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This was my first day alone on the Fringe. I had a bunch of shows already booked, but was keen to try other things too. A reasonably early start in Starbucks set me up for a busy day of show-going.
Show: Kebab The Musical
Performed by: Belly Rub Productions
When: 12:20
Where: Pleasance Over the Road 2
Cost: £7
This was a show I'd seen advertised somewhere in the Pleasance and decided to see if I had the time. I went in with no expectations.
The show was a very funny and well produced musical about a boy who grew up in a pizzeria. He leaves the life of slavery in his father's restaurant to discover the pleasures of Kebabs and to set up his own Kebab van. The show was a semi-spoof of the musical and yet was also a well crafted and well performed piece in its own right. If you imagine mixing scenes from Les Miserables with the cheer of Joseph and some of the Italian culture moments of Goodfellas, you may have a taste of this particular feast.
It was, at the end of the day, well performed comedy by a strong crew of students.
Show: The Oxford Revue
Performed by: The Oxford Revue
When: 15:30
Where: Gilded Balloon Cave 2
Cost: £7.50
Having decided to see the Kama Suture, the Cambridge Medics' Revue, I decided to redress the Oxbridge balance and see the Oxford Revue too.
This show contained various sketches, including a routine based around promoting "Hove" by substituting the word "Hove" for "Love" in a variety of popular songs. This particular sketch, performed by Josie Long (more on her later) was funny and well delivered. However, I rather upset the lady in question when I asked her, in the bar after the show, if she'd heard the radio phone in which I heard, where they asked people to suggest song titles with... you've guessed it... "love" replaced by "Hove". I did emphasise that the delivery and choice was still the point of her routine, but she was less than impressed - sorry Josie.
Some of the sketches were bizarre - the idea of George Formby beating homosexuality out of his son and then teaching him the Ukulele was curious, but enjoyable. They had some interesting routines with the chemical Bromide - which is actual a hermaphrodite and used to go under its female name of Bromine until it decided it preferred being a boy... yes, surreal, but fun.
Show: The Cat Must Die
Performed by: Starcat a Partnership
When: 16:45
Where: Gilded Balloon Cave 2
Cost: £7.50
Having sat in the queue for the Oxford Revue with a member of the cast for this show, I decided, since I had the time, to buy a ticket and see what it was like. The Cave 2 venue is worth spending time in - it's a dank cellar (though actually above ground). It would probably make an interesting theme pub, especially since the route to it is via a series of stone anterooms with steel staircases.
The show itself had funny places, but was not, overall, exceedingly good. There was a routine where Stephen Hawking and Cher did a duet of "I got you babe". The plot was bizarre, God vs the Devil in a time traveling chase of good vs evil, where a cat with a dirty Mexican moustache, driving a small pink Cadillac, is the root of all wrong in the world.
Though there were good performances, this show also included various weak spots. But that's the Fringe!
Show: The Kama Suture
Performed by: The Cambridge Medics Revue
When: 18:00
Where: Gilded Balloon Cave 1
Cost: £7.50
The medics made this show seem effortless. From the moment we were seated, they were doing something - guiding people to their seats in the style of air stewards. This routine turned into their warm up as they prepared us for the show to start and took us through some DVT-prevention exercises, which turned out a bit like Indian style dancing.
This was a series of sketches of a higher standard than Radio 4's In Crowd of the previous day, despite the line up seeming quite similar - usually 2 or 3 people to a sketch. Some of their routines seemed reworkings of classics - like with lasses doing a one-upmanship routine (akin to the Four Yorkshiremen classic), but this did not detract from the amusement. They even recreated Lemmings (the computer game) on stage, which was comical.
Damned good fun!
Show: Trev and Simon Unwigged
Performed by: Trev and Simon
When: 21:10
Where: Pleasance Dome 2
Cost: £9
These performers are long-term favourites and I'd never seen them live. They were doing a show where they claimed no need to dress up as silly characters - they were just going to be themselves and give of themselves.
In the end, they did employ a series of amusing costumes and one or two wigs, in order to recreate "important moments from their lives". They caused amusement by taking the simple formula of trying to do two small plays about their lives and then taking the piss out of each other, and making volunteers from the audience get worked up and amused while trying to participate in these plays.
Funny and the time just flew by.
Show: Folk the World
Performed by: Flight of the Conchords
When: 23:45
Where: Gilded Balloon Cave 1
Cost: £8.50
This show was a recommendation by the barmaid at the Gilded Balloon. It was a good recommendation too. I had decided to take recommendations seriously - how else can you see things you've never heard of unless you start listening?
The set up was simple - a couple of New Zealanders with acoustic guitars sat and sang some comical songs. They sang in the folk style, hence the title. I liked their show enough to warranty buying their CD. Highlights were many and included a song about Lord of the Rings, which I appreciate, though I don't get it yet (having neither read nor seen LOTR) and a classic Bowie tribute/spoof. I was lucky to see them again later on in the festival and they were equally amusing then.
Show: The Establishment
Performed by: Various
When: 01:00
Where: Venue C
Cost: £5
Website: http://www.CtheFestival.com
I decided to make this a regular gig. This was a good thing. The highlights of this show were the twin comperes (or commeres? since they were ladies) including the talented and funny Hils Barker, who reprised her routine from the Open Mic award.
The show also included Rob Deering, who did a great line in music and comedy put together. He asked people to shout out songs (I shouted Runaway, of course) and he had a go at playing them - he got Runaway, though he cheated and simply played the chorus in C, but I'll forgive him. Rob's routine around the subject of Bond films was excellent. He has learned the details of each Bond film and will sing a synopsis of the film (in his opinion) to its theme. This is a man who knew his way around his music and his comedy. I'd seen him on a TV comedy competition in the past (not realising it was him) - well worth seeing him live. I didn't get the chance to see his full show, so the Establishment managed to provide me with a chance I'd otherwise have missed.
Spent £52, saw 7 shows. At the day's end:
Total spent: £104.50
Total shows seen: 14
02 September 2002
Ashley Frieze