Articles by Faith-Ashleigh Wong

Bacchanalia

At Bacchanalia, there are no rules, no inhibitions and certainly no curfew. With such a saucy name and with the room exuding a very carny atmosphere, this variety show feels a lot like a late night, adults-only indoor circus...

Andrew Bird - Up Against It

Andrew Bird begins the show on what he admits is an angry note. Since the 2008 recession, he has gotten married, got himself a mortgage and two “pet humans”. Consequently this has taken a toll on him financially which has made him the grumpy person he is today...

Danny Ward – Infra Dig

Infra Dig, which we learn is Latin for “beneath your dignity”, is a show about dignity but also pride and respect. The catalyst for writing a show on these themes came to be when Danny Ward hurt his back...

Tom Craine: Thoughts On Love (By a Man With None of the Answers)

After much consideration and persuasion, Tom Craine became a columnist for Cosmopolitan where he writes about love and dating. When letters started arriving from readers seeking his counsel, he started to question himself, feeling ill-equipped to give advice...

Henry Paker: Unpacked

Many of us have some form of a box in which we keep childhood keepsakes and store treasured memories. Henry Paker’s box is in need of a clearout, which is what forms the basis of this show...

Chris Dugdale: More Magic and Mischief

If you are someone that enjoys magic in its more basic, “no frills” form, like sleight-of-hand tricks and close-up magic, you can’t go wrong with this show. Though its origins are in the more classic school of magic, there is so much more to it than first meets the eye...

The Walking Dead

Dan Willis has been obsessed with zombies for a decade. He has prepared and put a lot of thought into a survival plan. All he needs now is for the zombie apocalypse to actually happen...

Miss Fletcher Sings the Blues

Miss Fletcher Sings the Blues is a fabulously facetious musical comedy produced by New Zealand’s Cuba Creative. Think Glee but darker and more twisted, with the songs bearing a satirical spirit similar to the likes of Tim Minchin and Flight of the Conchords...

Al Donegan: The Five Worst Things I Ever Did

Al Donegan is a terrible human being who should be alone forever. How do we know this? From the rather damning voice message that plays at the beginning of this show.The Five Worst Things I Ever Did came to be as a result from Donegan reviewing his life for six months following that voice message...

Tiernan Douieb: Read Something

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
Beat
15th Aug, 2014

Tiernan Douieb’s enthusiastic energy and affable disposition immediately engages the audience as soon as he takes the stage. He likens his show to getting aboard the “Tiernan train” and at the pace he delivers his material, this is an appropriate analogy...

Des Bishop: Made in China

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
Pleasance Dome
14th Aug, 2014

Born in America, Irish-bred and currently residing in China, it’s a safe bet that Des Bishop has a diverse collection of experiences and stories to share. This interesting and uncommon amalgamation certainly gives his brand of comedy a unique voice and far-flung quality...

Dan Nightingale is Trying His Best Not to Be a Dick

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
Pleasance Dome
14th Aug, 2014

After a hilarious pre-show announcement which tells the audience to prepare themselves for an “extravaganza”, Dan Nightingale has set the bar for himself considerably high. Fortunately, he does deliver and what unfolds is an excellent repertoire of laughs aplenty material...

The Covenanter

Review
★★
Edinburgh Fringe
Stockbridge Church
13th Aug, 2014

This dramatic piece promises a lot in its synopsis: witchcraft, love, bloody battles, deceit, murder and a healthy dose of fire and brimstone. Unfortunately while there are glimpses of these themes they barely make an impression and are few and far in between...

Black Grace

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
Assembly Roxy
12th Aug, 2014

Black Grace is touted as New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance group and they certainly live up to this title. This production of the same name is a collection of highly physical dance performances created over two decades using a blend of Samoan dance traditions and contemporary dance...

Chris Martin: Responsibilliness

Chris Martin’s favourable brand of cynical yet amusing observations are back but this year they are served with an additional side of insightful musings. There is definitely a marked progression in Martin’s material from his last show - which is great to see...

