and integrity in a desolate economy. Neverthe-less, the Antler Theatre’s blend of spaced-out romantic comedy and pointed social commentary could earn that sympathy from any audience by sheer merit alone.

The newly graduated Alex (a brilliant Daniela Pasquini) is determined to succeed as an

Once in a House on FireHHHHHAndrea Ashworth’s memoir about her traumatic childhood in Manchester, Once in a House on Fire, became a best-seller on publication in 1998. This dramatisation by Monkeywood Theatre’s Sarah McDonald Hughes—who once lived on the same Moss Side street as Ashworth—attempts to turn this decade-spanning tale into an hour-long show.

On the whole it succeeds. McDonald Hughes plays An-drea, who, as the eldest daugh-ter in the family, learns early that it is she who must hold them together. With a mother increasingly reliant on a succes-sion of abusive husbands, too weak to break the cycle—“I’ve lost the knack of being my own person”—it’s left to Andrea and younger sister Laurie to muddle through childhood.

Infused with the energy and imagination of youth, this tale is vibrantly told. A thumping soundtrack of late 70s and 80s pop tunes denotes scene changes and sets the era, while references to the Yorkshire Ripper and the teenage excite-ment of visiting Yates’ Wine Bar place the piece firmly in its time period.

It’s well acted, too, by the cast of three. But the play has so much to cram into one hour that at times it feels rushed. The family’s brief emigration to Canada is so sparsely treated that, in the following scene, it takes a while to realise they are back in Manchester. And though poignant, some emo-tional punch is lost by dealing in such broad brush strokes. This production has plenty going for it, but a longer running time would allow some necessary space for the story to breathe. [Caroline Bishop]

Northern Stage at St Stephen’s, 2:40pm – 3:40pm, 15–25 Aug, not 20, £14.00

artist, and from the moment she steps on stage—moving into a flat that proves to be electricity-free—every problem and irritant she encounters is merely an obstacle on the way to that goal. While Alex struggles to maintain a bat-tered optimism, we follow her through three strange years spent working in a purgatorial call centre, surrounded by grotesques damaged by a life of uninspiring monotony.

While avoiding the usual tropes of agitprop entirely, This Way Up still manages to be an impassioned theatrical portrayal of the lost genera-tion, delicately expressing the daily humiliations of surviv-

ing, rather than living, in a part-time world. Yet it is the heartwarming, heartbreaking, adorably childlike romance between Alex and Mark (a qui-etly hilarious Nasi Voutsas), her boy-man co-worker, that truly makes the play special. Their blossoming love, played out through imaginary space adventures and David Bowie, is what will capture your fascination as well as your sympathy. While at least one subplot could be sheared, This Way Up manages to be both moving and ridiculous simultaneously. [Sean Bell]

C venues, 2:40pm – 3:40pm, 15–27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

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THE STORY OF WOODY GUTHRIE

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festtheatre

Joyced!HHHHH“Rescue Jimmy Joyce,” our narrator’s father tells him. “He is in the labyrinth; the academics have him.” There’s one thing father and daughter team Donal and Katie O’Kelly don’t achieve in this frenetic whistle-stop tour of Dublin in 1904, and that’s to rip Joyce from the grasp of academia. That’s no bad thing: this is a learned and thoughtful production, borne clearly from rigorous study of the language, devices and context of Joyce’s Ulysses. What it does achieve with utter assuredness is to bring those real-life characters who informed Joyce’s epic novel energetically to life. In doing so, we’re reminded that, behind the Irishman’s mastery of lan-guage and form lies a human drama of small lives amid the grimy metropolis of Dublin.

by now that the pair have a glorious sense of fun and don’t take themselves—or each other—too seriously, sticking the odd kick or slap into a series of balances, swapping a dress from her to him while she is standing on his shoulders. Their talents, however, are deadly serious,

and this is borne out no better than in the fabulous final trapeze act which sees them clambering all over one another in a way that is so effortless it belies the amount of dedication, training and natural chemistry that has gone into the act.

In case we were in any

doubt, they do tell us at the beginning: 152, 352 hours of working together, travelling via 950 hotel rooms. But after all, this is what they do for a living.   [Lucy Ribchester]

Underbelly, Bristo Square, 3:40pm – 4:40pm, 15–27 Aug, £12.00 – £14.00

Tumble Circus: This Is What We Do For A LivingHHHHHIf there is such a thing as a domestic circus scene, this is what greets us on entering the Udderbelly. A huge bed is strewn with cushions, and next to it, dangling above a dainty white kitchen table, hangs a trapeze. But then, as we discover from the opening five minutes, the duo who make up Tumble Circus are a couple who like a good domestic.

Over the course of the show, married pair Tina Segner and Ken Fanning lead us through break-ups, arguments and even attempts to incite jealousy in one another by seducing members of the audience. In the case of Fanning this is done by shim-mying up a rope three times to collect a rose to the dulcet tones of ‘Je T’Aime.’

You may have guessed

While the insight into the real people who became, say, Leopold Bloom or Buck Mulligan, certainly provides a fascinating view through a biographical lens, the more interesting artistic aspect of Donal O’Kelly’s script is its beautifully constructed homage to the Joycean stylistic innovations. From the free-indirect style of

young James at home with his family (faces don’t just appear in candlelight, they are “Rembrandted”) to piling on puns ad extremis, opening up imaginative doors with each variation, what could be frigid imitation instead crackles with invention. Daughter Katie’s one-person performance of that script is a masterclass in careful characterisation of

this large and motley cast of Dubliners. Special mention must go to her depiction of the young aesthete himself – a pitch-perfect model of haughty arrogance and adolescent mardiness. [Evan Beswick]

Assembly George Square, 4:45pm – 5:50pm, 14–27 Aug, not 20, £10.00 – £12.00

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CryptedHHHHHAlready an award-winning playwright and with a BBC3 sitcom in the pipeline, at 24 years-old Freddie Sybourn displays Tom Stoppard-like skill in taking an academic question (in this case the humanity of numbers)  and using it as a structural and thematic device in his play-writing. Sybourn’s writing, however, is less cynical than Stoppard’s and his new play about the enigmatic code-breaker Alan Turing is one of some emotional power.

The cast is uniformly strong although special mentions should go to Har-riet Green, who gives to the part of Turing all the tragic innocence of a holy fool, and Amani  Zardoe, who is as cap-tivating as she is convincing in the role of Turing’s wife, Joan. Sybourn proves himself mas-ter of more than just the pen

when he performs a couple of pitch-perfect cameos as a detective and a schoolmaster.

Inevitably the decision to cast a woman as Turing raises questions. Is it meant to em-phasise Turing’s failure to fit in, his belief that something can be both one thing and another? Or is it simply a re-sult of company constraints? No matter how good Green’s portrayal, or how rigorous the thinking behind her cast-ing – ultimately it serves as

an unnecessary distraction, which is a shame in a piece otherwise so well-judged.

“Music,” writes Sybourn’s Turing after the death of his schoolboy lover, “survives the individual instruments which play it.” Likewise this is a play which will continue to resonate with audiences long after the last curtain call. [Miranda Kiek]

C nova, 2:00pm – 3:05pm, 15–26 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

CoverHHHHHTwo facts seem to uphold Cover playwright Ed J Smith’s world view: that all human beings subsist on deceit, and that The Artist was really, really great.

Two brothers take their dates to the cinema one eve-ning in central London. When they cross paths at their absent father’s flat, the elaborate network of manipulation that has been holding together each brother’s life—from their childhood and student days, to ambitious Rebecca’s real motives for allowing herself to be courted by posh James, to bohemian waster Molly’s sexual practices—collapses. Intercut with brief moments of silent film-style narration (choppy lighting, vaudeville physical comedy, dialogue boards), the show is really a complex con-versation between four people, running the gamut of class, relationships and ambition. But each individual is harboring their own secret. In particular, the mystery of who the broth-ers’ mysterious father really is lingers over their evening.

Cover’s premise is promising. But when the show reaches its climax(es), the structural tools set up in the first act—including those jarring vaudeville cuts—seem to disappear, or perhaps simply fail to tie themselves up in a satisfying way. And while the more lighthearted moments of the performance are truly stand-out, some jokes seem dated by such a slight time margin as to make this critic feel overwhelmingly snarky – hashtag jokes, casual use of “wingman,” even the reference to 2011’s The Artist which is so present in the show’s structure.

See Cover for the talent, but expect more of a soap opera than a satisfying work of fic-tion. [Arianna Reiche]

C venues - C nova, 3:20pm – 4:15pm, 15–27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Razing EddieHHHHHHorizon Arts—Britain’s “hot-test young theatre group,” according to the BBC—cer-tainly deal with a lot of fiery themes in Razing Eddie, a new play written and di-rected by the company’s Phil-lip Stokes, which combines social realism with ghosts in a sort of Gothic kitchen sink drama.

Razing Eddie does not provide a laugh a minute. It’s the story of former football thug Eddie (played with tremendous brooding menace by Lee Bainbridge) who, on his release from jail, seeks out his ex-girlfriend Shauna (a heart-breakingly vulnerable performance from Chloe Mylonas) and is forced to confront his past misdeeds in the most unexpected of ways.

Stokes’ script is weighed

down by a an overbearing worthiness; the nagging sus-picion that they’re trying a bit too hard to be ‘relevant’ with Northern youth culture. Per-haps it is due to its plethora of hard-hitting themes that the play feels relentlessly one note. It begins at emotional breaking point, continues at emotional breaking point and ends on numerous emotional breaking points. This is a shame because a lot of the writing, taken on a scene by scene basis, is truly excellent.

The play is performed with oodles of convic-tion by its young cast, and although Razing Eddie would benefit from more restraint all round, it still represents an admirable achievement for a youth theatre company. [Miranda Kiek]

Underbelly, Cowgate, 12:00pm – 1:10pm, 15–26 Aug, £8.50 – £10.00

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Seeing Double: VisionHHHHHVision is Greenlight Theatre’s companion piece to Seeing Double: Figures. These two ensemble plays share actors, subject material and temporality, the cast rushing from one stage to another as a theatrical company’s ill-fated update of Macbeth threatens to fall apart as opening night approaches.

Where Figures presents the scenario from the perspective of the production team—barred from Julio Buenaventura’s rehearsals, ostensibly because the director does not want to see his ex-wife, who is the costume designer—Vision takes place backstage among the actors. Figures is essen-tially a straight farce; Vision is more acerbic in its critique of theatrical pretentions, replete with earnest soliloquies and

Seeing Double: FiguresHHHHHSome theatrical concepts are difficult to explain because they are daring and unortho-dox; others because they are, well, a bit daft. The conceit behind Greenlight Theatre’s new production Seeing Double: Figures—and its sister play Seeing Double: Vision—is a mixture of the inspired and absurd. The two ensemble plays take place simultane-ously with the same subject material and actors, linked by a two-way video that flickers into life at crucial moments in the action.

Seeing Double takes place on the set of a doomed contem-porary version of Macbeth: in Figures, we watch the produc-tion team’s farcical attempts to hold the show together after the original director is replaced by South American ‘genius’ Julio Buenaventura.

Baby Grand (where Visions takes place).

Figures is a none-too-subtle pastiche of pretentious thespians: nobody bats an eyelid when Buenaven-tura requests latex, black dildos and a baby covered in swastikas for his Macbeth. Instead the vapid PR woman suggests renaming the show “Macsex.”

The content is less innova-

The conceit is that Buenaventura has barred all the production staff from rehearsals, necessitating the producers to resort to CCTV to spy on the wayward genius and his troupe. If this all sounds a little confusing on paper, in practice it is quite straightforward and it’s not long before the energetic cast is careering at speed between the Pleasance Hut and the

over-the-top theatrical exer-cises (“you’re a feather drifting on the breeze”).

Buenaventura, it transpires, is an imposter, an East End spiv named Craig, who, clutching a copy of Directing for Dum-mies, attempts to bluff his way through Macbeth, with predictably disastrous results. As with Figures, the closing 10 minutes descend into a mad-

cap dash between venues.The conceit behind the

Seeing Double plays is a reasonably fresh one, but for those who watch both shows it will probably feel a bit wearing. Both stories are variations on a theme, and the action, while enjoyable and light-hearted, is not enough to sustain what are basically two viewings of the same

play. Nevertheless, Greenlight deserves kudos for trying something different, and the energy of the performances suggests this won’t be the last we hear from this young theatre company. [Peter Geoghegan]

Pleasance Courtyard, 11:30am – 12:30pm, 15–27 Aug, £7.00 – £8.00

tive than the concept but it is all delivered with such high spirits and infectious energy that it impossible not to warm to Figures, even as it becomes increasingly madcap and chaotic. A triumph for style with a soupcon of substance. [Peter Geoghegan]

Pleasance Courtyard, 11:30am – 12:30pm, 15–27 Aug, £7.00 – £8.00

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Caesarean Section: Essays on SuicideHHHHHThe lights don’t go all the way down at the start of this piece. First, a woman draws chalk lines round her feet then steps aside for another to stand barefoot in them. When the blackout is complete, however, it is total, making the accompanying sounds of glass smashing even more fierce and the subsequent image of the barefoot woman, flailing in a desperate tango, unable to step out of the chalk footsteps for fear of treading on broken pieces, even more arresting.

This piece from Teatr ZAR carries us through visions of people nearing the tipping point of unbearable pain and flinching back from it with a religious quality of violence and beauty. The urgency of it often makes for discomfiting viewing and and at times cuts to your blood. There’s a shocking intensity to the dancers’ bodies, crossing back and forth over a channel of illuminated broken

glass, banging shoes against their chests, or slipping from the balancing point of a chair with brutal repetition.

At the heart of the score an elemental chorus based on polyphonic Corsican songs seems to rise from the earth. Nini Julia Bang in particular has the most strange and wonder-ful voice, sounding sometimes like she is singing in a cave or cathedral, while sublime

lighting bathes every strained muscle of the performers’ bod-ies in a spiritual glow. As a shaft of it pours down on dancer Kamila Klamut she reaches up, desperate to touch whatever salvation it might bring. In the final image, a broken pieta, her frozen silent scream is unfor-gettable.  [Lucy Ribchester]

Summerhall, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, 15–20 Aug, £11.00

RimeHHHHHCircus and sailing make a fine pairing, with more similarities than it would first seem: similar ropes, poles and rigging, and similar physical demands placed on their workers. So it is fitting that Square Peg has chosen to use circus skills to tell one of literature’s best known sea stories, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic poem is the story of a man interrupted en route to a wedding by a strange old sailor with a sorry tale. Stranded in Antarctica, an albatross led the ancient mariner’s ship to safety but instead of thanking the bird he shot it, with disastrous consequences for the super-stitious crew onboard.

The aesthetic Square Peg has created—an urban Victo-riana with pastel corsets and black trainers— is lovely, as are the traditional sea props it uses: crates, poles and sails. But the narrative it draws out is too slight to sustain the show’s momentum, with the long passages of dance and circus, graceful and impres-sive as they are, embellish-ing the story rather than driving it. Some of the most beautiful moments of aerials and dance come from Hazel Lam, with a slow energy that seems to saturate each of her perfectly controlled limbs. But the connection to the narrative feels vague. There are some exceptions to this, the best of which is when Rosamond Martin’s albatross materialises out of nowhere into a wild duet with the mariner that quickly be-comes a dance of death. And for sea-faring atmosphere Rime is certainly ship-shape. [Lucy Ribchester]

Summerhall, 5:30pm – 6:30pm, 14–15 Aug, £11.00

DetentionHHHHHSchoolboy pranks are taken to a whole new level in this slapstick show from Tang Shu-wing’s Hong Kong based Theatre Studio. Two naughty boys kept back for detention reluctantly copy out lines from the blackboard before the teacher unwisely leaves them alone and a steady trickle of mayhem begins to erupt.

A battle of the iPods cedes into hammy Michael Jackson impersonations before the boys are joined by a couple of other rogue students, and all focus turns to trying to win the attention of the only girl in the group, Liu Hong Wah – who, in between fending off her suitors, gives us some impressive Chinese opera dancing. The chaos is

compounded by teacher Lisa Cheng, a split-personalitied larger-than-life villain who we go on to discover has a hidden wild side. Punkish schoolboy Franky McNugget is a natural comic and draws the biggest laughs, manically serenading Hong Wah before attempting to woo her with a bag of crisps.

The piece is driven by a bright Saturday morning car-toon vibe, and the routines are well choreographed; perhaps a

little too well choreographed, for at times it feels as though the cast isn’t quite letting go enough. But it is both joyously silly and extremely enjoyable, and will probably make most teachers breathe a sigh of relief they don’t have students as wild as these.   [Lucy Ribchester]

Summerhall, 1:00pm – 2:05pm, 15–26 Aug, not 20, £12.00

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festinternationalfestival

TatyanaHHHHHDespite being taken under the wing of Brazilian chore-ographer Deborah Colker, Russia is never far away in this adaptation of Eugene Onegin. Pushkin himself even plays a central role, doubled by Colker and Dielson Pessoa as a lithe, powerful puppet master, a reminder that the characters’ decisions and emotions do not necessarily come from them. Colker has used Russian composers too: Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninov’s exquisite ‘Piano Concerto No 2’ which elevates her second act to a profoundly passionate level. Her costumes have a tactile 19th century edge: lush silks and sheer frills.

Spurning Tatyana’s declarations of love, rich, ar-rogant Onegin decides to flirt outrageously with her sister, Olga, inciting jealousy in Olga’s fiancé , resulting in a tragic duel

that Onegin wins. Years later he changes his mind about Tatya-na but she has grown older and more sophisticated—dancing en pointe here—and against her deepest desires finds the strength to reject him.

Colker—who dances like it’s the most natural way in the world to communicate—draws a deep emotional range from

her cast, and her decision to represent each of the four main characters through multiple performers is both conceptu-ally brilliant and visually stunning. Tatyana breathes as one, even when her various personalities and moods are stretching their own different limbs. When, in the second act, she allows herself one last

indulgent fantasy, she literally appears to melt as she is ma-nipulated by the many-bodied Onegin, repetitions of herself appearing behind a gauze like torn thoughts, producing dance of the most complex and sensually charged kind.     [Lucy Ribchester]

Run ended

Speed of LightHHHHH“They look a bit like dancing Christmas trees, don’t they?” remarks Conrad, our burly Speed of Light walking guide, as ‘Walking Group 2’ turn their bemused gaze to a circle of illuminated performers cutting multicoloured shapes into the face of Arthur’s Seat. Conrad’s interpretation of the EIF’s flagship production may not be the most sophisticated, but it neatly captures the ex-trordinary spectacle of Speed of Light and at the same time its curiously underwhelming aesthetic impact.  

The kinaesthetic principle that inspired NVA’s production is certainly fascinating. Artistic Director Angus Farquhar wanted to create a piece of

large-scale ‘public art’ which celebrated both his love for running and also used the landscape of Arthur’s Seat as its canvas. The result is a mass performance of running artist-ry, with teams of performers in specially-made light suits jog-ging (and occasionally stagger-ing) through choreographed routines cut into the hill face. The audience is also an integral part of the performance. Split into walking groups and armed with movement-activated light sticks, they slowly make their way to the summit, stopping every so often to catch a breather and watch the run-ners below.

The production is a truly vast operation, encompassing an impressive team of 4,500 volunteer runners and attract-ing audiences of 800 every

night. Yet the scale of the project also gives it a clinical feel, particularly at the tented basecamp where the setup is more like a theme park than a festival performance, and where the staff seem more interested in health and safety regulations than explaining the artistic principles behind the show. The performance itself is similarly impressive, but ultimately falls a little flat. While the combination of light and movement is certainly sensually pleasing, it’s dwarfed by the majestic splendor of Ed-inburgh itself, which, sparkling in the distance, both steals the show and invariably the audi-ence’s gaze.   [Sam Friedman]

Arthur’s Seat, times vary, 15 Aug – 1 Sep, not 20 Aug, 21 Aug, 28 Aug, £24.00

FEST BEST5

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Boom Boom ClubHHHHHWandering through the damp caverns of the Underbelly, decorated with neon crosses and fetish gear, feels a bit like raiding Madonna’s crypt. Not that the Boom Boom Club is anything but lively. A night of music, cabaret and burlesque spread across three rooms, there is something for every perversion.

Throughout, there is a cheeky focus on the more unpleasant aspects of sex. The side-show acts, including fire-eating and hula-hooping, combine sex appeal and a fuck-off attitude. Compere Dusty Limits fronts an ever-changing revue of cabaret acts, man-handling the drunk crowd and stripping attractive audience members. The per-formers lampoon grotesque

Dead Cat Bounce... Howl of the she-leopardHHHHHProud to be “the only act ever to have supported both Jason Manford and The Darkness”, Dead Cat Bounce are happily straddling the ever widening musical-comedy niche. Clad in skin tight trousers, bandanas and suede boots (all from women’s stores, natch), the trio prance around the stage, singing about confused Chris-tians on their wedding night, tall women and homophobic penguins. Coherent, zeit-geisty humour this is not.

Like the floppier haired off-spring of Axis of Awesome, this group are more rock and less roll than their musical forefathers. Their songs lack substance, though, as much of their humour trades on ideas a little too esoteric to entertain an entire crowd. A suitably random opening number about Chinese people illegally bringing

food through customs in Australian airports is a prime example.

Where the real talent lies is in their musical prowess, with many of the songs prov-ing incredibly catchy. Flitting from instrument to instru-ment and sharing the solos means each member gets their stint in the limelight,

and their collective talent is impressive. But the comedy arm of their act is not up to par, and future songs will need more widespread ap-peal to really make an impact. Their best known song, ‘Rugby,’ is by far their most accessible number, and this is undoubtedly the reason for its success. Unless they pen

songs that the audience can in some way identify with, Dead Cat Bounce are better off going down the indie band route, where a little musical talent and a lot of stupid lyrics will suffice. [Charlotte Lytton]

Pleasance Courtyard, 10:30pm – 11:30pm, 14–26 Aug, £11.00 – £12.00

one night stands, or spray half-chewed food at hecklers, or push the clichés of a beauty pageant to truly nightmarish levels.

Meanwhile in the live jazz club, sweaty people grind against sweaty people, and their sweat pools on the an-cient ceiling, only to rain back down on their vile bodies.

All of the amusements are exhilarating, sexy fun. Besides

the set acts, there are numer-ous ‘experiences’, allowing you to talk to a mime or get married in a decidedly uncivil ceremony. The Boom Boom Club needs more of these diversions. It is disappointing to see several alcoves go un-used. Between performances you run out of things to do, making the club feel more like a community hall disco than a bordello. The orgy risks

become boring.Your enjoyment of the

debauched Boom Boom Club depends on your attitude walking into it. Those willing to lose themselves and swap some fluids will feel at home within its oozing walls.  [Jona-than Holmes]

Underbelly, Cowgate, 12:30am – 4:00am, 15–27 Aug, not 21, £13.50 – £15.50

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Rubies in the AtticHHHHHSome things are best left locked away, and sadly, that may be the case for Rubies in the Attic. Their trip down genealogy lane attempts to evoke the histories of each Doll’s forebears, but the show never gets beyond the twee and tiresome. So tiresome, in fact, that one audience member dropped off mid-way during the performance.

And They Played Shang-A-LangHHHHHThis production from Scotland’s Craft Theatre Company is a mawkish, comic ode to adolescent life in 1970s Edinburgh. Cynics may argue that it strives to dignify cheap, cloying nostalgia through the presence of a dead narrator, but there’s no denying And They Played Shang-a-Lang’s strange evocative power.

