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Second last morning at the Fringe. First stop off is to Pleasance, to see The Proceedings of That Night. Martin is recording an Afternoon Reading in an empty radio studio, his only company a producer who speaks to him through his headphones. It’s not long before things start going a little strange. It’s well acted, and build tension and spookiness excellently. (****, atmospheric and creepy)

David O’Doherty’s second show at the Fringe, Rory Sheridan’s Tales of The Antarctica, is in Underbelly. An adventure story from an expedition to the South Pole, this is full of O’Doherty humour and entertainment, A real gem, he revels in playing the character of a hapless expedition member who get more than he bargained for. (*****, great fun)

2401 Objects is a highly talked about show at the Fringe. Inspired by the true story of Henry Molaison, it’s a look at medicine, memory, ethics and society. The production makes interesting use of digital projections and an incredible set piece throughout, but this can sometimes distract from the central storyline. The cast play superbly, and the pre operation scenes are heartfelt and engaging. The timeline is a little jumpy, and can make it a little difficult to fully key into a particular event, but overall this is a great production. (****, well worth seeing)

Finally, after the success of Sammy J and Randy, I picked up a ticket to go along to Randy is Sober. The show opens well, and Randy is witty and physical, managing to have audience interaction despite the draw back of being an unseeing puppet. However, the second half becomes a little preachy, and the overall feeling is of being shouted at, rather than entertained. (***, good first half, second half patchy)

Today, final two shows, Somewhere Underneath It All, A Small Fire Burns Still and Swamp Juice, then my Fringe is Over for this year. 

Another morning, another Traverse Theatre visit. Futureproof, written by Lynda Radley, is a show about a travelling freak show, and the lengths the acts involved in it will go to in order to boost ticket sales. It’s an interesting show, the challenges of poverty can be read as an allegory for the difficulties of the recession more broadly, each character has to take risk and undergo change, some become better at the end, some much much worse. The acting is superb, with the actress playing George/Georgina, a conflicted hermaphrodite being particularly excellent. This Fringe First winner is a good show, but not perfect, some scenes are a little underwritten, and some dialogue falls a little flat. But overall, I’d recommend catching it if you can (****, interesting characters and excellent acting)

Minute after Midday started life as a radio play, nominated for the PJ O’Connor Awards 2010. Three characters tell the story of the 1998 Omagh bombing, and the effects it had on their lives three years on from the explosion. This is simply brilliant. I was in tears on several occasions, the performances are not overplayed, retaining a raw and real emotion.  The writing is excellent, there is no more to say about it. I cannot recommend this show highly enough. (*****, harrowing and moving, excellent theatre)

It was time for some comedy, so I trekked across to Pleasance for The Noise Next Door. I know I have already stated on a few occasions that I have a general difficulty with improv, but these guys were recommended as being great, and I thought I’d give it one more shot. They did not disappoint. Good set up, and interesting scenarios, beyond the game establishment from other acts, I thought this was really fresh and engaging. Mind you, the audience were in a particularly good place for the show, two gentlemen even got involved in one sketch pretty much unprompted. The Noise are really really good at what they do, and make improv seem effortless, mostly thanks to some very strong compering from all members of the team, and an ability to laugh at each others mistake. (*****, brilliant improv and from me that’s saying something)

Meeting Kilko and Sara often has the knock on consequence of throwing extra shows into your planner. Sammy J and Randy: Ricketts Lane is one such consequence. Playing in Udderbelly Pasture, this Australian duo mix character comedy, stand up, musical number and puppetry into a great one hour. Tracing the friendship of the two title characters through trials and tribulations, and introducing the game of Che-bble to the world, this is another must see show. In particular, the parts where the pretense of storyline collapse, and the whole thing descends into organised and hilarious farce are particular highlights. (*****, great comedy, excellent songs)

A bit of a break, then across the mound to Assembly’s Rainy Hall, for The Pajama Men. It’s an almost impossible show to describe, it’s two guys, in pajamas, with musical accompaniment some of the time, going through a laundry list of scenarios, all with just themselves and a pair of wooden chairs. I found this show cripplingly funny, I was in pain laughing at several points, but were I to say Forehead, or the give-it-to-me bird, or shot in the neck, it would make no sense in isolation. To be honest, at the show it also makes no sense, but it’s brilliant. Mind you, it is a polarizing act, some people hate them. (*****, achingly funny comedy)

