edinburgh
Figures have been released for this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
There were 50,459 performances of 3,314 shows in 313 venues across Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced that by Monday afternoon, with hundreds of performances still to take place, an estimated 2,298,090 tickets had been issued for shows across Scotland’s capital. The number of tickets issued reflects a 5.24% increase in comparison to tickets issued by the same point last year.
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When Spencer Jones, alias almost-silent clown The Herbert, came on I spent the first five minutes writing down who he reminded me of. Blackadder’s pudding basin hair, Mr Bean’s awkwardness, Tommy Cooper’s fondness for daft props and comic shrugs, the prominent teeth of Crackerjack’s Don Maclean. Or is it Bernie Winters?
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Rhys James was on the cusp of a breakthrough with his show last year. The follow-up is another step in the right direction for this young comic who pretty much has star-in-waiting running through him like Blackpool runs through a stick of rock. Well, one bought in Blackpool anyway.
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A few years ago comedian Dan Tetsell did an Edinburgh show about the discovery that his grandfather was a German soldier in WW2. Maybe Luke Toulson should form an double act with Tetsell. Despite the title of Grandpa, Hitler and Me is also about his father’s wartime experiences, albeit on the right side.
TV channel Dave has announced the winner of the eighth annual award for Dave’s Funniest Joke of the Fringe.
In his first ever full length show, Edinburgh pun-dit Darren Walsh has this year come top with 23% of respondents voting “I just deleted all the German names off my phone. It's Hans free” their funniest joke of the Edinburgh Fringe. Previous acclaimed winners include Tim Vine, Rob Auton, Stewart Francis, Zoe Lyons and Nick Helm.
Richard Gadd has been crowned winner of the Amused Moose Comedy Award 2015. Musical impressionist Jess Robinson was voted People's Champion at the grand final at the Space @ Symposium Hall.
Full review to follow...
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In comedy there are people who change and people who hone one particular thing to the point of absolute perfection. John Shuttleworth is one of the latter and so, to a slightly lesser extent, is Jo Neary, who does diversify a bit.
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Liam Williams has one of the best voices in stand-up. In two senses. He has a deeply resonant, Yorkshire tone and he often says something, angry, political and relevant. Following last year’s Foster’s-nominated show, however, this year’s Bonfire Night is a tiny bit disappointing.
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When Sofie Hagen decides to do something she certainly follows through. Whether it is becoming the world’s biggest Westlife fan at the age of 13 or making it on the UK stand-up circuit. The unashamedly competitive Danish comic has been a regular club performer for the last few years and this year’s full-length show, Bubblewrap, marks a major breakthrough.
I was one of the judges when David Mills won the New Act of the Year in 2011 when the competition moved from the Hackney Empire to the Barbican. I suspect it was a pretty unanimous decision. He had confidence and style that put him head and shoulders above the others. He was also the best-dressed. That wasn’t the clincher though. It was his well-delivered, finely honed, waspish routines that won it, barbed but never over-bitchy. I’d seen Mills before as a sidekick to Scott Capurro, but here he came into his own.
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