Articles by Tom King

She Sells Sea Shells

Searching through the Fringe guide for a show worth seeing is a job that could perhaps be likened to archaeology – you spend hours carefully probing, sorting the dross from the d…

Lucy Farrett: Lois

Character comedy is a difficult discipline at the best of times and, with a trope as thoroughly picked-over as the oblivious action-hero, it asks at lot from a performer to find so…

Nigel Slater’s Toast

One of the hardest calls for a reviewer to make is where to draw the line between production and play.

The Cat's Mother

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Underbelly, Bristo Square / Underbelly, Cowgate
12th Aug, 2018

One of the most valuable functions of theatre is to offer us a way to explore difficult issues without fear of blame without fear of censure.

Phill Jupitus: Sassy Knack

As a huge number of the entries in the Fringe programme could tell you, the life of a stand-up is a tough one – hours and hours of unpaid work just to get a decent set together a…

Jess Robinson: No Filter

Though now a household name thanks to a semi-final place in last year’s Britain’s Got Talent, singing impressionist Jess Robinson is a familiar face of the Fringe.

Sticks and Stones

Free speech is a right fiercely protected in today’s society.

Unsung

With the advent of the internet, smartphones and social media, today’s politics happens under an unprecedented level of scrutiny.

Famous Puppet Death Scenes

Review
★★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
CanadaHub @ King’s Hall in association with Summerhall
12th Aug, 2018

An enigmatic title is the hallmark of many Fringe shows – I’m sure no one knows quite what to expect from Duckpond: An Element of Mystery in Umpteen Samples or Lights Over Tesc…

A Fortunate Man

There are books which are called seminal largely because so many people have read them.

Blackthorn by Charley Miles

Home is a powerful concept.

In for a Penny

In For A Penny is Libby McArthur’s true-life tale of the unforeseen consequences of an unpaid parking ticket - how one person can fall foul of a system that sees only the facts a…

A Broad Abroad

If there’s one thing the majority of people at the Fringe can empathise with, it’s how hard the life of a jobbing actor can be.

Leaf by Niggle

With Hollywood’s recent adaptation of his works, the name JRR Tolkien has come to be associated with huge spectacle and epic scope.

The Gruffalo's Child

Much as it is a pleasure to discover a hidden gem amongst the mass of shows in Edinburgh, there’s also something very reassuring about having a list of reliable prospects.

Siblings

The art of the comedic double act is a difficult one and its success largely based on chemistry between the two performers.

A Common Man: The Bridge That Tom Built

Victor Hugo once said “You can resist an invading army; you cannot resist an idea whose time has come.

Siri

Review
★★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
CanadaHub @ King’s Hall in association with Summerhall
13th Aug, 2017

A two-woman show starring only one woman – not a typo but the conceit at the centre of the latest show by Canadian actress and interactive artist Laurence Dauphinais.

Séance

Theatre today increasingly falls into one of two broad camps.

Britney in: John

In 2011, Charly Clive and Ellen Robertson were women without a mission.

Not the Horse

Almost twenty years ago, Guy Ritchie changed the landscape of British cinema with his love letter to the charismatic psychopaths of the East End underbelly Lock, Stock and Two Smok…

Rory O'Hanlon – You Are Where You Need to Be

The show’s stated theme is a philosophical discussion of how we end up where we end up, In actual fact this thread isn’t really followed up.

Ros & Guil R Dead

When deciding on a show to bring to the Fringe, you have two main choices: one, a piece of new writing - exciting and impactful but harder to market - or two, a take on a classic -…

The Life and Times of Lionel

New work is at the heart of the Fringe experience; new work by new companies all the more so.

The Master and Margarita

There’s a certain size and scale that one gets used to at the Fringe.

WWE Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s 2x4 Tour One-Man Comedy Show

Just one glance at this year’s stuffed-to-bursting wedge of a programme is enough to see that there are bewildering array of performance disciplines represented at this year’s …

Lunch

Lunch.

Greater Belfast

The gamut of performers at Fringe brings with it a spectrum of experience; from shiny new student companies, powering forward on naive enthusiasm and off-brand energy drinks, to ve…

Boris & Sergey: Preposterous Improvisation Experiment

Improv comedy is a tricky beast - when it’s good, it’s very, very good; when it’s bad, it’s pointless.