Last show of the day was Belt Up’s The Boy James, in C Soco. I cannot say much about this production, it would ruin it, as any revelation would for a Belt Up show. It’s shocking, amazing, touching, funny, frantic and bone crushingly sad. Jethro Compton is awesome in the truest sense of the world. (*****, one of the most moving hours I have ever spent in a theatre. You HAVE to see this)

By the way, yes, I have given five of the six shows today a five star review. I test most of my reviews by my captive audience of Ewan and Kizzy in the flat when I get back, and Kizzy asked if these shows were actually that good, or if my brain has Fringe burn. They were actually that good. It’s part of the joy of a long time at the Fringe, your selections get refined and refined so by the end you are just seeing highly recommend shows, or very well reviewed ones. It is strange to have such a great day at the Fringe, but it happens sometimes. 

I’m nearly done with the second last day of this year, have seen The Proceedings of That Night, David O’Doherty’s Rory Sheridan’s Tales of the Antarctica, and 2401 Objects, with Randy is Sober to go, and then wherever the late night takes me. I’ll let you know how everything goes tomorrow. 

I’ve been spoilt by late starts, which is not a good thing when you are heading for a morning at the Traverse Theatre. The Trav has a policy of rotating shows timings on a daily basis, which is great because it means that you can switch in to see things in the 10am slot, and still keep the precious evening timings open for the more fixed shows. It does mean getting to the Trav for 9.30 though, which required Leela and I to grab a taxi this morning. 

The Dark Philosophers is a piece from the National Theatre of Wales, in association with Told by an Idiot, knitting Gwynn Thomas storytelling into a look at the lives of the people of the Rhonda Valley. The show uses sketches from Thomas’ life to tie the storylines together, including an appearance on Parkinson, but this works surprisingly well, if a little jarring in the first transition. Perhaps a little too aware of itself, one line delivered by the Thomas narrator when characters portraying farm animals move some set props ‘goats moving furniture, surely a fringe first’ goes a little beyond the breaking of the fourth wall’, but the performances are solid, and the set, labyrinthine and well lit, is amazing. Grouse’s writing is good, making him one to watch. (****, interesting and entertaining performance, limited tickets remain)

Not to be outdone by it’s southern cousin, the National Theatre of Scotland is also performing at the Trav, their show a piece of new writing by Zinnie Harris, The Wheel. Opening on a wedding scene in Spain, and tracing through an ensuing invasion by the French, it’s a powerful look at the consequences of war, and what it drives people to do. A smashing central performance from Catherine Walsh holds the piece together, and the pace in the second half is breathtaking. Again this is staged excellently, and shows at the Trav are worth back to backing to see how adept the stage crew, set and lighting designers and directors are at completely changing a space. (****, an excellent piece of theatre)

Next up was a look at Heavy Like the Weight of a Flame, a one man show by Eric Silva at Udderbelly. The pick was a fringe classic, a combination of a massive poster, interesting reviews and some free time cross over. It’s a 80 minute one man show, going through one man’s relationship with his family and his background. Maybe a little flabby in places, and sometimes a touch difficult to follow which character is which, it’s on balance an interesting and often funny show, worth a look is you have some free time around the Pasture. (***, sometimes tough to follow)

After a quick break, it’s time for fringe favourites Frisky and Mannish. I haven’t seen their much talked about shows before, and thought it was about time. Making the move into the Udderbelly cow in a prime time slot, but more than capable of selling it out, the performance is big, energetic and fun. Dividing the audience by skill set at the start (Razorlight, Beiber, Britney, Elvis and mononym), the songs are excellently realised and performed, Frisky in particular has a spectacular voice. Along the way we learn about trend application through the phases of Madonna, the Grime movement, vapid pop song lyrics and the horror afflicting the pop world. Closing an overrunning show with an old hit, and with the audience singing along, dancing and cheering, these guys deserved their second standing ovation. I enjoyed it, and would recommend it, but found after the initial set up that the material was variations on a theme, not a bad thing mind, particularly when this theme is so good. (****, entertainment guaranteed)

