A blend of good stand up and well-presented storytelling, Ghosts of the Happy and High-Spirited is a firmly funny and chilling hour of Free Fringe comedy. Nicholas Cooke, although more of a writer than a comedian, is a funny and energetic performer who does not shy away from telling his own cringe worthy stories – always fun for the audience. He has written some subtly beautiful prose into his story as well as a number of good jokes. Firmly entertaining, Cooke delivered a funny yet unnerving ‘personal’ story, although it was without the sparkle he needed to really bring the show to life (no pun intended).
Now, when I say ‘chilling’, I don’t mean ‘My gosh, this story was terrifying and now I’m scared of the dark!’ Rather that Cooke managed, even with his not-so-scary story, to rile up the audience’s nerves at a good few moments; an excellent show of talent from this storyteller. Cooke really was an entertaining performer, skillfully manipulating the audience’s emotions.
Keiron Nicholson, taking the second half of the performance, was the sceptic of the pair and introduced a new perspective on the ghostly tales. Again, Nicolson was firmly funny, with some good quality gags and a wonderfully casual stage presence. His informal banter was a complimentary contrast to Cooke’s almost nervous energy – the duo worked wonderfully together as a pair.
Both performers are good at what they do. It was an entertaining hour of storytelling and comedy, ‘chilling’ ghostly moments and relaxed friendliness. Definitely worth seeing if you have a spare hour this Fringe, even for those who don’t have a specific interest in the paranormal.
