Ben Pearson, Author at North West End UK

Film Club: An improvised Comedy – Just the Tonic, The Caves

11Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Film Club: An improvised Comedy – Just the Tonic, The Caves

There is such an abundance of improvised comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe, that a performance must be truly excellent in order to stand out. Sadly, Film Club didn’t reach that level on this occasion. It began promisingly, as the audience were asked to shout out a film they loved as a child, a film they saw too young, and a film that moved them. One brave audience member volunteered to use their film choices. I can’t remember exactly what these were, but we ended up with a general theme of thriller time-travel, which seemed promising. All in all, the selection process took maybe five to ten minutes, which was a bit longer than most of the other improv I’ve seen, but by no means killed the energy of the audience and performers. The improvised skits were ultimately hit and miss. Whilst i...

I Consent, Aunty Ginger – Assembly, George Square Studios, Underground

9Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

I Consent, Aunty Ginger – Assembly, George Square Studios, Underground

This show is not for the faint-hearted or easily offended. And that’s a good thing. I Consent is an utterly outrageous, and hilariously entertaining hour of drag-show comedy. Aunty Ginger has excellent stage presence from the second she introduces herself with a parody of ‘(Hey) Big Spender’. You may be able to guess what word she replaced ‘Spender’ with… I won’t pretend I’m an expert in drag styling and fashion, but I was incredibly impressed by her make-up, fabulous ginger wig and matching jewellery. The dress, designed by Peter Hewitt, was black and tight. Perfect for the occasion. In short, Aunty Ginger looked spectacular. I won’t spoil the contents of her show, but it includes an Agony Aunt style segment where she solves the sex life problems of ‘famous celebrities’ and memb...

Victor, Vi and the Volvo – Paradise Green (Vaults)

8Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Victor, Vi and the Volvo – Paradise Green (Vaults)

Victor, Vi and the Volvo, is a humorous, powerful, and endlessly real original show. Writer and director Sam Milnes has created a play that wouldn’t feel out of place on the West End. Set both in the present day, and in the memories of Victor and Vi, it tells their story from the day they met, through to their efforts to raise their son Callum. The most impressive quality of this play is just how real all the characters feel. Throughout the runtime, there are endless relatable moments that make you feel like Victor, Vi and Callum could all easily exist. Victor and Vi’s uncertainty of whether to discuss with Callum a condom they found in a bin, and his subsequent embarrassment, was a particular highlight. These moments often allow for very real comedy. Milnes hasn’t tried to create w...

Music – Bunker Three Pleasance Courtyard

7Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Music – Bunker Three Pleasance Courtyard

I was serenaded and handed a croissant as I walked into Bunker Three to watch Music by Hangdog, which set the tone for the performance perfectly. Music is a very silly, but equally entertaining sketch show about a young part-time receptionist/house band member called Dave who works for Stripefy and swallows the music algorithm, becoming the world’s greatest musician as a result. It’s just as insane as it sounds, but strong performances from Jack Toop and Jacob Lovick keep you mostly engaged throughout. Toop plays Dave with an endearing melancholy that allows you sympathise with his quest to become a full-time receptionist (not musician). This more soulful performance contrasts perfectly with Lovick’s manic presence, as he yo-yos between endless characters, accents and impressions. His John...

I’m Sexy and I Know It – Sprout Studio, Greenside

6Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

I’m Sexy and I Know It – Sprout Studio, Greenside

Everyone should watch this show. And I mean everyone. As a 21-year-old man, it would be easy to assume that I wasn’t the target audience for a performance about a middle-aged woman’s relationship with her sexuality and her body. But that could not be more wrong. Anna Friend has devised an utterly hilarious, and incredibly moving, play about the struggles that women go through from such an early age to feel ‘sexy’ and desirable. She charts the course of her relationship to this struggle throughout her life. Beginning with when she first watched porn at the age of 11, to her more recent revelation that she is in fact bisexual. She holds nothing back as she takes the audience through this journey, which leads to as many hilarious moments as it does profound ones. I’ll try not to give away too...

