Critical Week: Don't even think about it, punk

As many of London's critics decamp to Venice for the next 10 days, I'm kind of wishing I was there again this year, but glad I can relax just a little. Although the month is pretty busy with screenings and theatre press nights. The summer blockbusters are behind us, and now we have the usual oddball mix of autumn movies. A bigger one this week was Denzel Washington's return to his vigilante character in The Equalizer 3, which is well made enough to be watchable, but it's still a celebration of brutality. Much higher brow was the festival favourite Past Lives, a simply gorgeous debut for writer-director Celine Song and one of the best films I've seen all year. Then somewhere in between we had Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose, an entertaining 1930s-set British comedy based on a bonkers true story and starring Simon Pegg and Minnie Driver,

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The First Slam Dunk • Passages
Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia
Bobi Wine: The People's President
REVIEWS >

More offbeat fare included Jennifer Reeder's stylised horror Perpetrator, which inventively explores femininity and gender issues with rather a lot of bloodletting. From Japan, The First Slam Dunk is flat-out one of the best films of the year, an animated basketball drama with great characters and thrilling action. From France, another terrific animated adventure in the lively, music-infused sequel Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia. And I also finally caught up with the 1945 British classic romcom I Know Where I'm Going, which was simply heaven to watch on a big screen. There were also lots of FrightFest films.

This coming week I'll be watching the sequel My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, the Armenian drama Amerikatsi, the British doc A Life on the Farm, and the festival films Big Easy Queens and Summer Qamp.

FrightFest: Say your prayers

The 24th FrightFest comes to a close this evening in Leicester Square. It's been fun to mix with such an enthusiastic crowd over the past four days, wishing I'd dug more deeply into my wacky T-shirt drawer. Watching these indie films on the huge Imax screen has been fun, especially when the filmmakers themselves are there, slightly overwhelmed by how big their movies are and how much the crowd is enjoying the nastiest bits. Here are a few final highlights, including a link to my 23-year-old review of a 50-year-old classic...

The Exorcist
dir William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller 73/US *****
People who call The Exorcist the scariest movie of all time must not get out much. It's creepy, genuinely disturbing and thoroughly wrenching ... but it's not scary! As it gets into the minds of its characters, it finds powerful suspense and drama. And a startling examination of how we can never really understand the nature of mankind ... or God... FULL REVIEW > (from the 2000 director's cut)

Failure!
dir-scr Alex Kahuam; with Ted Raimi, Noel Douglas Orput 23/US ***.
Full of witty touches, this crime thriller is shot in a single, prowling take as an already dodgy situation spirals even further out of control. Writer-director Alex Kahaum keeps things moving briskly, with colourful characters entering the frame of skilful cinematographer Ernesto Lomeli's camera. The film is talky and repetitive, with personal scenes more engaging than business ones, but it's anchored by a riveting turn from Ted Raimi.

Founders Day
dir Erik Bloomquist; with Naomi Grace, Devin Druid 23/US ***.
Like a 1980s slasher movie on meths, this riotously energetic thriller deploys high-volume grisliness from start to finish. It's sharply shot, played and edited, although it's the sound and music that carefully guide the tone, stirring up anxiety exactly as expected. But there are also constant throwaway deadpan comedy moments. Actor-filmmaker Erik Bloomquist packs a lot into this nutty movie, which is sure to keep genre fans happy... FULL REVIEW >

Home Sweet Home: Where Evil Lives [Wo das Böse Wohnt]
dir-scr Thomas Sieben; with Nilam Farooq, Justus von Dohnanyi 23/Ger ****
Filmed in one elaborate take, this German horror thriller becomes increasingly bonkers as night falls in real time. It's adeptly directed by Thomas Sieben and powered by an astonishing performance from Nilam Farooq. Because the expert camerawork by Daniel Gottschalk maintains her point-of-view so skilfully, the fact that several plot elements remain enigmatic only adds to the freak-out. And the filmmakers have several cool tricks up their sleeves... FULL REVIEW >

Reviews of these and other films will be linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page.

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Stand by me

This long weekend is crazy busy in London, with the streets of the West End clotted with tourists, plus the pulsing events at Notting Hill Carnival. I've been hanging around in cinemas at the 24th FrightFest, surrounded by fellow oddball movie fans, actors and filmmakers. It's a lot of fun, and there's one day to go. Here are highlights from Sunday...

Here for Blood
dir Daniel Turres; with Shawn Roberts, Maya Misaljevic 22/Can ***.
Set around an aspiring professional wrestler, there's a wry double meaning in the title of this movie, which mashes up elements of broad comedy and home-invasion horror. Director Daniel Turres shoots this like a pastiche of vintage scary movies, complete with wildly excessive gore. The filmmaking may be somewhat cheap and cheerful, and the supernatural story elements unnecessarily over-egged, but the movie is also boldly inventive and riotously funny.