Post Frisky, to round out the night, The Horne Section, Alex Horne’s late night show in the Speigeltent. Alex Horne has assembled a five piece band to accompany this late night showcase, and has a ton of warmth and charisma as compere, interesting in comparison to the adversarial mood of Late ‘n Live, but to be fair, it does start two hours earlier. One of the aids in the show is a giant wheel, to select games, music styles etc. Audience connect four was fun, with the players having to find boring jobs, people who had been to France, boring names in a line to win. Marcel LuCont was the first guest, a ‘French’ stand up, understated, arrogant and hilarious. A performance of his song 15 Love, an ode to a summer as an employee at a tennis club ended with him crowd surfing to the back of the room. (****, brilliant character comedy, sublimely funny). A quick tour through the world of Jazz followed, with Horne instructing the band using a cheat sheet of jazz terms. Next guest performer was La Gateau Chocolate, bedecked in purple lycra and sequins, who led a diva performance of Nothing Compares To You to full audience accompaniment (****, definatley go to see this man at the Dublin Fringe). The wheel then selected Barbershop, so the band members strutted their stuff in a brilliant number about their lives as side men. The last performer was Neil Hamburger, and I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed it. His act, an old American comedian, had funny lines, but wasn’t up to the standard of the rest of the show (*, just not funny enough). That said, one guest act not delivering at a late show is a good hit rate. One last spin of the wheel led to a medley of Scottish songs, and more laughs from the opening of 500 Miles then I thought was possible. An hour and a half later Kilko, Stephen and I wandered out of the tent thoroughly entertained (*****, excellent late night entertainment). 

We headed over to Gilded Balloon to meet some people for drinks, including the lovely and fragrant Niamh, but I retired Fringe early (i.e. 2am) to get some rest for today. 

Today I’m seeing Futureproof, Minute after Midday, The Noise Next Door, Sammy J and Randy, The Pajama Men and Belt Up’s The Boy James. I’ll let you know tomorrow how they all went. 

Yesterday was quiet, but after three pretty packed days, and before everything steps up a gear tomorrow, that’s not bad thing. For only the second time this trip I braved the Royal Mile, this time to meet Kilko and Sara for lunch. The Royal Mile is the heart of flyer central for the Fringe, and it’s impossible to walk up or down without collecting a veritable tree of paper. You also see the weird and wonderful attempts to entice you along, from the production of Hamlet who all decided to play dead in the middle of the street to the claims that the show has seventeen five star reviews. It’s fun and all, but not how I plan and attend shows.

After a hearty lunch, over to Plesance to catch the latest from Les Enfants Terrible, The Infant. A picture has been found which looks innocent but hides a sinister message, and the authorities, Castogan (Martyn Dempsey) and Samedi (Anthony Spargo) are tasked to find out who made it. The main focus of their investigation are parents Lilly (Faye Billing) and Cooper (James Seager), and their four year old son. I’m a big fan of the work of Les Enfants Terrible, and The Infant does not disappoint. It’s very well acted, snappily written and beautifully designed. (****, exciting and entertaining theatre) 

Quick pit stop, then onto the ICAHD Pro-Palestine Fundraiser. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t here for the politics at all, which played only a small role in the proceedings, but more for the only Fringe appearance this year of Daniel Kitson. Ivor opened the gig, and brought out Josie Long, who had some good material, but perhaps over stretches it a little, the Charles Darwin letters and the Brontë sister play were just drawn out longer than they deserved (***). Kitson, after a long break from standup, did not disappoint, with a great set of observances and self deprecation. He is, for me at least, a master of stand up, effortlessly funny and witty and often finding the biggest laughs in the random moments of his set rather than the sketched out material (*****). Mark Thomas did some material from his Manifesto show, and showed that opinion led comedy can often be very funny indeed, his show is rife with his own political underpinnings, but it still engages and entertains, something that Brendon Burns for example finds more difficult a balance to strike (****). Another plea to give some money and out of the incredibly stuffy room to the daylight. 

I took a few hours off to hang out and eat some food with Ewan, Kizzy and Leela, then steeled myself for my second trip to see Dead Cat Bounce. A stronger show than on Sunday when I saw them, fuck you Fringe Biscuit. 

Today it’s a little more busy, and lots more theatre. With the arrival of Sara and Kilko the number of shows has ramped up, with additional tickets being purchased, and previously empty days on Saturday and Sunday filling up. 