Gaslighting is my Love Language – Just The Tonic at The Grassmarket Centre

4Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Gaslighting is my Love Language – Just The Tonic at The Grassmarket Centre

Fielding Edlow’s Gaslighting is my Love Language is a brutally honest, unapologetically explicit, and immensely entertaining hour of comedy. The premise is simple; Edlow has recently divorced her husband of thirteen years and wants to share her new perspective on the marriage with the audience. What results is akin to a farcical therapy session, where the audience plays the role of the therapist. While they don’t often get involved, with one notable exception you’ll have to discover for yourself, Edlow regales them with the ups and downs of the marriage, pinpointing exactly where it all went wrong. Spoiler alert, it was when they first met. While most comedians bring in elements of truth to their performances, Edlow takes it to a whole new level. She makes a point of informing the audie...

Temping – Assembly George Square Studios

15Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Temping – Assembly George Square Studios

Temping is like nothing else I’ve seen at the Edinburgh Fringe, being more of an interactive experience than a show. The premise is simple, you have been brought into the company to cover some shifts for an absent employee. I was led into my new office, an excellently decorated set inside a cargo container, and told that the owner of the office, Sarah Jane, had left an instruction message for me. Throughout the hour, I had to complete various tasks, primarily changing former employees’ statuses from active to deceased, as well as answer phone calls and emails, each instructing me on how to proceed. The genius of the show though, is that many of these emails are not scripted. If I replied to an email, I would get a response to it. In a way, it is like you’re improvising. The general script ...

CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation – Underbelly, Bristo Square

13Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation – Underbelly, Bristo Square

CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation was the first improvised performance I have seen so far at this Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and I was not disappointed. It began as many improvisations do, with the performers asking the audience to provide certain details that form the bedrock of the show. In this case, we had to name the victim, their job, and the weapon with which they were murdered. It was like an exceptionally fun game of Cluedo. I was already laughing as we named our victim Jervaiz Pickle, yes it was spelt like that. The unfortunate victim had been a Travelodge receptionist and was brutally murdered by limp hearts of Romaine lettuce. I must give credit to whoever thought of this genius weapon as it propelled much of the slapstick comedy throughout the show. The details of the m...

Christian Brighty: Playboy – Pleasance Below

9Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Christian Brighty: Playboy – Pleasance Below

I wasn’t sure what to expect as I sat down to watch Christian Brighty: Playboy. I’d read the synopsis, a scandalous Lord in the 18th century falls for a duchess and must try and reform his rakish ways to win her hand. And I’d seen the poster, Lord Christian Brighty standing with an enormous padlock covering his crotch. But other than that, I was clueless. I thought I was in for something special when I was handed a ball of socks at the door and told it was a cannonball. If the audience weren’t aware of exactly what they’d got themselves into, it became apparent very quickly. Brighty entered covered in a hood as the sounds of an orgy played throughout the venue. He tells ‘naughty Susan’, a recurring character in the sketch, that he must sadly leave. I haven’t seen many a funnier start to a ...

Twelfth Night Lite – Paradise in Augustines

7Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Twelfth Night Lite – Paradise in Augustines

Twelfth Night is my favourite Shakespeare play, so, I was intrigued when I came across Twelfth Night Lite, a three-person, hour long version of the show brought to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by Evoke Productions. How would they tell the at times complicated and weaving plot with so few performers? Overall, I think they did an admirable job at cutting the play so drastically, while still making it easy to follow. The plot was streamlined, focusing on the love triangle between Olivia (Francesca Firman), Viola (Susie Garvey-Williams) and Orsino (Matthew Leigh). Characters including Sir Toby Belch, Feste and Sir Andrew Aguecheek were cut entirely. This, I think, was the weakness of the play. It felt like something was missing. For instance, character arcs were left unresolved, primarily ...