Cold Meat
dir Sebastien Drouin; with Allen Leech, Nina Bergman 23/UK ***.
Tightly contained within a snowbound car, this edgy thriller hinges around a battle of wills between two people who really don't want to be trapped together. Director Sebastien Drouin cleverly expands the visual palette with external scene-setting imagery, back-story flashbacks and some deranged nightmares, so the film plays intensively on various layers. And even if it's slightly half-hearted, the nod to Native American folklore creates a powerful undercurrent... FULL REVIEW >

The Seeding
dir-scr Barney Clay; with Scott Haze, Kate Lyn Sheil 23/US ***.
Skilfully creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic dread, writer-director Barney Clay echoes a range of wilderness horror classics as he carefully crafts a modern-day folk tale. And it's deeply disturbing, like some sort of a surreal nightmare. Nothing is terribly original here, but the movie has a confident sheen, building sympathetic characters against the odds as it cautions against venturing into isolated, and insulated, parts of the American West... FULL REVIEW >

Raging Grace
dir-scr Paris Zarcilla; with Max Eigenmann, Jaeden Boadilla 23/UK ***.
Issues of class and ethnicity run right through this British drama, which draws in elements of farce and horror as its story shifts and twists with pointed intent. Writer-director Paris Zarcilla stirs in details from his Filipino heritage to add some deeper currents of meaning. And even if the storytelling feels a bit undercooked, the settings, music and editing create at atmosphere that's almost too vivid... FULL REVIEW >

Minore
dir Konstantinos Koutsoliotas; with Davide Tucci, Daphne Alexander 23/Gr ***. 
Enjoyably offbeat, this Greek action-fantasy infuses a modern-day legend with a witty sense of humour and a surreal queer sensibility. A large ensemble cast has fun creating a collection of hilariously quirky characters, while filmmaker Konstantinos Koutsoliotas skilfully builds a growing sense of ominous menace before the gore starts to flow. And swirly dreamlike sequences, which ripple with inventive effects and makeup, add to the mythical sensibilities... FULL REVIEW >

Reviews of these and other films are linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page.

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Now here's a treat

The 24th FrightFest powers into the long weekend with exuberant crowds at its Leicester Square venue. Hanging out there is a lot of fun, with a superb buzz of activity everywhere. It's almost more like a horror fan convention than a film festival, with people in freaky costumes but a full-on happy vibe. It runs through Monday, so if you're nearby, it's well worth a visit. And most films are British, European or even world premieres. Here are some highlights for Saturday...

Cobweb
dir Samuel Bodin; with Woody Norman, Lizzy Caplan 23/US ****
Unusually strong characters bring this atmospheric horror film to life, especially as it takes a twisted approach to issues like bullying and child abuse. First-time director Samuel Bodin uses every trick in the book to keep the audience on edge, putting us through the wringer alongside the people on-screen. It definitely helps that the adept cast bring much more to the characters than is written in the screenplay... FULL REVIEW >

Where the Devil Roams
dir-scr Zelda Adams, John Adams, Toby Poser; with Zelda Adams, Toby Poser 23/US ***.
Made by the entire Adams family, this stylised horror romp is packed with extreme gore and devilish humour. Actor-filmmakers John, Toby and Zelda play a father, mother and daughter in 1930s America who embark on a murderous rampage while trying to hold their family together. So the film is a bizarro mix of emotional connections and satanic nonsense, plus lots of blood. And underlying warmth continually takes us aback.

Herd
dir Steven Pierce; with Ellen Adair, Mitzi Akaha 23/US ****
Starting as a marital drama, this film develops strongly resonant themes before transforming into a marauding zombie thriller. Steven Pierce directs the film with a sharp sense of both the settings and relationships, which pulls the audience in further. It's a fresh approach that brings new ideas to the genre, highlighting the drama and grisliness while making pointed commentary about people who would rather fight than help each other... FULL REVIEW >

The Moor
dir Chris Cronin; with Sophia La Porta, David Edward-Robertson 23/UK ***

With an earthy, documentary style, this often unnerving thriller revisits a missing-children case through the eyes of people who have a lingering connection to it. Although the film is far too long, director Chris Cronin has a terrific sense of the English countryside, mixing wide-scale landscapes and gritty handheld urgency. So while the pacing is a bit choppy, the vivid central characters add a strong emotional kick... FULL REVIEW >

Transmission

dir-scr Mike Hurst; with Vernon Wells, Dave Sheridan 23/US ***.
This ambitious horror film uses a range of pastiche styles to tell a story that's created by channel-hopping through TV broadcasts. Writer-director Michael Hurst infuses everything with the same B-movie production values as the films and programmes within the film. Each element has a strong kick, and the way they combine is fiendishly clever. But there isn't space for character depth as everything circles around an overall narrative.

Pandemonium
dir-scr Quarxx; with Hugo Dillon, Arben Bajraktaraj 23/Fr ***.
Essentially three shorts woven together thematically, this relentlessly grisly and devastatingly bleak movie explores the afterlife through the eyes of three people whose sins have condemned them. Yes, it's all very catholic in its take on right and wrong, and French writer-director Quarxx wallows in this simplistic morality while having a lot of fun with elaborate sets, makeup and gore. It's also expertly shot, edited and acted... FULL REVIEW >

Reviews of these and other films will be linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page.

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Get me out of here

The 24th FrightFest kicked off in London last night, and runs over the long weekend with a programme of scary movies for genre fans. There's a wide range of films in the programme, and as usual I'll see as many as I possibly can. Horror is my favourite genre, simply because they are so hard to make well. If a movie can actually scare me (rather than jolt me with a loud noise or sudden edit), I'm in! Here are some highlights from Friday...

