Show 25: Sheeps: Wembley Previews

Sheeps are a sketch trio I'd heard about via twitter, oddly enough. Pappys and other comedians had mentioned Sheeps and lamented that they would not be doing an Edinburgh show, then lo and behold they do one, so I thought "What's the fuss about?"

I was completely unprepared for this show. It was brave. It was original. It was mind-blowing.

Like 'BEASTS'' show, Sheeps' show is not your usual sketch after sketch after sketch show; Sheeps have chosen to re-write and perform the same sketch multiple times, taking it through a dizzying array of comedic and performance styles, from mime to musical to horror, all against the background of this being their big preview for Wembley. Quite frankly, the show was bewildering and tremendously exciting to watch. It takes a bit of time to get used to this rather unconventional format but slowly the penny drops that this is no ordinary sketch show and you're left watching something really special being played out on stage. I've never seen a show quite like 'Wembley Preview', and this could so easily have gone wrong but Sheeps manage to pull off an incredible feat by making this work. Your stomach won't be sore from laughter, but that shouldn't stop you from going to watch this very creative, very original, very entertaining show.

Score: 9/10
Venue: Bedlam Theatre
Dates: August 19-24
Time: 9.15pm
Price: £10.50 (£9 concession)

Show 24: Nish Kumar: Ruminations on the Nature of Subjectivity

Nish Kumar seems to be racking up the 4 star reviews this year, and apparently word is he's likely to bag a nomination for Best Show this year. This all seems rather promising, and he delivered an excellent set at the BBC Next Big Thing show, but can he be funny for 55 minutes?

Kumar's show predominantly examines the nature of opinions, in particular attitudes towards race, ethnicity and racial prejudice, as well as being an examination of Kumar's own opinions and perception of his personality. It's quite a smart, involved show. He did, after all, go to Durham to study English and History (as he strains to point out in his show) so he's got the nous to think about this and make it funny.

He's an energetic, passionate fellow, with great delivery and a powerful presence; he's a man to be listened to. He's got some great material and he gets good laughs from us, but somehow he just didn't seem to manage any belly laughter from me, not so say that this is a bad show at all; it was a delight to hear his various tales of prejudice and awkward social encounters mixed in with his more insightful, thought-provoking material. Definitely worth a watch.

Score: 7/10
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Dates: August 19-24
Time: 7.15pm
Price: Weekdays £9 (£8 concession); Weekends £12 (£10.50 concession)

Show 23: Daniel Kitson, Alun Cochrane and Andy Zaltzman: Fuckstorm 3001

Two weeks later, I'm back to see Daniel Kitson, only this time I had to endure a 2 hour wait in the cold to buy the on-the-day tickets for this show, and gone is Gavin Osborn, replaced by Andy Zaltzman and Alun Cochrane.

Kitson described Fuckstorm 3001 as, "three men showing off and shouting over each other for around 90 minutes - Andy will probably do some Puns and say the word "Testify" a lot. Alun will almost certainly get a bit drunk, demand he gets paid VAT and insist he's not a postman. I am preparing a "Set piece" for each half of the show in case the cross talking improvisational chit chat turns out to be unutterably poor."

Kitson wasn't far wrong with his vision of the show, and it was an exceptionally thrilling, funny, fantastic show.

The show opens with a short warning from Kitson that we have placed our expectations into the hands of 3 cack-handed comics, and the doors are locked, followed by a mash-up of classic TV clips liberally spliced with Bill O'Reilly's famous "we'll do it live" rant. Quite the start.

What followed was 2 hours of stand-up and banter between Kitson, Zaltzman and Cochrane, headed mainly by Kitson, who frequently belittles Zaltzman and Cochrane to hilarious effect. It was interesting to see Kitson performing more standard stand-up comedy, a world away from his intricate, rather cerebral shows. You wouldn't catch a hyperactive Kitson dancing and singing a made-up song about Jews in "After the Beginning, Before The End" and the like.

