McEwan Hall is one of the vastest spaces at the Fringe. Fitting for a stand up show formatted almost identically to the prestigious ‘Live at the Apollo’. The nature of this particular format, in which three guest performers showcase 15 minutes of material strung together by a compere, makes it particularly difficult to review as the bill changes daily.
This specific night boasted some well established acts, including Stephen K Amos. The show was hit and miss, given that the 60 minute gig saw a vast range in differing styles of material. Both Ronny Chieng and Pete Firman’s sets took a while to get the audience going, but as they went on they picked up a head of steam and the laughs began to flow. My main criticism would be that the choice of acts didn’t seem to have a common theme, style or target audience. All of these comics are well respected, successful and brilliant in their own right, but the breadth in style and appeal made it difficult for the audience to warm up to each act individually. On the other hand this did provide something for everyone. If one audience member found a set wasn’t to their taste, another would pick them back up and give them what they wanted.
My personal highlight was Stephen K Amos who, after a 45 minute patchwork show of ups and downs, had the audience in stitches. He has a solo show up at the fringe this year and I would urge comedy lovers to buy a ticket before it sells out. I would advise looking through the bill and picking your night wisely to avoid disappointment. Edinburgh Comedy Allstars have managed to secure some brilliant talent to perform throughout the upcoming month. Buy a ticket and don’t miss out.