The Dive
dir Maximilian Erlenwein; with Sophie Lowe, Louisa Krause 23/Ger ***.
Filmed on location in Malta, this tightly contained thriller plays out almost in real time as two sisters fight for survival. With engulfing underwater cinematography, director-cowriter Maximilian Erlenwein avoids distractions, resisting adding something menacing like a hungry shark. Instead, the narrative expands to evoke the history between these siblings, adding some melodramatic touches to a series of frantic life-saving efforts that continually take our breath away ...FULL REVIEW >

What You Wish For
dir-scr Nicholas Tomnay; with Nick Stahl, Tamsin Topolski 23/US ****
Beautifully filmed in a lush corner of Colombia, this thriller starts out loose and relaxed before writer-director Nicholas Tomnay begins turning the screws. This starts with a skilfully orchestrated moment of silent horror, which spirals quietly into something chillingly nasty set against the contrast between the haves and the have-nots. Moral questions swirl throughout this film, so the narrative becomes startlingly involving as the events twist and turn.

It Lives Inside
dir-scr Bishal Dutta; with Megan Suri, Mohana Krishnan 23/US ***.
After a moody-nasty prolog sets the tone, this film cleverly shifts into the usual story about a social-media obsessed American teen. But everything is tinged by the characters' Indian heritage, which is linked to the horror that's unleashed. Writer-director Bishal Dutta tells the story skilfully, keeping the people and settings grounded while indulging in flurries of hyperactive movie grisliness. And the chaos escalates steadily to an outrageously nasty finale... FULL REVIEW >

New Life
dir-scr John Rosman; with Sonya Walger, Hayley Erin 23/US ****
Intriguing and enigmatic, this increasingly nasty thriller creates a tense situation long before any plot details begin to fill in the picture. Central themes connect to the process of starting over, while the plot becomes more intensely horrific in an eerily real-world sort of way. With slick, visual style, writer-director John Rosman skilfully keeps everything grounded, which makes the bonkers craziness and excellent makeup work that much more effective.

That's a Wrap
dir Marcel Walz; with Cerina Vincent, Monique T Parent 23/US **.
So meta that it's virtually a pastiche, this horror comedy continually references both scary movies and the moviemaking process itself. Director Marcel Walz keeps things moving, but the uneven pacing reveals the inexperience of the cast and crew. Still, the idea is strong enough to sustain the film through its rather long rough patches. As does the mix of witty red herrings, and a playful use of expectations.

The Weird Kidz
dir-scr Zach Passero; with Ellar Coltrane, Tess Passero 23/US ***.
Using an inventive and distinctly handmade animation style, writer-director Zach Passero spent eight years creating this witty horror comedy. With an amusing collection of teen characters, it's a pastiche of 1980s monster movies. A steady stream of hilarious banter and rude gags will appeal to the 12-year-old within most viewers. And the story takes some genuinely scary turns along the way, with moments that are tense and violent.

Reviews of these and other films will be linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page when possible. 

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

Critical Week: Take a bow

Back to the movies in London after a week in the theatre in Edinburgh, and things are rather busy. Festival season is impending, with both Venice and Toronto kicking off very soon. But before that, FrightFest will hit London over this coming long weekend, so I'll be hoping some movies can scare me. And I'll be venting about them here. As for regular releases, this week I finally caught up with the hilarious mock-doc Theater Camp, starring Ben Platt, Molly Gordon and Noah Galvin. It's smart and silly, and theatre nerds will adore it. I had to see Blue Beetle in a regular cinema, as I missed the press screening, and I really enjoyed its more character and family-based approach to superhero nonsense. Ira Sachs turned up for a terrific Q&A following a screening of his latest film Passages, which is unapologetic, provocative and hugely powerful.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Fremont • Afire
Scrapper • Theater Camp
REVIEWS >

Another Sundance favourite, Scrapper stars Harris Dickinson opposite force-of-nature newcomer Lola Campbell in a scruffy, fresh British drama. John Travolta and a gritty cast lend some weight to the otherwise familiar crime thriller Mob Land. Even more familiar, the Aussie drama The Red Shoes: Next Step doesn't contain a single original moment, but it's comfy and watchable, and there are some lovely dance scenes. Warrior King is a strikingly visual Chinese animated epic that kind of rushes through a complex Tibetan legend. And Max Ophul's 1950 classic La Ronde has been restored gorgeously as part of the campaign to save the Curzon Mayfair Cinema. I'd never seen it, and it's wonderful.

In addition to all of the FrightFest titles, this coming week I'll be watching Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 3, the festival favourite Past Lives, acclaimed anime The First Slam Dunk, Jennifer Reeder's horror Perpetrator and a restoration of Powell & Pressburger's I Know Where I'm Going.

Fringe: The Baron and the Junk Dealer - Sophie Zucker

The Baron and the Junk Dealer ★★★★
written and performed by Connor Ratliff, Griffin Newman
Assembly Roxy, Downstairs • Fringe, Aug.23

What looks like a wacky space adventure is actually a rather dark, dramatic parable about George Lucas' epic business deal with Disney. Although neither of those are mentioned by name, and the script is careful to avoid any direct references as it tells the story of two oddballs who are stranded on a desolate planet together. Their interaction is funny and sometimes silly, but it also plays out with a serious edge as both characters grapple with their mortality and identity, struggling with past actions and deeper motivations. Throwaway gags keep us laughing, but despite the premise this is not a comedy.