Tatterdermalion

Puppet pioneers Flabbergast Theatre have made an interesting move this year, establishing their own dedicated performance space, The Omnitorium, within the confines of Assembly Ge…

Brendon Burns and Colt Cabana Do Comedy and Commentary to Bad Wrestling Matches!

I’m sure we’re all used to growing the Fringe brochure and seeing shows with enigmatic titles which tell you nothing about the eventual content.

The Secret Life of Suitcases

There are some shows that you just get a good feeling about from the moment you step into the theatre.

What I Learned From Johnny Bevan

It’s easy to get lulled by the constant flow of shows at the Fringe, to give in the mid-afternoon slump and the heavy-eyed semi-slumber.

Dean Martin and Friends (Christmas Special)

The Fringe is a place for new discoveries – the freshest, young talent rubbing shoulders with the world’s best at their craft.

Fairly Tales

This play tells the story of Benji and Alf, next-door neighbours becoming best friends, bonded by their love of the titular ‘Fairly Tales’.

The Star Rover

Despite being one of Jack London’s more obscure works, his 1915 novel The Star Rover or The Jacket is one that feels oddly contemporary.

The Glorious Damnation of Eddie Small

The legend of Faustus, the man who sold his soul for knowledge, wealth and power is one which has been in the public consciousness for over 500 years.

Bat-Fan

When boredom threatens at the Fringe, a hero will rise.

The Worm - An Underground Adventure

As anyone who’s ever dealt with a three-year-old can tell you, keeping their attention can be a Herculean task.

Bloody Trams

I’ve often wondered how Edinburgh locals truly feel about the Fringe - is it a huge party or just a massive disruption? Given the wealth of subjects from around the world being d…

Newton's Cauldron

Newton’s Cauldron is an unexpected gem, a brisk little piece which mixes storybook, history book and textbook deftly and amusingly.

National Loaf

There’s a sort of delicious irony to queuing for a show about rationing whilst watching one of the cast frantically stuffing their face with crisps.

A Journey Round My Skull

Science-theatre is in vogue at the moment.

The Comedy Cow: Prime Cut

Free Fringe comedy can be a risky prospect but it can be a risk worth taking in service of finding a night worth seeing.

Danny Bhoy: 12 Nights, 12 Charities

There’s a particular pleasure in seeing someone do their job incredibly well.

A Series of Increasingly Impossible Acts

My first clue should have been the warmup.

Kraken

Billed as ‘Comedy (mime, physical theatre)’ I was a little unsure about what to expect from Kraken, but whatever it was that I had been expected was soon proven to be way out.

BEASTS: Solo

In themselves the Beasts’ sketch personas are fairly standard; the nutcase, the buffoon and the straight man.

The Twins Macabre: Small Mediums at Large

As Ethel Merman famously sang in Gypsy, ‘you gotta get a gimmick if you want to get ahead’.

Richard Herring: Lord of the Dance Settee

Lord of the Dance Settee marks Richard Herring’s 23rd Fringe show, an accumulated Edinburgh residency of just under two years; enough, as he himself points out, to make him mor…

Laika: A Space Dogyssey

One of the best things about the Fringe is the energy and ingenuity of the young companies performing here and these are both words that apply perfectly to Double Edge Drama, creat…

Potted Sherlock

Edinburgh stalwarts Dan and Jeff are back for another energetic hour and, following Potted Potter, Potted Pirates and Potted Panto, it’s the turn of Baker Street’s own Sherlock…

David O'Doherty Has Checked Everything

David O’Doherty is one of those rare stand-ups who is a familiar face without being plastered everywhere, who is successful without being packaged.

Mark Grist & MC Mixy: Dead Poets' Death Match

Standing centre stage in a dress and a dodgy blonde wig, Mark Grist jokes that this is what two guys with Arts Council funding really look like.

Rachel Parris: Live in Vegas

It’s heartening to see a deserving standup successfully transfer from the Free Fringe to the larger potential audience of the mega-venues.

BABY/LON

‘BABY/LON’, the second work by Hackney-based theatre company The Big House, is a big story; one of homelessness, violence, motherhood on the lowest rungs of society and the strug…

Slap and Giggle: Recharged

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
17th Aug, 2013

Double act comedy is very difficult.

