Part of PBH’s Free Fringe, Bowling and Todd + 1 is a comedy show in the underground space of the Cabaret Voltaire that is well worth a watch. Two comedians, Bekka Bowling and Shane Todd lead us through forty minutes of stand up and then finish up with a different headliner act. I was lucky to be part of the show where legend Tim Vine popped by the show to perform some stand up, the only open spot in Edinburgh that he was doing.
The show is a perfect lunchtime treat. Todd’s infectious anecdotes and delivery make him a very likeable comedian and his Titanic sketch, claiming there was definitely room for Jack on that piece of wood had the audience nodding and laughing in agreement. Todd’s style is quite understated and chilled, which was a pleasant comparison to the punchier, more overt style of Bowling.
Bowling brings fresh, exciting energy to the venue. Her slightly risqué style added a touch of edge to Todd’s cleaner set. She had great audience interaction and her dry humour about living on your own was beautifully ironic but also at points very close to the truth. The duo work well on stage together and their differing styles bounce off each other seamlessly.
Tim Vine’s comedy was traditional one-liner material that most people had probably heard before but despite this his quick witty responses to the audience’s suggestions were delivered with ease and excellent timing.
This is definitely a free show worth seeing. The two main comedians have mostly strong material and demonstrate promise for exciting new things. I would definitely pop back again during my lunch break to see which other star headliners they will pull out of the bag.
