The Chocolate Ocelot's 2015 Fringe: Day Seven

Friday 14th August 2015

Last day. Being typed up while waiting for taxi to take us to Waverley Station. Slight sad face.

Camden Comedy

Whistle Binkies, Niddry Street

Finally we get round to seeing our good chum and flatmate Mr CJ Hooper, performing at the midday Camden Comedy slot, hosted by nice Alistair Sadler. A very pleasant showcase of gentle(ish) comedy from single mum Cally Caroline Beaton and the manic James Ross.

I specially saved my last clean pair of superhero socks (Thor, since you're asking) to flash at CJ during his set, but he trumped me with a surprise reveal of his Jesus socks. Though I'm pretty sure Thor could take Big J in a fight.

Pippa Evans: There Are No Guilty Pleasures

Bannerman's, Niddy Street

Seem to have spent a lot of our Fringe this year in various subterranean pubs under Niddry Street. If a nuclear apocalypse or attack of ravening bird-people were to strike, this would have been the ideal time.

Anyway, Pippa 'her off of Radio 4' Evans is very good. Bags of energy, excellent accents, lots of interaction with the audience but not in a horrible way. She improvised a song about Herself being a physio, and seems an all round jolly good entertainer.

All The King's Men presents: Radio Gaga

C, Chambers Street

Smooth all-male a capella from a talented young group (though this is their 6th year at the Fringe). I prefer a mixed boy/girl a capella meself, but will - if pushed - take all men over over all women. Oo-er.

Stand-out performances from - and here I apologise for not getting their real names - Ginger Falsetto, Tiny Beatboxing Sinatra and Young Gay Tony Hadley.

One Man Breaking Bad: the unauthorized parody

Gilded Balloon, Teviot

Actually not that great, Considering this is the show's 2nd year year, I expected something better from American performer Miles Allen. Tighter, faster, funnier. The voices are good, especially Mike and Gus, but the parody tag is a little optimistic; in many way the show is simply a summary of each season with a few chuckles. I laughed about 4 times - not a great giggle score. Maybe I've been spoilt by the Reduced Shakespeare Company, Stars Wars Trilogy in 30 Minutes etc.

I've seen a few ropey performances this year, which I've gently omitted, mainly coz I'm a softie and in my dreams all the Fringe performers are reading my every word, but they were generally in the 10-minute free fringe slots, not the 1-hour, 2nd year, £15 a head, packed debating room in the Gilded Balloon shows. Don't believe the hype. 

Museum After Hours - Friday Fringe Takeover

National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street

3 hours of evening entertainments around the lovely restored Victorian museum. There were three stages, showcasing acts from across the Fringe: dance, music, comedy, science and poetry. Also we got to wander round all the exhibits at night. Sadly none of them were a sexy animated Amelia Earhart from Night At The Museum 2.

My highlights: 

• Retro gramophone DJ, Lord Holyrude, spinning some lovely 20s tunes. Nice checked suit too.
• Dr Caroline Watt, of the Koestler parapsychology unit, Uni of Edinburgh, debunking some basic psychic/magic tricks.
• Dan Simmons, nerd poet - I had to help him out by explaining Open Beta testing and Rube Goldberg devices to the audience. Honestly. Kids today.
• SEED - awesome Japanese drumming from a bunch of pretty young men dressed as Dragonball Z characters. Drumming you can feel in your wobbly bits.

Fin

For the last time.