Day three, another lie in. Up and out to meet friends for an early lunch, then onto shows. Diligent readers will remember yesterday I had only one show on the cards, or tickets. Well, that soon changed. I put together a list of 8 over coffee and work emails in Gilded Balloon, looked at the weather and the sold out lists, and re-evaluated. A day in Plesance it was. It’s amazing how the rain in Edinburgh will alter your plans for a day. 

Cul-De-Sac is on in Beneath, a combination of middle England and Stepford Wives, with a hit of cultish obedience thrown in. Alan Francis, Toby Longworth and Mike Hayley give good, if patchy performances, of three venues of the Cul-De-Sac, dealing with their own varied problems. There is a lot to carry on your own in this show, and as a result some of the exposition is a little clunky. The idea and execution are good though, and it’s an interesting if slightly predictable journey through the central conceit. A simple set and good use of space in one of the smaller ‘in-the-round’ venues. (**, entertaining and darkly humorous, but a little clunky)

Roisin Conaty was one of last years hottest stars, earning a nomination for Best Fringe Newcomer, eventually won by The Boy With Tape On His Face. I joined the queue in the rain for Baby Grand with a sell out audience. The show is generally about her abandonment of fate as a decision maker in favour of planning and organisation, ‘I want to be someone who owns an umbrella for more than four hours’. Going through holidays, singledom, her Gran’s surprise membership of the Manchester United squad and her encounter with Sensations, this is a great one hour show. I don’t know if the slight nerves were because of reviewer/judge sitting visibly in the front row, pen in hand, but sometimes she went back to a set list rather than flowing fully. It’s a really really slight pity, because she’s best when she is engaging with the audience, or going off on a tangent. (****, great show)

A quick bite to eat, and then up the many flights of stairs at the back of Plesance. The rain at this stage absolutely bucketing down, it was great to eventually get loaded into the venue, albeit a little weird waking up past several levels of Edinburgh University performance gym. A white baby grand piano sits in the middle of the floor, signaling that it’s almost time for the Amateur Transplants. My only knowledge of Adam Kay before this has been repeated plays of his London Underground song, so I was interested to see what else was going to happen. 

Walking out with a nice bottle of white, Adam starts into a jam packed set of comedy twists on songs. Old and new songs are lampooned and reinterpreted to build humor into subjects as diverse as making tea, love, fruit squash and lung disease. Songs are knitted together really well by asides and comments from Adam, the overarching theme is brilliantly tense and uncomfortable with an eventual pay off which you just hope is acted. Particular highlights include audience sing along Leonard Cohen and Sado-Masochistic Tango, a phrase sure to get me some interesting blog hits. (****, well worth a look, great execution)

Set up gags for sketch shows can sometimes be a bit tedious. But Idiot’s of Ants have a good twist on the standard welcome. The audience are the small drawback to a flat about to be rented, and are included from the start, including some getting Double Deckers thrown at them. Some pieces are stronger than others (I loved the Quiet Car, and the bugged hotel room, but others like the Fire sketch were not as good) and some are snappy and cutting where others are a little played out for the sake of a gag, or a not fully deserved call back later. But overall these guys do a great job, and the finale sketch is sure to leave you with a smile on your face. (****, good sketch comedy, but a little drawn out at times)

Finally, it’s up the stairs and around the corner to The W. Kamau Bell Curve, Ending Racism In About An Hour. Ant’s had ran slightly over, so I kind of snuck in late. Not easy when the performer has the stage presence of Bell. The show is an interesting and thought provoking look at racism, right up to date including commentary on the UK Riots. Some people were a little uneasy with his call to White Power at first, but his central premise that white people cannot ignore racism hold true when explained, ‘little old ladies are more likely to listen to white folk’. I don’t agree with everything Bell claims, but it’s hard to fault his logic and experience. Despite the serious subject matter, there is a lot of humor in the show, and it doesn’t ever become too preachy, probarbly just the right amount of preachy. The difficulty is of course that the audience will largely agree with Bell… (***, interesting show, almost curing racism)

So, back in Gin Flat, as it is known, typing up reviews and listening to some hard core card playing. We’ve now reached the point of a Fringe trip where we start discussing the fact that we should put on a Fringe show next year, casually forgetting the collective lack of theatricality. But we have a name. Or at least, some of us do. Tomorrow it’s time for The Infant, Daniel Kitson’s Fundraiser and Dead Cat Bounce (yes, again, but with different friends). I might try to get to some more stuff in the morning, but for now, it’s a show light day, which is a good thing. 