In turbulent times on a planet that's neither recent nor nearby, a cargo ship has crash-landed, and the only survivors are a majestically dressed Baron (Ratliff) and a blue elephant-nosed Junk Dealer (Newman). Both were fugitives who stowed away on the ship, so they are nervous about sending a message requesting a rescue, making up fake names and claiming to have been kidnapped by slavers. These two grifters, one wealthy and the other poor, speak to each other warily, trading jokes, insults and flirtation. The banter between them is entertaining, leading to knowing conversations that reveal deeper things about each of these men. The Junk Dealer is having nightmares about his past, while the Baron regrets a business deal that jeopardised his family. And when a rescue pod floats by, they must find out whether they can trust each other.

With matter-of-fact dialog and deadpan performances, this show is entertaining in an unusually brainy way, carried on the offhanded but fully invested work of both actors. Along the way, there's a reminder that it's important to use humour to lighten a tense situation, but try not to get mean. Work harder to be funnier; it's about craftsmanship. And there is also a remarkably astute depiction of how vulnerability helps establish trust. In the end, this is an ode to storytelling itself, noting that whether or not there is hope, it's important to live in the moment. All of us are living our own narratives, and the ending hasn't been written yet.

For details, CONNOR RATLIFF >  GRIFFIN NEWMAN >

16.Aug.23

Sophie Sucks Face ★★★★
Sophie Zucker
Underbelly Bristo Square, Dexter • Fringe, Aug.23

With her chirpy delivery and mischievous attitude, Zucker makes funerals hilarious with this skilfully written collection of songs and standup. She's recounting a story that's remarkably raw, and her offbeat combination of gleeful naughtiness and earthy vulnerability wins us over. So while this is a story about the deep ramifications of love and lust, some of which is rather inappropriate, it plays out with impeccable comic timing, musical talent and a gift for spotting absurdities in the more serious aspects of life.

It opens at her grandfather's funeral in Brooklyn, as Zucker describes chatting to colourful members of her extended Jewish family. Having had moderate acting success, including a small role in a Marvel movie, she feels like the star here, and wants to impress and seduce everyone. Then she spots her second cousin Yoni from Israel, who has grown into a towering hunk. And suddenly seduction is the only thing on her mind, leading to a make-out session even though she has her beloved boyfriend Max waiting back home in Los Angeles. What follows is a moral tug of war as Sophie tries to rationalise her desires and actions, complicated when she returns for her grandmother's funeral and faces Yoni again, this time in a sexy bodysuit and boots.

"It's not cheating if it's just gross," Zucker sings in one of her big numbers, bouncy tunes that are belted with a Broadway-caliber voice and amusing choreography. She knows her obsessive thoughts about Yoni are meaningless, a diversion from the serious feelings she has for Max, and watching her grapple with these issues is funny because she's acting like an out-of-control teen, and also moving because she knows it. All of this is also entangled with her ethnicity, including pointedly witty observations that carefully walk a fine line through the minefields of Judaism, the Holocaust and Palestine. But she's relentlessly open and honest, so even her more outrageous comments reflect something deeper. And in the final number, her raw authenticity is powerful.

For details, SOPHIE ZUCKER >

16.Aug.23

Full information at EDINBURGH FRINGE >

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

Obviously, I haven't been watching movies this past week, so I have some catching up to do now. Screenings this coming week include the comedy Theater Camp and the restored classic La Ronde, plus Harris Dickinson in Scrapper, John Travolta in Mob Land, the animated fantasy Warrior King, the sequel to the classic, The Red Shoes: The Next One. And FrightFest is coming too...

Fringe: Party Ghost - The Retreat - Angela Beevers

Party Ghost ★★★★
with Jarred Dewey, Olivia Porter
director Nicci Wilks 
Assembly Checkpoint • Fringe, Aug.23

Delightfully ridiculous, this surreal physical theatre performance is packed with witty nuttiness and seriously impressive skills including dance, aerial work, acrobatics, juggling and rather a lot of expertly staged and painful-looking pratfalls. All of this is deployed in a spooky setting that starts out as a funeral before transforming into a series of nutty ghostly birthday (or perhaps "deathday") parties. Add very clever costumes, plus striking lighting and musical choices, and this becomes the kind of show that will definitely develop a cult following. I'd happily watch it again and again.

On entering, we are greeted by a sobbing widow (Dewey) who hands out sandwiches and tissues, next to an enormous pile of crumpled tissues on the stage. Dewey then ascends (via hangman's noose) to a trapeze and performs a series of stunning, unusual moves that require extreme physical strength. This transforms him into a ghost (under a white sheet of course) who is joined by another ghost (Porter) for a series of riotous slapstick antics that involve demanding dance choreography, miming and acrobatics. Musical tracks shift the tone dramatically, creating scenes that are funny, sad, intense and comically violent. There's some Unchained Melody for Ghost fans, plus a bonkers routine to Adele's Hello.

A repeated birthday-gift scenario offers each performer a chance to mess with the other in outrageously physical ways, and their choreography demands intense precision as they use strength, balance and weight in cooperation with each other. They also draw the audience into a game of pass the parcel, Dewey does some sexy burlesque involving a balloon animal, and Porter performs a jaw-droppingly smooth routine juggling beanbags with her hands and feet. The generally creepy atmosphere balances perfectly with the dark humour on display, and the witty choreography hits a terrific climax with some UV-light trickery. It may be silly, but the general moodiness adds a surprisingly powerful undertone.

