It’s nearly that time again, when half of London converges on Edinburgh while the residents move away for a month and rent out their rooms for extortionate prices. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe started as an unofficial offshoot of the Edinburgh International Festival but over the years has grown to be the much larger of the two. While it is home to all forms of performance art, from theatre to dance, over the last 20 years or so comedy has started to take over, to the displeasure of some.
Being the incredibly lazy person I am, I couldn’t be bothered to go all the way to Scotland, so instead have caught some stand-ups as they preview their shows down here in London. If you’re in the capital, it’s an excellent way to see some great comedy at some amazingly good prices and it means that I’ll be able to let you know about some of the shows to look out for during the festival. Please bear in mind that because I’ve been watching previews, the shows aren’t yet the finished articles, with the performers often working from notes and testing out routines to see what does and doesn’t work with audiences.
Here’s the first batch of previews, there’ll be some more next week:
Richard Herring: Christ on a Bike – The Second Coming
£10, Assembly @ George Street, 21:45
If you’re familiar with Herring’s work, either solo or with Stewart Lee, you’ll know that Biblical stories are a recurring theme. Christ on a Bike was his first solo show back in 2000, as the 33-year old Richard Herring pondered whether he had achieved as much as Jesus after reaching the age he was when he died. Ten years later, he’s resurrected (sorry) the show, taking the best of the original and adding new material. It’s a very strong hour or so of stand-up, looking at the inconsistencies in the New Testament, the way the Church has developed over the two thousand years since and, perhaps most importantly, the messianic ponderings of a teenage boy from Cheddar.
We discover a possible explanation for the Turin Shroud, and contemplate such ecumenical matters as “How much bread and wine would you have to consume in Roman Catholic Communion before you have eaten a whole Jesus?” and “Why did Jesus call Simon ‘Peter’? Is it like the way Trigger was always calling Rodney ‘Dave’?” He also rather impressively recites the entire first page of the Gospel of St Matthew – and, if you’re lucky, he’ll show you how he did it.
Like last year’s incredible Hitler Moustache, Herring’s comedy is often puerile and adolescent but carries a thought-provoking message. It’s a really funny show that makes some interesting points. But, he’s not saying he’s Jesus. That’s for other people to say.
Josie Long: Be Honourable!
£9, Just The Tonic at the Caves, 19:40
Josie’s show is described as “a ramshackle call to arms”, which sums it up nicely. A stream-of-consciousness that takes us from learning all about breakfast (“It’s a whole other meal that you’re allowed to have!”) to a seemingly random account of overheard and “overseen” conversations that build up to a picture of what it means to be good and to do good. She ends by talking about what it means to be in your late twenties and left wing, a rallying cry for those of us who believe strongly in certain principles but are left confused by the last Labour government and surrounded by political apathy.
If that last part sounds too heavy, the bit about breakfast is really good, and what makes the show so enjoyable is Long’s infectious optimism. The show genuinely motivates you to want to try to make more of a positive impact in the world, or at the very least makes you want to put a little more thought about what to put in your porridge each morning. Do catch it if you can.
Kevin Eldon: Titting About
£8, The Stand Comedy Club, Times vary
You probably know the name, but if you’ve been watching any British comedy series over the last couple of decades, you’ll definitely know the face. From Fist of Fun to Nighty Night and I’m Alan Partridge to Spaced, Kevin Eldon has been a regular on our screens and also a regular visitor to the Fringe, so it’s a surprise to learn that this is the comic actor’s first ever solo show at the festival.
Introduced by his pretentious poet alter-ego Paul Hamilton, a brilliant character he’s been occasionally performing for almost 20 years, the show explores the different ideas he’s had for his show, taking in a variety of characters along the way. These include a version of Hitler from a parallel universe and a “fictional northerner”, whose breathless monologue contains a string of hilarious absurdities which go by in a flash. Eldon has also proved himself to be able to perform those rarest of things – comedy songs which are extremely funny and not at all cringeworthy. Even in the work-in-progress form I saw it, it’s an excellent show and definitely one to go and see.
Tom Allen Toughens Up!
£9, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 19:30
As the title suggests, the show is all about Allen’s attempts to get stronger, both physically and – after some disastrous first dates – emotionally. When hearing his tales of growing up in a “rough” family and school to find himself not only being gay but also having a tremendously posh accent, it’s easy to see why he’d want to toughen himself up, but you leave the show wanting him to stay just as he is. A charming storyteller, he enchants the crowd with his anecdotes, generating a real warmth between performer and audience. Tom Allen’s star has been rising for some time now and he’s currently making regular appearances on Big Brother’s Big Mouth. One to look out for.
Patrick Monahan: I Walked, I Danced, Iran
£10.50, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 21:00
Irish/Iranian Geordie Patrick Monahan has a reputation for his ability to engage with his audience, and it’s something he does really well. While his routines about fears of geese are entertaining enough, his quick-witted ad-libbed banter with the crowd is the highlight and is what takes up most of the show. Indeed, he spent so much time conversing with the patrons when I saw him that he didn’t have time for the “funked up version of the Iranian National Anthem” promised in the show’s publicity. One thing’s for sure, every performance will be very different to the last.
Alexis Dubus: A Surprisingly Tasteful Show About Nudity
£5, Downstairs at the Tron, 17:00
Fresh from last year’s show exploring the use of swear words and obscene language, this year Dubus is looking at society’s attitudes to the naked body. Prudes need not worry as the title is correct; the show is surprisingly tasteful and very insightful. He’s certainly done lots of research into the subject and the show comes across more as a lecture with jokes than a stand-up set. Still, at a fiver you can’t go wrong, and Dubus is a very likeable comic who is worth a look.
Next week: Stewart Lee, Chris Addison, Daniel Kitson and more…
