(4 / 5)

If you were at Fringe this year, you would have been hard pressed to miss the gigantic green monster around the city. Frank has come alive, once again, but this time, in the most unusual way.

This is a clowning show like no other. Slightly in mime, with a Mr Bean-esque approach of only sound and supported with spine-crawling bass, we are introduced to Frankenstein (Frank) from him coming alive to living … well, life.

He interacts with us, making comfortable eye contact, moving with stocky movements of his new limbs and being somewhat imposing. For such a tall man, and one as a “monster” he would be perfect to keep in keeping with the horror genre of this well known monster. But this is where it changes – Frank becomes adorable and friendly, despite shouting or groaning instead of words, and his story trajectory turns into his friendship of a green balloon – something that needs to be handled gently and with care.

By not using words, somehow, he still manages to easily communicate with us. We join in the fun with the balloon and understand the nuances of what he is trying to portray to us. Some audiences are reluctant and this could be misinterpreted as misunderstanding but it isn’t – it’s just a lack of wanting to be involved, because, Frank’s intentions are so clear.

What is wonderful is that this approach to Frank is completely different to the stories we know. This is a more emotional Frank, more adorable, friendly and approachable. This all comes in, somehow, how he interacts with the balloon, with kindness and intrigue and we fall in love with him. The kind of big-teddy bear man instead of something scary and dangerous.

His physicality is so extremley funny. He manages to make us laugh, taking his time and ensuring to take up space with his physical comedy. There’s no urgency, and if you have done any work in physical theatre, you know actually how much control and skill is put in to do these slow and precise movements. Accompanied by some shouting and groaning, it’s absolute absurdity and a fantastic piece of clowning.

TO BE FRANK is an absurd, unhinged and utterly heartwarming piece of clowning and physical theatre. You will go into the unexpected and come away falling in love with this giant teddy bear.

(4 / 5)

We think we know all about the tragic story of the Titanic. Told through many films, productions and documentaries, this disaster continues to unearth story after story, but we still think we know the bare bones. But in this fantastic production, we learn so much more.

A one man show based on the true account from survivor Frederick Barrett, we learn so much more about the final hours of the Titanic from a working class stoker. Down in the stomach of the great vessel, this is where it claimed some of its first victims to the icy seas and we see this recounted through storytelling and immense physical theatre.

The set is very simple, atmospheric and ideal for telling this story. With only a couple of benches and watery lighting that changes to red with the ship lighting, while we may never know what this part of a ship looks and feels like, we get a very good sense of it. We feel like we’re in the belly, in the hot and cramped conditions and instantly amongst the events with Barrett and the stokers.

Performed by one actor, his physicality throughout this is impressive. Mainly, we are seeing the story from Barrett’s point of view, but he occasionally switches into other characters seamlessly. They’re subtle changes, whether that’s vocally, with an accent or a little physical change, and so we get to know these other characters very quickly. We see the comradery prior to the iceberg and we get a sense of these people which makes the tragedies all the more poignant.

When the iceberg hits, the change in pace is immediate and we get the sense of urgency. The performer’s ability to be able to do this whole production must be exhausting and he throws every bit of himself into it. With the little staging, he moves around the space somehow painting images of a ladder, of higher up, of the water coming in, of the corridors and we can see it so clearly in front of us. For us, this whole production is very real thanks to the performers ability to not only story-tell but to create an imaginary set in front of our eyes. Our heartstrings are pulled at incessantly, as we suddenly see these characters we’ve gotten to know disappear. We feel genuine grief at this and sit in the guilt Barrett feels for fighting the odds and surviving. This is all thanks to setting the scene, to creating these characters and immersing us in the story effortlessly.

Boiler Room Six: A Titanic Story is a feat of a one man performance, creating the scene with only physicality and atmospheric lighting. It is emotionally charged thanks to fantastic acting ability featured and successfully tells a new version of the well known tragic event.

(4 / 5)

As you probably know, I’m a big fan of this troupe and their comedy prowess. While, sadly, we haven’t got a new show from them this year, we do get them and their good friends to give a varied cabaret night (or two) each week of Fringe.

In the hotel bar, Christian Dart and Sam Walls (no John Bond this time!) present a show with a bunch of acts from across the fringe; all comedians who are also somewhere in the city with their own fully fledged shows. Each show is different depending on who is on the bill, but you can always guarantee a good time.

This show I saw featured the comedy stylings of Crudi Dench, Dru Cripps, Nikola McMurutrie and Jermaia Detto. All very different acts but all very funny.

Crudi Dench is a well known Drag Queen with her own show only down the road, singing live and taking the mick of her home town Liverpool in satirical takes on modern songs. She has great stage presence, is so friendly and ever so funny in a traditional, comical Drag Queen way.

Dru Cripps brings his one of a kind show featuring a loop pedal where he creates songs based on the audience interaction. What we get is a satirical rock song that is partly unhinged. This is what we get with his audience member of choice of the night but any show of his guarantees something new every time.

Nikola McMurtrie gives us a dramatic rendition of a reddit post by a man who thinks women’s genitalia is a poor design. By presenting this as a serious piece and delivering directly to us with intense eye contact, it is naturally funny in the attempt to be overly serious.

Finally we have Jermaia Detto who brings a stereotyped Italian to the stage. He interacts throughout with his audience who he easily improvises off of, along with simple funny comedy such as moving a chair with an accompanied pun or taking the mick out of the audience’s attempt at a portrait of him.

Presented by Bad Clowns, they have natural stage presence and set the scene up for their acts with a lively and funny intro that echoes throughout the hotel bar. It’s mad and unhinged but sets a great precedent for the acts to really bounce off.

Bad Clowns and Good Friends is something different every time. Presented by brilliant comedians themselves, each show features different acts and you can guarantee a fun, comical and one of a kind night, every time.

(4 / 5)

How could one say no to a show with the title of “Hot Knees”? Not me. I need to know what are “Hot Knees” and why!

In a little yurt in Edinburgh, we are squeezed in together in close quarters with Enrico Touché who is our performer, our tech and everything above and beyond. Hot Knees is a show about dreams; Enrico Touché (Simon Ambrose Brown) is a (almost) silent movie cabaret performer whose dream is to become the best in the business. But he is also interested in our dreams .. well, what he tells us are our dreams. In his subtle whisper and gentle audience interaction, he follows this with silly comedy that is simple but extremely effective.

Ambrose Brown manages to achieve all comedy with not only great skill but also with the support of small props; a tie that has a mind of its own, a bag of snack-a-jacks, a briefcase full of secrets but also light as it opens. There’s nothing flashy or in your face, no fireworks or crashing humour. Ambrose Brown keeps it simple and this makes us genuinely laugh with this, only showing how truly skilled he is with this and with no need to throw comedy in our face to make us laugh.

In our particular show, Ambose Brown faced a slightly unruly child and his approach and take on this particular disruption was so well done. He engaged and entertained but also knew when to not push further. This child was very protective of their father and again, he managed to know the right moments to take. All while completely in character, still funny and engaging and friendly.

There is a wistful and dreamy essence to this performance – yes it’s comical but talking about dreams which are almost pie in the sky somehow feel possible in the soothing whispers of Enrico Touché and we feel we can do anything with his guidance.

Enrico Touché: Hot Knees is not just a very funny show but is warm, touching and inspiring.