For details, PARTY GHOST >

photos by Hamish McCormick, Arrom Walker • 16.Aug.23

The Retreat ★★★★
with Rebekka Johnson, Anne Gregory, Kate Nash
Underbelly Cowgate, Big Belly • Fringe, Aug.23

Set up as a deranged welcome session at a corporate conference, this show is a blast of high-energy craziness designed to whip the crowd into cheering, chanting loons. Each performance features different guests, and the speakers tonight include a deeply wrong HR official, a woman who improvises raps to audience members' guilty pleasures, a gifted singing drag queen, and finally a couple of songs performed by Kate Nash, who produces the show. It's simply outrageous, but every moment of this female empowerment extravaganza has a sharp point without ever being heavy-handed.

Our chirpy hosts are the She-E-Os of Men-ses, a brand of ugly, oversized undies designed specifically for periods. Although of course the technology doesn't exist, so they don't actually work. Diana Corn (Gregory) is the exuberant feminist boss, while Silver Surfer (Johnson) is stinking rich. They introduce each special guest, and in between get the audience to sync their periods and howl at the moon. They also participate in each challenge that comes. When asked about their guilty pleasures, Diana replies happily, "Nothing, I'm a sociopath," while Silver says it's using her private jet. They also read out ridiculous reviews of their panties, revelling in the vitriol.

Essentially, it feels like Johnson and Gregory are making all of this up as they go, giving the show a freewheeling vibe that's both hilarious and a bit dangerous. And the silliness has offbeat resonance as it lampoons both corporate culture and female topics. Even the guests feed into this, as HR boss Herman Reid reminds women that "we hear you and we are listening". As Nash plays her knowingly pointed songs, including her hit Foundations, Johnson and Gregory become wildly nutty background dancers. Even their choreography has a point to make, but like everything else, the ridiculous absurdity zeroes in on society's idiotic attitudes toward bodies and shame. So the show becomes a celebration of everything we've been told to hide.

For details, THE RETREAT >

16.Aug.23

How to Write a Eulogy That Kills ★★★
Angela Beevers
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, Snug • Fringe, Aug.23

It's easy to see what Beevers has in mind with this piece, which explores her mother's death as she overthinks everything on the night before the funeral, procrastinating about writing her speech. The show is packed with moments of insight about grief and dealing with fatal illness, and it emerges as a lovely homage to her mother. But it's performed with an odd tone that feels distant, as if Beevers is afraid to simply be herself and prefers hiding behind a series of punchlines. And it is awkward to laugh at the pain she won't quite let out.

Adopting a heightened version of herself, Beevers has returned home to her childhood bedroom and is trying to compose her thoughts for tomorrow, knowing that she can rely on her recent improv class if there's no other inspiration. Around her are various items from her mother's life: a series of bright red wigs, a box of clothing and other items, a deck of tarot cards. Her mother was a larger-than-life fortune teller and belly dancer, revealed in home movies projected on a screen. Instead of getting to work, Beevers gets distracted trying to convince her crush James to drive four hours from Los Angeles to Fresno to attend the funeral with her, posting "funeral thirst trap" photos on Insta. She also discusses her experiences working as an assistant in Hollywood to Josh Gad.

For much of this show, it feels like Beevers is an adult hiding behind a naive teen version of herself. Indeed, she admits that she doesn't like to open up, so she makes this funeral all about herself. Saying that "dying of cancer is so cliche" may make a blackly comical point, but it's uncomfortable when many audience members have lost family members this way. Beevers longs to get the cancer movie treatment, surrounded by friends who find hope, love and sex in grief, but of course real life isn't like the movies, and it's difficult to believe that this a surprise to her. More resonant are comments about how talking about cancer makes everyone feel uncomfortable. Beevers is endearing, goofy and often witty, but the show never quite finds its own original niche. Even so, the way she ultimately embraces her mother's offbeat identity is remarkably moving.

For details, ANGELA BEEVERS >

photos by Joseph Canoza • 15.Aug.23

Full information at EDINBURGH FRINGE >

Fringe: Zoe Coombs Marr - Death of Molly Miller - Dane Baptiste

The Opener ★★★★★
Zoë Coombs Marr
Pleasance Courtyard, Above • Fringe, Aug.23

With a blistering pace and a take-no-prisoners approach, Coombs Marr's playfully absurdist show is thunderously funny, a continuous stream of hilarious gags that are simultaneously smart and silly. She shines both as herself and her alter-ego Dave, and especially when the two are duelling. Essentially, all of this is a meta joke about standup itself, written and played with a wry wink and relentless energy. And the way she takes on the biggest topics of the moment without flinching is inventive and important, cutting through the usual noise. It's a bold, gleefully abrasive piece that never allows us to stop laughing.