Essentially a loose series

of vignettes and songs strung together by the recollections of a portly man in an ill-matched three piece suit, the musical shines thanks to the sheer energy of its cast. The unashamedly broad script, however, is often too obvious for its own good, frequently delivering references to obso-lete things that people may be able to recall. Remember Buckaroo? Crackerjack? Jimmy Saville? To the writers’ credit, Spangles aren’t mentioned once.

Many of the situations depicted are just as obvious, yet conveyed so joyfully that it’s hard not to become swept up by the sense of communal nostalgia. One school misfit models himself on Donny Osmond and garners multiple new admirers as a result. A family Hogmanay causes consternation for all involved, while a trip to the disco neces-sitates complex, strategic plan-ning from both sexes. Most impressive is a school nativity scene involving a born again

disciplinarian which causes pockets of the audience to literally weep with laughter.

Throughout all this action, hits of the decade transport audience members of a cer-tain age back to their own for-mative years. Whether this is a good thing or not, the show is an entertaining 90 minutes that achieves all it sets out to do. [Lewis Porteous]

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 12:50pm – 2:20pm, 16–26 Aug, £10.00

Jen Doll (yes, they all use ‘Doll’ after their names. Sigh.) is one of the few saving graces of the piece, taking on the role of her eccentric, steady-older-man-hunting grandmother with aplomb. But her engaging perfor-mance is drowned in a sea of synthetic smiles and matching Mary-Janes as the girls flit from scene to scene in a haze of dodgy accents and feigned enthusiasm. The ideas behind the show certainly have

merit, but the Dolls’ acting is not strong enough to cope with the demands of bringing their ancestors’ stories to life.

The songs from the South African portion of the performance, particularly ‘Asikhatale’, showcase the musical skill of the girls, and they are at their collec-tive best when singing in close harmony. The musical interludes do not go on long enough, though, and as one number ends, so begins a

scene too short to really be-come invested in. By knitting together four very different tales into one show, the Dolls sever the opportunity for the audience to truly immerse themselves in each individual story, and this dilutes its po-tential to be a more emotive and gripping piece. [Charlotte Lytton]

Assembly Roxy, 6:30pm – 7:30pm, 14–27 Aug, not 20, £12.00 – £13.00

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“Now’s the time to bow down at the altar of four-strong a cappella group FORK”

METRO

2-26 AUG (NO SHOW 14) AT 22.25 (1 HR)

GEORGE SQUARE - SPIEGELTENT TEATRO

festmusic&cabaret

Death BoogieHHHHHWatching Death Boogie feels something akin to a drugs trip - flashing images appear to slip from 3D to 2D, synthesised sounds saturate the auditorium and are capped by unceasing rhythmic, rhyming poetry-cum-rap. Death Boogie is difficult to categorise – existing as it does at the nexus of performance poetry, graphic book and concept album.  Whatever it is precisely, there can be no doubt that it represents a considerable choreographic and creative feat.

Death Boogie is, for the most part, the work of the elastic-voiced poet-actor Dar-ian Dauchan and his two-man band of musicians, violinist Curtis Stewart and bassist Ian J. Burnett. During Death Boogie, Dauchan performs a series of hip-hop poems. These form the story (just about possible to follow, if you concentrate very hard) of one young American’s

journey from political inertia to activism. Alongside the poetry Dauchan uses synth-boxes to create dizzying live vocal loops and interacts with a continu-ously shifting backdrop of pro-jected black and white graphic novel-style images (the work of artist David Allyon). Draw-ings of depressed spaces on beds are filled by his live body and cartoon-like wheeling-arm punches are accompanied by ‘Kapows.’

Death Boogie is clearly intended as a piece of campaigning theatre yet its poetry is less memorable than its pyrotechnics, and while it succeeds in impressing, it never quite compels. A work of cacophonous sound and visual fury, Death Boogie is certainly trying to signify something – it is just not always clear what.  [Miranda Kiek]

Assembly Roxy, 7:50pm – 8:50pm, 14–27 Aug, not 20, £10.00 – £12.00

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“I JUST SLIGHTLY despair,” says Toby Mitchell, writer and performer of new one-man puppetry show Monsters Got

Talent, “that kids are watching this and thinking it’s their route to success and fame, when it only really happens to one in a million or so.” He’s talking of course of the Britain’s Got Talent / Pop Idol / X Factor phenomenon, exceptionally popular among children and young people, that’s dominated the television schedules for the last few years.

Monsters Got Talent follows a young monster called Glurk, whose parents enter him for a TV talent show. “He’s a great singer, but he gets nervous singing in public,” says Mitchell. The tension of wondering whether or not he’ll succeed is twinned with some gentle question-ing of “what the performers [on these shows] are actually going through,” and whether it is really the best way to get into performing.

“The reality is a lot more hard work and generally quite a lot of luck one way or the other,” he points out, so these shows are mostly “for the benefit of the TV companies and not for the benefit of the people in them. Having said that, this all sounds terribly serious - it’s going to be a fun, silly show.”

Mitchell has quite some pedigree in producing “fun, silly” shows for family audiences. A co-founder of the Tall Stories theatre company, which has been steadily turning out mostly child-friendly pieces

MONSTROUS AMBITIONToby Mitchell has been producing family-friendly theatre on the Fringe for over a decade, but his new show is something of a risk. He talks to Tom Hackett about talent shows, morals and flying by the seat of your pants.

for over a decade at the Fringe, Mitchell is an old hand at getting the balance right between good storytelling and gentle mor-alising. He mostly wants children to have “a good, silly 45 minutes,” he says, and “if there are occasional points to be made, they should come out of the story.”

Mitchell talks with great enthusiasm about his influences: he loves Pixar for making stories with universal, age-diverse appeal; and for this show in particular, he follows the mighty Muppet Show. “I have a photo of me as a child with the genuine Kermit,” he says, from a visit to the old set in Elstree, Hertfordshire, before US networks put their faith into the project and gave them space to film at home. “I just love them for their pure silliness and invention and the fact that they’ll some-times spend, I think, two days filming one five-minute sketch.”

Mitchell’s approach to puppetry is more ‘relaxed’ - he will have the puppets out on stage with him and won’t be attempting “classical ventriloquism.” Instead, “there’s a way of focussing on the puppet when it’s talking so people hopefully don’t look at my mouth.” This is partly because throwing your voice is “a tricky thing to get right,” and partly down to preference. “I tend to think that ventriloquism can actually be more distracting than the idea of just playing with the puppet itself,” he says, and he suggests that he likes to pull back the curtain on his method a little more openly.

As well as Glurk, there will be a whole

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festkids

host of “slightly ‘loser’ puppets,” says Mitchell, whose failures will be paraded entertainingly in typical talent show style. In a slight concession to what Mitchell calls “the Shrek approach” to children’s entertainment, where some jokes are deliberately thrown over the heads of children to their accompanying adults, these puppets “may well have the names of certain politicians or famous people, who it will be quite fun to put into a bin, quite frankly.”

Mitchell likes to keep his method a little bit improvised (“that’s part of the adventure”), so there will be an element of uncertainty as to the outcome of the show. “The audience will genuinely choose who they want to go through to the fi-nals,” he says, though he admits there will be some Simon Cowell-style manipulation

of this, with him ultimately acting as the “judge.” But even Glurk’s eventual triumph is not assured.

“The possibility is very definitely there... that he will fail,” says Mitchell, and the outcome might even change from night to night. This unpredictability even makes the show slightly nerve-wracking for Mitchell himself: “If I got scared, I would be scared.” But ultimately, it’s part of his subtly subversive approach to children’s storytelling and the moral of his tale. “It shouldn’t always be triumph over adversity,” he insists. “Sometimes, it should be ‘no, this person wasn’t meant to be on the stage.’”

Pleasance Courtyard, 1:00pm – 1:45pm, various dates between 15 Aug and 26 Aug, £5.00

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PaperbelleHHHHHAfter taking off our shoes we go through a white curtain and find ourselves in what is essentially a large white paper box. But this box is a house; thick black lines making the shapes of a telephone, a fish bowl and table and chairs on the walls. We sit down on white cushions and watch Eric—played by the likeable Stanley Pattison—tidy up rolls of white paper that are strewn

round his home as he waits for Paperbelle to visit. Paperbelle is a girl made from paper, drawn with simple lines and who—to quote my young daughter—”doesn’t even have a mouth.” But it doesn’t seem to matter: the simpler the bet-ter when it comes to toddlers.

Eric and his companion Paperbelle aren’t sure what to think when colours start to creep into the house. First, a tiny red light appears. Shocked, they hide it in the cupboard. But the colours keep

coming. Yellow, blue, green - playful colours that just want to play. Slowly the two friends see that the colours are noth-ing to be scared of and begin to have great fun with them.

Paperbelle is undoubt-edly reminiscent of Catherine Wheel’s show White—explor-ing the same themes of colour and adapting to change—but it’s a clever and magical show of its own. The construc-tion of the set is ingenious, allowing Paperbelle to move around seemingly by magic,

popping up here and there. The young audience was utterly enthralled, mouths open, laughing, pointing and shouting. The use of light and co-ordination of sounds together with the comic skills of Pattison make this a wonderful piece of young children’s theatre where everyone leaves with a smile. [Caroline Black]

Assembly Royal Botanic Garden, times vary, 15–27 Aug, not 21, £7.00

PollyHHHHHPolly starts with promise and excitement as we are invited in to what feels like someone’s liv-ing room—decorated with hats, scarves and lampshades—and make ourselves comfortable on the floor cushions. We are asked to pick a piece of paper with a key word on it and draw

a picture to depict it. These pic-tures, we are promised, would be used later on in the story.

However what follows is not only disappointing, it bor-ders on brazen considering the £9.50 adult ticket price. With no use of props and minimal accompanying music, the storyteller simply tells us about Polly – a little girl who is hidden from sight in a world without

creativity. At points throughout the story, she mentions the key words from earlier and we hold up our pictures. Yes, she did look at them and loosely work elements of them into her narrative, but to bill this as a story ‘built by the audience’ is pushing it.

The story finishes just as we meet the angel we are told about in the show’s synopsis.

It has no real conclusion and before we know it the show is over. But, as a parent, what I really object to is my child being told that they can find out what happens next to Polly by buying a ticket for the follow-ing week’s show. In my opinion, that’s not on. [Caroline Black]

C venues - C nova, 4:15pm – 5:05pm, 19 Aug, £9.50

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August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 69

The Amazing Bubble ManHHHHHThis is the third time I have seen the bubble man. I think he is great. There was a huge queue to get in and then all the kids sat at the front and the adults at the back. We all had to promise to stay back from the stage but some kids didn’t and kept going on the stage - I wished they wouldn’t. He made so many bubbles - big ones, small ones, square ones, spinning ones, bubbles in bubbles, and ones that went really high.  My favourite was when he made rabbit ears on a boy’s head, it was really funny. Lots of people got a chance to help the bubble man, and he put some of them in bubbles.

HHHHH ‘Wonderfully exuberant & imaginative’

Time Out Critics’ ChoiceHHHHHSunday Express

HHHHH‘Zesty and delightful’ Independent

& other terrific tales from

Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

Scamp Theatre & Watford Palace Theatre present:

11.15AM (12.05PM)2 - 27 AUG 2012 (not 9th)

Reviews for Stick Man - Live on Stage!

AD277_Print_ChildrensShows.indd 1 19/04/2012 12:48

Untitled-2 1 27/07/2012 15:30

Captain Codless and the Legend of Plunge IslandHHHHHThis story was about pirates. When Blackbeard dies his sons Captain Codless and Captain Peg Leg race to Plunge Island in search of the chest of jewels and the magic medallions.

Captain Codless’s crew visit the Olympics in London and the pirates held up hula-hoops to make the Olympic rings. They competed in a running race done in slow motion, which was really funny. They also visit India and Egypt. Some of the pirates get cabin fever and fell about and were dizzy which was thoroughly entertaining.

I really really really liked the whole show, especially when the pirates started sword fighting each other and the

parrot caused mischief. The sword fighting was very energetic and reminded me of The Pirates of the Caribbean and Jack Sparrow. The pirates are very loud and vibrant and extremely enthusiastic. Their energy was infectious. There is an exciting twist at the end that will leave you astonished.   

This show has a lot of dancing, singing and comedy. My favourite characters were Trixie and Brian the comedic parrot who was hilariously funny. [Billy Salters, age 6]

C too, 2:25pm – 3:15pm, 15–27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

One big boy got to squirt the bubble man with a big water pistol - it made everyone laugh. He showed us that you can use lots and lots of things to make bubbles, even a coathanger or rope. The bubble man LOVES bubbles and so do I! [Ailis Black, age 6]

Assembly George Square, 12:05pm – 1:00pm, 15–27 Aug, £10.00 – £12.00

By kids, for kids!

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FROM THE Book Festival’s now an-nual Imprisoned Writers series to the Fringe’s Stand Up for Freedom, Amnesty International’s presence

in Edinburgh seeks to highlight both the importance of freedom of expression and its fragility.

Peter Popham, foreign correspondent at The Independent and biographer of Aung San Suu Kyi—the iconic leader of Burma’s National League for Democracy—has been an outspoken voice at this year’s

SPEAKING UP FOR THE VOICELESSAnna Feintuck talks to writer and journalist Peter Popham about giving a voice to imprisoned writers all over the world.

Book Festival. “It seems to me,” he says, “that, alongside people who have been published and are to some extent known to the public, to have the works of people who have suffered indescribable abuse in prison and under vile regimes—to have their words spoken—seems very valuable. It’s a way of reminding us that the power of expression is very easily silenced, very easily stamped on, and it’s a right which is of huge importance and which Amnesty is always working to defend.”

Popham does not have a professional association with Amnesty, but speaks of his great admiration for their work. “They have changed the climate of thinking about political issues over a very long period of time.” Having witnessed the casual racism of people towards refugees in London, where he lives, he says “the resentment of asylum seekers easily becomes a habit of mind. I think events like this do help to remind us of the ter-rible conditions that a lot of people have to endure, and we have this among us too.” 

He believes that figureheads such as Suu Kyi play a crucial role in raising aware-ness: she is known, he says, “for her great beauty, but the way her compatriots have suffered perhaps isn’t appreciated, and her own commitment to democracy in Burma is very strongly linked to her awareness of Burmese suffering – not just over the last 20 years, but the last 50. Some people are tempted by the iconic celebrity, if you like – aspects of her and then are sucked into a greater awareness of what her life means to her and to her followers.”

In Mandalay, on one of his many visits to Burma—he first visited in the early 1990s, returning in 2002 to interview Suu Kyi, who would become the subject of his book—Popham met a poet, “the sweetest man, such a gentle person,” who had spent 12 years in jail simply because the authorities found a poem he had written in a private journal. “You know, it hadn’t been published anywhere,” Popham says, “but it had been regarded as being hostile to them. We walked down the main street in Mandalay together and I said ‘Are you sure you should be seen with a foreigner?’ and he said ‘It’s fine’ – he was completely serene despite all the years he spent in prison. You meet people like that who have managed to survive the experience and who have managed to turn the expe-rience of jail into something positive.”  

Although this anecdote is shocking, for anyone who has been to any of the Im-prisoned Writers events it will be nothing new. This, in a way, speaks of Amnesty’s enduring influence on festival audiences. “It’d be good if Amnesty could persuade other festivals to do similar things,” Popham says, although he acknowledges that, inevitably, “there’s a certain amount of preaching to the converted – the people who pay attention are the people who agree already with what you’re saying.” Nonetheless, where better to appreciate the importance of free speech than a city teeming with performers and writers?  f

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BUY TICKETS ON FACEBOOK.COM/UNDERBELLYEDINBURGH

FOR ALL UNDERBELLY SHOWS

10:001000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

10:15BBC: Front RowBBC @ Potterrow, 22 Aug, £free

10:301000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50BBC: MacAulay and CoBBC @ Potterrow, 7-17 Aug, weekdays only, £free

10:40Humans v Nature: Engineering FTWAssembly George Square, 7-14 Aug, £10 – £12

11:00BBC: Loose EndsBBC @ Potterrow, 18 Aug, £free1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

11:15Mind Reading for BreakfastSweet Grassmarket, 11-12 Aug, £9

11:20Card Ninja: ReDealAssembly George Square, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £9

11:30Mind Reading for BreakfastSweet Grassmarket, 13-27 Aug, not 18, 25, £91000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

11:40The Durham RevueUnderbelly, Cowgate, 12-26 Aug, not 15, 19, 20, 21, £9 – £10

11:45Tommy TalksGilded Balloon Teviot, 7 Aug, 9 Aug, 10 Aug, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, £5

11:50Graters: Julian Ignores his Friend and Talks to a Pretty GirlUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50

12:00James Redmond and Ellie Taylor - Free FestivalLaughing Horse @ Espionage, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £free

Croft & Pearce Do It Like A Lady HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50Survivor - A Broad Irish IdiotLaughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 7-11 Aug, £freeLucy Cox: Attractive Audience Required - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeJuliet Meyers: Raised By Fridge MagnetsThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8BBC: Off the BallBBC @ Potterrow, 11 Aug, £freeJerry Bucham: Freelance ActivistLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 12, 16, £freeThe Cradle of ComedyHill Street Theatre, 7-26 Aug, £5Introducing Stu Introducing Will - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeThe Aspidistras - Hi Noon!Just The Tonic at the Caves, 13-26 Aug, not 14, £5EggballLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £free1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

Dancing About ArchitectureJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-12 Aug, £5 – £6FunBags present Unusual SuspectsJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £5Austerity PleasuresLaughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £freeCheese-Badger presents... Midge (a Two-Man Musical) - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeSally-Anne Hayward: The Inbetweeny LadyThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Aaaand Now for Something Completely Improvised - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-26 Aug, £freeBlack Monday - The Longest Laugh All Day Gong ShowThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 13-14 Aug, £10Ivo Graham and Liam WilliamsLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freeBeast of the East - Free Comedy ShowcaseLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 13-17 Aug, £free

The Tourists - A Free Festival Sketch ShowLaughing Horse @ Edin-burgh City Football Club, 19-26 Aug, £free

12:05Failure and How to Achieve ItThe Voodoo Rooms, 15-25 Aug, £freeJack and Nikki: Killing MachinesThe Voodoo Rooms, 7-14 Aug, £freeGareth Morinan Presents A Wilmops Good Improv ShowThe Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, £free

12:10Simon Munnery’s La ConceptaLa Concepta @ Whites-pace, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £11.50 – £13.50Graham RexUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9Richard Wiseman: PsychobabbleThe Canons’ Gait, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, £freeDomestic ScienceThe Canons’ Gait, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freePolitics Now. Politics Wow!Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £free

Anne Edmonds in My Banjo’s Name is StevenUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9

12:15Nick Hayman: Middle Aged, Useless and Talented! - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £freeThe Comedian’s Comedian Live with Stuart GoldsmithGilded Balloon Teviot, 10-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, £7.50Stu and Garry in The Lunchtime ShowThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10About Comedy - Stand-up Comedy CoursesLaughing Horse @ Edin-burgh City Football Club, Various dates from 7 Aug to 25 Aug, £99Cucu-rucu-cu in the French AlpsLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £free

12:20Crunch the NewsThe Voodoo Rooms, 7-18 Aug, £freeBob and Jim - GoUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9

FESTIVAL LISTINGS

Fest is the only place you can get daily listings for all of the comedy and theatre shows at the Fringe.

The listings are arranged by type - Comedy or Theatre - and then by time. We've listed the dates that each show is running, but remember that it might be on at different times too - check our website for more information.Dates and times can sometimes change, so check with the venue before planning ahead.

If you're looking for a show to see right now, visit festmag.co.uk on your smartphone to find out what's coming up near your current location.

When it's this time...

20:15❤ Richard Herring HHHH Underbelly, Bristo Square 7-26 Aug, £14 – £16

...this show is on...

...on these dates... ...for this price

... at this place...

comedylistings

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COMEDY, THEATRE, CABARET AND MOREOPEN 'TIL 5AM

12:30One in a Million - FreeLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeJerry Sadowitz: Card Tricks and Close Up MagicThe Assembly Rooms, 14-18 Aug, £15.50Sam Fletcher - Good on PaperBannermans, 7-25 Aug, £freeCirque du Charlie ChuckSpaceCabaret @ 54, 13-25 Aug, £81000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50Big Value Comedy’s Lunchtime ClubJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £5 – £6Fragments of Monotony / An Audience With Sir Dickie BensonWhynot? , 7-25 Aug, £freeTales from the UnacceptedLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-12 Aug, £freeTed & Co The Dinner ShowHilton Edinburgh Grosvenor, 11 Aug, 25 Aug, £39Rock N Roll Politics presented by Steve RichardsAssembly George Square, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 21, £10 – £12.50❤ Tony Law Maximum Nonsense HHHHThe Stand Comedy Club, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £8

12:35Man FeelingsLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, £freeBecause I Felt Like It - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 11-17 Aug, £free

12:40The St Andrews RevueJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-19 Aug, not 14, £6 – £7

12:45Gordon Southern’s A Brief History of HistoryGilded Balloon Teviot, 7 Aug, 9 Aug, 10 Aug, 11 Aug, £12

12:50Jenny FawcettPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £8 – £8.50

12:55Funk Rocket 5000Just The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £5 – £6Horse & Louis: The Curse of...Underbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £9.50

13:00Anthony King: Songs of Love and DeathJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9.50Short & Curly: A Captive AudienceCiao Roma, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freeMervyn Stutter’s Pick of the FringePleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 14, 21, £9 – £10Sad Faces Remember It DifferentlyUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50Jim Smallman’s Group TherapyJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £5Mr Susan’s ‘Cheeky Flippin’ Nice’ - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 7-26 Aug, not 12, £freeThis Arthur’s Seat Belongs to Lionel RichieSummit of Arthur’s Seat, 7-27 Aug, £free1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50The Human Condition - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeAmnesty’s Secret Comedy PodcastUnderbelly, Bristo Square, Various dates from 7 Aug to 27 Aug, £free

E4 Udderbelly Podcalf 2012Underbelly, Bristo Square, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £6The TempsPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 12, 13, 20, £8 – £9The Comedy SandwichLaughing Horse @ Finne-gan’s Wake, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £free

13:05Frankie from the Valley - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 19, £freeRevill’s Selection - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeCracking Yolks - Free Range ComedyLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 12-26 Aug, £freeLife, the Universe, Whatever...Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 15, 16, 21, £freeThey Came With Outer Script - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-11 Aug, £freeThe Three Half PintsLaughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 22, £freeMike Sheer in Undergod - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, £freeBDOOL (Best Days of Our Lives) - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £free

13:10Simon Munnery’s La ConceptaLa Concepta @ Whites-pace, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £11.50 – £13.50Iszi Lawrence’s WotnotThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Bless You In AdvanceLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 17-26 Aug, £freeThey’re Gonna Crucify MeThe Banshee Labyrinth, 11-25 Aug, £free

Tony Jameson and Katie Mulgrew Tell TalesThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Stay at Home Dad - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-15 Aug, £freeBest of Edinburgh - The Showcase ShowPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

13:15This Is SoapC venues - C, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £6.50 – £8.50BBC: The Festival CafeBBC @ Potterrow, 7-17 Aug, weekdays only, £freeSoap Box - The Comedy Debate SlamScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, £freeAdam Larter: Happy New Year - A Free Comedy ShowLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 7-26 Aug, £freeBBC: The Richard Bacon ShowBBC @ Potterrow, 22-23 Aug, £freeMugging ChickensLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeAfternoon DelightJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £5Working Men’s ClubLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeMace and Burton: Rom Com ConThe Canons’ Gait, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeKieran Hodgson: SupervillainThe Voodoo Rooms, 7-25 Aug, £free

