Described by its creator Mark Brailsford as the Fringe like it used to be, News Brunch is the latest show in the News Revue tradition. Presenting a mix of song, sketch and satire based on the days news, the show is being developed this year in advance of a full run at next years Fringe. News Brunchs rehearsed material sets a high standard. They are at their best with their well-written and well-polished comedy songs, including Blood Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend, a terrific Beach Boys number on the ComDemNation, and Brailsfords solo song on the Big Society. Their political material is sharp particularly when the Camerons return home from holiday to find that surly teenager Nick, left in charge of the house, has cancelled Trident and they show a keen satirical instinct. The best revue troupes are able to seamlessly blend rehearsed and improvised material. Currently, however, News Brunchs ad libbed material doesnt quite hit the mark. As noble an undertaking as it is to invent topical captions on the fly in The Day in Pictures, greater preparation would allow for sharper jokes: as is shown by the success of HIGNFY or Mock the Week, audiences are more than prepared to sacrifice genuine spontaneity for the payoff of the well-crafted punchline. For a work in progress, this is an impressive show. At this early stage, the show is inevitably a little hit-and-miss, but judged on its best moments and its likeable cast there is sufficient evidence to suggest that News Brunch could become a well-loved fixture of the Fringe.