Who Runs the World?

For me, female acapella is really difficult to get right.

Gavin Crawford - A Bummer Abroad

I have to admit, I was not convinced by Gavin Crawford to begin with.

Murder, She Didn't Write

Review
★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
20th Aug, 2013

There are two rules to improvised comedy: One, you’re only as strong as your weakest member and two, never, ever say no.

Slaves of the Kingdom

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
16th Aug, 2013

Slaves of the Kingdom is a new musical based around the Bible story of Moses and the Exodus and it’s one hell of an ambitious undertaking.

In the Pink - Fabulous Female a Cappella!

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
15th Aug, 2013

Kourtney Kardashian.

Oh My Darling

Folk is a big deal at the moment, with bands such as Mumford and Sons bringing English traditional music to the stadium stage, while American artists such as Alison Krauss enjoy a …

Danny the Champion of the World - Plays for Children

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
16th Aug, 2013

When you’re looking for a kids’ show at the Fringe, there are a few names which ought to be a safe bet and, of these, none more so than Roald Dahl.

Christian Reilly: Songs of Praise

Christian Reilly is on a mission to save the world through music.

Dick Lee's Swingtet featuring Ali Affleck

Picture, if you will, your idea of a swing band leader.

Superhero Snail Boy

I’m not a morning person at the best of times.

Sam Rose in the Shadows

In the right hands, theatre is an immensely powerful tool for taking large issues and bringing them down to a manageable level.

Adam Buxton: Kernel Panic

To a certain generation of British people, Adam Buxton is a bit of a legend.

The Tom Show: The Grand Tour

The story of the Fringe is a story of the periphery.

Ellis & Rose: Big in Denmark

Watching Ellis and Rose in the dank damp of the Bunker gives a moment of odd synchronicity.

Esio Trot

Often high marks are awarded to those companies who create a new world in the theatre through their use of advanced set, puppetry, props or movement so it is good to sometimes be r…

Rik n Mix

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
13th Aug, 2013

Rik n Mix is actually a showcase of three comedians combining their short sets to make an hour long show compered by Rik Carranza.

Jamie MacDowell and Tom Thum

My favourite thing about the Edinburgh Fringe is the sheer concentration of talent in creates in the city, an array of people with skills that I can only dream of having.

Rich Hall's Hoedown

We see a lot of Rich Hall on panel shows these days: QI, Have I Got News For You?, Eight out of Ten Cats, Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Superbard: The Flood

Music, video, comedy and theatre? A physical performance and an eBook? Attempting to tackle the subject of the apocalypse? From reading the show description of ‘The Flood’, you…

The Islanders

The Islanders tells the simple tale of a young Dorset couple, Amy and Eddie; the beginnings of their love, the slow disaster of their living together and the titanic struggle of or…

BrainSex

It’s official – science is now sexy.

Micheline Sings Brel

It’s likely that, when you think of France at its coolest, there are certain figures who spring to mind –Francois Truffaut, Jean-Paul Satre, Brigitte Bardot.

Jay Foreman: No More Colours

Ensconced in an inflatable dome, in the children’s area of the Pleasance, bravely struggling through a voice ravaged by cold and flyering, Jay Foreman does not have an easy job o…

Ivo Graham: Binoculars

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
15th Aug, 2013

Ivo Graham is posh.

Sotho Sounds: Junk Funk

Sotho Sounds in the band’s current form is four men: cheerful front-man Khuti, guitarist Tankiso, string-player Josepha and frowning powerhouse percussionist Paseka.

My Brother the Robot

I often revisit companies and venues at the Fringe, simply because I know that their work works for me.

Phill Jupitus and Deborah Frances-White: Voices in Your Head - The Phill Jupitus Experiment

The Phill Jupitus Experiment.

Chris Dugdale - Magic and Mischief!

The Fringe isn’t always the best place for magic.

Pajama Men - Just the Two of Each of Us

Mime and physical theatre can be risky aspects of a comedy show.

Will Seaward: Socialist Fairytales!

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.

Knightmare Live

I’m sure any fringe veteran worth their salt has had the experience of seeing a famous face from their childhood appearing out of an Edinburgh side-street to bring back a flood o…

Katie Goodman: I Didn't F*ck It Up

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
11th Aug, 2013

Katie Goodman absolutely delivers – a gutsy comedian with a satirical side and a fairly foul mouth.