It was a delight to see Kitson riff off comedians and to see Cochrane and Zaltzman hold their own against the legendary Kitson. This didn't have the depth of 'A Variety Of Things In A Room' (then again, how could it?) but it was great way to spend the early hours of Monday morning. shame it didn't last until 6am, as Kitson threatened early in the show.

Score: 9/10
Venue: The Stand Comedy Club, York Place
Date: August 18-24
Time: 11.59pm
Price: £9

Show 22: Tim Vine: Timtiminee Timtiminee Tim Tim To You

I have to make a confession before I start this review: I love puns. I adore them. There are few things better in this world, to me, than a really well crafted, clever, unexpected pun. As such, Tim Vine is one of my favourite comedians and this was the first time I had watched him live. My God, what a treat it was.

The great thing with Vine's material is that it's accessible to everyone and even kids can come along and enjoy the fun. It's a marvel the lengths that Vine will go through for a simple joke (he has some wonderfully outlandish props in this show) and they're not all puns; he keeps things fresh with silly songs, the occasional anti-joke, visual gags and he's got some excellent set ups for jokes that don't become apparent until half an hour later. He even has a very healthy dose of self-deprecation. It's not ground breaking, but goddamn is it entertaining and hilarious. Just a shame the woman next to me wasn't laughing.

Score: 10/10
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Date: August 19-24
Time: 7.30pm
Price: £17

Show 21: What Does The Title Matter Anyway?

I have very fond memories of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?'; it was one of the first, probably THE first, comedy show I ever watched, and although I didn't get all the jokes, I saw that they were just messing around, having fun and making other people laugh. It was a bunch of clowns having a great time and helping others have a great time too, and to my malleable, impressionable mind, that was something to aspire to (to anyone who knows me, this was probably the start of the messed up journey that made me the annoying mildly funny guy I am today, you just need to add in Tim Vine and Chandler Bing from Friends and you've pretty got most of the journey).

But for legal reasons the show I watched was called 'What Does The Title Matter Anyway?', and it ended up being a delightful hour of silliness and fun. Clive Anderson warmed up the audience with light chat about the show's history, his history and his passing resemblance to a certain politician. Tonight's line up were improv veterans Richard Vranch, Greg Proops and Stephen Frost, and the young gun Phil Jupitus. There were some great skits, including the Scottish version of the Moon landing, Moving People (in the hands of Whose Line Is It Anyway? veterans, you're guaranteed a stomach-aching time with that game [if you don't know, it's where two performers acts out a scene but are able only to hold the positions in which they are placed by audience volunteers - it's breath-takingly hilarious]) and Sound Effects (for once, the audience member managed to make some decent jokes). Overall the show was very enjoyable with moments of brilliance in the latter half: an excellent show.

Score: 8/10
Venue: McEwan Hall, Bristo Square
Date: August 17-19
Time: 9pm
Price: £16 (£14.50 concession)

Show 20: Birthday Girls: Party Vibes

An outrageous, energetic, damn good sketch show, Birthday Girls provide an hour of mad sketches, interspersed with some very flexible sexy dancing. They do well with some shock humour and crude material, but they make some delightfully unexpected and brilliant twists and turns to deliver great punchlines. They have some great material mocking TV diet shows and their 'great british shit off' is nearly obvious and pedestrian before an inspired turn of events brings the Birthday Girls back to funny territory. Well worth a watch.

Score: 8/10
Venue: Cowgatehead
Dates: August 16-25
Time: 10pm
Price: Free

Show 19: Late Show

Compered by Andrew O'Niell, an interesting mix of punk rocker with exuberant charm, this show had three guests and was, in part, a test of nerve from the performers against a rowdy crowd (particularly from my friend's girlfriend) but all three did rather well. First up was Zoe Lyons, who had quite a good set about a garish shirt (and other things, I can't remember what, though, I had had a lot to drink last night). Second was Chris Turner, who pulled out some great one-liners and, as always, ended with some dizzying impromptu rap, this time about penguins, existentialism and umbrellas. Last was the imperious Marcel Lucont, whose arrogance somehow managed to win over the crowd, and he had quite a nice poem (again, I forget the subject - blame the drink). Overall, quite fun.

