The Definitive Guide to Comedy
*** (out of 5) Nicole Travolta has a fascinating story that’s more clever than funny in the delivery. In case you’re wondering, and you most definitely are, her father was “the cheapest Travolta” but the family name still carried a heavy burden even in Orlando because of her famous uncle, …
*** 1/2 (out of 5) **** if you’re British Sometimes I just have to slide the rating scale, knowing when something is for thee, but not so much for me? Simon Brodkin is a prankster who comes off initially as a bit of a wanker, but that combination makes him …
** 1/2 (out of 5) Yuriko Kotani, a Japanese comedian who’s spent almost two decades in the UK, has plenty of TV credits to her name, and even met the king, didn’t seem ready to bring this show to the Fringe. Kotani says if she delivered her routines in Japanese, …
*** (out of 5) For one hour only, you’re cast in the role of an employee at the fake company, Men-ses Period Panties. Of course, you’ve volunteered for this mission, but in the fictional world where people buy and sell Men-ses, the company’s executives (played by Rebekka Johnson and Anne …
*** 1/2 (out of 5) An English comedian of Nigerian descent, who’s married to a Pakistani woman, and father to two daughters, Nabil Abdulrashid worries about how to provide and protect for them. That’s the masculine legacy he feels has been handed down to him, combined with the mean streets …
*** 1/2 (out of 5) Lulu Popplewell knows you don’t go to the Edinburgh dungeon to support aspiring actors. You go to see the dark weird stuff. So a recovery show without war stories? She’ll cram some in via song. And yes, don’t you worry: She’ll also get to Love, …
*** 1/2 (out of 5) Nominated for Most Outstanding Show at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Laura Davis returns to Edinburgh claiming she had performed this hour down under in full character. She’s keeping the hat and the outfit intact at Fringe, but says she wants to tell this …
*** 1/2 (out of 5) At one point during a routine in which he gets prompts for an obscure series of impersonations, Viggo Venn asks aloud:: “Seriously, how did I win that thing?” That thing was Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year, where the Norwegian clown took home the top …
*** (out of 5) Dahn Rozario’s grandparents took the family out of India apparently because he was feeling the sting of racism for appearing too Anglo due to their lighter skin tone. But as Anglo-Indians in Australia, Rozario said the racism doesn’t stop there. For his Edinburgh debut, he delivers …
*** 1/2 out of 5 The opening of Hannah Camilleri’s character showcase really lollygags, introducing her first to the audience as a mechanic, working on someone’s car, or at least thinking about getting under the hood. Once Camilleri kicks her show into gear, we’re treated to a bit of hybrid …