Day two started slightly late, I took a much needed lie in. The luxury of a week at the Fringe compared to last years 26 shows in three days is much welcomed. Coffee and croissants are provided by my accommodation (thanks Ewan and Kizzy), then a quick consultation of the plan for the day, arrangements to meet and a division of tickets to buy, and I’m off. 

First show of the day is Tim Vine’s Chat Show. The fastest punchlines on the Fringe are punctuated with volunteer audience interviews, if you want to take part just fill in the form when you arrive. And as Tim’s helpful assistant advises, ‘Don’t worry, Tim doesn’t bite’. 

Opening with familiar Vine material, reactions are either laughs or groans, but he plays the audience well, and quickly establishes a rapport. Material which relies on the audience can be more touch and go, a bank business development officer with wisdom tooth issues is not very funny, but a shop manager is endearing and funny. Vine navigates his interviews well, falling back on prepared gags when the audience grows a little bored, and deftly bringing them back onside. It would be unfair to call his act music hall, although there is a joke about the Great Wall over a Rabbi (long over Jew), but parts are little pre Alt-Comedy. I enjoyed it, but others may not, depending on your taste. Take a look on youtube before you commit would be a good suggestion. (***, try before you buy, you’ll either like him, or be a little bored)

Next up, A Betrayal of Penguins. Now in their third year on the fringe this these guys have made a really nice tight sketch show. Based on three loosely, or not at all, connected story lines, that of Oscar night, a racecourse and  a wedding, Ross, Aaron and Matt revel in making the audience, and sometimes themselves weep with laughter. High points include Aaron as the DA, the will sketch, and the wedding dinner sketch, but this show is a great collection of incredibly funny takes on everyday and not so everyday occurrences. Having seen the guys years ago in a tiny room, it’s a delight to have seen the act develop. Shows are selling out, or close to, so you have got to book early. (****, quirky and hilarious sketch comedy)

After Betrayal, in the same room, it was Jarlath Regan. Having known Jar (though not as well as I would like) since college, I love going to see him on the Fringe, he is one of the most genuine and nicest people to have a show here. Having just had a baby, the show is a vaguely disguised look at the mental processes of a new father, but son’t worry, it’s not all aren’t kids awesome. His style of comedy is more like a conversation with your funniest friend, and you leave feeling like you have gotten to know him. This show is an absolute pleasure to watch. (*****, touching and poignant, this show is a must see)

Long time Edinburgh boys come good, Axis of Awesome move from Wine Bar to Debating Hall this year. If you aren’t up to date on your Gilded Balloon venues, it’s a big step up for the act who have been a ‘superstar international comedy rock band for 150 years now’. Jordan, Benny and Lee build on sensational songs like Four Chord and Harry Potter and the Drunk Teenage Animals Escaping From Zoos with newer material, and the same high quality stage banter. The venue change allows for a bigger stage, but at the risk of sounding like a terrible hipster, I think I preferred them in a smaller room. And not just because Benny is tiny. Again, these guys are starting to sell out, so I’d plan early. (****, comedy rock music doesn’t get much better than this)

Yesterday was also the first trip to Late ‘n Live, after warning people about the heckling and the general tone of this bear pity. Ian Smith acted as the nights compere, and he did an admirable job, dealing well with hecklers and show pluggers, having an excellent dance off, and punching a watermelon. A Late ‘n Live MC is more about crowd control than your own hilarity, and Smith did an ok job of that, but relied on slagging off two particular victims a little too much. Carl Donnelly was a late change, having been plucked from the bar mid-post gig drinking session. He’s a good performer, some nice material (mostly about Subway) and now on a long list to get to see this week. The next act up was Steven something. Sorry I can’t remember his name, he doesn’t appear to have a Fringe show this year, so I can’t double check. Not the kind of stuff I’d normally go to, his material was like a thinly veiled mental breakdown about his girlfriends annoying habits. Some lines were funny, but overall not very good. Andrew Stanley had some decent stuff, but got a little lost in the Late ‘n Live experience, spending a lot of time moving audience members around to play a trick on heckler Tim. Brendon Burns was the headliner last night, an Aussie comedian famous for giving out magic mushrooms at a a Glastonbury gig a number of years ago. A stool and a can of Monster Blue accompanied him on stage, as he ranted through a number of points of view on the world and life in general. 