Score: 7/10
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Date: August 15-16, 22-23
Time: 12.20am
Price: £14 (£12.50 concession)

Show 18: The Umbilical Brothers: KiDSHoW (not for kids)

The Umbilical Brothers are an Australian physical comedy duo. The premise of the show, a kids' show where the audience is made entirely of adults, isn't the most original or groundbreaking, but it's a reasonable idea. The show takes a while to hit its stride; the first half feels tired, unbalanced and cliched but halfway through the Umbilical Brothers bring the show alive with an ingenious interpretation of "Feelin' Good" and a rather dark imagining of The Brady Bunch. A mixture of silly and sinister (mostly silly), this isn't a bad show, if a bit tedious in the beginning, but it manages to find some originality.

Score: 5/10
Venue: Gilded Balloon
Date: August 15-16
Time: 7.30pm
Price: £13 (£12 concession)

Show 17: Tom Stade: Decisions, Decisions

Tom Stade certainly has an impressive entrance (there's lights and smoke and everything), and he's not short of any self-confidence or bravado. He (or at least his stage persona) has the 'rock god' attitude and he's not going to give in to anyone. This is all well and good for a show if you've got the right material, but Stade just doesn't seem to deliver for most of his show. For all the boldness and ego, his material is pretty crude and unexciting. He tries to thrill his audience with tales of his bone-headed poor decisions all in the name of "excitement" and, for the most part, it's all pretty tedious, but he does manage a couple of unexpected punchlines and decent jokes. Overall, however, you're far better spending your money on someone else. Maybe the empty audience chairs beside the stage should have warned me at the beginning?

Score: 4/10
Venue: Assembly Rooms, George Street (venue 20)
Date: August 12-24
Time: 8.55pm
Price: £15 (£13 concession)

Show 16: Improverts

A last-minute addition to the schedule. The Improverts always manage to deliver a wonderfully silly, inspired late night's entertainment. There were some quite bizarre sights on the stage (a hand with birds for hands (surprisingly well played) and some appaling Irish accents) which overall gave way for a decent hour's entertainment.

Score: 7/10
Venue: Bedlam Theatre
Date: August 10-24
Time: 12.30am
Price: £7.50 (£6.50 concession)

Show 15: Josie Long: Cara Josephine

Recent shows of Long's have been rather political with helpful dashings of off-beat whimsy, flights of fantasy and curious musings of her life, but this year's show was a far more personal tale of heartbreak, love and family. Long has always been a very endearing, charming, delighfully funny comedian (I say all this - I've only seen three of her shows: this one, her 2012 show "Romance and Adventure" at the festival, and her 2008 show "Trying Is Good" off Youtube) but this year's show reveals her more vulnerable side.

Along the way we have some great digressions into her love of nature, references to slightly obscure poetry and music, and a fantastic impression of Nigel Farrage being pummeled with marshmellows.

Although there's potential for this kind of material to become gushy and overly-sentimental, Long finds a balance between emotion and laughs to make this an incredibly powerful show.

Score: 8/10
Venue: The Stand Comedy Club
Date: August 10-24 (not 11 or 16)
Time: 8.40pm
Price: £11 (£8 concession)

Show 14: Mae Martin's Workshop

Mae Martin's work in progress show is held in a somewhat dilapidated building with apparently blood smeared walls and a noose hanging from a window frame. They're not part of her show, but they create a rather odd space for a somewhat cheerful hour. Having seen Mae Martin at a Comedy Countdown show from the night before (not reviewed, but if you're wondering, it wasn't anywhere as good as the first time I saw it - still decent enough though).

Though it's not polished, Martin's material is honest and gives an amusing insight into her very liberal upbringing. It's a rather charming hour ranging from her crippling insomnia to the childish antics of her genius brother and riffs from the audience suggestions bucket. Though there weren't any hearty laughs (apart from one great throwaway ad lib) it's a pleasant hour and there's great potential for a very good show.