Appearing in a dressing gown, Zoe delivers a "pre-talk show" as the opener for the headline performer Dave. He's her boorish alter-ego, and she retired him years ago when the world seemed to get better, but realises that opinionated men are in vogue again (as are spaghetti straps and Nazis). Growing increasingly surreal, she transforms into Dave and launches an assault on cancel culture, simply to get it out of the way so he can do real jokes. He notes that he's been in a coma for the past few years, and isn't sure what's still a thing now. Can he talk about tATu, because they're Russian? What about the Edinburgh Tattoo? Is it JK Roh-ling or JK Rao-ling, because he wouldn't want to use the wrong name? And he dives unapologetically into scripts of riffs by Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais, wondering why the audience doesn't laugh when he reads the jokes.

More than a little deranged, Coombs Marr is intensely funny, throwing sharp-edged gags in every direction. She plays with her voice and her full physicality as Dave spirals frantically into a deliciously uncanny final act. Along the way there are astonishing punchlines that pull together several references at once. A key topic is the Me Too movement, which Coombs Marr hits from more sides than anyone thought possible. All of this flows smoothly, with fast and furious pacing and a far, far above average hit-rate. Her quick wit comes through in improvised moments, while her expert writing is revealed in perfectly set-up jokes. And as the show goes knowingly off the rails, it becomes even more than a bracing spoof of deliberately controversial comics and the way we make up things to be offended about. Plus some pole-dancing to tATu.

For details, ZOE COOMBS MARR >

photo by Christa Holka • 15.Aug.23

The Death of Molly Miller ★★★
by Matthew Greenhough
director Jonny Kelly
with Esther-Grace Button, Matthew Greenhough
Underbelly Cowgate, Big Belly • Fringe, Aug.23

Sharply pointed, this two-hander is packed with knowing observations and tense interaction. Playing out in real time, it traces a standoff as a desperate young man breaks into the home of an influencer to steal the jewels in her photos. But of course they aren't hers, and when she comes home early the situation turns frightening for both of them. The script isn't quite as hard-hitting as it tries to be, and it only occasionally generates the blackly comical tone it seems to be aiming for. But it's involving and packed with strong commentary about how culture is intertwined with social media.

On an eye-catching minimal set in a ring of light, the masked thief Tommy (played by writer Greenhough) is rummaging around and speaking urgently to someone on the phone when influencer and former TV dating competition star Molly (Button) returns home. In a panic, Tommy tackles her and ties her to a chair. And they begin to negotiate. Hardly the posh slag from TV, she explains how hard she works and accuses him of being a freeloader. She protests that she's merely a brand ambassador, not a salesperson flogging the things in her socials. He eventually admits that his problem stems from an addiction to a gambling app and a mounting debt to the violent loan shark who keeps ringing him. As they talk, Molly begins to think that she should kill her brand and do something more positive for a change.

Events spiral quickly, and everything is heightened by Tommy's nervous energy, which Greenhough plays at peak volume for much of the show. Naggingly, Tommy never seems stupid enough to believe that anything on Molly's social feed would be true, and yet he thinks the jewels are hers, that her schedule is as written and that she has cash in her flat (to which she replies, "Is it 1992?"). The script's points of conflict and connection feel a bit obvious, but it also makes some striking observations, such as when Molly reveals that even with nearly a million followers she cant help but compare herself to prettier girls who have more. Button's performance is particularly engaging, more understated and nuanced in the way it circles and then punches the story's big themes. 

For details, WOUND UP THEATRE >

photo by Aimee Morley • 15.Aug.23

Bapsquire ★★★★
Dane Baptiste
Monkey Barrel Comedy, Hive 1 • Fringe, Aug.23

Addressing a range of seriously big topics, British comic Baptiste has a disarmingly relaxed style, making telling observations before nailing the audience with another lacerating punchline or two. He doesn't shy away from touchy subjects, but never uses them for shock value. Instead, the central theme of getting older adds weight to his commentary about the world he sees around him, and into which he is bringing a child. So if the set isn't quite as consistently funny as it perhaps could be, it makes up for that by winning us over and making us think.

Like many standups, Baptiste is feeling his age, thinking that 41 is old. But he knows he still looks good, and sets off on a riff about how "Black don't crack", noting that he's one day younger than Beyonce, then lampoons people who are even older, like British DJ Tim Westwood, who's still working at 65. These comments are delivered with a steady pace that builds gently to pithy, almost throwaway punchlines. So the laughter comes more from recognition that surprise or shock. Other riffs include the salient comment that most superheroes are billionaires, so Batman could solve the city's problems more effectively if he helped reset the income inequality that causes people to turn to crime in the first place.

Baptiste also makes continual powerful points about racism from a personal perspective, most compellingly when he talks about how he idolised Black comics and musicians who are now playing police officers in movies and TV, which was fine until he was harassed by nine vile cops. This of course includes an amusing sideroad involving Will Smith and Chris Rock. Baptiste is a superb storyteller, and his anecdotes are full of vividly recounted detail that puts us in his shoes, reinforcing both the comedy and the uncomfortable reality. So it feels a bit odd when he retreats to general comic banter about vegan cheese, whether sex toys are sustainable or what you deserve if you use FaceTime while crossing the street. These are very funny gags, but it's the more personal stuff that sticks with us.

