My Edinburgh Fringe Festival Reviews (what I've seen thus far)

Friday August 2, 2013
Rachel Parris: The Commission 

My first ‘ever’ show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, I was one, happy that it was a ‘free’ one, and two, that there was music involved. Well Rachel Pariss delivered, with her musical comedy show, telling the audience about the songs she was commissioned to write for corporations, Jay-Z and even Britain’s Got Talent and then she performed the ones she wished she’d sent to them instead, with hilarious quips included. She even opened up and sang a song she had wrote about her lifelong friend’s husband – Michael – and their nuptials. I think she could’ve charged a fee (though I’m glad she didn’t) and I highly recommend going, especially if you’re a fan of musical comedy.

Her music and wit can only be described as a Disney princess gone wrong. 9/10

Find details for the show here: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/rachel-parris-the-commission

Friday August 2, 2013

A Panda Suit: Pythagoras and Plenty of Puns

A show that took us into the underbelly of Edinburgh and into the venue Just the Tonic at the Caves, it was worth the five-pounds to see that. Though I enjoyed listening to Nickhil Tilwalli in his Fringe debut, my partner J thought it should have been a free show. Tilwalli along with his intellect and great speaking voice, was able to give the audience a breakdown of how jokes form from the English language, alongside making jokes and even sharing his favourite pun (which was about 2 Fast 2 Furious and Tibetan monks), his punch lines however didn’t deliver with the audience. Whether it was the type of people who attended that night or not, we’ll never know. But his stand-up routine is changing every week, so you may get a lot out of the next one. It was worth the five-pounds alone for me to get heckled by Nickhil Tilwalli, when he said in front of everyone, “Morgan, you’re a beautiful woman, though you’re not the girl of my dreams, but you may be tonight!” 

I was just happy, that I happened to be wearing my favourite new LBD that night. 5/10

Find details for the show here: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/panda-suit-pythagoras-and-plenty-of-puns

Saturday August 3, 2013

Iain Stirling at Home

An Edinburgh local (so local it turns out my friend went to high school with him) returning to the Fringe “after a sell-out debut stand-up show” last year, something he joked about in the first five-minutes of his show. Iain is laidback, in explaining the ins and outs of his relationship with his girlfriend of four-years, which has become the stage for his jokes about intimate details, and pure entertainment for Gen-Y and all, who can relate to the humour of living with someone for the first time. With J and I both looking at each other when he said “You know you’re in a long term relationship when you start yelling – I’m not yelling – at each other.”

More entertaining, was his plug-ins for himself, just so some producer from the television world of comedy may hear him and give him a spot on their show, and then his constant referring to himself as a poet. He is pure hilarity. 8/10

Find details for the show here: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/iain-stirling-at-home

Monday August 5, 2013  

Ed Byrne: Roaring Forties

Something then that I obviously can’t relate to, but its hearing what little terrors us kids were to our parents, but then hearing it from a dad that doesn’t just dish out the basic dad jokes: Ed Byrne. Again making quips about his relationship with his wife and then about life with his kids. Byrne also spoke about his stance on Scottish independence, when he joked about how many embassies would then pounce on Edinburgh, making real estate worth more. He is a Fringe veteran – just go and see him! 10/10

Find details for the show here: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/ed-byrne-roaring-forties

  

Wednesday August 7, 2013  

Stephen K. Amos: Work in Progress

One of my favourite comedians and it was my first chance to see him live on stage. The Stand 3 was a great venue, as it allowed a handful of people at a time and created an intimate atmosphere for the crowd and Amos himself, who loves to heckle. Bouncing off the enthusiasm of the crowd and one particular heckler, Amos experimented with new jokes, testing the waters for his up and coming show called the ‘Spokesperson.’ Inspired by the recent politics in Australia - when he was there - when ex-Prime Minister, Julia Gillard was out-voted by her own party. I loved the jokes that were made, because that has always been the thing I like most about Stephen K. Amos, was when he touches on politics and the daily goings on in this world. Most entertaining when he was asking the crowd if anyone had any strange fears or phobias. He’s as good live as on TV.

And he absolutely loves picking on Australians, so anyone travelling from Australia during the Fringe, go and see him for a good time!10/10

Find details for the show here: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/stephen-k-amos-work-in-progress

Thursday August 8, 2013

The Best of Irish Comedy

Again at the Stand 3, so you’re already prepared for heckling if you’ve been there before - you have to give it to small venues. Great value for money, as it was six-pounds that night at the Half Price Hut and variety shows allow you to see so many acts for basically the price of one. The stand out on the night I went was with Martin Mor (who was the MC) and Jarlath Regan who was the first act. I’m afraid to say it, but I can’t recall the other two acts and it is probably because I didn’t find them that entertaining. Martin Mor was stand-up gold, especially when he asked a girl (a slightly in appropriate question) in the front row, “How’s your muff?” When discussing the fairness of women getting brazilian waxes when men don’t. Jarlath Regan was making witty banter about that age-old subject of family. And how crazy it can make you look, especially when you’re not bothered about caring anymore, for instance, when you’re sniffing at your child’s nappy in the middle of the street. Most of the comedians entertained the crowd with jokes about the recession in Ireland at one point or another during the night. Though I didn’t find everyone entertaining, the show is still good value for money, and the line-up changes daily. 6/10

Find details for the show here: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/best-of-irish-comedy   

Tickets and brochures to the shows I've seen thus far