Score: 5/10
Venue: Cowgatehead (Venue 32)
Dates: August 10-24 (not 13 or 20)
Time: 3.30pm
Price: Free

Show 13: Simon Amstell - Tour Previews

Simon Amstell's show is titled "To Be Free" and, for the most part, it is an exploration of social constraints and the conscious denial of deep desires, but along the way are inspired sets about relationships, sexual desires and vegetarianism. That Amstell allows himself to talk about rather personal feelings lends a touching insight into his world. Although this may not have quite the same adherence to the show theme as 'Numb', Amstell still creates an enjoyable, very personal, hour.

Score: 8/10
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Dates: August 9-12
Time: 10pm
Price: £12 (£11 concession)

Show 12: Daniel Kitson and Gavin Osborn - A Variety of Things In A Room

Daniel Kitson is, undoubtedly, a legend amongst comics, and does he know it. He sold over 1000 tickets in 19 minutes, for God's sake, and in the show he jokingly refers to how he is burdened with the titles of "reclusive genius" and "the greatest comedian of our generation". It makes one wonder just how he copes with the image he's created for himself.

I first watched Kitson last year in his show "After the Beginning, Before the End", which was almost more of a theatre piece than a stand up set (a single table at which Kitson sat and controlled the music bed for the show (a hypnotic cycle of twinkling percussion) as he, bit-by-bit, played a tape with a recording of himself recounting a tale his friend had told him, a false memory as it turned out, intermingled with impassioned soliloquies. The show, overall, spanned the themes of solitude and memory in a dazzling 2-hour display of lyricism, vivid imagery and fantastic, cutting, deadly funny insights into the absurdity of modern life).

This show was the first of his run of 8 with Gavin Osborn, a professional musician and long-time partner-in-crime with Kitson. Randomly dangling around the intimate Stand venue were cassette tapes from days of yore and pieces of A4 paper folded in half. The format of the show was a cycle of touching, heartfelt songs about love from Osborn, seemingly free-form and brilliant stand-up material from Kitson, a phone conversation between Kitson (alias Ken) and Linda (a phone conversation which slowly unravelled into a rather sweet love story punctuated by jokes delivered in Kitson's characteristic offhand manner) and Osborn reading from those folded pieces of A4, pieces which held a commentary of various pop songs and how they linked to some distant sweet past. All the while, Kitson and Osborn wander around the room, mingling with the audience, and Kitson's only on the stage about half the time, and he hardly uses the mic. Bolshy.

Interestingly, I was expecting something far more tight and controlled after seeing Kitson's "After the Beginning, Before the End", but this show was a bit of a ramshackled mess; the CD player wasn't working, neither were entirely sure where they were meant to go and Kitson's didn't seem to know what was going to happen next, even with the show's running order taped to the stage's backdrop! And that seemed to make the event all that more special; it was as if we were catching a rare glimpse of Kitson's creative process, as if we were watching a work-in-progress, a mad comedy scientist still nurturing his experiment.

In the show there was a rather small moment, but one that really stuck out for me: at one point Kitson tells a rather good, nicely constructed joke, to which he comments "it's twenty to two and there's finally a joke. I can see you all internally re-writing your blogs"; Good God, does he know his audience.

"A Variety Of Things In A Room" is a show that bewilders, it takes you on an epic emotional journey, from vertiginous heights of breathtaking comedy from Kitson, to the grounded songs from Osborn, and at one point Kitson lets us in on a secret: what it's like in the afterlife (he has a chilling imagination). There isn't an over-arching message in this show, though; it's just there to thrill, to delight, to entertain. And surely, that's the point of life? To just have a bit of fun?

There's no one quite like Kitson. Yes there are comedians with the same level of self-awareness of their success who manipulate it to comedic effect, yes there are some who are just as clever, maybe there are some who can just as deftly utilise the full breadth of the English language as colourfully as Kitson (damn he's good at conjuring mad images from nowhere, though he does seem to have a mild predilection to dogs and their arses), and there are plenty who espouse the joys of being alone, but only Kitson can bring all these together so brilliantly, so enthusiastically, so masterfully and marry it so well with compassionate songs such as Osborn's.

