MONDAY 14 AUGUST 2017 THREEWEEKSEDINBURGH.COM
QUICK QUIZ WITH GOOSE
This August the Edinburgh Festival celebrates its 70th anniversary. To mark the occasion, we have asked a plethora of performers about their personal Fringe experiences. Today TW comedy favourites Goose.

CLICK HERE to read Goose's answers to the Quick Quiz.

Goose show 'Amphetawaltz' is on at Assembly George Square Gardens until 27 Aug.
TW:TALKS WITH YIANNI AGISILAOU
With the Edinburgh Festival still in full swing we have more TW:TALKS podcasts coming your way direct from the Fringe. This week a former winner of a ThreeWeeks Editors' Award, the brilliant Yianni Agisilaou, who TW:TALKS about his many Edinburgh shows, from his first stint at the Gilded Balloon all the way to new show 'Pockets of Equality'

CLICK HERE to tune in and sign up for the TW:TALKS podcast.

Yianni Agisilaou performs 'Pockets Of Equality' at Edinburgh Festival 2017 at Banshee Labyrinth until 27 Aug.


Three recommended shows to see on Tuesday 15 Aug...

The Chess Player | C Primo | 12.00pm
"Single-performer shows always depend on the strength of the actor", observes our reviewer, before confirming of this show that: "Writer-performer Richard McElvain is superb, shifting tone and character rapidly, eyes twinkling with humour one moment, staring hauntingly into your soul the next". Concludes our critique: "The play's ending provides resolution, but leaves the audience with a mental and emotional hangover, one that hasn't left me yet".

Misha's Gang | theSpace @ Surgeon's Hall | 2.45pm (pictured)
A top, top tip from the music programme here. "Professional chamber music of the highest standard possible", reckons our reviewer. "These Russian musicians played with verve, style and attack".

Kin | Underbelly's Circus Hub on The Meadows | 5.00pm
OK, let's start with the premise. "Set in a kind of 'Hunger Games' meets 'Britain's Got Talent' tournament, five contestants battle it out like their lives depend on it". Our reviewer's conclusion? "An outstanding show that will leave you marvelling at how the human body can possibly be capable of such breathtaking tricks".

5/5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED | 4/5 RECOMMENDED | 3/5 GOOD | 2/5 MEDIOCRE | 1/5 BAD  
 
COMEDY

Annie McGrath: Ambivert (Plosive Productions)
Can Annie McGrath get a high five? No? Well that's fine because she's not a pervert or youth group leader. In her delightfully dark new show, McGrath explores what it means to be in the silent corridor between extrovert and introvert: an ambivert. Or, as you might want to consider it, a lost, label-obsessed, middle-class millennial. If you didn't know the term until now don't worry, as neither did she, but boy, is she glad to be part of the club. With satisfyingly awkward pauses to let those deadpan sexual jokes really sink in, McGrath delivers spot on comic timing with lines that will make you wish you'd left mum and dad at home.
Just The Tonic at The Mash House, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Stephanie Stapleton]

Dane Baptiste: G.O.D (Gold. Oil. Drugs) (Bound and Gagged Comedy in association with UTC Artist Management)
In the summer in which the Duke of Edinburgh steps down from public duties (even now I'm hearing Dane Baptiste shouting "when the fuck did he 'step up'"?) it's only fitting that there's a bit about his sexual relations with Her Majesty the Queen. There's that and much else to thank Dane Baptiste for in this sharp, smart, yet at times pleasingly silly show about materialistic culture. Taking Gold, Oil and Drugs as his (sometimes pretty loose) subject headers, whilst also developing a hitherto pretty niche strand of acronym-based comedy, he critiques both faith and science, or at least the human abuses of both. Lots of ideas, cracking lines and the inception of a new world religion. Not bad for a night's work.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]

Micky P Kerr Is Lay-Z (Micky P Kerr)
Micky P Kerr claims to be lazy, but he's clearly put a lot of effort into this well-crafted show. He wins the audience immediately with his opening low-key song about travelling around Europe, then builds through stand-up and songs to muse philosophically about lost socks, dataism, the Bee Gees and how technology isn't improving our lives the way it should. None of these themes are new, but Kerr's ability to get laughs out of them marks him out as perfect Radio 4 material. This show is what the Fringe is all about - it's not perfect, but you'll leave feeling uplifted, having learnt something and had a singalong. You won't get 'The Lazy Song' out of your head for days.
Just The Tonic at The Caves, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Richard Levinson]

