Reviews & features: Brian Donaldson
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Conchords man Rhys Darby courts the apocalypse in 2012 Fringe show
27 Jul 2012
New Zealand comedian's show on how to survive Armageddon
Whatever lies ahead in Rhys Darby’s career, one showbiz stat might continue to haunt him: he may never be as popular as Zippy. Or rather, not Darby himself, but one Murray Hewitt. The feckless Kiwi band manager he played in 22 episodes of Flight of the…
Universal humour: 5 international comedians at the 2012 Fringe
27 Jul 2012
Featuring Naz Osmanoglu, Trevor Noah, Michael Mittermeier and Marcel Lucont
Naz Osmanoglu Given the damp evidence of his debut solo affair last year (he’s also a core member of the WitTank crew), this Turkish prince will provide an energetic sweat-fest like no other. This year, he’s an Ottoman Without an Empire. You getting…
Five Kids TV stars to catch at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2012
27 Jul 2012
Seen these folks on the box before? You must be a parent then
Dan Wright Fans of Big Cook, Little Cook might have difficulty recognising Mr Wright who played the latter given that he has shed his specs and is no longer three inches tall. Curiously, his Fringe show has a sort-of childlike theme given that it’s…
Life is a cabaret: 7 cabaret shows at Fringe 2012
27 Jul 2012
Featuring Auntie Myra, Bourgeois & Maurice, Damsel Sophie, Ria Lina and more
Auntie Myra’s Fun Show As the legendary Jeremy Lion showed, reluctant children’s entertainers make for bleak but blisteringly funny comedy. We suggest that Rotherham’s Myra Dubois may be in the same vein. The Voodoo Rooms, 226 0000, 3–26 Aug (not 6…
Young comedian James Acaster returns to Fringe with Prompt
25 Jul 2012
‘Daft and whimsical' Edinburgh show after introduction to comedy via Scouting
Stand-ups get their first taste of the comedy stage in different ways. Some might be forced by their long-suffering partner into doing an open mic night, others might have done some stand-up in their student days, a few have ditched their well-paid but…
Five of the best free comedy shows this Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2012
25 Jul 2012
Cariad Lloyd, David Mills, Trodd en Bratt, Sam Fletcher, Mace & Burton
Austentatious Best Newcomer nominee Cariad Lloyd takes time out from her solo character show thing with a return to her free roots. In which a crew of similarly expert improvisers make up an hour-long tale in the style of Jane Austen purely from…
Five of the best magic shows at 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe
25 Jul 2012
Sleight of hand and scary tricks are the chosen paths for these Fringe acts
Pete Firman Middlesbrough’s number one magic man and author of Tricks to Freak Out Your Friends, Firman will be a Hoodwinker this August. Expect an hour of highly impressive/potentially quease-inducing illusions. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 4–26 Aug…
Return of the Lumberjacks reunites three Canadian comics
23 Jul 2012
Glenn Wool, Craig Campbell and Stewart Francis at 2012 Edinburgh Fringe
Glenn Wool. What’s the best thing about working with Craig Campbell? The complimentary massages. Tell us one thing that might surprise the world about Stewart Francis? How easy it is to trick him out of his massage vouchers. Tell us your favourite…
Denise Mina reads from Gods and Beasts in Edinburgh
18 Jul 2012
The Scottish crime maestro will read from new Glasgow-based thriller
When Denise Mina arrived on the literary scene back in 1998, she already had a pretty varied CV behind her. Having worked in a meat factory, as a barmaid and in auxiliary nursing for terminally ill patients, she eventually studied law and taught…
2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Comedy highlights
11 Jul 2012
Tim Key, Andrew Doyle, Andrew Maxwell, Dylan Moran and more
Andrew Doyle. Last year, Doyle’s show featured some pretty ripe comedy bravado during a Crash Course in Depravity, while for this August he’s doing Whatever it Takes. Bold words from a daring comic. Andrew Maxwell. One of the most reliably gifted…
Kristine Levine brings debut Fat Whore to 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe
11 Jul 2012
From Portland pornclerk to stand-up with a difference
They’re not backward in coming forward in Portland, Oregon. Once dubbed among the greenest cities in the world, boasting over 90,000 acres of green space and more than 70 miles of hiking, running and biking trails, its citizens take a fierce pride in…
Edinburgh Art Festival 2012: Highlights
11 Jul 2012
Surrealists, symbolists and Scottish colourists at this year's art festival
Leslie Hunter: A Life in Colour. This major study of the Scottish Colourist’s output features over 70 important works throughout his career, with pieces created in venues from Fife to France. If the life and work of Hunter is your bag, then why not also…
2012 Edinburgh Festival of Politics highlights
11 Jul 2012
Talks on George Wyllie, the music industry, Canongate and Scotland's wood cabins
Singin’ I’m No a Billy, He’s a Tim. The difficulties of overcoming ignorance associated with the issue of sectarianism in Scotland were perfectly highlighted last season when one football radio pundit accused Des Dillon’s play of actually promoting…
Edinburgh International Festival 2012 highlights
11 Jul 2012
Highlights from the 2012 International Festival programme
Batsheva Dance Company. They last stirred the festival in 2008 with the blazing Deca Dance, which featured the relatively rare sight of some members of an EIF audience on stage with the performers. Under the guidance of innovative choreographer Ohad…
Great Scots: Home-grown comedy talent at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe
11 Jul 2012
Let's not forget home-grown talent this Edinburgh Fringe
Scott Agnew. With Tales of the Sauna, we can be guaranteed some bawdy material, blistering repartee and belly-altering laughs as the former Scottish Comedian of the Year reveals just about everything about the world of gay saunas.