13:20Will Marsh’s RuinationJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £5 – £8Three for FreeBelushi’s, 7-25 Aug, £freeBowling and Todd +1The Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, £free

13:25Bob Graham Work EthicScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 19, 20, £freeThe Look of an Angel on the Devil HimselfSweet Grassmarket, 7-27 Aug, not 18, 25, £7Jay Foreman’s MixtapeUnderbelly, Cowgate, 19-26 Aug, £9 – £10

13:30Gareth Morinan: Truth DoodlerUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £9.50A Coach Load of LesleyThe Voodoo Rooms, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freeKelly Kingham: Goody Two-Shoes - FreeThe Royal Mile Tavern, 7-25 Aug, £freeBack to SchoolPleasance at Braidwood Centre, 10-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, £15David O’Doherty Presents 403 Second MasterworksGilded Balloon Teviot, 14 Aug, £11.501000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50Bridget Christie: War DonkeyThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10❤ Chris Corcoran and Elis James - The Committee Meeting HHHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Gentlemen BearsThe Hudson Hotel, 7-25 Aug, £freeIan Smith and Tom ToalWhistlebinkies, 7-25 Aug, £freeCalifornia Beach BungalowC venues - C aquila, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £6.50 – £8.50Pam Ford Salon Secrets - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £free

Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen NovelLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £free

13:40Jessica Pidsley’s I Can Make You Thin(k)Underbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £8 – £9

13:45George Ryegold’s God-In-A-BagUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Josh Richards: Keith Looks Back in Anger - FreeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-26 Aug, £freeControl Alt Delete - The Funny Side of ComputersLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeJosie Long and Sam Schäfer’s Awkward RomanceMood Nightclub, 13-17 Aug, £freeThe Joke Circus - FreeBannermans, 7-11 Aug, £freeGiant Talking Cat - Free FestivalLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 17-26 Aug, £freeFree FootlightsLe Monde, 7-25 Aug, not 15, £free

14:00Lara A King - People PleaserAssembly George Square, Various dates from 7 Aug to 26 Aug, £10Sandi Toksvig Live: My ValentinePleasance Courtyard, 17-23 Aug, £10 – £14The Two O’Clock ShowThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freeThis Arthur’s Seat Gala Belongs to Lionel RichieSummit of Arthur’s Seat, 18 Aug, £free1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

comedylistings

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74 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

BUY TICKETS ON FACEBOOK.COM/UNDERBELLYEDINBURGH

FOR ALL UNDERBELLY SHOWS

All the Fun of the Unfair 2012Siglo, 7-25 Aug, £freeThe Early EditionUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £11 – £13Dixon of Fogg Green - FreeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 19-26 Aug, £freeAmnesty Interna-tional Comedians vs Critics Football MatchThe Meadows, 18 Aug, FreeHannah Gadsby - Mary. Contrary.Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, £9.50 – £10.50Bristol Revunions: Destination AdventureJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7.50 – £8.50Funny Women at the FringeAssembly George Square, 8-17 Aug, £10 – £12Luke and Harry’s Dot Dot DotJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9Fliss Russell - Life is FlissDragonfly, 7-25 Aug, not 16, £free

14:05Amused Moose Laughter Awards Top Ten Semi-FinalThe Bongo Club, 17 Aug, £10AAA Batteries (Not Included) - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-26 Aug, £free

No Poofs No PianotheSpace on the Mile , 7-18 Aug, not 12, £5Amused Moose Comedy Awards FinalThe Bongo Club, 19 Aug, £12Under Your FeetSouthsider, 7-25 Aug, £freeHelsinkiLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 9, 16, 23, £free

14:15Roland Rides The Rail’s! (again) - FreeLaughing Horse @ Finne-gan’s Wake, 7-27 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £freeRichard Herring’s Edinburgh Fringe PodcastThe Stand Comedy Club, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10It’s Not Us, It’s You - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeBEASTSPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9Phil Buckley - Simple Things - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, £freeGagging for AttentionJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £3Activism Is FunGlobe, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freeBBC: Comic FringesBBC @ Potterrow, 18 Aug, £free

Nutters of the British Isles: The Complete Field Guide - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espionage, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £freeBest of the Fest DaytimeAssembly George Square, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £12.50

14:20Eleanor Tiernan - Rogue HThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Silky: Nut AllegoryThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Tom Lauri: Good With His FingersSweet Grassmarket, 11-27 Aug, not 18, 25, £7The One Hour PlaysUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9.50Eric’s Tales of the Sea - A Submariner’s YarnJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10.50Jack Jerome’s Journey of LifeJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8

14:25Once Upon A Time...Paradise in The Vault, 7-19 Aug, not 13, £7.50

14:30Sarah Jones: Does Not Play Well With OthersC venues - C aquila, 19-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

Angela Barnes and Matt RichardsonLaughing Horse @ Espionage, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £freeThe Birmingham Footnotes Drop Their TrousersBase Nightclub, 7-11 Aug, £freeJessie Cave: Bookworm HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Ian Fox - Shutter Monkey (The Comedy Show With Pictures) - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeThe One-Eyed Men’s Friendship Formula - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 11, 18, £freeBBC: Christopher Brookmyre’s Comedy BookcaseBBC @ Potterrow, 7-9 Aug, £freeThe Edinburgh Revue Stand Up ShowScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, not 16, £freeReshape While DampLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 7-12 Aug, £freeTennyson Hanbury’s Condensed CabaretBelushi’s, 7-25 Aug, £freeThis Comedy Mob Belongs to Lionel RichieThe Scott Monument, 25 Aug, £free

Barbara Nice: Mrs Nice HHThe Assembly Rooms, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £10Square Eye PairGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8.50 – £9.501000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

14:35ConvictedThe Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £free

14:40Billy Kirkwood’s - Show Me Your Tattoo 2012Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeVinegar Knickers: On The EdgeJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 16, 17, £8 – £9.5010 Films With My DadThe Voodoo Rooms, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £free

14:45Someone, SomewhereThe Royal Mile Tavern, 7-25 Aug, £freeAmerican Girlfriend: Laura LevitesAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £freeBec Hill is More Afraid of You Than You Are of Her! HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9

Santa’s Dead and We Have Killed HimOpium, 7-11 Aug, £freeSlap and Giggle: RetrialOpium, 12-25 Aug, £freeBest of Waterloo Comedy ClubLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 18-26 Aug, £freeIn Vino Veritas - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £freeAnd Still Rarely RongWhistlebinkies, 7-25 Aug, £free

14:50Hennessy & Friends: A History of ViolenceUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Fran Moulds: Significant Human ErrorUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

15:00RadioHead Redux 2012Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeNo Pressure to Be FunnyVenue150 @ EICC, 18 Aug, £10BBC: Crossing the MediaBBC @ Potterrow, 26 Aug, £freeGemma Arrowsmith: Defender of EarthLe Monde, 7-25 Aug, £free

comedylistings

Page 75: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 75

COMEDY, THEATRE, CABARET AND MOREOPEN 'TIL 5AM

Rachel Stubbings Is Stubbing Out ProblemsUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9Bristol Improv for HireWhynot? , 8-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeWhat a Weird and Wonderful Festival!The Voodoo Rooms, 25 Aug, £freeVisual AidsRush Bar, 7-18 Aug, £free1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50Ship of Fools: Children of TwelchfordBannermans, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeMitch Benn: Reduced Circumstances HHHThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 13, £10The Cradle of ComedyDestiny Church Gorgie, 7-26 Aug, £52012: An Improv OdysseyRush Bar, 19-25 Aug, £free

15:05KaputUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £11 – £13Men of Character - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, £freeTim Honnef - LifetheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 7-18 Aug, not 8, 12, £7 – £8

15:10Parris and Dowler Know What They’re DoingLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeMy Stepson Stole My Sonic ScrewdriverGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11It’s Grimm Up NorththeSpace @ Symposium Hall, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, £6 – £8

Jamie Demetriou’s People Day (and Special Guests)Dragonfly, 8-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

15:15Comedy Brass - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-26 Aug, £freeBBC: The Unbeliev-able TruthBBC @ Potterrow, 13 Aug, £free❤ Kieran and Joe: Friends of Steel HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Stand-Up at the Jekyll & Hyde - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 16, £freeKatherine Ryan: Nature’s Candy HHHGilded Balloon at Third Door, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 26, £9.50 – £10Ford and Akram: Bamp! HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9 – £9.50Luke Milford Things I LikeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeBBC: Front RowBBC @ Potterrow, 15 Aug, £freePlenty More Fish (But I Don’t Have a Fish Fetish)The Fiddler’s Elbow, 7-25 Aug, £freeThe Intimate StrangersJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £9.50The Oxford ImpsGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, £10.50 – £12Forget Therapy - Just Drink - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeCirque du Charlie ChucktheSpace on North Bridge, 7 Aug, £8

15:20Kevin Tomlinson: Crazy Little Thing Called Love!Just The Tonic at the Caves, Various dates from 8 Aug to 26 Aug, £10 – £11

Kevin Tomlinson: Seven Ages!Just The Tonic at the Caves, Various dates from 7 Aug to 25 Aug, £10 – £11Four Screws Loose in #screwtheworldAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, not 11, £9 – £10The Comedy ManifestoCiao Roma, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £free

15:25The Silky Pair: Happy to Help (Plus Special Guests)Just The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £6

15:30Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards ShowPleasance Courtyard, 26 Aug, £14Dave McNeill: Canoe Ride 3000Pleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £10No Turn UnstonedThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, £freeChris Henry: We Need to Talk!Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 24, £freeLOLympics Live - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freePatterson and RanganathanLaughing Horse @ The White Horse, 7-26 Aug, £freeMax and Ivan Are... Con ArtistsPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £12The Expeditionary Force in The First SupperLaughing Horse @ Edin-burgh City Football Club, 7-12 Aug, £freeLadies and Gentle-men - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, £freeMonumental Informa-tion’s Product of the Year 2017Laughing Horse @ Edin-burgh City Football Club, 16-26 Aug, £free

Ladies Live Longer: LadylikeC venues - C nova, 7-27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50Nick Page: My Glorious Hypothetical Life As a EunuchThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £8Liam Mullone: A Land Fit For F*ckwitsThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £81000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50Michael Legge: What a Shame HHHThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Helen Keen: Robot Woman of Tomorrow HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50RH: LiveC venues - C aquila, 12-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50BBC: Four ThoughtBBC @ Potterrow, 20 Aug, £free

15:35Bruce Hammers’ BananapocalypseJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £5 – £6Through the Looking ScreenUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £10 – £11Peter Antoniou’s Psychic CircusSweet Grassmarket, 7-26 Aug, not 18, 25, £8

15:40Sharron Matthews Superstar: GoldPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £12.50 – £14Owen Niblock: CodemakerThe Voodoo Rooms, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freePhil O’SheaBelushi’s, 7-25 Aug, £freeAn Indie Boy’s Guide to Sex and GirlsChiquito, 7-25 Aug, £freeTom Goodliffe: All in Good TimeJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £6 – £7

Thea-Skot’s Miss AdventuresJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8

15:45David Mills is Smart Casual - FreeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-27 Aug, £freeThe Tim Vine Chat ShowPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £14 – £15Sean Hegarty and Tom O’Mahoney Live - FreeLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 7-26 Aug, £free❤ Sarfraz Manzoor: The Boss Rules HHHHThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10FarkLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 15, 16, £freeDiscograffiti - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 11-26 Aug, £freeSimon Munnery: Fylm-Makker HHHThe Stand Comedy Club, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10I Am GoogleLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeFree Improv Show - The Discount Comedy CheckoutBase Nightclub, 7-18 Aug, £freeMunfred Bernstein’s Cabinet of WonderGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8.50 – £9.50

15:50Loughborough Players: Athletes of ComedyGHQ, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freeQuiz in My PantsThe Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £freeThe Dog-Eared Collective: You’re Amazing, Now Look at Me HHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Dec Munro’s Got ChutzpahThe Royal Mile Tavern, 15-25 Aug, £free

Mark Cooper-Jones: Geography Teacher - FreeThe Cabaret Voltaire, 7-24 Aug, not 14, 20, £free

15:55Niall McCamley: Lemon Jousting and Other ShenanigansScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeDolly MixtureThe Voodoo Rooms, 7-25 Aug, not 15, £free

16:00Jody Kamali: Dirty Filthy Rich - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freePaul Merton’s Impro ChumsPleasance Courtyard, 16-25 Aug, £13 – £14.50Mae Day HHHJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 11, 14, £7BBC: Christopher Brookmyre’s Comedy BookcaseBBC @ Potterrow, 7-9 Aug, £freeMatthew Crosby is Matthew Crosby in Matthew Crosby (The Show) HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £12The QuadrantinesOpium, 7-25 Aug, £freeKierkegaard Comedy ShowDanish Institute, 8-19 Aug, £10Daniel-Ryan Spauld-ing: How Dare You!The Hudson Hotel, 7-25 Aug, not 10, 11, £freeThis Barry Ferns Belongs to Lionel RichieAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £freePhill Jupitus is Porky the Poet in 27 Years OnThe Jam House, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freePun RunGilded Balloon Teviot, 15 Aug, £12The Cambridge Footlights: Perfect StrangersPleasance Dome, 7-27 Aug, £9 – £10

comedylistings

Page 76: Fest 2012 Issue 4

76 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

BUY TICKETS ON FACEBOOK.COM/UNDERBELLYEDINBURGH

FOR ALL UNDERBELLY SHOWS

Fred Cooke: Standing, tilted HHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50The Oxford Revue - Prattle RoyaleUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10Back to SchoolPleasance at Braidwood Centre, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £15BeardAssembly Hall, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £8 – £10Damien Crow: The World According to Damien Crow HHThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10Rob Auton: The Yellow ShowThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £freeConstant Craving - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £freeBBC: Just a MinuteBBC @ Potterrow, 14 Aug, £free6 Foot Silly - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-17 Aug, not 11, £free1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50Arguments and Nosebleeds - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 26 Aug, £freeOccupied53 Frederick St Guest House, 10-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £free

16:05Matt Forde: Eyes to the Right, Nose to the LeftUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

16:10Shirley and Shirley UnleashedUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11

16:15The Pigeon Hole Presents: Stand-Up Comedy - PBH’s Free FringeMood Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, £free

Making Life Taste FunnierLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeRory O’Hanlon: A Bit of Craic in the AfternoonRush Bar, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 16, 17, £freeDo Not Adjust Your StageWhynot? , 7-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeDeborah Frances-White: Cult FollowingAssembly Roxy, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11John Hastings: UnRelentlessLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 7-26 Aug, £freeGenevieve Swallow is SharingLe Monde, 7-25 Aug, not 15, £freeGerry Howell: Glorious InventionBannermans, 7-24 Aug, not 11, 18, £free

16:20Gráinne Maguire: Where Are All the Fun Places and Are Lots of People There Having Better Fun?Underbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50Gravity BootsGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8 – £9An Austrian and Someone from SloughLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeHalf of Next Year’s Show - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £free

16:30Chris McCausland: Not Blind EnoughPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £11 – £12Paul Dennis’s Inap-propriate Bits - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £free1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

The Bob Blackman Appreciation Society Presents - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-12 Aug, £freeJim Smallman: Let’s Be Friends HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9The McLough-Hess MonsterLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 16, £freeLead PencilThe Fiddler’s Elbow, 13-25 Aug, £freeItch: A Scratch EventPleasance Courtyard, 14 Aug, £8Thomas Nelstrop: Great(ish) Hits HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11McNeil and PamphilonPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Aberdeen vs. Glasgow vs. The World II - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 7-26 Aug, £freeAsher Treleaven: Troubadour HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50Kevin Dewsbury: In...Sane - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 13-26 Aug, £freeFresh Faces at the Free FringeSouthsider, 7-25 Aug, £freeBBC: In TuneBBC @ Potterrow, 24 Aug, £freeMorgan & West: Clockwork MiraclesGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £10.50

16:40David Longley: My Favourite Things HHHThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Holly Burn: The H ClubJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8

Otto Kuhnle: Ich Bin Ein Berliner HHAssembly George Square, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50❤ Mary Bourke: Hail Mary! HHHHThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8

16:45The PinPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8.50 – £9.50Jackson Voorhaar’s One True Love(s) - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freeLewis Schaffer: No YOU Shut Up! - FreeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeErich McElroy: The Brit IdentityPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £11 – £12The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek- All New Show 2012Just The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £12Cariad Lloyd - The Freewheelin’ Cariad Lloyd HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Jigsaw: Gettin’ Jiggy HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Dissecting Comedy - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, £freeJem Brookes: Thumbs Up - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeNot Treasure IslandJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £5 – £6Computer Program-mer ExtraordinaireGlobe, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £freeThe Edinburgh Revue Sketch ShowThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £free

16:50Angus and Cameron: Village Idiots - FreeLaughing Horse @ Bar 50, 7-14 Aug, £freeLights! Camera! Improvise!Underbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11Fat Kitten vs. the WorldThe Voodoo Rooms, 16-25 Aug, not 22, £freeFat Kitten Goes Speed DatingThe Voodoo Rooms, Vari-ous dates from 7 Aug to 14 Aug, £freeMichelle de SwarteBelushi’s, 7-25 Aug, not 15, £free

16:55Alan Hudson’s Not So Secret World of MagicJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £9Discover Ben TargetUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Yianni: Numb and Number - FreeThe Canons’ Gait, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £freeSimply the Jest presents Middle Class TripeChiquito, 10-25 Aug, £free

17:00Bad MusicalGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11BBC: The Unbeliev-able TruthBBC @ Potterrow, 13 Aug, £freeBorn to be MildThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 7-18 Aug, not 13, £7No Country for Old MenScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 11-18 Aug, £freeLeads & SternUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10End of the World Show 2012Ryan’s Cellar Bar, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £free

The Pauly Show - Episode One HHHJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £10The Tim and Pat ShowThe Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeThe Great Big Comedy Picnic - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeJohn Robertson - The Dark Room - FreeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-27 Aug, £freeGeoff Norcott Avoids a Double DipThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 19-25 Aug, £7Diane Spencer: Exquisite Bad Taste HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10One Rogue Reporter HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £10.50Jarlath Regan: The Audacity of Hope and the Inspirational Stupidity of Perse-verance HHHThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10Ferris Bueller’s Way of...Laughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeBritain’s Got F*ck All Talent!The Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £7Firenado! The Sketch ShowBuffs Club (RAOB), 7-13 Aug, £freePassion, Pints and Potatoes - An Irish Guide to LifeDropkick Murphy’s, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £freeGerman ComedianBase Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeThe Leeds Tealights: Sexy ChubbyJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £9The Noise Next Door: Bring The Noise HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £13 – £141000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

comedylistings

Page 77: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 77

COMEDY, THEATRE, CABARET AND MOREOPEN 'TIL 5AM

17:05Rory & Tim: Good for NothingThe Voodoo Rooms, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freeBlind Date Ruined My LifeSweet Grassmarket, 7-26 Aug, not 18, 25, £7.50Stephanie Laing and Martin Croser: Greens!The Cabaret Voltaire, 7-17 Aug, £freeRosie Thorn and The Patsy Cornish SagatheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 21-25 Aug, £7

17:10Nicholas Parsons’ Happy HourPleasance Courtyard, 9-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £11 – £12Monkey Poet - Potty MouthThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £freeBen Verth: Alsatian and ChipsScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, not 9, 16, £freeThe Tim Vine Chat ShowPleasance Courtyard, 21 Aug, £14Sheeps - Dancing with LisaPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11Josh Widdicombe: The Further Adventures of... Extra ShowPleasance Courtyard, 14 Aug, £11

17:15Christian Reilly: This Is Not A Love SongWhistlebinkies, 7-18 Aug, £freeDo Not Trust the Animals - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espionage, 7-27 Aug, not 16, £freeBirth OrderLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeBBC: DilemmaBBC @ Potterrow, 16 Aug, £freeGadd and Winning: Well, This is AwkwarderOpium, 11-25 Aug, £free

David O’Doherty Presents 403 Second MasterworksGilded Balloon Teviot, 20 Aug, £11.50Man 1, Bank 0Gilded Balloon Teviot, 11-26 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50The Thinking Drinkers Guide to AlcoholThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10Michael Redmond: Mannequins, Fishmongers, Guacamole and Me ... and Other ThingsGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8.50 – £9.50Lucy Porter - People Person HHHThe Stand Comedy Club, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10

17:20Laurence Clark: InspiredUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11Bad Bread: 2012 - The Survival GuideUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £10.50Hanks and Conran - Pigs in BlanketsJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7.50

17:30Scientist Turned Comedian: Tim Lee HHAssembly Roxy, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12The SomeNews Live Show - FreeLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 7-26 Aug, £freeCammy’s TeatimeThe Jazz Bar, 22-26 Aug, £5Folken BritainLe Monde, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeBBC: Just a MinuteBBC @ Potterrow, 14 Aug, £freeJennifer Carnovale - Scraping the Barrel - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £free

1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50James Christopher: Bring Me the Head of Russell Kane - FreeThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeNik Coppin’s Caricatures - Free FestivalLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeLaughing Horse Free Comedy SelectionLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeBarry Cryer and Ronnie Golden - Going GagaGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-10 Aug, £12Sean Hughes - Life Becomes NoisesPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £13 – £14Phil Mann’s Full MindLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, £freeBenny Boot: Def-Con 4Underbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50❤ Nick Helm: This Means War! HHHHPleasance Dome, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £12.50 – £13.50Lost Voice Guy and Jeff Lantern - Not Afraid of TabletsLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, £freeThe Great Puppet HornUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10.50

17:35Milo McCabe: Kenny Moon This Is Your LifeGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10Ryan Withers - One Woman Showe - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, £free

17:40❤ Catriona Knox - Hellcat HHHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10

The Three English-men: SquaresPleasance Dome, 7-27 Aug, not 11, £9 – £9.50

17:45Ed Eales-White: Champions HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £7.50 – £9The Kids We Used To Be - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 7-14 Aug, £freeAaaand Now for Something Completely Wireless - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-26 Aug, £freeThe Magical Adventures of Pete HeatGilded Balloon at Third Door, 7-27 Aug, £10 – £12LadystacheLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 15-26 Aug, £freeBilly Watson - Sex, Drugs and Marriage - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeChris Brain: A Better PlaceGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8.50 – £9.50Maff Brown’s Parade of ThisGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 13, £8 – £9The Fitzrovia Radio HourGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11BBC: The Kitchen CabinetBBC @ Potterrow, 26 Aug, £freeThe Beta Males in... The Space RacePleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Well Done You - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freeMatthew Highton’s End of the RoadSiglo, 7-26 Aug, £free

Chris Stokes: An Opera Written On NapkinsPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9Garrett Millerick: Which One’s Fergal?Southsider, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeHill and WeedonLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 16, £free3 Days Off Jesus - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeChris Dangerfield: Sex TouristAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-26 Aug, £free

17:50Wil Hodgson: Kidnapped By CatwomanThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Test Tube ComedyCiao Roma, 7-25 Aug, £freeGavin Webster: Bill Hicks Wasn’t Very Good HHThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8

