Sketch troupe BEASTS are not here to perform sketches. No, they have a grander aim this year — a higher purpose, if you will. For they are the hosts of the inaugural
Mr Edinburgh 2016 is a crude, rude, and ridiculous hour of comedy.
After stripping out of their initial formal wear, the BEASTS are lycra-clad and ready to compete. After some hyper-masculine stretching and prancing, it’s time for the potential Misters Edinburgh to fight for the right to pursue their own pet project at the end of the show: Owen wants to record his charity single live; James wants to perform a duet from Grease that he never got to finish with his dog; and Ciarán wants to marry an audience member. In order to win the contest, our three heroes are tasked with winning gold in a variety of non-Olympic events. They must prove their intelligence in a Mastermind-esque quiz, perform their best talent, persuade audience members to give them money, and win a three-way, no-rules cage fight.
Well, that’s how the competition would run in theory. Of course, this being a comedy show, chaos ensues as the three of them compete, fight, and cheat their way through the competition. It’s wholeheartedly silly, it’s outrageously improbable, and it’s uproarious fun. The energy of these three guys is nothing short of incredible. The show succeeds through their charisma and chemistry, and the fine comic balance between their three comic personas. A couple weaker segments are carried by their enthusiasm and flair for improvised comedy.
Mr Edinburgh 2016 is a crude, rude, and ridiculous hour of comedy. In fact, it’s downright messy: buttocks, tomatoes, weddings, swans — it seems that anything goes in this competition. In the end, of course, whoever takes first prize really doesn’t matter: when it comes to this anarchic treat of a show, the audience is the real victor.