Fin Taylor: Lefty Tighty Righty Loosey (Fin Taylor)
Following last year's 'Whitey McWhiteface', Fin Taylor announces he has given up being left-wing: he's fed up with the left's whinging and the guilt-based politics. Taking aim at - among many others - Jeremy Corbyn, vegans, women who wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton and white middle-class people in general, he dissects why their ideologies aren't focused on reality and in some cases are immoral, generating both laughter and self-reflection from the audience. Depending on your own politics, you may disagree with or take offence at his observations. But when most political comedians play to their audience, targeting obvious subjects on the right, it's refreshing to see one who is prepared to challenge the other side.
Just The Tonic at The Tron, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Richard Levinson]

Phil Wang: Kinabalu (Avalon Promotions Ltd)
At 27, Phil Wang finally feels he's reached adulthood - much to his relief - with plenty of gags about sex and relationships, made all the more amusing by his confidently dorky character. Raised in Malaysia to an English mother and Malaysian father, Wang isn't afraid to quip about race, heritage and patriotism in a way that many other acts at the Fringe wouldn't dare. It's not offensive though - in fact it highlights some very astute observations about the difference between race jokes and racist jokes, and how us Brits are terrified of them. It's all very tongue in cheek and the whole hour is brilliantly silly, as Wang pokes fun at himself and the world around him.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Daisy Malt]

Rob Auton: The Hair Show (Rob Auton)
Like it or not, you probably have hair, but I doubt you've given it as much thought as Rob Auton. To embrace the theme, he hasn't cut his hair or shaved since September last year. It's given him the opportunity to experience all of the pros and cons hairiness has to offer, resulting in some brilliantly daft observations on the social, cultural and physiological meanings of hair. From a great opener on the experience of visiting a hairdresser, to his new affinity with dogs, the hirsute poet is a great advocate for embracing our furry selves. Amidst the wonderful absurdity of his show, there's also a great serenity to Auton's performance that makes his hairy experiment seem utterly justified.
Just The Tonic at The Caves, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Daisy Malt]

DANCE & PHYSICAL THEATRE

Taiwan Season: Together Alone (Zoltán Vakulya, Chen-Wei Lee x ART B&B)
A dance of life and love, 'Together Alone' explores the intimacies of living with another person and how our bodies react to 'coupling'. As the audience filters in two performers take to the stage, their naked bodies following each other around, slowly at first but building up pace until the audience is fully seated. Mesmerising elements of movement explore the ways in which we can help each other, as well as the ways we push against one another. The performers are completely alone on the empty stage, their bodies and movements the only thing to engage us in this 45-minute performance, but they are in themselves completely captivating. Grounded within the constant changing of relationships, 'Together Alone' is a joy to behold.
Dance Base, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Bethan Highgate-Betts]

MUSIC

The James Taylor Story (Night Owl Productions)
Unmissable for James Taylor fans! This is not a tribute show; rather it's a well-researched and presented documentary film, with live music interspersed with conversation from singer/guitarist Dan Clews, a wonderful talent in his own right. Clews was a humble, sympathetic interpreter of Taylor's songs - he sounded just like him. All the hits and some lesser known numbers were played - we all sang with him for 'You've Got A Friend' and 'Shower The People'. My own James Taylor favourite is 'Fire and Rain' and Clews' performance was immaculate - lovely voice and great guitar. James Taylor's life story is a difficult one, troubled with addiction and mental illness, but it's not sensationalised and the show is ultimately about fulfilment and redemption.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Rodgers]

MUSICALS

How To Win Against History (Áine Flanagan Productions and Seiriol Davies present)
Henry Cyril Paget, fifth Marquis of Anglesey and inveterate cross-dresser, lived a rather disastrous life, whose brevity was matched only by how desperately unsuited he was for every aspect of it. Fortunately, he lives again in Seiriol Davies' delightful musical, which is both a dazzling technical achievement akin to Gilbert and Sullivan, and one of the most gleefully silly things you could hope to see. The jokes are fast, the rhymes faster, and it's all bound up in a genuinely fascinating history lesson (that winged helmet is more historically accurate than you might think). Davies, as the Marquis, is ably supported by Matthew Blake and Dylan Townley - the three consummate performers tackle these tricky lyrics and harmonies with aplomb.
Assembly George Square Gardens, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Jon Stapley]

THEATRE

(FEAR) (Mr And Mrs Clark)
Gareth Clark is afraid. Very afraid. He is afraid of everything: the aging process, the threat of terrorism, the existential question of what he has done with his life...there are bags and bags of big ideas crammed into this intense one-man show. Clark explores the way we are conditioned by discourse - by religion, school, family, the government - to be afraid, and to conform to that fear. Despite a couple of overlong musical interludes, the performance is engaging, especially when he ad-libs with the audience. Ultimately he does not - cannot? - offer any real solution, beyond not thinking about it. But I am very glad that - for an hour at least - he did.
Zoo, until 28 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andy Leask]