18:00Big Value Comedy Show - EarlyJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Xavier Toby: Binge ThinkingC venues - C nova, 7-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50The Best of Irish ComedyThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10Ben Hustwayte & Jack Campbell: Get It OnGlobe, 7-25 Aug, £freeTrevor Lock’s Amateur Sex Tape TheoryAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-26 Aug, £5Nick Mohammed is Mr Swallow: 2012Pleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, £11 – £12Dirty ThirtiesLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, £free

Stephen Carlin: Pandas vs Penguins HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £11 – £12❤ Josie Long: Romance and Adventure HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 18, 19, £11.50 – £12.50Loretta Maine: Bipolar HHHJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10The Full IrishLaughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 7-26 Aug, £freeAll Star Stand-Up Showcase - FreeLaughing Horse @ The White Horse, 7-26 Aug, £freeFresh Faces at the Free FringeBelushi’s, 7-25 Aug, £freeRob Beckett’s Summer HolidayPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £12The Six O’Clock ClubKilderkin, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £freeSuzi Ruffell: Let’s Get Ready to RuffellPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11Susan Calman: This Lady’s Not for Turning EitherUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12Jimeoin - What?! HHVenue150 @ EICC, 7-26 Aug, not 21, 22, 23, 24, £13.50 – £15.501000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50Laughing Horse Free Pick of the FringeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeThe Axis of Awe-some: Cry Yourself A River HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-19 Aug, £14 – £16

18:05Richard Wiseman: PsychobabbleThe Canons’ Gait, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, £free

comedylistings

Page 78: Fest 2012 Issue 4

78 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

BUY TICKETS ON FACEBOOK.COM/UNDERBELLYEDINBURGH

FOR ALL UNDERBELLY SHOWS

George’s Marvellous MedicstheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 20-25 Aug, £6Stewart Lee - Carpet Remnant WorldThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £15Black Country Cider Lions - FreeLaughing Horse @ Bar 50, 7-26 Aug, £freeOliver Dean and His Fantastic Ego! LivetheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £3Sammy J and Randy - The InheritanceUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £13 – £15

18:10Basic TrainingUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 19, £11 – £12Chris Dugdale’s 2 Faced DeceptionAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, £11 – £12Adam Strauss: Varieties of Religious ExperienceThe Royal Mile Tavern, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £freeRick Shapiro: RebirthAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, not 9, 12, 13, £13 – £14Michelle Worm-leighton - BewilderedChiquito, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £free

18:15❤ Michael Workman - Mercy HHHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Nick Beaton Does Not Play Well With OthersThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £7 – £8A Betrayal of Penguins - Harmed and DangerousGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-11 Aug, £9.50 – £10Jack Barry and Patrick Turpin: Your New Mild FriendsBuffs Club (RAOB), 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeBilly The Mime HHHJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £6 – £10

You Are Being Lied To 2012Base Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeBBC: The Philosopher’s ArmsBBC @ Potterrow, 21 Aug, £freeGordon Southern’s A Brief History of HistoryGilded Balloon Teviot, 12-26 Aug, £12Thatcher’s Death PartyScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, £freeMatt and Ian’s Improv ShowSweet Grassmarket, 7-27 Aug, not 18, 25, £8Frimston and Rowett: Huge MistakesJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8Inspired - Life 101Laughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeSajeela Kershi: Regret-Me-NotsLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeHelen Arney - Voice of an Angle HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11Tim FitzHigham: Stop the Pigeon HHPleasance Courtyard, 18 Aug, 25 Aug, £11Greg ProopsAssembly George Square, 16-25 Aug, £15 – £16

18:20Caimh McDonnell: The Art of Conversa-tionJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 15, £6 – £72 Facedbook 3The Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, £freeMarek Larwood - TypecastPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12NewsRevuePleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £12.50 – £15❤ Carl Hutchinson: Acceptable? HHHHJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £6 – £7.50

Norwegians of ComedyGHQ, 7-19 Aug, £freeWitTank HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £9.50

18:25Alfie Brown: Soul for SaleUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50Stuart Mitchell Presents ‘It’s Just a Phrase I Am Going Through’Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, £freeHarrison Greenbaum: What Just Happened? - CANCELLEDUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7 Aug, £10.50

18:30Sex Ed: The Musical!theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £8 – £9Peter Edwards: Love EveryoneLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £freeSpring Day: Learn How to Take a Punch - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeDamian Kingsley: Work in Progress - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 12-26 Aug, £freeRookie MistakesThe Street, 15-25 Aug, £freeThe Top Secret Comedy ClubWhistlebinkies, 7-24 Aug, not 11, 18, £freeDenise Scott - Regrets HHAssembly Hall, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50The Durham RevueUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-21 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, £9 – £10Max Fletcher: DeliciousOpium, 7-25 Aug, £free1000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50

Would You Let Your Daughter Marry A Weegie?The Hudson Hotel, 7-25 Aug, £freeDistract and ConquerAmarone, 7-25 Aug, £freeDaniel Sloss - The ShowVenue150 @ EICC, 7-26 Aug, not 22, £13.50 – £15.50❤ Jessica Fostekew: Brave New Word HHHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9.50BBC: John Finne-more’s Souvenir ProgrammeBBC @ Potterrow, 18 Aug, £free

18:35Ian D. Montfort - UnbelievablePleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, £12 – £14

18:40Overexposed: A Slightly Awkward Peep ShowFingers Piano Bar, 7-18 Aug, not 13, £freeMark Nelson - Under the Radar HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11The Harri-Parris - The Leaving DoZoo, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £9Chortle Presents: Fast FringePleasance Dome, 7-25 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Kerry Gilbert TriumphsJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8.50Totally TomUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11Charmian Hughes: Charmageddon!The Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

18:45Alexis Dubus: Cars & Girls HHHAssembly Roxy, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £10.50

Totally Wired! Reunion Farewell (Welfare) Tour - A Sperm’s Tail and Other Tales - FreeLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 19-26 Aug, £freePhill Jupitus - You’re Probably Wondering Why I’ve Asked You Here...The Stand Comedy Club, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £12Absolute Improv!C venues - C nova, 7-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Bus-ting to Laugh - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeLaughing Horse Free Comedy SelectionLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 7-26 Aug, £freeAidan Killian: Free to Obey - FreeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-27 Aug, not 21, 24, £free

18:50Stories from the MiddleLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-14 Aug, £freeDan Nightingale: The 11 and a 1/2 Ill-conceived Edinburgh Shows of Dan NightingalePleasance Dome, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10.50Andrew Bird’s Global Village Fete HHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-25 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Would Like to Meet - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 15-26 Aug, £freeAlistair Barrie: Urban Fogey HHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11

19:00Trevor Browne - I Think ... I AmGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50101 Comedy Club - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-26 Aug, £freeAaron Twitchen’s Quarter Life CrisisSouthsider, 7-25 Aug, £free

Seymour Mace: Squeg!The Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Elis James: Speaking As a Mother...Pleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £12Celia Pacquola - Delayed HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £10.50Funny’s Funny: Fantastic Fringe Finale - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeSuggs: My Life Story in Words and MusicThe Queen’s Hall, 21-24 Aug, £22.50Vladimir McTavish and Keir McAllister Look at the State of Scotland HHHThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £81000 Years of Scotland’s Dark PastThe Edinburgh Dungeon, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £10.50Henry RollinsThe Queen’s Hall, 8-10 Aug, £15Karma Comedian - Stella Graham - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 16, £freeAmateur Transplants: Adam Kay’s Bum NotesPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £12 – £13Bob Slayer: He’s A Very Naughty BoyAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £5❤ Jim Campbell: Nine-Year-Old Man HHHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Itch: A Scratch EventPleasance Courtyard, 13 Aug, £8BBC: Tonight With Rory BremnerBBC @ Potterrow, 22 Aug, £freeBarry Castagnola in Where’s BarryGilded Balloon at Third Door, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50

comedylistings

Page 79: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 79

COMEDY, THEATRE, CABARET AND MOREOPEN 'TIL 5AM

5-Step Guide to Being German 2.0 - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeJosh Widdicombe: The Further Adventures of... HHH

Pleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 23, £11 – £12❤ Daniel Simonsen - Champions HHHH

Pleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8.50 – £10Tom Deacon: Deaconator HHH

Pleasance Dome, 7-25 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50This Time It’s PersonalLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freeGiacinto Palmieri: PagliaccioLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 7-26 Aug, £free

Heroes of Alternative FringeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 27 Aug, £5

19:05Sploshy: A Sketch ShowCiao Roma, 11-25 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

19:15Marlon Davis: Enter the DavismPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11Perfectly BananasLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-27 Aug, £freeCharlie Baker Freshly Baked HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11Andrew O’Neill and Marc Burrows Do Music and Comedy and Hideous MurdersThe Canons’ Gait, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £free

The 7:15pm Stand-Up Show - FreeLaughing Horse @ The White Horse, 7-26 Aug, £freeStinky ShowThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £freeA Theory of Everything - FreeLaughing Horse @ Edin-burgh City Football Club, 7-15 Aug, £freeAAA Stand-UpPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, £9 – £10Light ReliefC venues - C nova, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10.50Manners Costs NothingGlobe, 7-18 Aug, £freeUpstaging: A Modern Guide to Acting for Gentlemen and Gentleladies - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £free

❤ Trevor Noah: The Racist HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10

19:20John Robins: Incredible Scenes!Just The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Barry Morgan’s World of Organs HHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £11.50 – £13.50David O’Doherty: Seize the David O’DohertyPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £14 – £15Bobby Carroll: Low Voltage - FreeThe Royal Mile Tavern, 7-25 Aug, £free

19:25Songs, Stories and Downright LiesParadise in The Vault, 21-27 Aug, £8

Danny Bhoy: Dear EpsonVenue150 @ EICC, 7-8 Aug, £16.50

19:30Paul Foot - Kenny Larch Is DeadUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £12Thomas Hardie Presents: Where’s Thomas, Hardie?The Voodoo Rooms, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeTim FitzHigham: Stop the Pigeon HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £11 – £12.50Owen O’Neill: Struck By LightningThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10Baby Wants Candy: The Completely Improvised Full Band Musical!Assembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, £13 – £15

Stuart Goldsmith: Pr!ck HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10Big Value Comedy Show - MiddleJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10BBC: London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony ScreeningBBC @ Potterrow, 12 Aug, £freeComedy Gala 2012: In Aid of Waverley CareFestival Theatre Edin-burgh, 23 Aug, £25Horne and Key and...Pleasance Dome, 14 Aug, £12Mace and Burton: Heartbreak HotelBuffs Club (RAOB), 8-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeCraig Hill - Jock’s Trap!Underbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £12.50 – £14.50

comedylistings

C venues vibrant vivacious variety19 – 27 Aug 8.40pm (1hr)Tickets £8.50 – £10.50Concessions £6.50 – £8.50

venue 145 I N D I A B U I L D I N G S

V I C T O R I A S T R E E T

0845 260 1234www.CtheFestival.com fringe box office 0131 226 0000

online sales www.edfringe.com

THE EJACULATECONCEPTION

The Gubernaculum presents

Page 80: Fest 2012 Issue 4

80 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

BUY TICKETS ON FACEBOOK.COM/UNDERBELLYEDINBURGH

FOR ALL UNDERBELLY SHOWS

The Funeral of Conor O’Toole HHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8 – £9Künt’s on Daytime TV - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espionage, 7-26 Aug, not 11, £freeTed & Co The Dinner ShowHilton Edinburgh Gros-venor, 10 Aug, 11 Aug, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, £46Bob Doolally’s Euro CrisisThe Stand Comedy Club, 13 Aug, £10Yorkshire Comedy Cabaret IV: Jokers, Born and Interbred - FreeBase Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £free❤ Carl-Einar Häckner: Handluggage HHHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50Born to be MildThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 19-25 Aug, £7Bungo Menebla!Laughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 13-26 Aug, £freeFrisky & Mannish: Extra-Curricular ActivitiesAssembly Hall, 16-26 Aug, not 20, 21, 22, £16DeAnne Smith: Livin’ The Sweet Life HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10

19:35The Mysterious World of Clovis Van DarkhelmThe Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, £freeBig In Dubai!GHQ, 7-11 Aug, £freeJen Brister - Now and ThenJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10

19:40Chris Ramsey: Feeling Lucky HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £9.50

Raymond Mearns - Rock’n’Roll Comedian - The Therapy SessionsScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freeRhod Gilbert: The Man With the Flaming Battenberg TattooVenue150 @ EICC, 15-26 Aug, not 20, 21, £20The Not Quite QuartetJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7.50 – £8.50Adam Hills: Mess Around HHHAssembly Hall, 7-19 Aug, £12 – £13Andrew Ryan: RyanopolyJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8.50❤ Mark Watson: The Information HHHHAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £15Alan Davies - Life is Pain HHHVenue150 @ EICC, 9-14 Aug, £20School of ComedyAssembly Hall, 20-26 Aug, £10

19:45People PersonOpium, 7-25 Aug, £freeFred MacAulay: Legally Bald 2 HHHThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10The History Girls Present: A Summary of Things So FarAssembly Hall, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12Dan Willis: A Comedian’s LifeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeMichael Downey - Standing Up AgainGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 13, 20, £8 – £9Saskia’s Surprise PartyAmarone, 12-25 Aug, £freeBrides of Comedy HHC venues - C aquila, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10.50Opinions Are FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-13 Aug, £free

Nick Sun: Potty Time!Alternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeCatie Wilkins: Joy Is My Middle NameUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £10.50The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek- All New Show 2012Just The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £9.50 – £12Lloyd Langford: One Day in the Life of Lloyd Owen Langford HHHThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10Can You Put This in the Bin for Me? - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 14-26 Aug, £free❤ Claudia O’Doherty - The Telescope HHHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10

19:50Pattie Brewster’s Friendship Venture (For Some Friends)The Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 20, £freeThe Quiz Show That Has Nothing to Do With HorsesSweet Grassmarket, 17 Aug, £5Seann Walsh: Seann to be WildPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 23, £11 – £12Tiffany Stevenson: Uncomfortably NumbUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11Nice People Have Ruined My LifeDragonfly, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeHello Everybody!Sweet Grassmarket, 16 Aug, £5

20:00Reshape While DampLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 17-26 Aug, £freeKumail NanjianiAssembly Roxy, 14-27 Aug, £11.50 – £12.50Dylan Moran: Yeah, YeahEdinburgh Playhouse, 15 Aug, 23 Aug, £24

Air Guitar Can Save the WorldMood Nightclub, 7-18 Aug, £freeAndrew Doyle: Whatever It Takes HHHJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £6.50 – £7.50Derek Ryan: Time Lord - FreeLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeRhys Darby - This Way to Spaceship HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £17.50 – £18.50Lie. Cheat. Steal. Confessions of a Real HustlerZoo, 7-27 Aug, £10 – £12Patrick Monahan – Shooting From The Lip!Gilded Balloon Te-viot, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £10.50 – £12.50Des Clarke: Final Destination HHAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £13 – £14Povs and Hefter UncensoredLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-16 Aug, £freeBairns’ NightThe Assembly Rooms, 13 Aug, £20Catch Comedy Presents: Edinburgh Fringe ShowcaseSapphire Rooms, 13-17 Aug, £freeJimeoin - What?! - Extra Shows!Venue150 @ EICC, 21 Aug, 23 Aug, £13.50Sound & Fury’s Doc FaustusUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10So You Think You’re Funny? FINALGilded Balloon Teviot, 23 Aug, £15Hyde and LyonsMood Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 15, £freeTom Stade Totally Rocks! HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £11.50 – £13

The Fringe Comedy Academy: Class of 2012The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 20 Aug, £6Daniel Sloss - Extra Shows!Venue150 @ EICC, Vari-ous dates from 10 Aug to 25 Aug, £15.50Him and Me: Sketch Circus - FreeLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 7-25 Aug, £freeBob Downe ... Smokin’Gilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 23, £12.50 – £14Tartan Ribbon Comedy BenefitPleasance Courtyard, 14 Aug, £12Naz Osmanoglu: Ottoman Without An Empire HHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £9.50

20:05Eric Davidson - The Only Way is Eric’stheSpace @ Symposium Hall, 7-11 Aug, £10Nothing to ShowtheSpace on the Mile , 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £7.50All About the CraicLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, £free

20:10Vikki Stone: Hot MessUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Kev Orkian in Concert - The World’s Favourite ForeignertheSpace @ Symposium Hall, 13-25 Aug, £10Martin Mor: A Man You Don’t Meet Everyday HHThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Steve Gribbin: Viva Gribbostania!The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Hannah Gadsby - Hannah Wants a Wife HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50Thom Tuck Flips OutPleasance Dome, 7-27 Aug, not 12, £10 – £11

Return of the Lumberjacks (Back by Poplar Demand) HHHThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £15

20:15Rob Deering - The One HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £11 – £12Two for NoneLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 12-26 Aug, £free❤ Richard Herring: Talking C*ck - The Second Coming HHHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, £14 – £16GirlBand Improv - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeLewis Schaffer: No YOU Shut Up! - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeSean Hughes Stands Up HHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £13 – £14FNT Live presents... The Jingling Lane Family SingersC venues - C aquila, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10.50The Ferret’s Free Live Comedy PodcastLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-11 Aug, £freeJo Caulfield - Thinking Bad Thoughts HHThe Stand Comedy Club, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10Joel Dommett - Nunchuck Silver Medallist 2002 HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, £10 – £12BBC: Alex Horne Presents The Horne SectionBBC @ Potterrow, 19 Aug, £freeRob Deb - the Dork Knight Triumphant - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 16, £freeBBC: Wondermental-ist CabaretBBC @ Potterrow, 9 Aug, £free

comedylistings

Page 81: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 81

COMEDY, THEATRE, CABARET AND MOREOPEN 'TIL 5AM

Alan Francis ExpandsGilded Balloon at Third Door, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £9 – £10James Acaster - Prompt HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, £10 – £12Gearoid Farrelly: TurbulenceGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50Al Pitcher – Tiny Triumphs HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 12, £9.50 – £10.50A Good Catholic BoyLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 7-26 Aug, £freeKemsley and Callaghan: Keeping Their CoolLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £free

20:20Danielle Ward - Speakeasy / PlaydeadPleasance Dome, 8-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Cardinal BurnsPleasance Dome, 20-25 Aug, £10 – £11Mick Miller and Jimmy CricketPleasance Dome, 18 Aug, £12Amused Moose Comedy Awards ShowcasesPleasance Dome, Various dates from 8 Aug to 17 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Nish Kumar - Who Is Nish Kumar? HHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10❤ Pappy’s: Last Show Ever! HHHHPleasance Dome, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £12.50 – £14The News at Kate 2012Ciao Roma, 7-25 Aug, not 14, £free

20:25Look at This Massive Picture of My FaceThe Canons’ Gait, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeBellylicious the Sequel - Confessions of a Belly Dance DivaGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 7-11 Aug, £10

20:30Festival of the Spoken NerdVenue150 @ EICC, 7-9 Aug, £13Abigoliah Schamaun: Girl Going to HellLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £freePhil Walker: Is This It?Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freeDanny McLoughlin - The Truth, the Half-Truth and Nothing Like the TruthPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £12Shappi Khorsandi: Dirty Looks and HopscotchPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12Tim Roast’s Animals - FreeLaughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £freeSimon Amstell: NumbThe Bongo Club, 20-26 Aug, £16.50Nina Conti: Dolly MixturesPleasance Dome, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £13 – £14Playing PoliticsAcoustic Music Centre @ St Bride’s, 17 Aug, 23 Aug, £10Sarah Kendall - Get Up, Stand-UpPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11Carl Donnelly: Different Gravy HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12LOLd on a Minute!Sweet Grassmarket, 12-26 Aug, not 18, 25, £7Joe Lycett: Some Lycett Hot HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50Nathan Cassidy: Free PoundThe Royal Mile Tavern, 7-25 Aug, not 15, £free

Pat Burtscher’s PatopotamoosePleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £11 – £12Laughing Horse Free Pick of the FringeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeThe Cradle of ComedyDestiny Church Gorgie, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £5

20:35Stephen Bailey and Zoe Iqbal - Subject to Change - FreeLaughing Horse @ Bar 50, 7-12 Aug, £free

20:40Roisin Conaty: LifehunterPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50The Ejaculate ConceptionC venues - C nova, 19-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Pete Johansson - Utopian Crack Pipe HHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12.50The Chris and Paul ShowJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9

20:45An Audience with the KingThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Luke Benson - Backseat Hero HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10We Love ComedyBase Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, £freeAlpine Horn with Flange Krammer - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeNewcastle University Comedy Society Showcase / PBH’s Free FringeBuffs Club (RAOB), 7-25 Aug, £freeDevvo Dole Queue Hero is FreeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-26 Aug, £free

Pick of the FringeScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeUnstable FablesGreenside, 13-18 Aug, £7Aaaaaaaaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaargh! It’s the Monster Stand-Up Show - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeChris Martin - Spot the Difference HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £12Magnus Betnér LiveThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 16, 21, £10Sex Money DeathThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £7

20:50Des Bishop Likes to BangAssembly George Square, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £11 – £12Matt Price: Fugly.The Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, £freeAndrew Lawrence is Coming to Get YouPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, £11 – £12.50Lord Nelson Presents...GHQ, 17-25 Aug, £freeMax Dickins: This Will Only Take A Moment...The Cabaret Voltaire, 7-25 Aug, £freeHeath Franklin’s Chopper in A Hard Bastard’s Guide to Life HHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-19 Aug, £11 – £12

20:55Al Murray - The Pub Landlord: The Only Way is Epic (Special Previews)Assembly George Square, 13-25 Aug, £12 – £14Musical Comedy Awards ShowcaseUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 10-11 Aug, £14The Sensational Alex Salmond Gastric Band presents Oliver PissedScottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 8-26 Aug, not 21, £free

The Super Serious ShowAssembly George Square, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £13Checkley and Bush’s Comedy Riot!Just The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8

21:00Phil Nichol Rants! HHHThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10The Pajama Men’s Improv ShowAssembly George Square, 7-12 Aug, £14 – £15Dr Ettrick-Hogg’s Manly Stand-Ups - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeNo Pants Thursday: T’il Death Do Us PartyJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7.50 – £8.50Chris Kent - Plugged InGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50Dear Dan Brown...Dragonfly, 7-24 Aug, £freeHeroes of Alternative FringeAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 7-21 Aug, £5Hurt and Anderson: Scenes of a Vignette-ish Nature - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-26 Aug, not 16, 21, £freeThe Fairytale ForestUkrainian Club, 16-20 Aug, £8Big Value Comedy Show - LateJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Russell Kane: Posturing DeliveryThe Assembly Rooms, 13-24 Aug, £15Alan Anderson: Whisky For DaftiesJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, £9 – £12One Track Minds - FreeAmarone, 7-25 Aug, £freeAaaaaaaaaaaaarghh! It’s the Greatest Show on LegsAlternative Fringe @ The Hive, 22-26 Aug, £5

Henning Wehn: Henning Knows BestestJust the Tonic at The Tron, 13 Aug, £6Teeth In EggcupsLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-16 Aug, not 10, 11, £freeGlorified DisastersThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, not 14, 15, £freeNeil Delamere: DelaMere MortalPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11You Have Nothing to Fear...Opium, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeBBC: Radio 2 New Comedy AwardBBC @ Potterrow, 11 Aug, £7❤ Jim Jefferies: Fully Functional HHHHAssembly Hall, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £16 – £17.50

21:05❤ Doctor Brown - Befrdfgth HHHHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10.50 – £11.50

