The beauty of student comedy theatre is that there are usually so many great ideas and influences poured into a performance, that it can lead to some really imaginative theatre. Unfortunately, these plays often suffer from the same self-indulgence or lack of strong story and direction carried through to the finish and The Jugglers of [...]

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There is something delightfully weird and twisted about the dark wee world that Fi Hunter has unleashed upon the Fringe in this one-woman sketch show. It’s probably strange to say this but it’s a real thrill to find yourself wandering in such demented series of murderous sketches without so much as a safety blanket to [...]

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A quick flick through the Fringe programme will tell you that comedians love to have a tag to their show. Invariably this is some large, bold statement or something obtuse yet strangely alluring, but the end result is usually the same – 60 minutes of desperately trying to shoehorn a set into some flimsy premise. [...]

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From the point of view of the audience, sketch comedy can be a very hit or miss affair, as you can either love or loathe the performers’ sense of humour. This is less of a problem with run of the mill troupes, as their skits are unlikely to push the boundaries of taste and decency, [...]

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Mental illness can be a hard subject to follow on stage, as the writer and director are given a vast number of devices and techniques in which to explore the theme, but it is all the more difficult when the play is unclear, even at the conclusion, whether it is a drama about psychological collapse [...]

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The thought of combining Latin and comedy may not strike you as a match made in heaven but it obviously seemed like a good idea to Alex Horne and he’s desperate to make it work.
Based on the Fighting Fantasy books, When In Rome is essentially a Latin game show that endeavours to resurrect the flagging [...]

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Some plays simply do not stand the test of time and come across as horribly outdated when presented to today’s audience but some, like Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story, are as lively and relevant today as when they were penned.
Originally written in 1958, Albee’s darkly comic and ultimately tragic play admittedly smacks of a bygone [...]

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Over the last couple years, a certain element of the Fringe has cultivated a growing interest in pirate history. This is not particularly unexpected, as swashbuckling adventures leave plenty of scope for great stagecraft and general chicanery. Last year we had a mixture of pirate education and dancing on the Spanish Main, which guaranteed silliness [...]

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The Fringe always offers the opportunity to try something new, whether it is the chance to witness world records being broken, to ride with a slightly unbalanced, yet hilarious cabbie or see a Hollywood star tread the boards. However, it is rare that you get to be part of something bigger than the festival, well [...]

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There’s nothing like a musical interlude to soothe a troubled soul and it’s made all the more pleasant when accompanied by the comedy capers of Pluck.
Part teatime concerto, part slapstick gag-fest, The Specialists is simply delightful comedy for all ages. Mainly based around their outstanding musical talent, this delightful trio proceed to take the assembled [...]

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