The Giant Killers (The Long Lane Theatre Company)
I am not a fan of football, but for 75 minutes I was part of the crowd, feeling every triumph and tragedy with a true fan's intensity. This play tells the story of the early days of association football, when the "beautiful game" was dominated by upper-class former private school boys, until that was challenged by a group of mill workers from the Lancashire town of Darwen. The labour movement, social division and class tension all feature prominently, but it's the human heart and soul of the story that takes centre stage: the everyday lives and loves of the real men and women of Darwen, who struggled against a system of wealth and privilege that was rigged against them.
Gilded Balloon at Rose Theatre, until 28 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andy Leask]

Odyssey (Theatre Ad Infinitum)
Theatre Ad Infinitum have a phenomenal track record at the Fringe, so any new show comes with huge expectations. This solo show, an adaptation of Homer's 'Odyssey', certainly doesn't disappoint. It's an incredibly physical piece, telling the story of Odysseus' journey home after the fall of Troy - actor and co-writer/adaptor George Mann gesticulates wildly, with a certain movement for each character and location like a kind of devised sign language. The words and movements are remarkably precise and controlled, and it can be almost exhausting to watch, requiring constant vigilance to keep up with the narrative-heavy story. This is a perfect example of uncomplicated, compelling storytelling and definitely recommended, but only if you've had enough sleep the night before!
Pleasance Dome, until 28 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Gemma Scott]

All KIDding Aside (Christel Bartelse / DutchGirl Productions)
Christel Bartelse sets the tone for her show by crawling out from under a gynaecological examination bed as a hideous, giant foetus. You can almost hear her biological clock ticking as she guides you through one of life's biggest decision-making processes: to breed or not to breed. From infertility, to the possibility of having ungrateful snot-nosed brats, to environmental collapse, Bartelse humorously explores all the anxieties that come with parenthood. Dynamic, dramatic and thoughtfully observant, this is a show that will find more uses for an umbilical cord than you could have ever dreamed possible. Squeamish people: watch out for some seriously graphic descriptions of vaginal-related problems and examinations, which wouldn't feel out of place in a Gothic thriller.
theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Stephanie Stapleton
]

Amy Conway's Super Awesome World (RiotBox Productions)
Video games get a bad rap. They'll waste your time, they'll rot your brain, they'll even make you violent. In fact, as Amy Conway points out, the scientific truth is entirely the opposite, and in an enchanting hour she explores how games can hold up a mirror to our own lives and struggles. Though this is very much Conway's story, from practically the first minute the audience are up and playing games, solving problems or hitting targets against brutal time limits. It fosters a real camaraderie, and as Conway's story becomes darker and more personal, we're right there with her. In the final moments, I felt a genuine connection with everyone in the room. It was affecting, life-affirming and beautiful.
Summerhall, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Jon Stapley]

Hear Me Raw (Áine Flanagan Productions and Lipsink in association with United Agents)
Written and performed by Daniella Isaacs, 'Hear Me Raw' is a one-woman whirlwind tour into the world of clean eating and control. At the beginning, Ella proudly displays her self-published "wellness" book, giving the audience a very brief background into her life and her wellness journey, as well as exploring some of the more popular clean eating ingredients. But things are not entirely as they seem and soon begin to unravel. Superbly written and fantastically acted, 'Hear Me Raw' tiptoes the line between laugh out loud funny and pure raw emotion, creating the perfect mix of satire and honesty. Whether or not you know your matcha from your chia seeds, this is a show you won't want to miss.
Underbelly George Square, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Bethan Highgate-Betts]

Lula Del Ray by Manual Cinema (Underbelly and Manual Cinema)
It can be an overused phrase in Fringe reviews, but Manual Cinema really are creating something unique. They use live actors and musicians, along with projections and shadow puppets, to create the dreamy, otherworldly tale of a young woman whose obsession with space travel is matched only by her obsession with a pair of musicians. We see both the final filmic images projected onto a screen and the actual process itself - a real peek behind the curtain. There are small, intimate moments juxtaposed with sweeping landscapes and huge satellites; the movements poised and graceful, while the muted colours are almost hallucinogenic at times. Though the narrative can feel a little lacking in substance, this is nevertheless a beautiful, technically outstanding show.
Underbelly Med Quad, until 28 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Gemma Scott]

Wild Bore (Soho Theatre and Malthouse Theatre)
Those responsible for this show, it's fair to say, do not give a shit what I think about it. With scatological glee, Zoe Coombs Marr, Ursula Martinez and Adrienne Truscott blend responses to real reviews of their past work with a sequence of absurd events - many involving bottoms - for which words like "meta" and "self-referential" are inadequate. It's a joyous riposte to some dazzlingly inane criticism, interrogating the relationship between artist and critic in the patriarchal framework of contemporary theatre. The show feels like it's always three steps ahead of you, predicting your every response and puncturing your expectations before they're even fully formed. If ever you think it has no surprises left, I assure you it does.
Traverse Theatre, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Jon Stapley]

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