Monkey Barrel Comedy Archives - North West End UK

Rosco McClelland: The Bones – Monkey Barrel Comedy

20Aug

By Ella BeckleyNo Comments

Scotland

Rosco McClelland: The Bones – Monkey Barrel Comedy

In the midst of Old Town, Cabaret Voltaire’s arched basement under Blair Street is full of a crowd eagerly watching Rosco McClelland, spotlit on stage. You could hear a pin drop with the patient wait for the punch line. McClelland is a storyteller, every joke recounts a guilty pleasure, an embarrassing story or even identifying the man who apparently wants him dead. Convoluted stories of his marriage complete with heartwarming moments and arguments both had the audience listening attentively, all for the reward of one-line laughs. McClelland’s charisma and charm keep the audience hooked on his line, reeling them in with an assortment of confessions and an open ‘this is me, bones and all’ kind of attitude with the audienc...

Tamsyn Kelly (Rat’s Ass) – Monkey Barrel Comedy

16Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Tamsyn Kelly (Rat’s Ass) – Monkey Barrel Comedy

Tamsyn’s skint. So is her boyfriend. She works in comedy. So does he. They decided to move to London anyway. No doubt the drive and desire that took them there explains why she pops in each morning to the venue; just to check no-one’s opened a door that might disturb that damp subterranean ambience long ago patented by The Fringe. It’s a long way to the top, or maybe Blue Peter, but an even longer journey if you’re born to a homeless couple in Cornwall, though, as this show proves, it does provide better stories. She nips in the bud any conclusions based on her haircut. Though the drill collection is expanding and the shelving potential increasing for all the Hockey trophies. She dumps the obligatory ADHD diagnosis into the same category as an air fryer, since with either you’ll ...

Dan Rath: Help Me Please – Monkey Barrel Comedy

15Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Dan Rath: Help Me Please – Monkey Barrel Comedy

I descended a labyrinth of stairs into the sub-basement of Cabaret Voltaire to find Dan Rath. Red and blue LEDs light the way through a grungy, stone-arched room, while great lengths of aluminium ventilation snake overhead. It is a fascinating venue, dark, subterranean and atmospheric. No windows here, folks. And, on this occasion, not really much of a window into Dan Rath either. I had been looking forward to this. Rath’s I’m Not Doing Well, Folks is hilarious, a gloriously peculiar, rapid-fire excursion through a mind that seems permanently several steps ahead of its owner. Help Me Please, however, feels surprisingly tired. Perhaps that is simply Rath’s demeanour, but tonight the delivery seems slower, the jokes flatter and the whole thing rather scattergun. There...

Jenny Gorelick: SORRY – Monkey Barrel Comedy

12Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Jenny Gorelick: SORRY – Monkey Barrel Comedy

Having interviewed Jenny Gorelick earlier in the month, I was interested to see whether the engaging, quick witted comedian I had met would translate into her debut Fringe hour, SORRY. The premise is straightforward enough, bad dates, worse decisions and an apology, in advance, to the men Gorelick has dated, or might yet date. It is territory firmly rooted in the experience and language of dating as a younger woman and, perhaps inevitably, it talks most directly to a younger and predominantly female audience. My curiosity was whether Gorelick could pull those of us outside that demographic into her orbit. The truth is, not quite. There is actually another layer of comedy available here. What happens when an older man simply does not understand the joke? Stop, look at him,...

Alice Fraser: Oh Man! – Monkey Barrel Comedy

8Aug

By Ella BeckleyNo Comments

Scotland

Alice Fraser: Oh Man! – Monkey Barrel Comedy

When she’s off the comedy stage, Alice Fraser is a politics and news podcaster, which she jokes puts her in a small demographic of women that can speak to men without interruption. Her show pulls from topical issues like AI, the manosphere, capitalism, technology, gender and sexuality. Fraser pulls these themes together succinctly, conveying her worldview with persuasive intellect, but it all feels a little too ambitious to contain within a one-hour Fringe comedy set. Fraser’s stand-up show centres around training a little AI vacuum cleaner how to be a man, with PowerPoint slides and crowd work used cleverly along the way. Fraser discusses how masculinity presents itself, moving through themes of today while exposing men in her life like gym-bro Jaden. ...

Chris Forbes: Father Christmas – Monkey Barrel Comedy at Monkey Barrel 2

7Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Chris Forbes: Father Christmas – Monkey Barrel Comedy at Monkey Barrel 2

Was I surprised at the festive atmosphere inside the room at Monkey Barrel? A bit, with its dual screens with roaring log fires on both. Creating a feel of being inside an Alpine lodge and not a darkened room in Edinburgh. Especially when outside was a cloudy, grey afternoon, albeit tepid for August. And then entered Chris Forbes in full winter technical gear wishing us a Merry Christmas. The audience’ minds were screaming no; this is not right but were quickly lulled into that warm fuzzy space that is Christmas. As Chris was shedding a layer of blizzard proof garments we heartly sang Jingle Bells with all our might and the atmosphere was that of Christmas eve. Was I disappointed it was Christmas? Absolutely not, what followed was a soulful journey through the yuletide period ...

An Evening with Christopher Bliss – Monkey Barrel Comedy

6Aug

By Rita BryceNo Comments

Scotland

An Evening with Christopher Bliss – Monkey Barrel Comedy

Fringe veteran and Shropshire born novelist, Christopher Bliss (Rob Carter’s alter-ego) this year welcomes the audience for a Q&A hour with a chance to ask questions about their own novels- being offered paper slips to write down their pitches as we enter the show. Having seen Christopher’s work previously and encountered the different ways he has framed his work I was familiar and excited for his short (literally never more than two sides of A6) stories which are wonderfully silly, joyfully obscure and a true masterclass in British absurdist comedy. Christopher, blue anorak freshy washed ready for another fringe, banters with the audience with ease. Carter is a gifted character comedian who knows his creation inside out. Compared to other offerings from previous years I d...

Rachel Fairburn: Can I be Awful? – Monkey Barrel Comedy

16Aug

By Kat CliffordNo Comments

Scotland

Rachel Fairburn: Can I be Awful? – Monkey Barrel Comedy

Can I be awful? is hilarious. This is quick, sharp, biting comedy at its finest. Rachel Fairburn has artfully crafted an absolute laugh- riot of a show. I can honestly say I don’t remember laughing this much at a comedy show, period. She skilfully leads us through a well-timed, laugh a minute, adventure that pokes fun where it belongs. The show has a strong theme of class disparity and attitudes and stereotypes towards working class people. Rachel Fairburn has a savagely funny sense of humour and healthy dose of dark, crude, and near the mark banter. The show was presented in conversational and chatty manner that put the audience at ease. This is a comfortable and confident comedian who knows how to build a story in layers. There were some hilarious impressions of trust -fund ...

Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Home Truths – Monkey Barrel Comedy

16Aug

By Kat CliffordNo Comments

Scotland

Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Home Truths – Monkey Barrel Comedy

This is a funny, relatable, current and well crafted show. Kiri Pritchard- McLean is a master of blending self-deprecating humour, near the mark jokes and honesty to take the audience on a side splitting journey. Right out of the gate she bounced off the energy from the audience with quick wit and funny comments. Aside from the adept and confident comedy this Welsh comedian gave us an education. This show felt like a breath of fresh air with some genuinely thought provoking moments. She wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in and talk about hard - hitting and uncomfortable topics, highlighting the fact that the venue had only employed white acts for the festival and bringing white privilege and anti-racism to the forefront of people’s minds where it needs to...