Magpie and Stump in Lolitary ConfinementtheSpace on the Mile , 20-25 Aug, £5Luke Toulson - Luke Who’s TalkingUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50Andrew Maxwell: That’s the SpiritAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £15 – £16Obsession - A Life With MagicZoo, 7-18 Aug, not 12, 13, £10St Andrews Presents - Blind Mirth Improv ComedytheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £5 – £7

21:10Darkness RisingtheSpace on North Bridge, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £7Barely Legal: The 18-Year-Old DemocracyAssembly Roxy, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £13 – £14

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82 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

Pete Firman - HoodwinkerPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, £12 – £15Marcus Brigstocke: The Brig Society HHHAssembly Hall, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £12 – £14Jonny & the BaptistsUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

21:15Henning Wehn: Henning Knows BestestJust The Tonic at the Caves, 15-26 Aug, £8.50 – £11.50Rory Scovel: Illuminati Only - CANCELLEDAssembly Roxy, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £11.50 – £12.50❤ Sam Simmons - About the Weather HHHHGilded Balloon Te-viot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10.50 – £11.50❤ Sara Pascoe - The Musical! HHHHAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £12The Colour Ham HHJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-12 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50The SuggestiblesNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 7 Aug, £14Kevin Shepherd: Thus Spoke Kev - FreeLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 7-26 Aug, £freeBob Doolally’s Euro CrisisThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 21 Aug, £9Laughing Horse Free Comedy SelectionLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 7-26 Aug, £freeStephen K Amos - Work in ProgressThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-25 Aug, not 8, 13, 14, 20, 21, £10Owen and Bettesworth: Sung and UnsungSweet Grassmarket, 7-26 Aug, not 18, 25, £7

21:20Geoff the Entertainer HHHThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Jimmy Carr: Gagging OrderVenue150 @ EICC, Vari-ous dates from 16 Aug to 25 Aug, £18.50Elaine Malcolmson: Relevant ExperienceThe Stand Comedy Club II, 20 Aug, £8Markus Birdman – Love, Life and Death HHHThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £8Danny Buckler: The PhantomJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Paul McCaffrey: Pills’n’Thrills and Belly LaughsUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Sexytime!Underbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Logic for a 5 Year OldtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 7-11 Aug, £3FrenemiesLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-11 Aug, £freeReginald D. Hunter - Work in Progress... and Niggas with John GordilloPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £13Always Be ComedyLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 12-26 Aug, £freeJason Byrne: People’s Puppeteer HHHVenue150 @ EICC, 7-12 Aug, £17.50 – £19.50

21:25TruthUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11

21:30Steven Davidson: GamesmasterThe Constitution, 8-12 Aug, £6.50The Jocks and GeordiesLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-26 Aug, £free

Armageddapoca-lypse: Threat Level DeadUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50Word:PlaytheSpace on the Mile , 14-18 Aug, £6Graham Whistler: Stand-Up, Fall Down - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 7-27 Aug, £freeThe Blanks’ Big Break HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, 23, £12 – £14Mark Restuccia: How to Succeed at Internet Dating HHGilded Balloon at Third Door, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50The Big Comedy Gala in Aid of Macmillan Cancer SupportVenue150 @ EICC, 13 Aug, £22The Comedy ReservePleasance Dome, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8 – £9Dodger’s Comedy Presents... - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-11 Aug, £freeDan and Tom: Two for the Price of NoneSouthsider, 7-25 Aug, £freeSimon Evans: Friendly FirePleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12Michael Mittermeier: A German on Safari HHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £9 – £10Don’t Like Each Other - FreeLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-14 Aug, £freeSwedenborg, the Devil and MeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 12-26 Aug, not 19, £freeConor Drum - A Sense of HumourLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £freeAnd Now for a Nice Evening With WallanPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

ApplauseLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 15-26 Aug, not 16, £freeJeff Leach: Boyfriend Experience HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10Jarred Christmas: Let’s Go MoFoGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, £10.50 – £11.50Dan Wright: Michael Jackson Touched Me HHGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10

21:35Gareth Morinan Presents the Saturday Debates (3+4)Ciao Roma, 18 Aug, 25 Aug, £freeGareth Morinan Explains How Ricky Gervais is a ‘Mong’ for Cutting Gareth Morinan Out of Life’s Too Short (BBC/HBO)Ciao Roma, 9 Aug, £freeGareth Morinan Pitches a Better Version of Life’s Too Short (Starring Gareth Morinan) to BBC, HBO, C4, ITV, Sky, etcCiao Roma, 13 Aug, 16 Aug, £freeGareth Morinan Presents the Saturday Debates (1+2)Ciao Roma, 11 Aug, £freeGareth Morinan Explains Why David Cameron Should Be Fired for Crimes Against Short People (Among Other Things)Ciao Roma, 20 Aug, 23 Aug, £freeBogan Bingo / Free FestivalLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freePeter Buckley Hill and Some Comedians XVIThe Canons’ Gait, 7-25 Aug, £free

21:40❤ The Boy With Tape On His Face - More Tape HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £12.50 – £13.50

Iain Stirling: Happy to Be the Clown? HHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50John Shuttleworth: Out of Our ShedsPleasance Dome, 13-20 Aug, £10 – £12.50Josh Widdicombe: The Further Adventures of... Extra ShowPleasance Dome, 9 Aug, 10 Aug, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 22 Aug, £11 – £12Michael Winslow - NoizeymanUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £12.50 – £14.50Peacock & Gamble Don’t Even Want To Be On Telly Anyway HHPleasance Dome, 7-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

21:45Gareth Richards: Introvert - Never Been To Disneyland HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Eat a Queer Fetus 4 Jesus - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, £freePretending Things Are a C*ckPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £9 – £10Sam Fisher and Friends - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-8 Aug, £freeChilly GonzalesThe Queen’s Hall, 26 Aug, £14I’m High On Life: What Are You On?C Venues - C eca, 7-27 Aug, not 11, 12, £8.50 – £10.50Marcus Ryan: Home and Away - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeLaughing Horse’s Funny FilliesLaughing Horse @ The White Horse, 7-26 Aug, £freeThe Best Of Scottish ComedyThe Stand Comedy Club, 7-26 Aug, £12

❤ Hal Cruttenden Tough Luvvie HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £11Alan Sharp: Careful What You Wish ForThe Banshee Labyrinth, 7-25 Aug, £free❤ Hannibal Buress: Still Saying Stuff HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 21, £10 – £10.50My Damage is My Gift! - FreeLaughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 7-25 Aug, not 13, 14, £freeAbandoman - Party in the Key of C MajorPleasance Dome, 7-27 Aug, not 14, 26, £13 – £14

21:50Alfie Moore - I Predicted a RiotPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, £10 – £12All My FriendsLaughing Horse @ Bar 50, 7-26 Aug, £freeJayde Adams is Master of NoneSweet Grassmarket, 13-24 Aug, not 18, £9Paul Chowdhry - What’s Happening White PeoplePleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12Colin Mars: A Life Full of Lemons HHtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £7.50

22:00Bad Advice - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espionage, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freeHow the World WagsC venues - C aquila, 16-26 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Late Night Gimp FightPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £12.50 – £14Casual Violence: A Kick In The Teeth HHHJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £8

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Page 83: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 83

COMEDY, THEATRE, CABARET AND MOREOPEN 'TIL 5AM

Liam and Owen - A Cracking One Off Show!Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-26 Aug, £freeStorytellers’ ClubPleasance Courtyard, 9-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, £10The Late Night Shack ShowThe Shack Comedy Club & Nightclub, 7-25 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12Back to School’s DiscoPleasance at Braidwood Centre, 10 Aug, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, 25 Aug, £6 – £10Stand Up for FreedomVenue150 @ EICC, 15 Aug, £18Suggs: My Life Story in Words and MusicThe Queen’s Hall, 24 Aug, £22.50News SmashC venues - C nova, 7-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Paul T Eyres: T.Eyres of a Clown / Laughing Horse Pick of the Fringe - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-27 Aug, £free❤ Brendon Burns, Home Stretch Baby HHHHPleasance Dome, 7-26 Aug, not 9, 16, 23, £12.50 – £14.50Art of ProcrastinationParadise in The Vault, 7-19 Aug, not 13, £6❤ Felicity Ward: The Hedgehog Dilemma HHHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12

22:05I’m Not Crying in the Bathroom: I’m Crying in the Supply ClosettheSpace on the Mile , 13-25 Aug, not 19, £8 – £10

22:10Believe - Starring Shane Dundas from the Umbilical BrothersAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £12 – £14It’s Grimm Up NorththeSpace @ Symposium Hall, 7-25 Aug, £6 – £8

Car Crash Comedy 2012Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn, 7-25 Aug, £free

22:15Learning to Pray in Front of the TelevisionGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 13-20 Aug, £8David Whitney - Struggling to EvolveGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Google / ComplexLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-26 Aug, £freeJohn Robertson: The Old WhoreAssembly Hall, 7-26 Aug, £5KWAT: Greetings from KWATJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £10Fat Whore HHThe Assembly Rooms, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10

22:20The Sitcom Double BillPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, £9 – £10Paul Ricketts - Ironic InfinityJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, 23, £6.50 – £7.50Mark Little: THEbullsh*tARTIST HHAssembly George Square, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £15 – £16Sh*t-faced ShakespeareC venues - C, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11.50The Wonderful World of WilfredoJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7.50 – £9.50

22:25Oyster Eyes Presents: Some RiceUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Jerry Sadowitz: Adults OnlyThe Assembly Rooms, 17-18 Aug, £17.50

Marcel Lucont: Gallic Symbol HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £10.50Mick Foley: Prisoner of RawThe Assembly Rooms, 8-11 Aug, £15Jimeoin - What?! (Whatever...)The Assembly Rooms, 24 Aug, £15.50

22:30John Scott - Totally Fed UpThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Best of So You Think You’re Funny?Gilded Balloon Teviot, 8-11 Aug, £10.50The Joy of SketchPleasance Courtyard, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, £12Dead Cat Bounce... Howl of the She-LeopardPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12❤ The Imaginary Radio Programme: Drennon Davis Presented by The Pajama Men HHHHAssembly Roxy, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12Greg Proops Podcast: The Smartest Man in the WorldGilded Balloon Teviot, 16 Aug, 19 Aug, 22 Aug, £13Künt and the Gang - FreeLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 7-26 Aug, not 11, £freeFoil Arms and Hog - Late Night Sketch ComedyUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10So You Think You’re Funny?Gilded Balloon Teviot, 7 Aug, 12 Aug, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, £10RubberbanditsGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, £12 – £14Idiots of Ants ANThologyPleasance Courtyard, 23-25 Aug, £11 – £12

Marcus Brigstocke: The Brig Society EXTRA SHOWAssembly Hall, 24 Aug, £13Comedy Film NightsHill Street Theatre, Vari-ous dates from 9 Aug to 26 Aug, £5 – £8❤ Simon Donald’s School of Swearing HHHHThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8Chortle Student Comedy Award FinalPleasance Courtyard, 13-14 Aug, £8Terry AldertonGilded Balloon Teviot, Various dates from 17 Aug to 26 Aug, £10.50 – £12Dan Mitchell - Free EggAssembly Roxy, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £12Cheap Laughs (Are Better Than No Laughs) - FreeLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 7-26 Aug, £freeJon Richardson - Funny MagnetAssembly Hall, 16-19 Aug, £14

22:35Ian Shaw - A Bit of a Mouthful HHThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £10Things We Did Before RealityJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Dana Alexander: Breaking ThroughUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50James and Amy: Dysfunctional LegendsLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-25 Aug, not 12, £free

22:40The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre - Boo LingerieGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, £9 – £10Comic Strip HHHAssembly George Square, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £12 – £15

Best of Scottish Comedian of the YearUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50Setlist: Stand-Up Without a NetJust The Tonic at the Caves, 9 Aug, £5Scottish Comedian of the Year 2011 - Jamie DalgleishJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £9

22:45❤ Andrew O’Neill is Easily Distracted HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 8, 14, £11 – £12Michael Pope is Gay for Pay - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £freeDavey Connor, Lucy Beaumont and Ed Patrick - The Big Comedy Showcase ShowGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £9 – £9.50The Special Reserve Comedy BenefitPleasance Courtyard, 22-23 Aug, £10What Would Beyoncé Do? - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £freeThe Comedy ZonePleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Late Night LaughsGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, £9.50 – £12Splitting the Bill – Michael Workman & Tommy LittleGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50David Trent - Sponta-neous ComedianPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £12Demitris Deech: Stop, Collaborate and Listen - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-25 Aug, £freeThe Good, the Bad and the Irish!Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 7-26 Aug, not 16, £free

The Boom Jennies: MischiefPleasance Dome, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12James Dowdeswell: Urban Wurzel HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 8, 9, 13, £8.50 – £9.50Tom Cottle’s These Twisted FolkUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10The Dirty Uncle Comedy Roadshow - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 14-17 Aug, £freeAn Evening with Jay SodagarLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-13 Aug, £freeAlistair Green: Jack Spencer - Why Anything?Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £free

22:50The ShamblesC venues - C aquila, 7-18 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Tania Edwards - Killer InstinctUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £10.50Eddie Naessens: The Thing Is This...Ciao Roma, 7-25 Aug, £free

23:00BBC: Comedy PresentsBBC @ Potterrow, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 23, £12Eric Hutton: Every Other Show in the Fringe Sucks - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7-26 Aug, £freeBBC: Late JunctionBBC @ Potterrow, 21 Aug, 23 Aug, £freeShaggers - Free FestivalLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-25 Aug, £freeGarrett Millerick: Sensible Answers to Stupid QuestionsUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

comedylistings

Page 84: Fest 2012 Issue 4

84 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

BUY TICKETS ON FACEBOOK.COM/UNDERBELLYEDINBURGH

FOR ALL UNDERBELLY SHOWS

Laughing Horse Free Pick of the FringeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-26 Aug, £freeBBC: Radio 1’s Fun and Filth CabaretBBC @ Potterrow, 13-16 Aug, £freeRob Deering’s Beat ThisPleasance Courtyard, Various dates from 10 Aug to 25 Aug, £10Iain Stirling: Happy to Be the Clown?Pleasance Courtyard, 11-12 Aug, £8.50Mark Watson’s EdinborolympicsPleasance Courtyard, Various dates from 15 Aug to 21 Aug, £8Aaaaaaaaaaaaarghh! It’s the Malcolm Hardee Comedy Awards Show with Miss Behave - and It’s Free!Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 24-25 Aug, £freeSteve Shanyaski’s Life-Survival BiblePleasance Courtyard, 7-26 Aug, not 12, 13, £8.50 – £10.50Ward and Bartlett’s Double ImpactGlobe, 7-18 Aug, £freeAAA Stand-Up LatePleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, £9 – £10Japanese TerminatoLLaughing Horse @ The White Horse, 7-26 Aug, not 15, £freeBring Me the Head of Adam RichesPleasance Dome, 22-25 Aug, £12 – £14

23:05Barbershopera: The Three Musketeers HHHPleasance Courtyard, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £11.50 – £12.50Back and to the Left in the Turkish PrisonLaughing Horse @ Bar 50, 7-15 Aug, £freeMonkey Toast: The Improvised Chat Show HHHPleasance Dome, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Absolute Stripping!theSpace on North Bridge, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £8.50 – £9.50Heavy PettingLaughing Horse @ Bar 50, 16-26 Aug, £free

23:10Humphrey Ker is... Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher!Pleasance Dome, 7-14 Aug, £12.50 – £15

23:15Tim Key - MasterslutPleasance Courtyard, 23-25 Aug, £14I Am, I AmGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8 – £9The Horne Section - Live at the Grand! HHHPleasance Courtyard, 9-22 Aug, £10 – £12

23:20COMXJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £10Pappy’s Flatshare SlamdownPleasance Courtyard, 7 Aug, 12 Aug, £8.50Do The Right ThingPleasance Courtyard, 8 Aug, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, £8.50Voices in Your HeadUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 9-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, £10Simon Evans: Friendly Fire Extra ShowPleasance Courtyard, 17-18 Aug, £12

23:30Battle Ducks: Activate!C venues - C nova, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50Tim Key - MasterslutPleasance Dome, 16-21 Aug, £14Taylor Glenn - Reverse PsycomedyGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8 – £9LOL-ocaustLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

23:40Chris Ramsey: Feeling Lucky HHHPleasance Courtyard, 10 Aug, 18 Aug, £9.50Ro Campbell: Midnight MeltdownThe Stand Comedy Club II, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8

Scott Agnew: Tales of the SaunaThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 7-26 Aug, not 13, £8❤ Eddie Pepitone’s Bloodbath HHHHJust the Tonic at The Tron, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £10

23:45Al Murray the Pub Landlord: The Guv’s Olympic Pub QuizAssembly George Square, 16-18 Aug, £15Guardian Reader HHHJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £8 – £9Frisky & Mannish: 27 ClubAssembly George Square, 20-22 Aug, £12Guilt & Shame: Up All Night HHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £8 – £9.50Denis Krasnov’s Hour of Intellectual FilthJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £9Joe Munrow: One Big Joke - FreeLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £free

23:50Live At The Electric: Live At The FringePleasance Courtyard, 17-19 Aug, £10

23:55The Humble Quest for Universal GeniusGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-10 Aug, £9 – £10The New Conway DimensionGilded Balloon Teviot, 11-27 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Eleanor Conway’s Midnight RumbleUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 7-27 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

23:59The Assembly Rooms The Very Best of the FestThe Assembly Rooms, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, 25 Aug, £15

Morgan & West: Lying, Cheating ScoundrelsGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £16Best of the FestAssembly Hall, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, £14 – £15Setlist: Stand-Up Without a NetJust The Tonic at the Caves, 7-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, £9 – £11Midnight HourThe Canons’ Gait, 10-11 Aug, £freeA Little Perspective with ImaanGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10The Death of ComedyGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £8.50 – £9.50Where Once Was Wonder by Daniel KitsonThe Stand Comedy Club, 7-26 Aug, not 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, £10The Stand Late ShowThe Stand Comedy Club, Various dates from 10 Aug to 25 Aug, £15Adam Hills: Mess Around HHHAssembly Hall, 17-18 Aug, £13Edinburgh Comedy Tourwww.walkingheads.net, 7 Aug - 2 Sep, £free

00:00Liam Grahame Olsen: Half Pint - LiveLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 16-19 Aug, £freeUnknowable Tantrum WindLaughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 8-14 Aug, £freeGay Straight AllianceLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 20-27 Aug, £freeMe My Selfish SelfLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 20-25 Aug, £freeBecks Dugs and Rotten HoleLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 15-19 Aug, £freeSchool NightJust The Tonic at the Caves, Various dates from 8 Aug to 23 Aug, £10

Midnight Comedy at Genting Club FountainparkGenting Club Fountain-park, 8-23 Aug, not 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, £freeJoz Norris is Matt Fisher: Überperson - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 8-13 Aug, £freeLife’s Short. I’m Not! - FreeLaughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 8-27 Aug, £freeSpank!Underbelly, Cowgate, 8-27 Aug, £13.50 – £15.50Julie Jepson - Personal TriumphLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 9-13 Aug, £freeLeaves on the LineLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 8-13 Aug, £freeJust the Tonic Comedy Club’s Midnight ShowJust The Tonic at the Caves, 10-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, £10DeadBadgers Sketchy BitsLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 14-27 Aug, £free

00:10Vikki Stone: Hot MessUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 11 Aug, £11

00:15The Late ShowUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 10-27 Aug, not 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, £12.50 – £14.50Harriet Dyer (Plus the Odd Pal) - What a Palaver!Laughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 7-27 Aug, £free

00:20The Beta Males’ Midnight Movie TheatrePleasance Courtyard, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 18 Aug, 19 Aug, £10

00:25The RoomAssembly George Square, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, £8

00:30The ImprovertsBedlam Theatre, 7-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £7.50

BattleActs! Presents...Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 7-28 Aug, £free

Hedluv and Passman: Two Cornish Rappers and a Casiotone HH

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 7-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

00:40After Hours ComedyPleasance Dome, 10-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, £10.50 – £11.50

00:45Leo and Stephen Go Down On You!Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

00:50Spanktacular!Underbelly, Bristo Square, 12 Aug, 19 Aug, 26 Aug, £15.50

01:00Not the Adventures of MolemanLaughing Horse @ City Cafe, 8-27 Aug, £free

Late ‘n’ LiveGilded Balloon Teviot, 7-28 Aug, £13 – £15

01:15Setlist: Stand-Up Without a NetJust The Tonic at the Caves, Various dates from 11 Aug to 26 Aug, £11

comedylistings

Page 85: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 85

theatrelistings

08:00How May We Be of Service?Everywhere, Anywhere, 12-17 Aug, £free24hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1

09:0024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Dream Plays (Scenes From a Play I’ll Never Write)Traverse Theatre, 14-26 Aug, not 20, £12SuzanneHere! Internet Cafe, 8-27 Aug, £5

09:15Birds on a WiretheSpace @ Venue45, 11 Aug, £5Grimaldi: King of the ClownstheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8 Aug, 11 Aug, £5American Gothic: The Poetry of Edgar Lee MasterstheSpace @ Venue45, 9 Aug, £5The Iliad, The Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or LesstheSpace @ Venue45, 8 Aug, £5

09:20What the Heart Remembers: The Women and Children of DarfurtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, £5

09:30One Minute Birdwatching - FreeWest Princes Street Gar-dens, 8-9 Aug, £freePlatero Y YotheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 10 Aug, £5

09:45After OrpheustheSpace @ Venue45, 10 Aug, £5

10:00Born to RunTraverse Theatre, 21 Aug, 25 Aug, £13 – £20Mark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! HHHTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, 12 Aug, 15 Aug, 19 Aug, 23 Aug, £18Kaya - Dream InterpreterAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 21, £9 – £11❤ And No More Shall We Part HHHHTraverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 14 Aug, 18 Aug, 22 Aug, 26 Aug, £18 – £20Shakespeare for BreakfastC venues - C, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £6.50 – £8.50Theatre UncutTraverse Theatre, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £6.50❤ The Letter of Last Resort and Good With People HHHHTraverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 16 Aug, 24 Aug, £18 – £2024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1

Morning HHH

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, £20

10:05FrontlinetheSpace on North Bridge, 13-16 Aug, £5In TentstheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £5

10:15Dearly DepartedChurch Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5The Browning VersiontheSpace on the Mile , 8-11 Aug, £8

10:30Monkey BarsTraverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 22 Aug, £17❤ Blink HHHH

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 23 Aug, £17 – £19Going Green the Wong WayVenue 13, 8-18 Aug, not 13, £8The CrucibleGreenside, 20-25 Aug, £8Angels HHH

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, 14 Aug, 19 Aug, 25 Aug, £17 – £19All That is Wrong HHH

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, £17The Adding MachineChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast ShowPleasance Dome, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £10.50 – £11.50Bullet Catch HHHTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £17MessTraverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, 24 Aug, £19

10:45Romeo and JuliettheSpace @ Venue45, 21-25 Aug, £5MachinaltheSpace on Niddry St, 20 Aug, 22 Aug, 24 Aug, £5Oh, What a Lovely WartheSpace on Niddry St, 21 Aug, 23 Aug, 25 Aug, £5

11:00Invisible PeopleAround Edinburgh, 8-11 Aug, £1AllotmentAssembly Inverleith Allotments, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, £10Story Shakespeare: All’s Well That Ends WellC venues - C too, 13-18 Aug, £7.50 – £9.5024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6Killing TimeBedlam Theatre, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £6

The StrangerSummerhall, 10-25 Aug, not 22, 23, £12Afghan Days Babylon NightsThe Royal Scots Club, 9 Aug, 10 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, £9

11:05Under the LaddertheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £5Anon(ymous)C venues - C, 8-11 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50All the Things I Never SaidtheSpace on North Bridge, 13-16 Aug, £5

11:10The Ride of the BluebottlestheSpace on the Mile , 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £7 – £9The Two Most Perfect ThingsAssembly Roxy, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £13

11:15Forever YoungtheSpace @ Symposium Hall, 13-24 Aug, not 19, £6Grimaldi: King of the ClownstheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, £5Captain Ferguson’s School for Balloon Warfare HHAssembly Roxy, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £12Moth to the FlameParadise in Augustine’s, 8 Aug, £8All in the TimingChurch Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

Sir Gawain, the Yellow KnightChurch Hill Theatre, 17 Aug, £5NormalParadise in Augustine’s, 9-11 Aug, £8The HoleChurch Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5American Gothic: The Poetry of Edgar Lee MasterstheSpace @ Venue45, 8 Aug, 10 Aug, £5The Iliad, The Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or LesstheSpace @ Venue45, 11 Aug, £5Noël Coward’s Tonight at 8:30theSpace on Niddry St, 13-18 Aug, £7 – £9SOS CourtshipChurch Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5Birds on a WiretheSpace @ Venue45, 9 Aug, £5

11:20I Never Saw Another ButterflyChurch Hill Theatre, 18 Aug, £5Chicken Bones for the Teenage SoupChurch Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5What the Heart Remembers: The Women and Children of DarfurtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 10 Aug, £5Miss JulietheSpace on North Bridge, 13-18 Aug, £5 – £11Dream OnParadise in Augustine’s, 14-18 Aug, £8

HHHH “Bloody, marvellous stuff!”