To be honest, the line up was a little weak last night, and apart from Carl Donnelly, no-one really impressed. Dead Cat Bounce started their covers show, tables were moved, and the dancing began. Late ‘n Live can be hit and miss, the atmosphere means expect almost anything to happen, but sometimes the comedy isn’t the most entertaining thing on offer. (** [based on last night], check the line up before you buy)

Today, I have only one ticket pre-purchased, for last years festival favourite, Roisin Conaty. I’m looking at  few more things one the day, and will let you know what i find tomorrow. 

So, after a busy few months, and a long blog hiatus, I’m back at the Fringe and thought I should use Notes With No Commas for keeping track of what I’ve seen and what I think you should see. 

I arrived into Edinburgh at about 1 yesterday, Sunday. I had planned on grabbing a nap and hitting town late, but was talked into additional shows by Joe, Ewan and Kizzy. We headed out to the Gilded Balloon to pick up some tickets, where we met Steven J, who decided to tag along. 

First show of the day were The Oxford Imps, an improv troup getting four and five star reviews. I’m not a massive fan of improv, but do keep trying out different groups to see if some are better than others (for example, last year I took in Paul Merton’s Impro Chums). Despite a good set up, and the use of Love Tractor in the show, I didn’t find it amazing. If you are into improv, they are amongst the best I have seen at the Fringe over the years, but if you like me are left a little cold by the set up ‘games’, then give it a miss. (***, Entertaining, but not for me)

I had spotted The Progidals in my Fringe Guide, and thought the set up, a musical set in a Scottish Regiment was interesting. I was disappointed, it’s pop/X-Factor style set up removes most of the emotion from the serious matter of the destruction of Poppy fields in Afghanistan, and the execution is clunky. Some good individual songs, but mostly a jarred and jarring juxtaposition, not very del executed. Some of the cast are good, in particular the Heroin Fairies, but overall, not very good. (*, Disappointing, but if you like pop musicals, maybe you’ll excuse it more)

I then headed to David O’Doherty for his new Fringe show. O’Doherty is at home in Plesance One, ‘a pedestal rather than a plateau’ as he puts it himself. More very low energy musical whimsy than last years show, which moved him into more traditional stand up, this is very very good comedy. Songs about getting over breakups, stories about cycling in Basque Separatist Spain, and need to know info about sharks have clicky and catchy punch lines. Very well worth a look. (****, excellent songs and jokes, unmissable)

Next up, a show I had been waiting to see for over a year, Des Bishop’s My Dad Was Nearly James Bond. Unfortunatly there is no way for you to see this show, last night was the last performance in this iteration, and one would think ever. A really moving show about Des and his relationship with his father, and mother, prompted by revelation that his dad had small cell lung cancer. This was one of the best shows I have ever seen at the Fringe, and was Des at his best, making jokes and observations with important messages and lessons behind them. He avoided being mawkish or over emotional, and showed his genius. (*****, poignant, touching and hilarious.)

Finally, Dead Cat Bounce. Caged Heat this years offering from the Dublin comedy supergroup, with new songs, new drums, and the same old leopard print trousers. this concept show opens with Weeping in the Willows, an 80’s view of the downfall of Toad Hll and it’s surrounds, and features Christians in Love, Kayak Instructor, Firemen and Human Statue, along with old favourites like Switzerland. A tight well executed show, these guys are comedy band gold, with a really good group dynamic, and incredibly strong musical ability. Bounce are quickly becoming an absolute must see at the Fringe. (****, simply brilliant musical comedy)

Today, I took a morning break to sleep in a little, but have Tim Vine, Betrayal of Penguins, Jarlath Regan, Axis of Awesome and an annual pilgrimage to Late ‘n Live, as well as anything else which takes my fancy this afternoon. Will post tomorrow to let you know how it goes.