Edinburgh International Jazz and Blues Festival 2012 highlights
11 Jul 2012
Kyle Eastwood, Dr John, Jeremy Pelt, Joakim Milder and Floex
Kyle Eastwood. The rugged demeanour, surname and love of jazz surely give the game away as to this guy’s heritage. But if anyone is wrong-headed enough to think Kyle has simply been given a leg-up by his legendary dad, they might want to reflect on an…
EIBF 2011: five lengthy literary works
24 Aug 2011
featuring Adam Levin, Thomas Pynchon, David Foster Wallace, Stephen King and Tolstoy
The Instructions The story of a megalomaniac 10-year-old boy who may or may not be the messiah takes place over the course of just four frenetic days, but Levin’s massive book takes in Israel’s battle for existence and an entire religion’s search for…
Rebecca Hunt
24 Aug 2011
The author of Mr Chartwell creates a credible and empathetic vision of illness
One of the most intriguing and delectably-crafted debut novels of the past year is Mr Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt. The black dog of Winston Churchill’s legendary deep depression is brought vividly to life through the eponymous mutt (also known as Black…
Alison Thea-Skot
24 Aug 2011
Delightfully batty character affair
Tiff Mason is an arch vocal coach with domestic worries, leading to a spell in chokey where she runs rap rehabilitation classes. In this delightfully batty character affair, Skot also introduces us to a terrible Aussie social worker, nervy barrister and…
Richard Herring: What is Love Anyway?
23 Aug 2011
The "King of Edinburgh" at his scintillating best
Back to his scintillating best, Herring delivers a barrage against our notions about love despite (or because of) his own admission that he may have found ‘the one’. She plays a key role in a typically lengthy sequence about Ferrero Rocher pyramids and…
Alun Cochrane: Moments of Alun
23 Aug 2011
A reliably hilarious hour
When it comes to a reliably hilarious hour, Cochrane is fast becoming the go-to guy. While he can’t see himself selling out stadiums, he’s more than happy to plough his furrow in ‘proper’ comedy environments. He’s the only one in the room who seems…
The Baby Diary
23 Aug 2011
Wry play featuring couple soon to be parents
Emily Watson Howes’ wry play features a couple soon to become parents: she’s suitably over-excited, he’s more concerned about losing his pet rabbit Duncan as he relates to his filmed ‘dadblog’. For a piece about the relentless march of technology, it’s…
Steve Hall's Very Still Life
23 Aug 2011
Surreal tales and batty antics
Where would modern comics be without their crazy parents? We get to laugh at the antics of the Klang man’s batty dad, but mainly we’re chortling at Hall Jnr’s shortcomings amid a tale of love (almost) lost. There’s the night he made a fool of himself at…
Joe Bor: In Search of the Six Pack
23 Aug 2011
Limp hour saved by supporting cast
This doesn’t start well, with a laugh-free vox pops film in which Bor asks the public what they find sexy. Worse is to come with the mercifully brief ‘songs’ which are chucked in to merely ‘show-off’ his recently-acquired guitar skills. What saves this…
Interpretive Dances to My Diary! (72% Non-Fiction)
23 Aug 2011
100% total cobblers
Fancy spending time with two red boiler-suited Americans called Ryan who love to let themselves go? Maybe your partner will be led onstage to get tongued by tall Ryan while smaller Ryan giggles at their sheer daring? All in the name of a ‘surreal…
