Stephen Fry’s Latin!

You know that a political career is on the rocks when an MP starts complaining about art he knows little about, but you can see where the latest scandal surrounding Stephen Fry’s Latin! is coming from.
Paedophilia isn’t the best subject at the best of times, no matter how consensual, but Activated Image manage to deliver [...]

The Kama Suture

Posted in August 16th, 2002

Sitting through a student show can be the most tedious hour of your life as common clichés are flogged to death, named comedians have their material ripped off and in-jokes are rife. Fortunately The Kama Suture rises above this.
While other sketch shows tend to opt for the “if we throw enough shit at a wall…” [...]

Text in the City

Posted in August 16th, 2002

by Hannah Biggs in 2002

You may be forgiven for thinking this may be a spin off of that Channel 4’s American series that focuses of four, overly pretty, thirty- somethings as they battle with careers, love, babies and shoes.
Nevertheless, this show is nothing of the sort. In fact an improvisation performance where people text in their suggestions as well [...]

Road Movie

Posted in August 15th, 2002

You’d be forgiven for expecting Road Movie to be a Tarantino-esque swear and gore fest, but it’s not. Instead this inspirational play takes a closer look at the relatively mundane lives of wannabe indie directors/video store clerks.
The main story is slightly confused, with the narrative skipping back and forward slightly and in and out of [...]

This is Soap

Posted in August 15th, 2002

Opening to a bastardised piano medley of soap opera theme tunes, C’s concept improvised soap opera begins its daily life with suggestions from the previous days attendees, featuring star struck barmaids, vindictive love feuds and the obligatory Aussie part time backpacker. Different guests from around the Fringe, enhancing the variety of individual performances, join the [...]

Tina C’s Twin Towers

Posted in August 15th, 2002

Tribute Tina C’s top selling show is packing in the crowds, who soon realise that the show has little to do with questionable but hilarious repartee about the events of last September. Instead, we are slowly introduced to an alternative country and western diva with a failsafe means of promoting her material in the wake [...]

Andy Zaltzman Unveils the Catapult of Truth 2002

Posted in August 15th, 2002

Defying convention is a tricky business. It obviously can go one of two ways: you either are considered so radical and refreshing that everyone follows you or you fall on your arse and die. Unfortunately for Andy Zaltzman he falls into the second category.
On the surface his act is wrong in so many ways - [...]

Rhys Darby is the Neon

Posted in August 15th, 2002

New Zealand’s Rhys Darby has arguably travelled further than anyone to perform in Edinburgh, and thank god for low cost long haul flights, because his residency at Gilded Balloon Cave 3 is one of the hidden highlights of the Fringe. He bounds onstage, full of energy and a desire to please, quickly sets the audience [...]

Nicotine Nights!

Posted in August 14th, 2002

Glamour! Sophistication! Sexual allure! Nicotine Nights! promises all this and more as the gorgeous South African trio take a smoky trip through the ups and downs of quitting the evil cancer sticks.
Posing as a friend driven therapy session Nicotine Nights! makes an attempt to chart the pros of abstaining, but gets heavily bogged down in [...]

One Man Rant

Posted in August 14th, 2002

Alasdair Satchel paints a scene that most of us know too well. Late for work, for a stuck up loathsome employer, his day at the office going from bad to worse, he creates a series of mental diversions.
Kevin, his invisible friend ups and leaves for an impromptu holiday, leaving our overworked and undervalued employee to [...]