For details, DANE BAPTISTE >

14.Aug.23

Full information at EDINBURGH FRINGE >

Fringe: Michelle Brasier - Monet X Change - Raising Kane

Reform ★★★★
Michelle Brasier
with Tim Lancaster, Jordan White
Gilded Balloon Teviot, Dining Room • Fringe, Aug.23

With seemingly boundless energy, Brasier puts her entire skillset to work telling a story that's hilarious, pointedly nasty and surprisingly moving. Fuelled by her innate optimism, the audience is taken through a series of twists and turns that emerge through stand-up comedy, dramatisations and sharply funny songs. Brasier's exuberance is infectious, even if the rapid-fire delivery makes it tricky to catch all of her punchlines. But the story is wonderfully engaging, especially as it urges us to see an often harsh world through more positive eyes. And the way she tells it keeps us laughing.

She bounds on stage with a riff equating Jane Goodall's study of chimpanzees with Ryan Seacrest's study of Kardashians, then notes that bonobos, unlike chimps or Kardashians, live happily without conflict, and she wishes humans could too. This leads into an epic story from lockdown, when she ordered a pilates reformer machine online, even though she had doubts about the seller (who is played by guitarist Tim, with Jordan accompanying on keyboards and percussion). Frequently breaking into song, this narrative proceeds briskly, as Brasier exuberantly recounts her efforts to get her money back from the seller over several months, developing an eerily codependent friendship with him in the process. It's a great story, and she punctuates it with songs, projections and riotously funny sideroads.

At each point in the story, she amusingly helps us understand her inexplicable decisions to be nice rather than aggressive. It's a terrific depiction of how we all interact politely in public, and then things shift when something goes wrong. And yet she continues to take a positive approach, always acknowledging how odd this makes her. Which of course brings us firmly on her side as the tale arrives at its conclusion. This isn't just a story about a scammer, it's also about issues of trust, empathy and, most surprisingly, empowerment. Brasier's songs are full of raw emotion and biting humour. And the observations she raises are hilarious, random and ultimately deeply thoughtful. "Maybe women feel they need to help a guy who is a victim," she says. "Or maybe I did it because I would have this story to tell." Be a bonobo.

For details, MICHELLE BRASIER >

photos by Nick Robertson • 14.Aug.23

Life Be Lifein’ ★★★★★
Monet X Change
Underbelly Bristo Square, McEwan Hall • Fringe, Aug.23

After her triumphant appearances on three series of RuPaul's Drag Race, Hall of Famer Monet X Change is one of the biggest drag stars in the world. For this finely crafted show, she proves that she can also command a big stage. Expertly played to fill the expansive McEwan Hall, this performance continually surprises, largely because Monet allows herself to be astonishingly vulnerable as she takes the audience through key life moments that created the majestic diva we see before us. This makes it powerfully involving, moving and even inspiring, while also being very, very funny. And her singing voice is epic.

Shimmering in a glittery jumpsuit under a tower of blonde curls, Monet takes the stage as a gloomy piece of accompaniment begins, then stops it to explain that this song is Lost in the Stars, from an operetta. Interruptions continue as Monet recounts details about her life as an opera singer and drag queen. She learned this song at 18, but hasn't had the voice to properly sing it until now. This leads to stories from her early life as Kevin, who knew he was gay but never said anything to his strongly religious family. And the boys at school said nothing either. Stories tumble out about school crushes, early sexual experiences and mental distractions that derailed very public performances.

Monet is a master storyteller, filling her account with riotously funny asides, pointed observations and striking emotional openness. Along the way, she mentions key songs that pushed her forward in her journey, from Britney Spears' Baby One More Time to Jennifer Hudson's And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going ("in the original key"), each adding to her queer confidence and making her ready for Drag Race, which challenged and sometimes crippled her. She also speaks honestly about relationships that are complex and impactful. All of this adds up to a decision to never play it safe, to use her full voice. And then she does, finally diving into Lost in the Stars and then into a mashup of her most important tunes. It's a jaw-dropping finale, as we see her passions for singing and drag collide in the best possible way. We're not sure whether to laugh or cry, so both are probably correct. 

For details, MONET X CHANGE >

photo by Rich Fury • 14.Aug.23

Raising Kane ★★★
written and performed by David Shopland
Assembly George Square, Studio 4 • Fringe, Aug.23

In recounting the life of Orson Welles within the context of his masterwork Citizen Kane, performer David Shopland finds intriguing themes that speak to bigger ideas about human ambition, expectations and creativity. He also ultimately discovers his own personal connections as a writer, director and actor, which adds a colourful kick to a show that's otherwise performed in black and white. The show feels perhaps a bit awkward, as those familiar with Welles and Kane will instantly spot Shopland's clever tinkering with the facts. But this adds nicely to the mischievous, mysterious tone.

With mood-setting music playing, Shopland takes to the stage dressed in grey tones, including his face (heavy-wet grey greasepaint) and hands (gloves). As Orson Welles, he speaks about how his first film Citizen Kane was criticised in Europe by Sartre, who believed that cinema must be present tense, not looking back. Meanwhile in America, Newsweek said the film was the greatest that would ever be made, piling expectations on the young Welles. He then describes his childhood in Wisconsin and the inspiring people he met along the way who gave him focus and direction in life, from his art-loving parents to teachers and his long-time collaborator John Houseman.

Finely written, the script is wordy, so the performance feels mannered, livened up by knowing references and camp impersonations of the people in Welles' life. Most powerful is the sense of a young man "standing on the precipice of immortality", and this is fleshed out in various anecdotes that are packed with knowing detail. Finally, Shopland admits, "I'm not Orson, I'm David," revealing the picture behind the picture as he transforms himself into a very different performer. It's a bracing shift that makes the entire play much more personal and resonant, reminding us to concentrate on the present rather than reliving past glories or worrying about future ones.

