There are many things which conjure up the spirit of the Fringe.
A dependable hour of laughs
Rain. Debt. Cheesy Chips on Nicholson Street. Hangovers so fierce they could pitch to become the next Home Secretary.
And of course, our annual splash about in the absurdities of those who sit – however preposterously – at the top of our socio-political pile.
The NewsRevue team have been a integral part of the Fringe schedule since 1979, providing an always dependable hour of laughs at the expense of pretty much anyone and everyone in the public eye. A four-strong troupe of bright eyed and bushy tailed performers dash about the place flinging budget props, cleverly honed rewrites and exquisite talents at the audience with abandon; whilst we relish the opportunity to expunge our irritations through shared laughter rather than keyboard warriorship.
The stardust of the show lies in these rewrites: using new lyrics to some of the most popular tunes on the planet to exemplify the moral effluent we keep allowing ourselves to swim in. A Spice Girls fan? There’s a political leaders medley for that. More old school? How about the Royal Family belting out some of Queen’s greatest hits. The West End lungs suggest an almost operatic level of suffering: the schoolboy rhymes highlight the facile depths of our national folly.
The show is at its very best when punching up; but, it being the way of sketch comedy, just occasionally the jokes can fail to land with as much heft as we might hope. That said, NewsRevue have a higher strike rate than most, being the market leaders in consistency for this kind of show. At a time when our luminaries parody themselves on an almost hourly basis, it is doubtless trickier than ever to find new ways to satirise the circus of our ruling masters; but this team's unerring ability to hone in on ridiculousness means they are likely to remain Fringe fixtures for a good while yet.