Tom Rhodes: Colossus

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
Gilded Balloon
12th Aug, 2014

After a brief guest spot where he received a less than warm welcome by a vocally anti-American audience in 1999, Tom Rhodes is back in Edinburgh for his solo festival debut. Known as the “bad boy of comedy”, this is an hour of stand up that is irreverent and sometimes a little bit inappropriate but entertaining nonetheless...

Katherine Ryan: Glam Role Model

Katherine Ryan nonchalantly walks on to the stage and proceeds to address us as friends. This casual start and her friendly demeanour is a precursor for what is is to come: a delightful hour of laidback comedy between (what very much feels like) peers...

Tom Binns Has Not Been Himself

We have all experienced at one point or another times where we have said something which we later regret. This happens regularly to Tom Binns except it is more comedian-specific: he finds himself compulsively blurting out inappropriate jokes at the wrong time...

Jonny Awsum: Sexy Noises

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
Gilded Balloon
10th Aug, 2014

There are some shows which instantly give you a good vibe and this is one of them. From the opening number which saw the audience members being greeted individually, Jonny Awsum had the crowd sold and pumped for more...

Markus Birdman: 2B or Not to Be

Markus Birdman is no stranger to the comedy circuit, yet he seems to fly under the radar amidst other bigger names or rising stars on the scene. Though underrated, he definitely shouldn’t be underestimated – Birdman is a seasoned performer with excellent comedic instinct...

Another F*cking Variety Show

If you’re looking for a variety show that is deliciously sexy, a little bit bizarre and a whole lot of unbridled, raucous fun, look no further. Lili La Scala and her sparkling Cabaratti entourage are at the ready to cater to your every cheeky thought and naughty whim...

Vikki Stone: Instrumental

Over the years Vikki Stone has accumulated a wide array of musical instruments - twenty to be exact. She has not mastered them all, but the focus is not so much on her musical dexterity but on the stories attached to these instruments...

Jason Byrne in You Name the Show

This year, Jason Byrne has decided to do away with racking his brain on what to name his show. Instead, as the show title suggests, he is going to relinquish that power to his audience with the best name at the end of the run winning a very generous £500...

Stuart Goldsmith: Extra Life

Many consider Stuart Goldsmith’s career as a comic to be “living the dream.” While he admits it has its perks, there are also some hurdles and setbacks - particularly if you realise you want to have a child...

Gordon Southern: Your New Favourite Comedian

Gordon Southern is eager for his tenth solo show to take off with a bang and he certainly gets off to a great start. The show kicks off on a lively, robust high and proceeds to travel on that same energetic rhythm throughout, the momentum never depleting...

Felicity Ward: The Iceberg

Those who have seen Felicity Ward perform will know that she is a vocal personality; never afraid to speak her mind or call it like it is, even if it is considered controversial. This year she even does so through song which is how the show kicks off...

Ian D Montfort's Midday Seance

Despite what the show’s title states, Ian D Montfort explains that there has actually been a mixup with the show time. It was meant to be a midnight seance – midnight is the witching hour after all, and the best time to communicate with spirits...

The Factory

Set in 1970s New Zealand, The Factory by Kila Kokonut Krew is a heartwarming and exuberant musical about the Samoan migrant experience. It was created in honour of the brave immigrants who left home to carve a better life for themselves and their families...

Morgan & West: Parlour Tricks

Performed with delightful Victorian flair and charm, magic has never looked quite so dashing and debonair. With elements of theatre, storytelling, science and time travel thrown in for good measure, Parlour Tricks is not your average magic show...

The Last Motel

The Last Motel by Sheepish Productions is a dark two-hander with a neo-noir style akin to the works of cult film directors Tarantino and Lynch. It sees a reluctant criminal battle his conscience and ponder the big questions in life with an unlikely confidante...

The Generation of Z: Edinburgh

Zombies have become a considerable presence across entertainment and pop culture, which has led to a growing fascination with the undead and the world being overrun by them. If you’ve ever wondered how you would fare in a zombie apocalypse, here’s your chance to find out...

In Vogue: Songs by Madonna

If you struggle to believe that a grown man with a deep baritone can convince you that he is in fact Madonna, be prepared to suspend your disbelief. This show presents Madge in a whole new refreshing way and does so convincingly without any need for a wig or costumes...

