by ⭐⭐⭐
Are you not gruntled? Fine people of Edinburgh, are you not gruntled?!?
Jazz Emu, aka Archie Henderson, is a graduate of the Cambridge Footlights sketch troupe and a Fringe staple for his character-based musical comedy. His name befits his musical style and his physique. And taking the stage with an unplaced accent backed by a funky beat, while looking like a fluorescent flamenco dancer, his high-energy shows hype up the crowd.
There’s quite a bit of wordplay involved (see: gruntled). But there’s also a lot of tech making it all work, or not, in the case of the opening weekend performance I attended.
So even though his efforts to self-actualize us, and help his inner child grow up, didn’t quite allow for the big finish he had hoped for, the woman sitting across the aisle from me laughed loudly and truly throughout the hour. So if you don’t agree with my three-star review, perhaps her five-star reactions sit better with you, or you can average us out if you like.
Jazz Emu: The Pleasure Is All Yours plays at Pleasance Queen Dome through Aug. 24, 2025.
