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Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time)

 
Victor Black Review by Victor Black 4 Published: 23 Aug 2025 Monkey Barrel Comedy (Cabaret Voltaire) Show Dates: 28 Jul 2025-24 Aug 2025

Joe-Kent Walters’s headline-grabbing character, the working men’s club host from Hell, Frankie Monroe, is fast becoming one of the standout cult heroes for this generation of the Edinburgh Fringe. Fresh off the back of winning the Best Newcomer award last year, Frankie was tipped to gain a nod for Best Show before this year’s festival too, and it’s not hard to see why.

Fast becoming one of the standout cult heroes for this generation of Edinburgh Fringe

Sometimes it’s hard for shows to justify the hype, but this one is a real comedy party. The character is remarkably crafted and performed lovingly throughout. Walters is a master at improv and building rapport with the audience, and one almost feels as though he must have been brought up in working men’s clubs himself, if only he weren’t the wrong generation. He maintains total command of the stage and his character, while the show is populated with inventive props and creative gimmicks. For the whole hour, I felt as though Walters must have made his bones as a street performer, as there were many techniques in his craft that you see on the street, from repeatedly saying “Yes” to encourage affirmative responses from his audience, to long set pieces with copious padding that don’t go anywhere other than to build rapport. Consider this an observation rather than criticism. There’s no doubt his crowd give the same encouragement and desired response as the most dramatic street shows you’ll see on the Royal Mile.

His crowd work is on point throughout, responding beautifully to heckles, many of which he encourages, and garnering a roomful of laughter for interjections as basic as “Hello there.”

DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time) has a loose narrative, but you’re attending for the fun and variety. The show is apparently much the same as last year’s winner, so you shouldn’t have to do too much research to find out if this is up your street or not. It’s probably one of those crowd splitters that could get two to five stars depending on the reviewer or audience member, but even those to whom it doesn't appeal can’t help but admire the flawless stagecraft.

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The Blurb:

Yorkshire’s biggest bastard and Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer 2024 is back! This time he's dead… dead good! And also, dead. He's a dead man. Join the nation's favourite demonic Working Men's Club owner as he dazzles you from beyond the grave. 'Ghoulish absurdity at its classiest’ ***** (Evening Standard). 'A one-man old-time variety show... Triumphant' ***** (BeyondTheJoke.co.uk).