Normally the cheap preview shows run up to the official opening of the Fringe on Sunday but most shows seem to have slipped in a full price show on the Saturday this year, before the normal 2-for-1 opening deals. Sly. I did manage to get to a handful of previews on Friday, details, thoughts and recommendations either way are after the jump.
We started the day with Best of Edinburgh Comedy 2006 – The Showcase Show. Four acts, one compare, at around lunchtime everyday, so I can only say what the show we saw was like but these sorts of shows always make a great way to kick off the day.
We got David O’Doherty as compare (more on him later), followed by Omar Marzouk whom I wasn’t overly impressed by, he just never really seemed to hit his stride. Faring better was Maeve Higgins, mostly because I was intrigued by the idea of her show — she does stand up while her sister bakes cakes, and Jeff Innocent who was the funniest of the line up and I think his show (Eco Warrior) would be certainly worth a look. There was another guy on the bill but sadly neither him nor his act was very memorable, and since I refuse to start taking notes while watching the shows the name will be forever lost. Unless I remember later and edit it back in.
Next up, a traditional freebie with tickets thrust into the hands of the passing public to try and fill the venue. No Obvious Trauma is much more what the fringe is (or should be) about. Physical theatre with puppets, silhouettes and a few cute lighting effects. It’s a slickly done and well acted story about a mute girl and her relationship with the doctors in the hospital where she’s been sent. I’m not entirely convinced about the content but it was certainly wasn’t a bad way to fill out an hour. Recommended, particularly if you’re after something a little different.
Colin and Fergus – Rutherford Lodge was the highlight of the day. It’s a surreal comedy play with foppish detective Rutherford Lodge combating the evil menace of three men in a tub, it’s brilliantly done with a ton of clever jokes. Maybe they just hit me in the right mood but I thought it was fab, and it was certainly the smoothest performance of the day. See it. Blame me if you hate it.
Off to the upside down purple cow for Reginald D Hunter – Pride and Prejudice and Niggas. He’s funny, and when his act worked it worked brilliantly but it did seem to flounder in places. Worse, after a particularly funny ten minute bit he seems to run out of material and just kinda tails off. It’s still the previews and maybe he screwed up the timing, or the audience just wasn’t working for him or maybe he really doesn’t have a ending. It might be worth seeing if you’re at a loose end but I’d be inclined to wait and read some other reviews to see if he can plug the weak bits in the act because there are plenty of other options out there.
We rounded the night off with David O’Doherty is My Name. Yup, the compare from the first show, some fringe symmetry going on there. His thing is laid back stand-up with the odd song and scenes from the biography of his life. The songs were good, it was a touch disconcerting that he was still sorting out the lighting for the gig whilst doing it — but it was only a preview. The biography scenes fell a bit flat, but he’s got a natural charisma and in the smaller venue he gets away with it. It was a good show and I’d say see it if you’re at the Assembly Rooms anyway, but I’m not sure I could recommend going out your way just to see him.