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D. Express

Page 86: Fest 2012 Issue 4

86 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

theatrelistingsThe Property Known As GarlandtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £8 – £10

11:25Last SupperGreenside, 8-11 Aug, £6Miss MarchbanksParadise in The Vault, 8-18 Aug, not 12, 13, £8.50

11:30Seeing Double: Figures HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £7 – £8For the Love of WillieQuaker Meeting House, 13-18 Aug, £7Plastic Beach HHZoo Southside, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 21, £7The Price of EverythingNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 8-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £10Seeing Double: Vision HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £7 – £8Pleasance BytesPleasance Courtyard, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, 25 Aug, £4Platero Y YotheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8 Aug, 11 Aug, £5Apocalypse or Bust!Church Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5

11:35Life Is Too Good To Be True HHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-13 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

John Peel’s Shed by John OsborneUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-12 Aug, £11

Bye Bye WorldUnderbelly, Cowgate, 15-26 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

11:40CandidaAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12

Two DogsSweet Grassmarket, 8-17 Aug, £10

Beyond HillsboroughQuaker Meeting House, 8-11 Aug, £8

11:45OddlieVenue 13, 8-18 Aug, not 13, £8

Hell’s Bells by Lynne TrussPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 9, 10, 13, 20, £8 – £9

Female GothicAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £12 – £13

Thin Ice HHH

Pleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £9 – £10

The Ash GirltheSpace @ Venue45, 13-16 Aug, £8

11:50Built for TwotheSpace on the Mile , 8-18 Aug, not 12, £6

12:00Puellae (The truth about chips and other things)Summerhall, Various dates from 8 Aug to 15 Aug, £10As Ye SowPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11.50An Audience With the Duke of Windsor - Bob KingdomAssembly Hall, 8-27 Aug, £10 – £11A Few Good MenC venues - C eca, 12-18 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50BigmouthSummerhall, 19-26 Aug, £5 – £10Theatre Tasters - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 8-12 Aug, £freeI Shall Be Remembered - The Story of Madame de PompadourVenue150 @ EICC, 15-19 Aug, £12The Merry Wives of OsakaC venues - C too, 13-18 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50The Life and Sort of Death of Eric ArgylePleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50AllotmentAssembly Inverleith Allotments, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, £10Les ImpossiblesSweet Grassmarket, 8-10 Aug, £9

❤ The Letter of Last Resort and Good With People HHHHTraverse Theatre, 21 Aug, 25 Aug, £18 – £20The Ragged Trou-sered PhilanthropistsAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12ChurchillThe Assembly Rooms, 11-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £1024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6Comedy Playhouse - Balloon - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Counting House, 8-26 Aug, £freeThe Knowledge EmporiumNorthern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 9-12 Aug, £freeFiring BlanksZoo, 19-27 Aug, £9 – £10Double Edge’s ApplesUnderbelly, Cowgate, 12-18 Aug, £8 – £9Hunt & Darton CafeHunt & Darton Cafe , 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeB O XC venues - C nova, 8-26 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

❤ Horrible Histories - Barmy Britain HHHHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10.50 – £11.50

What’s He Building in There? HHHZoo, 8-18 Aug, £8

The Last Days of Judas IscariotZoo, 8-11 Aug, £7.50Razing Eddie HHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10Tam O’ShanterAssembly Hall, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £14 – £15The Template for Lack of ConversationLaughing Horse @ Edin-burgh City Football Club, 8-18 Aug, £free

12:05Wild AllegationstheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £6The Jhiva of NietzschetheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £7In TentstheSpace on North Bridge, 13-16 Aug, £5Salt and PeppertheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £5

12:10Continuous Growth HHHPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £11

12:15Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act by Athol Fugard HHAssembly Hall, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £14 – £16The Talented Mr. RipleyChurch Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5ShirtwaistSummerhall, 11-18 Aug, £10

❤ And No More Shall We Part HHHHTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, 12 Aug, £18Les ImpossiblesSweet Grassmarket, 11-12 Aug, £9Dearly DepartedChurch Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5Almost, MaineChurch Hill Theatre, 18 Aug, £5King LearZoo, 12-18 Aug, £7.50Virginia Ironside: Growing Old Disgrace-fullyGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £10 – £11WonderlandChurch Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

12:20The Mermaid of ZennorC venues - C too, 20-27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50The ExoneratedPilrig Studio, 8 Aug, £5US BeefPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.5030 Neo-Futurist Plays From Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go BlindPilrig Studio, 9 Aug, £5Lord of the FliesParadise in Augustine’s, 21-27 Aug, £8.50Miss JulietheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £10 – £11Romeo and JuliettheSpace on Niddry St, 8-11 Aug, £8

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ad.indd 1 08/08/2012 23:22

Page 87: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 87

theatrelistingsThe Bravery of Miss Anne and Other Tales of Splendorous AdventureThe Voodoo Rooms, 21-25 Aug, £freeMachinaltheSpace on Niddry St, 21 Aug, 23 Aug, 25 Aug, £5Oh, What a Lovely WartheSpace on Niddry St, 20 Aug, 22 Aug, 24 Aug, £5

12:25The Death of ChattertonPleasance Courtyard, 8-18 Aug, £8 – £9Medieval Miracle, The Fall Of ManParadise in The Vault, 8 Aug, £5Ma Biche et Mon LapinInstitut français d’Ecosse, 8-24 Aug, weekdays only, £5The Fantasist HHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9

12:30Born to RunTraverse Theatre, 22 Aug, 26 Aug, £18As You Like ItZoo, 19-27 Aug, £5 – £8All Turn! - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 13-26 Aug, £freeSoldiers’ Wives HHHAssembly Roxy, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12Killing TimeBedlam Theatre, 12 Aug, 19 Aug, £6Spaghetti JunctionBedlam Theatre, 13-18 Aug, £7My Elevator DaysPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £9 – £10❤ A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum HHHHC venues - C, 12-18 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Picnic ApocalypticBedlam Theatre, 8-11 Aug, £8A Servant to Two MasterstheSpace on the Mile , 8-11 Aug, £6

Would Be Nice Though...Pleasance at Essential Edinburgh, 8-18 Aug, £8 – £9❤ And No More Shall We Part HHHHTraverse Theatre, 15 Aug, 19 Aug, 23 Aug, £18Round ‘ereVenue 13, 19-25 Aug, £freeThe Yellow WallpaperGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 21-25 Aug, £8❤ The Letter of Last Resort and Good With People HHHHTraverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, £20RutBedlam Theatre, 20-25 Aug, £7Morning HHHTraverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 14 Aug, 18 Aug, £18 – £20

12:35Land of the Dead / Helter SkelterGreenside, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £9

12:40The MusicianstheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 20-25 Aug, £7.50Jubilate! by Rosalind AdlerPleasance Courtyard, 14-25 Aug, £8 – £9FATPleasance Courtyard, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, £9The Silencer - David CalvittoPleasance Courtyard, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11

12:45Punch & JudyPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10The InstituteThe Fiddler’s Elbow, 13-19 Aug, £freeUncoupledGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10All That is Wrong HHHTraverse Theatre, 10 Aug, £19DubrovskitheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £7

The Boy with the Cuckoo Clock Heart HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10Utopia (Beyond the Words) and ClothestheSpace on the Mile , 14-18 Aug, £7Bullet Catch HHHTraverse Theatre, 9 Aug, £17The Turn of the ScrewZoo Southside, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £7MessTraverse Theatre, 12 Aug, 14 Aug, 25 Aug, £17 – £19Monkey BarsTraverse Theatre, 17 Aug, 23 Aug, £17 – £19❤ Best in the World HHHHNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 8-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £14Theseus and the Minotaur: A Love StorytheSpace on North Bridge, 13-18 Aug, £10

12:50JustC Venues - C eca, 13-18 Aug, £5.50 – £7.50Why Do You Stand There in the Rain?C venues - C, 8-11 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Locked IntheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £7 – £10Social Husbandry Inc - Breeding a Brighter Society Since 2012theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £4Monkey Poet’s Murder MysteryThe Banshee Labyrinth, 8-25 Aug, not 14, £free

12:55Double Edge’s Spring AwakeningUnderbelly, Cowgate, 12-18 Aug, £8 – £9Hanafuda Denki (A Tale of Fantastic Traditional Playing Cards)C venues - C, 12-18 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

13:00Eat $h*t: How Our Waste Can Save the WorldC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £6.50 – £8.50

Angels HHHTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £17My Wrestle ManiaPrinces Mall, 25 Aug, £freeAllotmentAssembly Inverleith Allotments, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, £10Bullet Catch HHHTraverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 22 Aug, £17Platero Y Yo by Juan Ramon JimenezValvona & Crolla, 8-27 Aug, not 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, £12Textually TransmittedC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.5024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6EvilThe Bongo Club, 21-25 Aug, £6ProoftheSpace on the Mile , 8-18 Aug, not 12, £7MessTraverse Theatre, 19 Aug, £17Six and a TannerThe Assembly Rooms, 8-26 Aug, not 10, 13, £15

❤ Slapdash Galaxy HHHHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11.50

Everything Else Happened HHHAssembly Roxy, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12Detention HHHSummerhall, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £12❤ Slice by Mel Giedroyc HHHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £9 – £10❤ Blink HHHHTraverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, 24 Aug, £19BoundC venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10.50

13:05Under the LaddertheSpace on North Bridge, 13-16 Aug, £5

FrontlinetheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £5Trojan WomentheSpace @ Symposium Hall, 8-18 Aug, £9Wild TurkeytheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 20-25 Aug, £6

13:10❤ The Trench HHHHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 25, £10 – £12

Quick! Save the Pizza!theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-18 Aug, £8Married With SnailsSweet Grassmarket, 8-17 Aug, £8.50Letter to the Man (from the Boy)Underbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £9.50Photographing the DeadParadise in The Vault, 14-27 Aug, not 19, 20, 26, £7The Spirit of Frances Wright (Love is an Action Verb)Sweet Grassmarket, 8-27 Aug, not 18, 25, £8Shakespeare Didn’t Write ThisSweet Grassmarket, 9-24 Aug, not 18, £8

13:15Poe’s Last Night - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 8-26 Aug, £freeMark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! HHHTraverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 16 Aug, 24 Aug, £18 – £20Cancer TimeVenue 13, 8-18 Aug, not 13, £8Birds on a WiretheSpace @ Venue45, 8 Aug, £5Acts of ContritiontheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £10Mostellaria (The Haunted House)Church Hill Theatre, 17-20 Aug, weekdays only, £5Marat / SadeChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5Say You Love MeCafe Camino, 8-12 Aug, £free

HimtheSpace on the Mile , 21-25 Aug, £7 – £8Spring Awakening (After Wedekind)Paradise in Augustine’s, 14-18 Aug, £8Educating Ronnie HHHAssembly George Square, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £12All in the TimingChurch Hill Theatre, 18 Aug, £5Sir Gawain, the Yellow KnightChurch Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5The Miller’s Tale: Wahala Dey Oh!C venues - C, 8-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Night of the Big Wind HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-25 Aug, £8.50 – £10Unlucky for SomeVenue 13, 19-25 Aug, £freeLove ChildGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £12

13:20❤ Dirty Great Love Story HHHHPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10

13:30The EconomistC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50The Lad Himself HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-26 Aug, not 11, £9.50 – £12.50❤ Camille Claudel HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8.50 – £9.50As You Like ItPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £7.50 – £9Dirty Barbie and other girlhood tales HHHAssembly Hall, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7 – £9The Canterville GhostGreenside, 8-10 Aug, £5.50And the Girls in Their Sunday Dresses HHHAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £14 – £15

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theatrelistingsThe Good Person of SzechwantheSpace @ Symposium Hall, 20-25 Aug, £5One Minute Birdwatching - FreeWest Princes Street Gar-dens, 8-9 Aug, £freeBig Sean, Mikey and Me HHGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, £10Hamlet and Other Theatrical NightmaresChurch Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5Simple Matters HHGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 20, £10 – £11You Obviously Know What I’m Talking About HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £11Give and TakeChurch Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5RuthlessnessC Venues - C eca, 12-27 Aug, not 20, £7.50 – £9.50Carnival of CrowsLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-24 Aug, not 11, 18, £free

13:35Country Air - A Contemporary Ghost StoryParadise in The Vault, 8-11 Aug, £5.50Romeo and JulietGreenside, 13-18 Aug, £7

13:40Botallack O’ClockGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £9

Pretty When I’m DrunktheSpace on the Mile , 21-25 Aug, £5

13:45End to EndBannermans, 12-25 Aug, £freeAntigonetheSpace on the Mile , 8-11 Aug, £4.50Stand Up, Woman - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 13-16 Aug, £freePerle HHHAssembly Roxy, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Urban FairytaletheSpace @ Venue45, 20-25 Aug, £8The Two Worlds of Charlie FPleasance Courtyard, 8-11 Aug, £12.50 – £15I Shall Be Remembered - The Story of Madame de PompadourVenue150 @ EICC, 8-12 Aug, £12Wrong Place, Right TimeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-12 Aug, £freeUnmythableZoo, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £10After OrpheustheSpace @ Venue45, 9 Aug, £5Theseus and the Minotaur: A Love StorytheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £10UndateableWhynot? , 8-12 Aug, £free

13:50Executive Stress / Corporate RetreatC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £7.50 – £9.50Irreconcilable DifferencesGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £8

13:55❤ Othello - The Remix HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £12.50 – £15EllipsistheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £5Listen! The RivertheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £5 – £8❤ Hand Over Fist HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 9-27 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

14:00My SisterThe Fiddler’s Elbow, 8-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeTrue ColoursNorthern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 21-25 Aug, £5Bottleneck HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Mayday MaydayPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £9 – £11UninvitedBedlam Theatre, 8-25 Aug, not 15, £8Endure: A Run Woman ShowAssembly George Square, 9-19 Aug, not 13, 14, £7

Shakespeare’s Queens: She-Wolves and SerpentsC Venues - C eca, 8-25 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Couleur CaféC venues - C nova, 11-27 Aug, £12.50 – £14.502008: MacbethLowland Hall, Royal High-land Centre, 15 Aug, £35Meine faire Dame - ein SprachlaborLowland Hall, Royal Highland Centre, 17-18 Aug, £30The ListSummerhall, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 20, £12❤ Coalition HHHHPleasance Dome, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £13.50 – £14.50The TempesttheSpace on Niddry St, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £8Baby With the BathwatertheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 20-25 Aug, £10Martin Dockery: WanderlustGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10Anything But (A One-Woman Play)Pleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9Forgotten HeroesC venues - C nova, 19-27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50The World’s Greatest Walking Tour of EdinburghPleasance Dome, 9-27 Aug, not 13, 15, 20, 22, £8 – £9The Half HHHAssembly George Square, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £12 – £14

Exterminating Angel - An ImprovisationPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £11PoisonC venues - C nova, 12-18 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50❤ Flâneurs HHHHSummerhall, 8-26 Aug, not 17, 18, £8Mon DroitPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 16, £10 – £11❤ Crypted HHHHC venues - C nova, 8-26 Aug, not 10, 13, £8.50 – £10.50The Edinburgh International Circus FestivalOcean Terminal Big Top, 8-26 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, £freeGrace!St John’s Church, 8-18 Aug, £10Werther’s SorrowsZoo Southside, Various dates from 9 Aug to 27 Aug, £8ProofPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50KinThe Playhouse on the Fringe, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £10Faulty Towers the Dining ExperienceB’est Restaurant, 8-28 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £43 – £46.5024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6❤ Mies Julie HHHHAssembly Hall, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £14 – £16

Salome By Oscar WildeZoo Southside, Various dates from 8 Aug to 26 Aug, £8The CelebrityPASS (Performing Arts Studio Scotland), 22-25 Aug, £8A Donkey and a ParrotGilded Balloon at Third Door, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8 – £9

14:05One Night StandtheSpace on the Mile , 13-18 Aug, £7.50The Yellow WallpapertheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £5Salt and PeppertheSpace on North Bridge, 13-16 Aug, £5Comedy Playhouse - Shopping for Bacon - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 8-26 Aug, £freeLetters, Boxes and Other Things That Shouldn’t Be OpenedC venues - C nova, 8-11 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50Iron AssumptionstheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £5Now.HereLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 15-26 Aug, £freeThe Adult History of Great Britain Part 1 - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-14 Aug, £freePanning for Gold - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

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theatrelistingsCut!theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £7.50Blake’s DoorstheSpace on North Bridge, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £5When Alice (Cooper) Met (Prince) HarryLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-26 Aug, £free

14:10Whale TaletheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £7The House of ShadowstheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £7The Wheelchair on My FacePleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 21, £8 – £10

14:15Scotsman Best of the FestAssembly George Square, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £12The Pilgrim’s ProgressPalmerston Place Church, 22 Aug, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, £10SeditionZoo, Various dates from 8 Aug to 26 Aug, £8Almost, MaineChurch Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5Village of IdiotsChurch Hill Theatre, 17 Aug, 21 Aug, £5Chariot: The Eric Liddell StoryEdinburgh Elim, 17 Aug, 18 Aug, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, £10

❤ The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs by Mike Daisey HHHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Angels in HeelsLaughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £free

14:20The ExoneratedPilrig Studio, 9 Aug, £5Love All HHHAssembly Roxy, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £12Satan’s Playground HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10Sherlock Holmes and the Sound of the BaskervillesParadise in Augustine’s, 21-27 Aug, £9.50

14:25How Much is Your Iron? and DansenSweet Grassmarket, 11-17 Aug, £73.2 SecondstheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £8

14:30Trouble in the TolboothSaughtonhall United Reformed Church, 11 Aug, £7Ronnie and the Other WorldQuaker Meeting House, 13-18 Aug, £7Visiting TimeGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-26 Aug, £10 – £12

Cancer TimeVenue 13, 19-25 Aug, £8Rosie Wilby - How (Not) To Make It In BritpopThe Bongo Club, 10-14 Aug, £8Well Behaved Women Rarely Make HistoryC venues - C aquila, 13-18 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Gulliver’s TravelsKing’s Theatre, 19 Aug, £12Primer for a Failed SuperpowerThe Hub, 24 Aug, £6As of 1.52pm GMT on Friday April 27th 2012, This Show Has No Title. HHTraverse Theatre, 22 Aug, 26 Aug, £12Teach MeHill Street Theatre, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £9 – £12MacBeth in ScotsSt Ninian’s Hall, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, £10Becoming ConocidoVenue 13, 8-18 Aug, not 13, £8Operation StorkSt Serf’s Church Hall, 18 Aug, £9Miriam Margolyes - Dickens’ WomenPleasance Courtyard, 8-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £16.50 – £17.50Deadly MedleyPilrig Studio, 8 Aug, £5Strawberry SauceC venues - C aquila, 8-11 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50AdolfThe Assembly Rooms, 13 Aug, £12Fables Here and ThenChurch Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

Comedian Dies in the Middle of Joke HHPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50Three WordsThe Bongo Club, 8 Aug, £7Ne’er the TwainSt Peter’s, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, £10

14:35The Importance of Being EarnestGreenside, 13-18 Aug, £7Am I Good Friend?The Cabaret Voltaire, 8-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £freeBiloxi BluesSweet Grassmarket, 8-10 Aug, £9❤ CountryBoy’s Struggle HHHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11.5021A - FreeGHQ, 8-25 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

14:40❤ This Way Up HHHHC venues - C, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50The StaticUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 20, £10 – £11Once in a House on Fire HHHNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 11-25 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £14Probably the Greatest Goal Ever Scored (and Other Tales)Sweet Grassmarket, 20-24 Aug, £7Tea is an Evening MealNorthern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 8-10 Aug, £10

The Sewing MachineAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £13 – £14

14:45ThreadAssembly St Mark’s, 9 Aug, 16 Aug, 23 Aug, £10KesParadise in Augustine’s, 21-27 Aug, £8Winston on the RunPleasance Courtyard, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £9 – £10❤ Dylan Thomas: Return Journey - Bob Kingdom, Original Direction by Anthony Hopkins HHHHAssembly Hall, 8-27 Aug, £10 – £11Krapp’s Last TapeThe Assembly Rooms, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £10The Good, the Bad and the Extrater-restrialsLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 8-26 Aug, £free

14:50Double Edge’s Almost Nothing to Do with FrogsUnderbelly, Cowgate, 12-18 Aug, £8 – £9The Smoking BoyGreenside, 8-11 Aug, £9Jigsy HHHThe Assembly Rooms, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £15NikotineParadise in The Vault, 14-19 Aug, £8.50The PrizeUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 8-26 Aug, not 15, £11 – £12

The CagebirdsC Venues - C eca, Various dates from 8 Aug to 26 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Chapel Street HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Peter PanicPleasance Dome, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £8 – £10Besides the ObviousC Venues - C eca, Various dates from 9 Aug to 27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

14:55Be My BabyParadise in The Vault, 8-12 Aug, £6.50Self-CriticismParadise in The Vault, 21-25 Aug, £6A Man for All Times: W. E. B. DuBoistheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £8.50 – £9.50

15:00As of 1.52pm GMT on Friday April 27th 2012, This Show Has No Title. HHTraverse Theatre, 8-23 Aug, not 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, £12Villains, Heroes and AdventurersValvona & Crolla Scottish Foodhall@Jenners, 8-25 Aug, not 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 23, £15GithaC venues - C nova, 14-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Remember MeSummerhall, 21-26 Aug, £6Macbeth Unsexed!C Venues - C eca, 8-11 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

2.20pm @ Just the Tonic at The Tron. £8/£6

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90 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