Pete Firman: Trickster

Trickster sees Pete Firman perform his signature blend of jokes and magic tricks with the usual swag and flair which regulars will have come to expect from his shows. For the first-timers in the audience, this will be a jaw-dropping and engaging hour that will likely convert you into a fan...

White Rabbit Red Rabbit

Playwrights and theatre producers alike are increasingly taking bigger risks and becoming more creative when considering how their work is presented onstage. The paradigms of theatre are shifting and it could not be more true with this piece...

Harriet Dyer: Barking at Aeroplanes

From the get-go, it’s evident that Barking at Aeroplanes is going to be a little bit strange and out of the ordinary. It’s a whirlwind hour of random ramblings, hilarious “did you know?” facts as well as the odd quiz thrown in for good measure...

On the Upside Down of the World

Based on Our Māoris, the memoirs of Lady Mary Ann Martin, On the Upside Down of the World is a riveting period drama set during the colonization of the last place on earth. Married to the country’s first Chief Justice, Martin arrives on New Zealand’s shores in 1841 with the goal of civilising the indigenous people of the land...

David Morgan - Social Tool

David Morgan has two obsessions in his life: TV and the Internet. Social Tool is a show primarily about the latter, specifically social networking and how we use it to communicate with others and deal with things that life throws at us...

Titty Bar Ha Ha: Hard Time

Saucy hostesses Hope and Gloria are back with Titty Bar Ha Ha: Hard Time, following on from their show at last year’s Fringe. If you like your cabaret a little blue, and songs about sex don’t make you blush, then you can’t go wrong by going to see this year’s show...

Black Faggot

The examination of race and sexuality in theatre, though not uncommon today, could be seen as controversial and ‘not for everybody’. Striking a good balance between what’s being said and how it is presented can be tricky, but Black Faggot has managed to strike the perfect chord...

Chris Ramsey: Feeling Lucky

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
24th Aug, 2013

Some people are just born to be a performer; they are incredibly comfortable being on stage and thrive in the company of complete strangers. Chris Ramsey is one of these people.As soon as it kicked off and for the entirety of the show, he had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand...

You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
23rd Aug, 2013

Page to stage adaptations are nothing new but a sixty-three year old comic strip developing into a stage musical is certainly unconventional. For those who loved Peanuts and for those who like to celebrate their inner child, this theatrical piece is for you...

All-Nude College-Girl Revue or How I Made It Through the LSE

Review
★★
Edinburgh Fringe
21st Aug, 2013

If you are easily swayed into buying a ticket based on a show’s title, though you may be enticed into seeing the All-Nude College Girl Revue, you may be rather disappointed. Despite the fact that ‘nude’ is in the title and it is held at a cabaret bar, this show does not have any of the things that these two features would suggest...

Die Roten Punkte - KUNST ROCK (ART ROCK)

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
16th Aug, 2013

“Fans of Spinal Tap and Flight of the Conchords, say ‘hallo’ to your new favourite band.” Now that’s a bold and confident statement. Having read this, I went with high expectations and I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed...

No Holds Bard

Review
★★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
16th Aug, 2013

If you’ve never been interested in sixteenth century English literature, this might change your mind. Shakespeare gets turned on its head in this irreverent and avant-garde production that brings together some of the Bard’s more well-known characters...

Ardal O'Hanlon

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
15th Aug, 2013

There are some comedians who just know how to spin a yarn about anything and make it funny. Ardal O’Hanlon is one of them. O’Hanlon describes his style of comedy as ‘off the ball’ which seems pretty accurate...

Rhys Mathewson - The Best £10 You'll Ever Spend

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
12th Aug, 2013

With thousands of shows out there, Rhys Mathewson’s show title is a clever one. It is certainly an attention grabber. It also ties in with one of the show’s gimmicks. For every joke that Mathewson tells, the audience gets to vote, calling out ‘pound up’, if the joke is a good one; Mathewson then sticks a sign saying ‘£1’ on the board to add to the final total...

Purchase and Revill: Are Not On the Guest List - Free

Review
★★
Edinburgh Fringe
12th Aug, 2013

As humble a turnout as it was, Paul Revill was very grateful and welcomed us warmly. However, considering the originally planned double-act show had to be changed at the last minute, it was a respectable crowd...