For details, FAKE ESCAPE >

15.Aug.23

Full information at EDINBURGH FRINGE >

Fringe: Martin Urbano - Anna Lou - Garrett Millerick

Apology Comeback Tour ★★★★
Martin Urbano
Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker Three • Fringe, Aug.23

Wholly and rather boldly wrong, Martin Urbano's stand-up is a masterclass in wrong-footing the audience, deploying a slickly endearing persona while saying things that are so vile that they're unrepeatable. With a cute smile and conspiratorial wink, Urbano casually tosses punchlines relating to racism, misogyny and, most of all, pedophilia. But because he presents this with such relentless charm, plus a bit of awkwardness, he completely disarms us, eliciting laugh after belly laugh. And each time, we worry that we perhaps shouldn't be laughing at this. 

Everything about Urbano's set is peppered with absurdly rude gags, from his celebrity impressions (Bill Cosby) to the way he talks about "my crazy Mexican family". But he also has a sharp underlying point, poking fun at false concern and outrage. Much of the humour is aimed at himself, taking on a range of inappropriate attitudes. This is daring satire, playing on men who feel like they "can't do anything anymore" while protesting the "allegations against me". But all of this is delivered in a way that makes a solid point about the darker edges of culture.

"I'm so edgy, offensive, cool and awesome," he says, as he indulges in some hilariously messy tone-shifting, acting like he's making this up as he goes. He has the audience ask pre-scripted questions that are surreal in their implications. He launches into a riff about child abuse following a very rude Mad Libs bit, then brings someone from the front row on-stage to read a brilliantly self-critical closing series of jokes that tie everything together. The best comedians should always shock the audience, and Urbano is a master.

For details, MARTIN URBANO >

photos by Dylan Woodley • 12.Aug.23

Le Wine Club ★★★
with Anna Lou Larkin
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, Nip • Fringe, Aug.23

This offbeat show is a mixture of song and dance, a lecture about wine, a magic trick and a murder mystery. It's cleverly put together as a lively one-woman show by Anna Lou Larkin, who hosts with a heightened French accent and oh-la-la charm. So if the comedy feels a little undercooked, never quite finding its sharper edges, the overall narrative provides an amiably nutty way to spend an hour, complete with a cup of wine picked up on the way into the theatre space.

Anna Lou is a delightful host, delivering music and information with a twinkly smile that occasionally transforms into a devious smirk. "Here, hope is drunk and drunks have hope," she announces, launching into a lesson about wine tasting while dropping in references to a very special bottle of wine and her winemaker ex-partner Marcel, who left her. Well, he died. And was probably murdered by Bob, who owns the bar. This narrative develops interspersed with instructions about wine tasting: look, sniff, sip, slurp, swirl, spit or swallow!

Essentially a mini cabaret show, each element of this performance is packed with wry humour. The songs are silly and funny, and Anna Lou even accompanies a couple of them with her accordion. The wine lecture is informative and full of innuendo. And the story of Marcel's demise is sad and goofy. In other words, this is a show that keeps us smiling all the way through, with the occasional burst of laughter. It's also a terrific reminder that even though there are clear rules about drinking wine, it's better to do whatever you want to do. And that champagne goes with everything.

For details, ANNA LOU LARKIN >

13.Aug.23

Never Had It So Good ★★★★★
Garrett Millerick
Monkey Barrel Comedy, The Tron • Fringe, Aug.23

Full-on from the moment he starts, Millerick launches into one riotously hilarious rant after another, building up a rather alarming sweat as he takes the audience on a hugely entertaining journey that's bold and wonderfully abrasive, but underscored with an honest sense of frustration that pretty much everyone can identify with. Millerick has a way of picking up on things that are happening right now, even right during the show, and incorporating them flawlessly into his tirade, which seems almost on the verge of boiling over into a mass murder. And it powers at high speed into an absolutely stunning conclusion that's both funny and strongly pointed.

He begins by abusing the Fringe audience for attending five or more shows in musty basements, equating our quest for more with an eating disorder. And he sees this in our quest for ever more sequels, revivals of vintage TV shows and endless streaming channels. "I am not a well man," he admits, but then everyone is depressed to some degree these days. We thought David Bowie's death at the start of 2016 would be the worst thing about that year. So as badly as he wants to write a positive show after getting his life back on track, losing a lot of weight and getting sober, he can't help but notice how relentless modern life is. So he says controversial things ("Call me the Edge Lord").

He believes that at the moment he was born in the summer of 1983, there was already more than enough Star Wars. He knowingly punctures a range of deliberately virtuous activity. And he sees that the fallout from the British Empire is like a party we missed, but now we have to pay the bar bill. Yes, he seems to have something to say about almost everything, but his comments echo what we have been thinking, and it's refreshing to hear them out loud. Then he turns the tables on us, and in a perfectly constructed narrative unpicks his own arguments to give us a blast of unapologetic positivity. And it's simply exhilarating, even in a musty basement.

For details, GARRETT MILLERICK >

photos by Edward Moore • 13.Aug.23

Full information at EDINBURGH FRINGE >