The Fastest Train to AnywhereC venues - C nova, 8-12 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50Pages from the Book of...Summerhall, 10-24 Aug, £10Bullet Catch HHHTraverse Theatre, 10 Aug, £19The Dead Memory House HHHSummerhall, 8-26 Aug, £1024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6Oedipus - The HourParadise in Augustine’s, 8-19 Aug, not 13, £7.50Holmes and Watson: The Farewell TourValvona & Crolla, Various dates from 18 Aug to 26 Aug, £12True ColoursNorthern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 21-25 Aug, £5Tokyo TrilogyC Venues - C eca, 13-27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50Ruskin Live!Scottish National Gallery, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, £10Miss Havisham’s ExpectationsGilded Balloon Teviot, 9-27 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11The Day the Sky Turned BlackAssembly Roxy, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12The StrangerSummerhall, 9 Aug, £12

15:05The School of NightPleasance Courtyard, 8-26 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11Karen’s Way: A Kindertransport LifetheSpace @ Venue45, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £10All the Things I Never SaidtheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £5JournostheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 20-25 Aug, £6.50Not My Cup of TeatheSpace on the Mile , 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £7.50Iron AssumptionstheSpace on North Bridge, 13-16 Aug, £5

15:10Appointment With The Wicker Man HHHThe Assembly Rooms, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £16Titanic Sinks TitswillytheSpace on North Bridge, 13-18 Aug, £6On the EdgeGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 13-19 Aug, £freeMiss JulietheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £5

15:15SOS CourtshipChurch Hill Theatre, 17 Aug, £5Monkey BarsTraverse Theatre, 18 Aug, 24 Aug, £19The DarkroomC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

❤ Blink HHHH

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, 14 Aug, 25 Aug, £17 – £19Mostellaria (The Haunted House)Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5Murder, Marple and MeGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £9.50 – £10.50The Cactus Gulch Opry HouseChurch Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5Angels HHH

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, £17All That is Wrong HHH

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £19PorphyriaZoo Southside, 8-20 Aug, £7.50Rubber DinghyZoo Southside, 21-27 Aug, £8Sir Gawain, the Yellow KnightChurch Hill Theatre, 18 Aug, £5Bullet Catch HHH

Traverse Theatre, 17 Aug, 23 Aug, £17 – £19I, Tommy HH

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £14 – £16Recent Tragic EventsSweet Grassmarket, 19-24 Aug, £9MessTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £17

15:20Cover HHHC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £7.50 – £9.50Maurice Roëves: Just a Gigolo HHAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £14 – £15EurydiceC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50Still Life (or Brief Encounter)C venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, not 12, £9.50 – £11.50Outward BoundtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £8I Never Saw Another ButterflyChurch Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5Excuse Me, I’m Trying to Please YouZoo Southside, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £8Chicken Bones for the Teenage SoupChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5

15:25The Idiot at the WallBedlam Theatre, 8-25 Aug, £9Ma Biche et Mon LapinInstitut français d’Ecosse, 8-24 Aug, weekdays only, £5Rodney Bewes as A Boy Growing Up. An Entertainment from the stories of Dylan ThomasAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12

Molly Naylor and the Middle Ones: My Robot HeartPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £9 – £10.50

15:30As of 1.52pm GMT on Friday April 27th 2012, This Show Has No Title. HHTraverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 21 Aug, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, £12Treasure IslandC venues - C too, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £11.50Nothing Is Really DifficultAssembly George Square, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £10Remember MeSummerhall, 21-26 Aug, £6The Softening of MAO-ASummerhall, 11-26 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, £8 – £10Men Are From Mars, Women Are From VenusUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12Angels HHHTraverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 22 Aug, £17As You Like ItC venues - C, 8-18 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Oliver Reed: Wild ThingGilded Balloon Teviot, 9-27 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11CleansedtheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £7

NOLAUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11How a Man Crumbled HHSummerhall, 8-26 Aug, not 17, 18, £10A One Man HamletC venues - C aquila, 8-11 Aug, £10.50 – £11.50Hamlet and Other Theatrical NightmaresChurch Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5Serve ColdGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 8-27 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, £8❤ Blink HHHHTraverse Theatre, 19 Aug, £17Apocalypse or Bust!Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5Still HomeGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 23-24 Aug, £10

15:35Sophie ShadowParadise in The Vault, 14-26 Aug, not 20, £9

15:40❤ Tumble Circus: This Is What We Do For a Living HHHHUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £12 – £14Dirty HandsSweet Grassmarket, Vari-ous dates from 19 Aug to 26 Aug, £8After the Rainfall HHHPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £12 – £13

theatrelistings

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www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 91

❤ Punch HHHH

Underbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 9, 16, £10 – £11A Clockwork OrangePleasance Courtyard, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £13.50 – £14.50

15:45Justine and TonyParadise in The Vault, 8-11 Aug, £8Dead Man’s Cell Phone HHH

C venues - C, 8-11 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50As of 1.52pm GMT on Friday April 27th 2012, This Show Has No Title. HH

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, £12

❤ Waiting for Stanley HHHHHAssembly Roxy, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12

15:50Spring Awakening (After Wedekind)Paradise in Augustine’s, 19 Aug, £8TaggedC Venues - C eca, Various dates from 9 Aug to 27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeParadise in Augustine’s, 21-25 Aug, £8The Indescribable PhenomenonGreenside, 20-25 Aug, £9

16:00True ColoursNorthern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 21-25 Aug, £5A Modern Town HHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10East - by Steven BerkoffDouglas House, 19-25 Aug, £8Elephant MantheSpace on Niddry St, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, 22 Aug, £10It’s So NiceInstitut français d’Ecosse, 8-24 Aug, weekdays only, £10SparklesharkSt Peter’s, 25 Aug, £6A Midsummer Night’s DreamAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 20, £14 – £15Mother TongueSummerhall, 8-15 Aug, £9SuperheroesItalian Cultural Institute, 10 Aug, £5The Eighth DayVenue 13, 19-25 Aug, £7Mother to MotherAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £14 – £15❤ Woza Albert! HHHHAssembly Hall, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £14 – £16Dream/LifeZoo, 8-18 Aug, £8Nights at the CircustheSpace on Niddry St, 8 Aug, 16 Aug, 24 Aug, £10Kemble’s Riot HHPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12

The Erpingham CamptheSpace on Niddry St, 9-25 Aug, not 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, £10FabledThe Bongo Club, 8-25 Aug, not 17, 19, £5AllotmentAssembly Inverleith Allot-ments, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 18 Aug, 19 Aug, £10Attempts on Her Life - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 21-24 Aug, £freeLingua Frank HHThe Playhouse on the Fringe, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £10Angus: Weaver of GrassScottish Storytelling Cen-tre, 16-26 Aug, £10How’s About That Then? HHHGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £11 – £12Request ProgrammeInlingua Edinburgh, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 18 Aug, 19 Aug, £1224hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6Rod is GodPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 24, 26, £9.50 – £12EdinburghSummerhall, 9 Aug, 16 Aug, 20 Aug, £5Divine WordstheSpace on Niddry St, 10 Aug, 12 Aug, 18 Aug, £10

Strange HungersSummerhall, 18-19 Aug, £10GodsVenue 13, 8-18 Aug, not 13, £8The Knowledge EmporiumNorthern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 13 Aug, £freeIrish Shorts TwoDuddingston Kirk Manse Garden, 8-18 Aug, not 12, 13, £6B*tch Boxer HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11

16:05Anna.theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 13-18 Aug, £6.50You Left Me in the DarktheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £8A Cry Too Far From HeaventheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £8.50Fat Joe’s Chicken ShacktheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £5❤ An Evening With Dementia HHHHtheSpace on the Mile , 8-25 Aug, £9Maria, 1968C venues - C, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50

16:10The House of ShadowstheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £7Me Before MarilyntheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 20-25 Aug, £6EllipsistheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 8-11 Aug, £5

Subliminal NonsensetheSpace on the Mile , 21-25 Aug, £10Richard IIItheSpace @ Venue45, 8-11 Aug, £5I Am a MoontheSpace on North Bridge, 8-9 Aug, £7Party TimetheSpace on North Bridge, 13-18 Aug, £7Strong ArmUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11The Sun is Not for UstheSpace on North Bridge, 10-11 Aug, £7

16:15ThreadAssembly St Mark’s, 9 Aug, 16 Aug, 23 Aug, £10Paul Dabek Presents ThurstonThe Voodoo Rooms, 8-25 Aug, £freeSister Annunciata’s SecretHill Street Theatre, 15-26 Aug, £5 – £11Lady MC Venues - C eca, 8-18 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11.50An Eggcellent AdventureLauriston Halls, 8-9 Aug, £5❤ Juana in a Million HHHHPleasance Dome, 9-26 Aug, not 15, 22, £9 – £10Almost, MaineChurch Hill Theatre, 17 Aug, £5Village of IdiotsChurch Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

Punk RocktheSpace on the Mile , 8-18 Aug, not 12, £9Cubicle FourParadise in The Vault, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £10A Streetcar Named DesirePilrig Studio, 8 Aug, £5Sleep to Wake: Robert Browning Remembers ElizabethHill Street Theatre, 8-13 Aug, £10 – £12

16:20Boy In a Dress HHHThe Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £10DolltheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £4A Thousand Shards of GlassNorthern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 21-25 Aug, £1425: 13 Red, 12 BlueC venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10.50

16:25Hervé - A Collection of Songs, Dances and StoriesUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £11.50Metamorphoses: Fables from OvidtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £9Maurice’s JubileePleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £12.50 – £15.50The Hand-Me-Down PeopleC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10.50

Other Voices:Spoken Word Cabaret

presents:

A whirlwind of sumptuous wit and panache! Come and hear some wonderful words from the other side of the door...

http://bit.ly/othervoicespbh

14:50-15:50

Bansheethe

Labyrinth156venue

theatrelistings

Page 92: Fest 2012 Issue 4

92 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

16:30A Midsummer Night’s DreamParadise in Augustine’s, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8Walk Like a Black ManC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Gilbert and Sullivan in Brief(s)Pleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 21, £10 – £12Gob ShopSapphire Rooms, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £7Wojtek the BearHill Street Theatre, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £11 – £12Would Be Nice Though...Pleasance at Essential Edinburgh, 8-18 Aug, £8 – £9Deadly MedleyPilrig Studio, 9 Aug, £5Shopping Centre by Matthew Osborn HHHGilded Balloon at Third Door, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £9 – £10A Dirty MartiniZoo Southside, 12-27 Aug, £8.50The Adding MachineChurch Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5Fables Here and ThenChurch Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5Swamp JuiceUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 14-27 Aug, £11 – £13Thinking of you - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £freeThree by PoeC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

16:35Little WomentheSpace @ Venue45, 20-25 Aug, £8❤ What I Heard About the World HHHHNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 8-19 Aug, not 13, £14SuperheroestheSpace on North Bridge, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £7

16:45FormbyAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 21, £11 – £13

RainbowZoo Southside, 8-27 Aug, £9Right Honourable Member HHC venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, not 16, 17, £8.50 – £10.50Dating George Orwell - FreeLaughing Horse @ The White Horse, 8-18 Aug, £freeBest Served ColdtheSpace @ Venue45, 13-18 Aug, £7Peter Piper - The Man Behind the LegendPrinces Mall, 8-25 Aug, £free❤ Joyced! HHHHAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £12

16:50Someone Who’ll Watch Over MeC Venues - C eca, Various dates from 8 Aug to 26 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50Misanthropy HHC Venues - C eca, Various dates from 9 Aug to 27 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50AdolfThe Assembly Rooms, 14 Aug, £12QueueSweet Grassmarket, 8-17 Aug, £8Made for Each Other - FreeLaughing Horse @ Bar 50, 15-26 Aug, £freeHearts on Fire HHHC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

16:55The Submarine ShowC venues - C too, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50

17:00The Girl With No HeartBedlam Theatre, 8-25 Aug, not 13, £8True ColoursNorthern Stage at St Ste-phen’s, 21-25 Aug, £5Bhagwaan Dhoondo - An Indian musical interactive theatre performanceLauriston Halls, 27 Aug, £freePrimer for a Failed SuperpowerThe Hub, 24 Aug, £6

Nothing Is Really DifficultAssembly George Square, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £10My City SaturdayGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 25-26 Aug, £7A Brief History of Scotland - We Done Loads!Sweet Grassmarket, 8-24 Aug, not 18, £9.50There’s Absolutely Nothing Wrong With Oscar PikeSweet Grassmarket, Vari-ous dates from 20 Aug to 26 Aug, £7The Edinburgh International Circus FestivalOcean Terminal Big Top, 8-26 Aug, not 15, 20, £free❤ Glory Dazed HHHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11Breathing Corpses by Laura WadeZoo, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 21, £8AllotmentAssembly Inverleith Allot-ments, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 18 Aug, 19 Aug, £10❤ The Letter of Last Resort and Good With People HHHHTraverse Theatre, 22 Aug, 26 Aug, £18RémyParadise in The Vault, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £624hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6SkyeGreenside, 20-25 Aug, £5The Harmonettes Go Into OrbitGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £7

17:05A Grave ReuniontheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 20-25 Aug, £7.50Swordy-WelltheSpace on North Bridge, Various dates from 13 Aug to 25 Aug, £7Burns: Rough Cut HHHtheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 8-25 Aug, not 19, £8

The Complete History of the BBC in 60 MinutesSweet Grassmarket, 8-19 Aug, not 18, £9ThreadstheSpace on the Mile , 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £8.50 – £9.50A Sky BurialtheSpace on North Bridge, 16 Aug, 18 Aug, 20 Aug, 22 Aug, 24 Aug, £7A Soldier’s SongAssembly Roxy, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £13

17:10Town: a Spirited StoryC venues - C, 8-11 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50The Letters of Jane AustentheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £7 – £8Marcel Pursued By the Hounds by Michel TremblaytheSpace on the Mile , 21 Aug, 24 Aug, £6Playing FatetheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £6

17:15A Midsummer Night’s DreamtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £7❤ Dirty Paki Lingerie HHHHAssembly Hall, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £8 – £9Still Life: An Audience With Henrietta MoraesWhitespace, 8-26 Aug, not 14, 21, £12We Are Chechens!Summerhall, 8-9 Aug, £10The Cactus Gulch Opry HouseChurch Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5All in the TimingChurch Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5Words and WomenThe Street, 8-25 Aug, £freeSinful - FreeLaughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 8-26 Aug, £freeAfter the Accident by Julian ArmitsteadtheSpace on the Mile , 20 Aug, 23 Aug, £6

We Are Not HereSummerhall, 11-16 Aug, £11You Don’t Know MeChurch Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5SOS CourtshipChurch Hill Theatre, 18 Aug, 20 Aug, £5Casablanca: The Gin Joint CutGilded Balloon Teviot, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £12 – £14SealandZoo, 8-27 Aug, £9The Shape of Things by Neil LaButetheSpace on the Mile , 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £6Marat / SadeChurch Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5

17:20I Never Saw Another ButterflyChurch Hill Theatre, 17 Aug, £5Exit Stage LeftGreenside, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £5Bane 1, 2 & 3Pleasance Dome, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12Her Right MindGreenside, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £7 – £8Dad Doesn’t DancetheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £8One Hour OnlyUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £11The YarntheSpace @ Venue45, 8-11 Aug, £7ChatroomtheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £8

17:25NikotineParadise in The Vault, 8-12 Aug, £8.50ExcessC venues - C nova, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £8.50 – £10.50Translunar ParadisePleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £10 – £12Ma Biche et Mon LapinInstitut français d’Ecosse, 8-24 Aug, weekdays only, £5Tea with the Old QueenC venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

Don Quixote! Don Quixote! HHPleasance Dome, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £9 – £10

17:30Icarus: a Story of Flight HHHC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11.50Angels HHHTraverse Theatre, 10 Aug, £19All That is Wrong HHHTraverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £1799.9 DegreesC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £7.50 – £9.50❤ The Letter of Last Resort and Good With People HHHHTraverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 14 Aug, 18 Aug, £18 – £20Hamlet and Other Theatrical NightmaresChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5The Madness of King LearC venues - C, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £11.50MessTraverse Theatre, 9 Aug, £17Morning HHHTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 19 Aug, £18Born to RunTraverse Theatre, 23 Aug, £18Monkey BarsTraverse Theatre, 25 Aug, £19Script in HandSummerhall, 8-18 Aug, £9Legs 11Summerhall, 19-26 Aug, £10

17:35Swan SongtheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £8.50I Heart Peterborough HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £10 – £11

17:40Educating Rita HHHAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £15 – £16

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Page 93: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 93

Bitesize ChekhovSpotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 8-15 Aug, £7.50

17:45Elephant MantheSpace on Niddry St, 12 Aug, 16 Aug, £10Amusements HHHSummerhall, 11-26 Aug, £8Angels HHHTraverse Theatre, 17 Aug, 23 Aug, £17 – £19Nights at the CircustheSpace on Niddry St, 10 Aug, 18 Aug, 22 Aug, £10Leonce and LenaC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50Italia ‘n’ CaledoniaValvona & Crolla, 10 Aug, 16 Aug, 21 Aug, 22 Aug, 24 Aug, £12Bullet Catch HHHTraverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, 24 Aug, £19Platero Y Yo by Juan Ramon JimenezValvona & Crolla, 25 Aug, £12Holmes and Watson: The Farewell TourValvona & Crolla, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, £12Divine WordstheSpace on Niddry St, 8 Aug, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, 24 Aug, £10MessTraverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 22 Aug, £17Morning HHHTraverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £18Monkey BarsTraverse Theatre, 14 Aug, 19 Aug, £12 – £17MinotaurtheSpace on Niddry St, 9-25 Aug, not 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, £10❤ Blink HHHHTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £17UnpluggedZoo Southside, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

17:55Villains, Heroes and AdventurersValvona & Crolla Scottish Foodhall@Jenners, 9 Aug, 16 Aug, 23 Aug, £15Love and Understand-ingC venues - C aquila, 11-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

18:00Les Naufragés du Fol Espoir (Aurores)Lowland Hall, Royal High-land Centre, 23 Aug, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, 27 Aug, 28 Aug, £35DraculaPASS (Performing Arts Studio Scotland), 21-25 Aug, £7The World’s Greatest Walking Tour of EdinburghPleasance Dome, 9-27 Aug, not 13, 15, 20, 22, £8 – £9❤ And No More Shall We Part HHHHTraverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 24 Aug, £18 – £20AllotmentAssembly Inverleith Allot-ments, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 18 Aug, 19 Aug, £10The TrialPrinces Mall, 8-11 Aug, £freeReynardAcoustic Music Centre @ St Bride’s, 13-15 Aug, £8The Dead Memory House HHHSummerhall, 8-26 Aug, £1024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6Desperately Seeking the Exit - FreeLaughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £freeHere’s What I Know About Humans, By Lulu the DogPrinces Mall, 12-16 Aug, £freeUnneeded BaggagePrinces Mall, 8 Aug, £freeKatianna Was HereLeith on the Fringe @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 16-18 Aug, £8BlackbirdEdinburgh Training and Conference Venue, 17-24 Aug, £7The Picture of Dorian GrayPrinces Mall, 19-25 Aug, £freeThe Rise and Fall of Little VoiceThe Royal Scots Club, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, 17 Aug, 18 Aug, £12

❤ Mr Carmen HHHHAssembly Roxy, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £12 – £14Mark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! HHHTraverse Theatre, 21 Aug, 25 Aug, £18 – £20Romeo and JulietC venues - C too, 12-18 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50Peer GyntC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, £8.50 – £10.50

18:05Lust in TranslationtheSpace @ Venue45, Various dates from 14 Aug to 25 Aug, £5Built for TwotheSpace on the Mile , 20-25 Aug, £6The Complex: OedipustheSpace on the Mile , 8 Aug, 10 Aug, 13 Aug, 15 Aug, 17 Aug, £7 – £9The Disintegration LoopstheSpace @ Venue45, Various dates from 13 Aug to 24 Aug, £5The Complex: ElectratheSpace on the Mile , 9 Aug, 11 Aug, 14 Aug, 16 Aug, 18 Aug, £7 – £9Stick Stock Stone DeadtheSpace on the Mile , 20-25 Aug, £10The Society of Ethical Cat BurglarstheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 13-18 Aug, £9

18:10HappyGreenside, 20-25 Aug, £5InfluencetheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 8-11 Aug, £6The Music BoxParadise in The Vault, 14-27 Aug, not 20, £7SalometheSpace on the Mile , 8-18 Aug, not 12, £8Pierrepoint - The Hangman’s TaleSweet Grassmarket, 8-24 Aug, not 18, £8.50

18:15Moth to the FlameParadise in The Vault, 8 Aug, £8Mark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! HHHTraverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, £20

WonderlandChurch Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, 21 Aug, £5Doctor FaustusThe Royal Scots Club, 8-11 Aug, £10❤ National Theatre of Scotland Presents Love Letters to the Public Transport System By Molly Taylor HHHHThe Assembly Rooms, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £10Hinge Presents: ScoopedHill Street Theatre, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8❤ And No More Shall We Part HHHHTraverse Theatre, 16 Aug, £18FestentheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £7Repertory Theatre HHC Venues - C eca, 8-18 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

18:20Double Edge’s Flames Over New JerseyUnderbelly, Cowgate, 12-18 Aug, £8 – £9The PrideUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12.50The Taming of the ShrewSweet Grassmarket, 13-24 Aug, not 18, £7.50

18:25We Got RhythmtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £5Mr Braithwaite Has a New BoyC venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £9.50 – £11.50Quick! Save the Pizza!theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £8Twentysomething HHSpotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 8-19 Aug, £8TissueBedlam Theatre, 20-25 Aug, £6

18:30Nothing Is Really DifficultAssembly George Square, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £10

This Land: The Story of Woody GuthrieZoo Southside, 8-18 Aug, £12The Election: A Silent ComedyBedlam Theatre, 8-18 Aug, £7TartuffeChurch Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5Do You Still Throw Spears at Each Other? - FreeLaughing Horse @ Espio-nage, 8-11 Aug, £freeFables Here and ThenChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5Belt Up Theatre’s A Little Princess HHHC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50All About DickensMayfield Salisbury Church, 8-10 Aug, £9Black ComedyQuaker Meeting House, 8-11 Aug, £7The Boat FactoryHill Street Theatre, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £11 – £13Rubies in the AtticAssembly Roxy, 9-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £12 – £13Macbeth on Inchcolm IslandSummerhall, 10 Aug, 11 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, 19 Aug, £25Bareback InkWhitespace, 22-24 Aug, £free

18:35Dirty BloodtheSpace on North Bridge, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £8

18:40The Weigh IntheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £5 – £7Oh, The Humanity and Other Good Inten-tionsNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 9-25 Aug, not 13, 21, £10 – £14Unhappy BirthdayAssembly George Square, 8-26 Aug, not 12, 13, 20, £10 – £12A Real Man’s Guide to SainthoodUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 9, 10, £9.50 – £10.501984Zoo, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 19, 22, £8

18:45Defunct Pig - FreeMood Nightclub, 12-13 Aug, £freeDeirdre and MeC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £9.50 – £11.50ThreadAssembly St Mark’s, 8-26 Aug, not 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, £10Tea With Terrorists - FreeLaughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, 8-18 Aug, £freeMoondialWhitespace, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 13 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, £8That FaceGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 8-9 Aug, £7Don JuanC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50

18:50The Wind in the WillowsParadise in Augustine’s, 14-19 Aug, £8The Lonely OneUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £10 – £11Back to the Future - The PantomimeParadise in Augustine’s, 21-27 Aug, £9.50

