Russell Kane – Smokescreens & Castles

Edinburgh comedy award winner Russell Kane, is he any good?

A capacity audience of comedy punters young and old all packed in for what they hoped would be a great night of comedy, the venue was at bursting point and there was an amazing buzz about the place. What a great mix you get at his gigs, from the following he’s picked up from I’m a celeb and freaks like me to the comedy snobs who like the intellectual humour and a taste of award winning comedy. So is it good? YES, I can assure you it is. Let’s face it Kane always delivers a fine show and a fine performance but this show is something a bit special. It’s a fantastic bit of comedy writing but even more so in performance. For a comedian who doesn’t tell jokes you get laughs a plenty and throughout. Storytelling with more, far more and a stage show with, well just him but the way he prances and dances around the stage you soon forget this is simply just stand up. His energy rubs off and by the end you feel as sweaty as he looks. Quality show with a capital Q.


Treat yourself make Russell Kane your new favourite Comedian

ComedyReviewer @ Edinburgh Fringe 2010

ComedyReviewer

@

Edinburgh Fringe 2010

Best Stand-up

Greg Davies

Best Magic / Comedy

Paul Zenon

Best Act With Puppets

Paul Zerdin

Best Act With Story

Des Bishop

Best Sketch Act

The Ginge, The Geordie and The Geek

Best Act With Music

Bo Burnham

Best Act With Mime

The Boy With Tape on His Face

Best Edinburgh Venue

The Plesance Courtyard

@ComedyReviewer - Best Show 2010

Bo Burnham

Dildon't - theSpaces on the Mile @ The Radisson 21.10

Dildon't - theSpaces on the Mile @ The Radisson 21.10







Comedy theatre that didn’t quite hit the mark. I review comedy and sadly this show just didn’t have enough for my liking, the comedy it did have was mostly one liners and innuendos that alot of the time went over the heads of some younger audience members. This is a play that doesn’t really know what it wants to be, the storyline is not just weird but really rather weak and the introduction of characters goes on for just a bit too long especially when you only have a 45 min set to get your story across. You bond with the characters as the performance given from the young actors is at times quite brilliant but the show just doesn’t add up and the audiences reluctance to leave at the end was not just because they were having such a good time but more so that they didn’t realise that the show had come to an end. Had the writer had more time I’m sure this could have been something special but I’m afraid within the 45mins its all to rushed as if the writer has just ran out of time or simply lost interest. This is a first attempt in Edinburgh and for all the criticism I’ve just given the show it’s not really that bad and seemed to go down well with the audience, all though the end is rushed the way they get you out from the auditorium is brilliant. I’m glad to hear that the group are taking inspiration from the likes of Colin Holt and without doubt this can only improve what is already a decent piece of fringe theatre.


ComedyReviewer 7/10

Edfringe 3 Stars

Becky & Naomi: Sketchy @ Best - Belushi's Bar 17.20

This comedy double act are instantly likeable and I really felt for them as they walked on stage to just an audience of 6, I can’t help feel that the £5 fringe hasn’t worked for them as Edinburgh has so many shows in August you really need to compete to get a crowd through your door. With no real fan following, the show may of been more suited to the free fringe as that way they could of reached a greater audience and most probably taken in more money from donations. Sketchy by name sketchy by nature is the way to sum up the show, they have some nice sketches without any real killer jokes. The main sketch that runs throughout is really rather lame and the real laugh out loud part involving a ventriloquist and her sock puppet is sadly over way too soon. Ok I know this all sounds a bit doom and gloom but I really did enjoy the show and I thought the girls were great performers who with a better script would have all the abilities to become a top class act. Support new acts by checking them out at the wonderful Belushi’s and various other venues around the city.

ComedyReviewer 5/10

Edfringe 2 Stars

Sharron Matthews Superstar - World Domination Tour 2010 theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall - 21.05

Who the hell is Sharron Matthews? That’s what I thought when I was asked to go check out the Canadian cabaret performer but after a tremendous show I certainly know all about her now. That world domination part suddenly doesn’t seem so far off. Expect songs, stories and lots of laughter in this feel good fun packed 50mins. Sharron is a born entertainer and this is obvious from the off, not only is she very funny but she has a cracking voice and you can’t help be mesmerized when she belts out hits from legends like Shirley Bassey to Radiohead. The clever part is the way she fuses songs in to one another witch not only makes for a great melody of tracks but also cleverly helps tell her stories. As a comedy show its very good but I refuse to review this just on comedy alone, this is cabaret and as that it’s excellent. Brace yourself world Sharron Matthews is taking over.

ComedyReviewer - 9/10

Edfringe - 5 Stars *****

Max And Ivan - C central, Carlton Hotel, North Bridge 21:30

Sketch shows are hard to do that’s why most have 3, 4 even 5 members, not Max and Ivan though, this dynamic double act do all the sketches on their own. It really is a fast paced show and you feel for the guys who have to dash from one character to another, don’t for one second think that this takes anything away from the show as the guys are very accomplished performers and slip between accents with ease. The opening sketch is one I’ll call Super Mafia Bros, it combines the stereotypical Italian mafia film characters with the Nintendo video game ones. This my friends is nothing short of comedy genius that works on every level and more like this would see the guys on the way to a 5 star show. The writing is good and in parts fantastic but just not consistent enough and I also feel some sketches could be enhanced with a little better direction and in some cases trimmed down in length, I just feel that in some cases the joke isn’t strong enough to hold such a long sketch. In all it’s a really good show and I think everyone in the audience really enjoyed it. The so called bigger venues will be taking note especially with most dates selling out, It doesn’t take a Joe Power to see these boys are going to be big.

ComedyReviewer 7/10

Edfringe 3 Stars

Idiots of Ants, The Red Button - The Pleasance Courtyard 20:25

I’m fully aware that I may be starting to sound like a stuck record but yet again here is an act who wowed the fringe last year but are back with a very lacklustre performance this time around, yes the sketches are very amusing but unlike the other sketch groups I’ve seen this year there is nothing in this show that really grabs you by the hairy walnuts. OK we are all maybe a bit harsh on the big acts but it’s only because we know they can do so much better. It’s a good show and if you didn’t see last year’s then you could really enjoy yourself but for me who was lucky enough to experience the 2009 triumph,  I’m sad to say it but this year’s show just isn’t of the same standard. Still a good show and if you can fit it in it's well worth a look

ComedyReviewer 7/10

Edfringe 3 Stars