Chris Stokes Tells It Like It Possibly Could Potentially Might Be

Review
★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
11th Aug, 2013

Awkward and slight in stature, from the outset Chris Stokes doesn’t inspire confidence. Do not be fooled, however, by his seemingly timid façade – there is definitely more to him than meets the eye...

Gordon Southern: The Kerfuffle

Review
★★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
11th Aug, 2013

At a Gordon Southern show, you don’t just get great comedy, you learn a little too. The Kerfuffle is a delightful hour of hilarity with the perfect mesh of jokes and fun facts. Southern is a captivating and skilled performer which he shamelessly attributes to his drama degree – this cheeky nature is part of his charm...

Mick Ferry: Has Been Found Wanting

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
11th Aug, 2013

‘Everyone should write their own eulogy,’ Mick Ferry tells us. He then proceeds to show us how it’s done by reading the one he had written for himself.This slightly morbid opening serves as a great ice breaker; we learn a lot about Ferry’s personality in this comically written tribute...

Comedy Death: True Horror Stories from the Circuit

Review
★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
10th Aug, 2013

It’s human nature that we tend to take more interest in people’s failures than their successes. This talk-show takes us behind the scenes of every comedian’s worst nightmare. Every show sees working comedians candidly share their most horrifying and cringe-worthy moments on stage...

Markus Birdman - Happily Ever After

Review
★★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
8th Aug, 2013

Only Markus Birdman can talk about the most taboo of topics and get away with it. His brand of comedy is a unique blend of witty and risqué material delivered in a reflective prose-style manner...

The Comedian's Comedian Live With Stuart Goldsmith

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
8th Aug, 2013

Ever wanted to get inside the mind of a comedian? Stuart Goldsmith puts on his interviewer hat in this live version of the critically acclaimed comedy podcast which, as he explains at the start, is not a comedy show but a show about comedy...

Chris Martin: Passionate About the Pointless

Review
★★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
7th Aug, 2013

Comedy that is jaded yet manages to toe the line and steer clear from being too depressing is no mean feat. The key is in the delivery and Chris Martin has absolutely got this down...

Gein's Family Giftshop

Review
★★
Edinburgh Fringe
7th Aug, 2013

Gein’s Family Giftshop is a collection of short stories performed in rapid succession by James, Ed and Cath. The trio portray multiple characters in various scenarios, most of which involve some form of misfortune or misadventure...

Benny Davis: The Human Jukebox

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
6th Aug, 2013

Declaring yourself to be a human jukebox is a bold statement to make, but Benny Davis will prove he can live up to the name. His ear for music is truly remarkable and one of a kind...

Jason Byrne's Special Eye

Review
★★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
5th Aug, 2013

Jason Byrne is a rare breed of stand up comedian. There are not many comics that can garner belly-aching laughs from start to finish the way Byrne can so effortlessly. There is something really joyous and special about being at a Jason Byrne gig, and I say gig because it really did feel like one...

Pete Firman - Scoundrel

Review
★★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
5th Aug, 2013

Pete Firman is a natural born entertainer and he knows it. He possesses a certain swag that just exudes confidence; from the word go he easily has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand...

A Glee Inspired: Romeo and Juliet

Review
★★
Edinburgh Fringe
4th Aug, 2013

Shakespeare with a musical spin – now that’s a refreshing new way to make the Bard more accessible. Romeo and Juliet especially has been done countless of times so I was very excited to see how this production was going to translate to the stage...

Michael J Dolan: Nothing Will Ever Be Alright Again, Ever

Review
★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
3rd Aug, 2013

With so many positive and upbeat comedy shows out there, why not go against the grain? This is Michael J Dolan’s reasoning for his blatantly bleak show. At the top of the show, Michael tells us his goal is to try his hardest to make us laugh but he already knows that most of us won’t – and he doesn’t care...

David Morgan - Pretty

Review
★★★★
Edinburgh Fringe
3rd Aug, 2013

David Morgan is someone you want to be friends with. Warm, charming and incredibly affable, he has got to be one of the nicest stand up comedians in the circuit that I’ve come across...

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