Jamie Wood-O No!

• Lorna Irvine
• 30 August 2015

This article is from 2015.

credit: Alex Brenner

See Jamie Wood take on the art establishment in an interactive show

Comedy and conceptual art have always been interesting bedfellows, from when Tony Hancock skewered its lofty pretensions in feature film The Rebel, to The Mighty Boosh's Howard Moon, an artsy character not given to much self-awareness.

Performer Jamie Wood sees things differently. Inspired by Yoko Ono's Grapefruit manifesto, he lampoons and homages hippy idealism, using tenets like 'Don't use emotionally manipulative music ' (cue Lennon's 'Imagine') or 'Never capitalise on Lennon's death' (he is 'shot' at, over and over). There's a nod to Ono's Cut Piece where audience members cut chunks off her dress with scissors.

Wood admits that when he suggested to partner Wendy he would like them to emulate John and Yoko, her response, played on tape, is the kind of exasperation I feel halfway through. However well-meaning, optimists can grate, with a seeming social myopia.

The whole 'hello, trees' thing is a cliche, but at least Wood's sweetly goofy bearded persona is such that the joke is always on him: it's hard to resist an art prankster. When a giant orange ball representing the sun appears, we all reach for it. He creates a happening which is less Fluxus, more the controlled chaos of a hip music teacher in corduroy.

Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place (0131 623 3030) 7pm Aug 5-31 (not 17,24) Prices £12 (£10).