Gus Lymburn hosts Scotland’s Pick of The Fringe in this hour long comedy romp that is funny, witty and refreshingly original. The lively, sardonic Scot is capable of entertaining an audience of several different ethnicities with a range of comedy, both local and international, that warms up for the arrival of the headliners. There are different acts every night, but you can usually be sure to find the likes of McTavish and Fummey in the line-up.
A must-see for Scottish comedy lovers that comes in at a bargain
Vladimir McTavish kicked off tonight with some very broad Scottish humour. Whilst the punchlines were funny, the stories leading up to them were often things the audience was fully aware of and, at times, mustered only a slight murmur of laughter from the crowd. That said though, he gets in some good digs at Alex Salmond and does a good job at making fun of Scotland’s alcoholism.
Gareth Waugh is a capable and confident young comedian with the quick-wittedness to match. Using some self-deprecating jokes that include an amusing story about buying alcohol for underage teenagers, Waugh was definitely one of the highlights of the night. He is probably the most relatable of the troupe to younger audiences.
Next up is the fiendish antics of Martin Bearne who opened with a very WTF moment that stopped the audience dead in their tracks. Bearne is not afraid to go places with his grim humour that, in places, feels like it tries to be as reactionary as possible. He tends to wait for his jokes to sink in before the audience gathers themselves. He gives some amusing puns, including his fabled ‘wank shed’, but his jokes are barely connected with one another and are intended to be as brutal as they can. Bearne is largely a hit or miss act with few punchlines that slows down the momentum from his predecessors.
The afro sporting Bruce Fummey rounded off the evening with his racial comedy that recalls his difficulties of growing up with multiracial parents. Charismatic, with an array of original independence jokes, Fummey topped the night.
A must-see for Scottish comedy lovers that comes in at a bargain for only £5 on the door, Scotland’s Pick of The Fringe excels in being entertaining and boasts a sound array of non-stop jokes that are perfectly in touch with the audience and exceed all expectations.