19:00Going Green the Wong WayVenue 13, 19-25 Aug, £8Remember MeSummerhall, 21-26 Aug, £6The Mungo BoysLauriston Halls, 9-11 Aug, £6La LíneaLauriston Halls, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, 27 Aug, £7❤ Caesarean Section - Essays on Suicide HHHHSummerhall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £11Ben Okri’s The Comic DestinyScottish Storytelling Cen-tre, 14-26 Aug, £10Secret WeaponsGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 22-26 Aug, £624hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1

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94 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20

Peep HHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 17, £6Alan Bissett: The Red HourglassNational Library of Scotland, 15-25 Aug, not 17, £12

19:05How to Start a RiottheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £7SolvetheSpace on the Mile , 20-25 Aug, £6Hitler’s Li’l AbominationtheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 16-25 Aug, not 19, £9.50Lysistrata - The Sex StriketheSpace @ Venue45, 8-11 Aug, £9.50Food For ThoughttheSpace @ Venue45, Various dates from 13 Aug to 24 Aug, £5The Intervention HHHThe Assembly Rooms, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £15The Most Dangerous ToytheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £8Dragged UptheSpace @ Venue45, Various dates from 14 Aug to 25 Aug, £5Heaven’s GatetheSpace on the Mile , 8-18 Aug, not 12, £7

19:10One Month EarlytheSpace on North Bridge, 13-18 Aug, £7.50HungerParadise in Augustine’s, 14-27 Aug, not 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, £10

On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco / Can Cause DeathC venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Macbeth on Inchcolm IslandSummerhall, 10 Aug, 11 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, 19 Aug, £20MeatParadise in The Vault, 8-19 Aug, not 13, £6XXXO HHPleasance Courtyard, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £9 – £10.50

19:15Elephant MantheSpace on Niddry St, 8 Aug, 10 Aug, 18 Aug, 24 Aug, £10MachinalC venues - C nova, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11.50We Are Chechens!Summerhall, 8-13 Aug, £10The Pilgrim’s ProgressPalmerston Place Church, 22-24 Aug, £10A Woman InsidetheSpace on the Mile , 21-25 Aug, £7Small NarrationSummerhall, 13-23 Aug, not 20, £9Nights at the CircustheSpace on Niddry St, 12 Aug, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, £10All in the TimingChurch Hill Theatre, 17 Aug, £5Sir Gawain, the Yellow KnightChurch Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

More LightC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50The HoleChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, 10 Aug, £5Divine WordstheSpace on Niddry St, 16 Aug, 22 Aug, £10You Don’t Know MeChurch Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5Songs of LearSummerhall, 12-24 Aug, £11WinfamyLaughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 16-26 Aug, not 21, £freeChariot: The Eric Liddell StoryEdinburgh Elim, 15-24 Aug, not 19, 20, £10Mostellaria (The Haunted House)Church Hill Theatre, 18 Aug, £5

19:20I Never Saw Another ButterflyChurch Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5The Indescribable PhenomenonGreenside, 13-18 Aug, £9Mixed DoublesThe Edinburgh Academy, 20-24 Aug, £8Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Musical - FreeLaughing Horse @ Bar 50, 8-15 Aug, £freeNggrfgtheSpace on the Mile , 8-18 Aug, not 12, £74.48 PsychosistheSpace on Niddry St, 9-25 Aug, not 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, £10

19:25Presidential Suite: a Modern Fairy TaleC Venues - C eca, 8-18 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50The Last FairytaleSweet Grassmarket, 8-26 Aug, not 18, 25, £8.50A Middle-Aged Man’s Uncertainty TheoryC Venues - C eca, 19-27 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50MontmorencyC venues - C, 8-27 Aug, not 16, 17, £9.50 – £11.50

19:302008: MacbethLowland Hall, Royal Highland Centre, Various dates from 11 Aug to 18 Aug, £35WonderlandRoyal Lyceum Theatre, 29 Aug - 1 Sep, £10Villa+DiscursoThe Hub, 20-21 Aug, £25A Midsummer Night’s Dream (As You Like It)King’s Theatre, 24-25 Aug, £free – £12Meine faire Dame - ein SprachlaborLowland Hall, Royal Highland Centre, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, 19 Aug, £30SparklesharkSt Peter’s, 21-25 Aug, £6Three CitiesSweet Grassmarket, 13-26 Aug, not 18, 25, £8Remember MeSummerhall, 21-26 Aug, £6The ProposaltheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £10

MacBeth in ScotsSt Ninian’s Hall, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £10Operation StorkSt Serf’s Church Hall, 8-17 Aug, not 12, £9The Original Edinburgh Literary Pub TourOutside the Beehive Inn, 8 Aug - 2 Sep, £10Blithe SpiritMurrayfield Parish Church Centre, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £10.5030 Days to EdinburghSummerhall, 26 Aug, £8GhettoGreenside, 21-25 Aug, £6❤ The Letter of Last Resort and Good With People HHHHTraverse Theatre, 23 Aug, £18The Tragedie of MacCleggParadise in The Vault, 22-26 Aug, £5Request ProgrammeInlingua Edinburgh, 8-19 Aug, not 13, £10 – £12Dancing at LughnasaDuddingston Kirk Manse Garden, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £10People Show 121: The Detective ShowAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, £10Ne’er the TwainSt Peter’s, 8-17 Aug, not 12, 13, £10Trouble in the TolboothSaughtonhall United Reformed Church, 8-11 Aug, £7Treasure in Clay JarsMayfield Salisbury Church, 20-21 Aug, £free

Soddin FloddenParadise in The Vault, 14-19 Aug, £8Apocalypse or Bust!Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5

19:35A Dastardly FictionGreenside, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, £9.50A Geisha SamuraiParadise in The Vault, 8-12 Aug, £12

19:40People Like UstheSpace on North Bridge, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £7

19:45‘Allo ‘AlloSpotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 8-11 Aug, £10Fukushima - A Silent Prayer of PoetrySpotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 15-19 Aug, £10Bullet Catch HHHTraverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £17MessTraverse Theatre, 10 Aug, £19

19:50Death BoogieAssembly Roxy, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £12Half a Person: My Life As Told By The Smiths HHZoo Southside, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £8Faust/usSweet Grassmarket, 8-12 Aug, £9Hearts on Fire HHHC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

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Page 95: Fest 2012 Issue 4

www.festmag.co.uk August 17 - 20 | edinburgh festival guide 2012 fest 95

20:00Gulliver’s TravelsKing’s Theatre, 17-20 Aug, £12WattRoyal Lyceum Theatre, 11-14 Aug, £10Waiting for Orestes: ElectraKing’s Theatre, 11-13 Aug, £12Elephant ManInstitut français d’Ecosse, 8-24 Aug, weekdays only, £10Nothing Is Really DifficultAssembly George Square, 8 Aug, £10Return of the Close-Up MagicianC venues - C nova, 19-27 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50Captain Ko and the Planet of RiceUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50Dare I Say It?Greenside, 14-18 Aug, £5InterruptionC venues - C nova, 8-18 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50The Edinburgh International Circus FestivalOcean Terminal Big Top, Various dates from 10 Aug to 25 Aug, £freeFaulty Towers the Dining ExperienceB’est Restaurant, 8-28 Aug, not 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, £49Bullet Catch HHH

Traverse Theatre, 25 Aug, £19

❤ The Letter of Last Resort and Good With People HHHHTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 19 Aug, £1824hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1MessTraverse Theatre, 17 Aug, 23 Aug, £17 – £19❤ Grit HHHHBedlam Theatre, 8-25 Aug, not 12, £9Monkey BarsTraverse Theatre, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £17❤ Blink HHHHTraverse Theatre, 9 Aug, £17

20:05Those People My ParentstheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 8-11 Aug, £8.50The Complete Works of William Shake-speare - AbridgedtheSpace @ Venue45, 9 Aug, 11 Aug, £8Billy LiartheSpace @ Venue45, 13-18 Aug, £8Three Tall WomentheSpace @ Venue45, 8 Aug, 10 Aug, £8How to Climb Mount EveresttheSpace on North Bridge, 20-25 Aug, £7 – £10The Tale of NadatheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 20-25 Aug, £7.50

20:10The Beast HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50

In a Handbag, DarklytheSpace on North Bridge, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £6 – £8FirebirdtheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £7HURTtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £7.50

20:15Midnight at the Boar’s HeadZoo Southside, 8-27 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10Village of IdiotsChurch Hill Theatre, 18 Aug, £5Me and Mr CNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 8-25 Aug, not 13, 21, £10Gotcha!theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £6 – £7Monkey BarsTraverse Theatre, 15 Aug, £17❤ Blink HHHHTraverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 22 Aug, £17Mark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! HHHTraverse Theatre, 26 Aug, £18A Streetcar Named DesirePilrig Studio, 9 Aug, £5WonderlandChurch Hill Theatre, 17 Aug, £5One in ThreeHill Street Theatre, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8ThreadAssembly St Mark’s, 8-26 Aug, not 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, £10

The Trojan WomenQuaker Meeting House, 8-11 Aug, £7The Talented Mr. RipleyChurch Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5Angels HHHTraverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, 24 Aug, £19❤ And No More Shall We Part HHHHTraverse Theatre, 21 Aug, 25 Aug, £18 – £20All That is Wrong HHHTraverse Theatre, 8 Aug, £17Bullet Catch HHHTraverse Theatre, 14 Aug, 19 Aug, £17❤ The Letter of Last Resort and Good With People HHHHTraverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £18PornographytheSpace @ Venue45, 20-25 Aug, £8Almost, MaineChurch Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

20:2030 Neo-Futurist Plays From Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go BlindPilrig Studio, 8 Aug, £5

20:25Tranquility, Serenity, CalmZoo, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £7.50

20:30Nobody Will Ever Forgive UsThe Royal Scots Club, 8-11 Aug, £10

Romeo and JulietVenue 13, 19-25 Aug, £8TartuffeChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5❤ And No More Shall We Part HHHHTraverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, £20Hinge Presents: Ordinary ThingsHill Street Theatre, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8The Adding MachineChurch Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5Panga HHHHill Street Theatre, 8-26 Aug, not 14, £11 – £13Platero Y Yo by Juan Ramon JimenezValvona & Crolla, 21 Aug, £12Holmes and Watson: The Farewell TourValvona & Crolla, 16 Aug, 24 Aug, £12ZeldaGreenside, 20-25 Aug, £10Morning HHHTraverse Theatre, 9 Aug, £18Sancho Panza 2012theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £8Born to RunTraverse Theatre, 24 Aug, £20ProofThe Royal Scots Club, 13-18 Aug, £12Mark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! HHHTraverse Theatre, 22 Aug, £18RhinocerosVenue 13, Various dates from 11 Aug to 18 Aug, £8

White Rabbit Red RabbitSummerhall, 18 Aug, 20 Aug, 22 Aug, £10

20:35The Company of WolvesC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50I Heart Hamas: And Other Things I’m Afraid to Tell YouGryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 19, 20, £10How to Disappear Completely and Never Be FoundtheSpace on the Mile , 8-11 Aug, £7Sex, Lyres and AudiotapetheSpace on the Mile , 13-18 Aug, £5 – £7

20:40Dracula: Sex, Sucking and StardomParadise in The Vault, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8 – £9Awkward!theSpace on the Mile , 20-25 Aug, £6 – £7

20:45Puellae (The truth about chips and other things)Summerhall, 19-26 Aug, £10Future Tales (Sierakowski)Summerhall, 15-26 Aug, £10Morning HHHTraverse Theatre, 16 Aug, £18

“You leave the theatre with the intent to live in harmonY with Your partner.

not to be missed!“elle magazine

Underbelly bristo sqUare : ermintrUde 3.30pm

HOT DUB Time macHineDJ TOm LOUD’S

theatrelistings

Page 96: Fest 2012 Issue 4

96 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 17 - 20

Mark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! HHHTraverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 14 Aug, 18 Aug, £18 – £20

20:50Mod GirltheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, 11 Aug, £7Practice, Memory and SongtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8 Aug, 10 Aug, £7Kiss Me and You Will See How Important I Am HHHC venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50Pinch in LoveParadise in The Vault, 8-27 Aug, not 11, 13, 20, £7

20:55One Man Star Wars TrilogyUnderbelly, Bristo Square, 13-27 Aug, not 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, £15 – £16The Night PortersParadise in Augustine’s, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £10 – £14One Man Lord of the RingsUnderbelly, Bristo Square, Various dates from 14 Aug to 26 Aug, £15 – £16

21:00The Blind HHOld College Quad, 8-15 Aug, £13 – £15Bring the HappyNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 21 Aug, £14The Rape of LucreceRoyal Lyceum Theatre, 22-26 Aug, £20SparklesharkSt Peter’s, 24 Aug, £6Defunct Pig - FreeThe Hudson Hotel, 14-25 Aug, £freeConfessions of a Grindr AddictAssembly Hall, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12CloserZoo Southside, 14-26 Aug, not 18, 20, £8.5024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Rites and RegulationsZoo Southside, 9-13 Aug, £9Planet LemOld College Quad, 16-26 Aug, £7 – £15

21:05Looby Loo: No Strings AttachedC venues - C nova, 8-19 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50VitaminZoo, 20-27 Aug, £8Trojan WomentheSpace on North Bridge, 8-25 Aug, not 9, 12, 19, £7Hardcore Pawn With Mick, Lewis and ShauntheSpace on the Mile , 8 Aug, £5Swan SongSweet Grassmarket, 11-17 Aug, £8.50Belt Up Theatre’s OutlandC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50Wuthering HeightstheSpace on the Mile , 13-18 Aug, £8It’s My Wonderful LifetheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £5 – £6.50MacbethC venues - C, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11.50

21:10PeacefultheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 20-25 Aug, £7

21:15The Sh*t / La MerdaSummerhall, 8-26 Aug, not 17, 18, £10You Don’t Know MeChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5

21:30Give and TakeChurch Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5TenderpitsUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £10.50Hitler AloneInlingua Edinburgh, 9-23 Aug, £14Monstrous ActsC venues - C aquila, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8.50 – £10.50Riot SquatWhitespace, 22-26 Aug, £9

21:35The Bloody ChamberC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50

21:40The Indescribable PhenomenonGreenside, 8-11 Aug, £9

21:45Hinge Presents: DorianHill Street Theatre, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £7 – £8The Three Faces of Doctor CrippenC venues - C, 8-27 Aug, not 16, 17, £8.50 – £10.50

22:00The Ugly Sisters HHHNorthern Stage at St Stephen’s, 8-25 Aug, not 13, 21, £14That Old Noir Magic - A Film Noir Jazz Journey Into Night, in Story and SongGreenside, 14-18 Aug, £12Rock HHHInstitut français d’Ecosse, 8-18 Aug, not 11, 12, 13, £10Grim(m) - Unreal Stories for Real TimesGreenside, 9-11 Aug, £724hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1The Guild of CheesemakersSummerhall, 14-18 Aug, £20Jack: A Ripper’s TaleParadise in The Vault, 21-27 Aug, £6.50

22:05Dirty Pretty MoneytheSpace on the Mile , 8-11 Aug, £8 – £9The Awesome ShowtheSpace on North Bridge, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £8 – £9

22:10This is Who I Am!theSpace on the Mile , 8-10 Aug, £5PeacefultheSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 13-18 Aug, £7WreckedtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-25 Aug, not 12, 19, £10Call Me!Sweet Grassmarket, 8-26 Aug, not 13, 18, 25, £7.50

Question No OnetheSpace @ Venue45, 20-25 Aug, £8.50

22:15SettimanaAssembly Roxy, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £12 – £14DraculatheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-18 Aug, £7.50 – £8Beatle Mal’s Legend-ary BandParadise in The Vault, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £8The Talented Mr. RipleyChurch Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5The Sidcup Family PortraitSpotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 8-19 Aug, £6Enter the WoodstheSpace @ Venue45, 13-18 Aug, £7.50Dearly DepartedChurch Hill Theatre, 8 Aug, £5Of Mice and MentheSpace on Niddry St, 20-22 Aug, £8

22:20Piatto FinaleZoo, Various dates from 8 Aug to 26 Aug, £8CentraliaZoo, Various dates from 9 Aug to 27 Aug, £8

22:25LeatherC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, not 14, £8.50 – £10.50The World OvertheSpace on North Bridge, 13-25 Aug, not 16, 19, £6Quantum Bat-tlestar Deep-Space Voyager Tardis Wars: The Million-Dollar Space EpicParadise in Augustine’s, 21-27 Aug, £9.50

22:30The Blind HHOld College Quad, 16-27 Aug, £13 – £15All an ActtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-18 Aug, not 12, £7Carmen FunebreOld College Quad, 14 Aug, £10

DugOut Theatre’s Inheritance Blues HHHBedlam Theatre, 8-25 Aug, £8Macbeth: Who is that Bloodied Man?Old College Quad, 8-13 Aug, £13 – £15Pool of BloodtheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-11 Aug, £6 – £7Who’s Your Daddy?Assembly Hall, 8-26 Aug, not 13, £11 – £12The Barwell ProphecytheSpace @ Venue45, 8-11 Aug, £10Holmes and Watson: The Farewell TourValvona & Crolla, 17 Aug, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, 25 Aug, £12The TablePleasance Courtyard, 11-14 Aug, £14Adele’s HearttheSpace on North Bridge, 8-11 Aug, £7.50 – £8.50

22:40Re-Animator The MusicalAssembly George Square, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 20, £12 – £14

22:45A Guide to Second Date Sex HHHUnderbelly, Cowgate, 8-26 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50Belt Up Theatre’s The Boy JamesC venues - C nova, 8-27 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50

23:00Who’s Dorian Gray?Laughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 8-26 Aug, not 9, 16, 23, £freeTales from Edgar Allan PoeC Venues - C eca, 8-27 Aug, not 13, £9.50 – £11.5024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1Accidental OlympiantheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 8-9 Aug, £8Daughters of LottheSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 13-25 Aug, not 19, £5.50 – £7

BeatsTraverse Theatre, 14-26 Aug, not 20, £12 – £19

❤ Boris & Sergey’s Vaudevillian Adventure HHHHHPleasance Courtyard, 8-27 Aug, not 13, 21, £9 – £10

23:05A Dastardly FictionGreenside, 13-18 Aug, £9.50Strip SearchSpaceCabaret @ 54, 8-25 Aug, not 19, £12

23:15Medea HardcoreAssembly Roxy, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 20, 21, £12 – £14

00:0024hSummerhall, 23 Aug, 26 Aug, £1Couleur CaféC venues - C nova, 12-28 Aug, £12.50 – £14.50

01:0024hSummerhall, 23 Aug, 26 Aug, £1

02:0024hSummerhall, 23 Aug, 26 Aug, £1

03:0024hSummerhall, 23 Aug, 26 Aug, £1

04:0024hSummerhall, 23 Aug, 26 Aug, £1

05:0024hSummerhall, 23 Aug, 26 Aug, £1

06:0024hSummerhall, 22 Aug, 25 Aug, £1

theatrelistings

Page 97: Fest 2012 Issue 4
Page 98: Fest 2012 Issue 4

98 fest edinburgh festival guide 2012 | August 17 - 20 www.festmag.co.uk

festbackpage

No Pressure to be Funny

Amnesty International presents a comedy panel show with a difference.

Charlotte Lytton finds out more...

DylanMoran

yeah, yeah

dylanmoran.com mickperrin.com

‘Relentlessly thoughtful and funny. But mainly funny’Chortle

����The Times

����The Telegraph

����The Independent

MICK PERRINFOR

15 + 23AUG | 8PM

Telephone 0844 871 3014www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh

Booking charges will apply

www.edfringe.com 0131 226 0000

dm_210x148_Edin_dm_210x148_Edin 15/08/2012 15:52 Page 1

ON SATURDAY, a number of the Fringe’s best loved faces will take centre stage to discuss the day’s hot topics. But No Pressure

to be Funny isn’t your average panel show where comedians fight for the limelight. The event, a joint venture between Amnesty International and its creators Nick Revell and Alistair Barrie, seeks to “cover the issues in a little bit more depth, rather than using them to move as quickly as possible to a dick joke,” Revell explains. “That’s where the name came from,” adds Barrie, “as with a lot of these panel show formats, there’s a competitive pressure to get a laugh as soon as possible.”

Hosted by LBC presenter James O’Brien, the panel will consist of novelist Ian Rankin alongside comedians Dana Alexander and Mark Thomas. Some light musical entertainment will also be coming courtesy of Fringe favourites Phil Nichol and Loretta Maine, the queen of angst who describes her involvement as a bid to become “more like Bono.”

Revell and Barrie first developed the idea in late 2010, frustrated by a lack of panel shows that combined the forces of comics, journalists and politicians. Inspired by the success of The Daily Show in the States, No Pressure to be Funny started out at a pub in south London before transferring to various theatres around the capital. “We started out just asking people we thought would be suitable, and our past guests have included the likes of Ken Livingstone and Miranda Sawyer. Everyone we’ve asked has been up for it because the show has a good vibe, and we like to bring in songs to add a bit of variety to things,” says Revell.

After coming to the show at the Soho Theatre, Amnesty approached the pair, suggesting a one off collaboration for the Fringe. “No Pressure to be Funny is right up Amnesty’s street. At first, it might seem that serious work to promote and protect

human rights around the world is not a natural fit with comedy, but we have got a long colourful history of working with some of the funniest people in the indus-try to remind people of how precious the freedom to speak freely is,” explains Shab-num Mustapha, programme director for Amnesty International Scotland. And this sentiment is clearly echoed by the show’s creators, who hope to pursue their work with the charity in the future. “It’s a great partnership because the audience we’re trying to attract is one that is interested in comedy and current affairs, and covering the issues in a reasonably intelligent way.”

And it didn’t take much to convince Nichol, who has been a supporter of the charity for years: “I’ve done Amnesty gigs for the last couple of years at the Fringe, and I think it’s a great idea. Most

comedians see themselves as thinkers, and we certainly have a lot of time to think—and drink—and you think when you drink!” Maine is similarly devoted to the cause, musing: “I’m the voice of the people, and doing Amnesty gigs gets me a lot of attention and makes people think I’m a good person. We’re all just doing this to get on Mock the Week; everyone on this show is very selfish.” Jokes aside, though, No Pressure to be Funny is set to make a real impact at this year’s festival. Mustapha concludes, “the show is a rip roaring, irreverent look at some of the most pressing human rights issues of the day and the panel show is a real treat to be associated with.”

Venue150 @ EICC, 3:00pm – 4:30pm, 18 Aug, £10.00

Above: Phil Nichol; Below: Ian Rankin Top to bottom: Alistair Barrie, James O'Brien, Nick Revell

Page 99: Fest 2012 Issue 4

DylanMoran

yeah, yeah

dylanmoran.com mickperrin.com

‘Relentlessly thoughtful and funny. But mainly funny’Chortle

����The Times

����The Telegraph

����The Independent

MICK PERRINFOR

15 + 23AUG | 8PM

Telephone 0844 871 3014www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh

Booking charges will apply

www.edfringe.com 0131 226 0000

dm_210x148_Edin_dm_210x148_Edin 15/08/2012 15:52 Page 1

Top to bottom: Alistair Barrie, James O'Brien, Nick Revell

Page 100: Fest 2012 Issue 4

54 George St | Edinburgh | 0844 693 3008 | www.arfringe.com

APPOINTMENT WICKER MANWITHTHE

NATIONAL THEATREOF SCOTLAND

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