Score: 10/10
Venue: The Stand Comedy Club, York Place
Dates: Aug 3-24 (excluding Fridays and Saturdays)
Time: 11.59pm
Price: £9

Show 11: Romesh Ranganathan: Rom Wasn't Built in a Day

Romesh Ranganathan is a great stand up comedian. He's harsh, he's bitter, he's angry, he doesn't put up with inconsistency and he's upset about a plethora of contentious subjects: the education system, the fact his wife's expecting a 3rd child, the way we treat animals, the idea that we should expose children to swearing, to name a few. Amongst his hour-long show bemoaning life, he even found time to insult the front row individually. I think I've found a new hero.
His style is conversational and you find yourself easily agreeing with him with all that's wrong with current society. He knows how to play the audience, he builds the jokes well and he seems tremendously at ease and comfortable in his vitriol. A very enjoyable show.

Score: 7/10
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Dates: Aug 4-10, 12-24
Time: 8.15pm
Price: Weekdays £10 (£9 concession); Weekends £11 (£10 concession)

Show 10: BEASTS: Solo

The premise for BEASTS' show sounds intriguing: a sketch group going their separate ways and performing a solo show each, but on the same stage at the same time slot. There are precious few sketch groups who write shows with a running narrative (Pappys perhaps being the most famous of current times). Directed by Thomas Parry of Pappys, this shows promised to be a tremendous show, and it delivers.

Starting with a rather unexpected and energetic opening 'magic' trick, the show unravels into an eclectic mix of hip-hop, burlesque, drama and magic. This is a well written, expertly crafted show that balances its various stories to create a mad, hectic, thrilling show that leaves you dizzy and giddy with delight. Very funny, very silly and well worth a watch.

Score: 7/10
Venue: Pleasance courtyard
Dates: Aug 3-11, 13-25
Time: 4.45pm
Prices: Weekdays £9 (£8 concession), Weekends £10 (£9 concession)

Show 9: Comedy Countdown

Hosted by Dan Atkinson, this is a delightfully shambolic late-night show where comedians do battle with countdown. It's been about 8 years since I last encountered Atkinson's rage and crushing cynicism and it was a delight to hear his grouchy misery again. Through pure luck a former countdown champion in the audience was able to take the place of the absent comedian in dictionary corner; cue the moderate (and yet hilarious) bullying. This was a raucous hour of fun and games, and they even gave out chocolate bars in the interval.

Score: 8/10
Venue: Dining Room, Gilded Balloon, Bristo Square
Dates: August 5-9, 12-16, 19-23
Time: 11.59pm
Prices: £8

Show 8: Foil, Arms and Hog: Loch'd

If you're looking for outstanding sketch comedy then look no further than Foil, Arms and Hog. This Irish trio work brilliantly off each other and the audience. Fresh, original sketch ideas, twists and subversions and some of the best mime and physical theatre you'll see in this festival make for an incredible hour of hilarity.

Score: 9/10
Venue: White belly, Underbelly, Cowgate
Dates: 3rd-24th August
Time: 10pm
Prices: Weekdays £10 (£9 concession); Weekends £11 (£10 concession)

Show 7: Alex Edelman: Millennial

I have to confess that I bought a ticket for Alex Edelman for purely superficial reasons. 1. He is American (I'm always intrigued to see what non-UK comedians can offer in Edinburgh); 2. He is new (but with a show at the Pleasance, no less); 3. (I'm ashamed to admit) I thought he looked quite attractive. Usually I check comedians on youtube or the radio before I buy a ticket for their show; Edelman was an exception.

Rather pleasantly the above criteria seemed to have worked.

Edelman's show examines various aspects of his personality and character as a member of the Millennial generation, and what comes through is 55 minutes of cynicism, insights into society and fantastic jokes. This is an incredible debut by a confident, talented comedian. His well-placed callbacks, his misdirection and his build-ups are all a joy to watch and hear, and he's got some nice ideas of the generation of today. Here's to hoping he returns to the UK after the festival and to a Best Newcomer nomination this year.