Peter Pan - Learn to Fly

I’m upside down, the blood’s rushing to my head and I’m swinging madly like some sort of unwieldy pendulum.

A Christmas Carol

Review
★★★★
Tom King
London Fringe
8th Dec, 2012

There’s a reason Charles Dickens’ stories endures in popularity.

The Cagebirds

We all live our lives within walls.

Nick Hodder: Insert Comedy Here!

Review
★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
20th Aug, 2012

The Camden Fringe is home to many different types of performer; opera singers, musicians, burlesque dancers and poets.

The Phoenix: A Failure On a Mission

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
18th Aug, 2011

Tania Edwards is a strange sort of stand-up for the Fringe.

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Part II

Review
★★★
Tom King
London Fringe
5th Apr, 2012

Taking up the action with Kate’s harassment by the rakish Sir Mulberry Hawk and Nicholas and Smike’s return to London, this second half of Space Productions’ revival of the R…

Red Riding Hood and the Wolves

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
15th Aug, 2011

There’s been a bit of a pattern to Fringe children’s theatre over the past few years.

Much Ado About Nothing

Review
★★★★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
7th Sep, 2012

Sat atop a hill in Highgate town, beneath the clouds but throned over London’s starry spread sits a gem of Fringe theatre and a pleasure unrestrained.

The Alchemystorium

I feel a little drained after seeing this show but in the best possible way.

The Shakespeare Conspiracy

Review
★★★★
Tom King
London Fringe
21st Nov, 2012

We live in the age of the cultural mash-up, of old names reimagined into new forms.

Revolting Rhymes

There’s basically no-one who doesn’t like Roald Dahl – he’s been a cornerstone of kids’ literature for 50 years and with good reason.

Matt Tiller's Musical Messaround

Review
★★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
18th Aug, 2012

Few talents serve a stand-up better than audience rapport and I’m happy to say that Matt Tiller has it in spades.

Time for the Good Looking Boy

Five stars only go to a show that is to all intents perfect, that wakens something inside you and keeps you utterly captivated for an entire hour.

Too Cool To Care

Review
★★★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
2nd Aug, 2013

There are many things that make for a successful comedian.

One Man and His Masks - Boudicca: Britain's Dreaming

Review
★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
20th Aug, 2011

British folklore is packed with some of the most iconic figures anywhere in the world.

It's A Puppet Life

Review
★★★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
22nd Aug, 2012

On its face, ‘It’s a Puppet Life’ seems like a fairly straightforward concept.

Wee Andy

There’s a certain type of show that prompts a degree of fatigue in me.

An Edam Odyssey

Review
★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
2nd Aug, 2013

Sketch comedy is, by its nature, a slightly hit-and-miss affair.

Brilliant Books for Kids

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
12th Aug, 2011

Everyone remembers storytime – that happy time at the end of the day when the hard work of colouring in and sticking bits of paper to other bits of paper could be safely put behi…

Full Stage Splash: A Comic Look at the Comic Book

Review
★★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
28th Aug, 2012

This summer’s clutch of blockbuster popcorn-bait has been dominated by the four colour heroes of the comic book.

Steve Pretty's Perfect Mixtape

Review
★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
18th Aug, 2011

Bad things shouldn’t happen to nice people.

Andrew and the Pony

Review
★★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
7th Aug, 2013

‘Andrew and the Pony’ is, oddly enough, the story of how performer Andrew Bridges has always, since early childhood, desperately wanted a pony and of all the bizarre situations…

Tim FitzHigham: Gambler

Tim FitzHigham is a true eccentric and a sucker for a challenge.

Bowlympics

Review
★★★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
15th Aug, 2012

God, I love talented people.

Joe Bor: In Search of the Six Pack

Joe Bor stands out by sheer force of personality.

Cu*ts

Review
★★★
Tom King
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
17th Aug, 2011

Few would argue that the Fringe isn’t all about showcasing up-and-coming talent.

Will You Hold My Hand?

Review
★★★★★
Tom King
Camden Fringe
15th Aug, 2012

There’s something about the marriage of the arcane and the amusing, the faux Victoriana of shows like ‘Bleak Expectations’, that I always find enjoyable.