Score: 8/10
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Dates: 3rd-24th August
Time: 8.15pm
Price: Weekdays £9.50 (£8 concession); Weekends £11.50 (£10 concession)

Show 6: Susan Calman: Lady Like

 Susan Calman is certainly a very gifted and deft storyteller; she charms and entices her audience into her very funny stories of domestic bliss (or mild unrest) but, more impressively, she allows a glimpse into the darker sides of her thoughts without it becoming awkward or fumbling. It was her bare honesty and heartfelt passion that drew me towards her two years ago. Unfortunately I feel that some of that is lost in her show this year, but that doesn't stop this show from being an entertaining hour in the company of a very funny and talented stand-up comedian.

Score: 7/10
Venue: Underbelly Topside, Bristo Square
Dates: Aug 3-24
Time: 6.30pm
Price: Weekdays £12.50 (£11.50 concession); Weekends £13.50 (£12.50 concession)

Show 5: Tom Allen: Life/Style

Tom Allen is an assured comic who knows his voice, knows how to use his personality and how to manipulate stereotypes to comedic advantage."Life/Style" is an interesting exploration of Allen's upbringing, expectations in modern society and homosexuality with decent jokes peppered throughout. It's a well rehearsed set that manages to raise laughs but, for me, it's just not funny enough to encourage return trips from me any time soon.

Score: 4/10
Venue:The Stand Comedy Club V (Venue 319)
Dates: Aug 3-10, 12-24
Time: 4.15pm
Price: £8 (£7 concession)

Show 4: The Oxford Revue Presents - Free

A last minute addition to my fringe schedule. I'm usually wary of student sketch shows; previous experience suggests an hour of half-baked ideas, awkwardly timed pieces or outlandish jokes that don't quite hit the mark. This show has done nothing to change my views. The group do well with their show-ending song about Countdown's Rachel Riley and moderate slapstick in their opening skit, but only the occasional chuckle and smirk is is won in a moderately tedious middle. Their Northern English version of Breaking Bad, however, is quite nicely executed, and they have some decent callbacks, but overall the spiced chicken wings in the venue's bar are probably more enjoyable than the show.

Score: 2/10
Venue: Jam House (Venue 44)
Dates: August 3rd-23rd
Time: 2pm
Price: Free

Show 3: BBC: The Next Big Thing

One time BBC new comedy talent show that I was delightfully an unexpectedly invited to by a good friend. 10 acts hosted by Nathan Caton, who provided some fine compering. The ones that stuck out for me:
Nish Kumar - an excellent set with some fresh, non-cliched material considering racial stereotyping
Larry Dean - some decent material playing on gay stereotypes
Alex Edelman - a great set about the woes of being Jewish and messing with his family
Chris Turner - previously saw him at a AAA comedy show one or two years ago - he's still got the gift of making decent improvised raps on random subjects.

Overall, an enjoyable show and a great way to round off day 1 of the festival for me.

Show 2: Axis of Awesome: Viva la vida loca las vegas

Having only known of them through their infamous "Four Chord Song" and recommendations from previous years, I thought I'd give Axis of Awesome a go. Familiar parodies, a questionable Johnny Cash impersonation and a dance act later I think these guys live up to their name. Their inter-song banter is obviously scripted but funny enough to make in enjoyable. A very enjoyable musical comedy act.

Score: 8/10
Venue: Gilded Balloon (Venue 14)
Dates:Aug 1-3, 6-20, 22-24
Time: 9pm
Price: weekdays £12 (£10 concession); weekends £14 (12 concession)

Show 1: Adam Hess: Mustard

Adam Hess seems to have come a long way from his 2011 Chortle Award winning days. For a start, he's got quite an impressive beard, and it seems he's ditched the quick-fire one-liners for amusing insights into his troubled love life and rather unconventional childhood, but he's not lost his hyperactive delivery. His list of bizarre truths about himself and his weird primary school drawings make for a very enjoyable 40 minutes. Pretty good for a free show.

Score: 6/10
Venue: Heroes @ The Hive (Venue 313)
Dates: 1st-24th August
Time: 5pm
Price: Free or £5 to guarantee entry

Fun fact: This is the first time in 5 years I've ever been to 'The Hive'. My God the floor was sticky.