The Tim Vine Chat Show, Pleasance Cabaret Bar
Audience participation is always within reach when it comes to the stand-up’s toolkit. More than simply having a few up-the-sleeve quips to humiliate someone who happens to need to empty their bladder, some shows are involving the audience in the shaping of the entire show.
This applies to TIM VINE more than anyone. In The Tim Vine Chat Show, those filing in are filling in forms with their occupation and a ridiculous event that has happened in their lives, in the hope they will be questioned by the king of the one liners.
The chat is a proper game of roulette, with the show standing or falling on the stories of the guests. This shows Vine unscripted and sharp, dealing particularly well with individuals who are on a mission to upstage him or are rabbits in the spotlights.
There is a lovely cosiness about it – nothing wrong with that - and a touch of Harry Hill madness.
From his whiplash one-liners to his pathetic props to songs about wax crayons, Vine offers an hour of absolutely joyful silliness.
Until August 26
Marcus Brigstocke Presents Unavailable For Comment, Underbelly, Bristo Square
A whole slew of performers have two shows running – well, it keeps them out of mischief in the afternoon. Unfortunately not for MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE, who after a nasty tumble on the cobbles ended up in A&E and is now limping his way through an evening stand-up gig and this improvised afternoon news show.
No forms to fill in here, but audience members are asked to make suggestions to be used by Brigstocke and his merry band of improvisers, which on this occasion includes the brilliant Justin Edwards.
What follows could get extremely messy under the stewardship of a lesser performer than Brigstocke, who not only marshals the proceedings well but manages to steer the performers back when they appear to be flagging in the middle of a riff on subjects as varied as the UK/Spain Gibraltar debacle or Peter Andre and his candlestick – no spoilers here as the subject matter will change with audience suggestions every day.
One that pairs a historical figure with an unlikely subject had Simon Evans improvising beautifully on a book he had written about Abraham Lincoln’s skincare regime.
Until August 25
Nicholas Parsons’ Happy Hour, Pleasance Cabaret Bar
The stalwart of the Fringe chat show, NICHOLAS PARSONS is in the midst of his 13th Happy Hour.
He is also limping, this time after a disagreement with the door of a people carrier.
The blazer, cravat, suave introduction and reminders that he once worked in the Clydebank shipyards are all in place. The guests change daily, however, adding the element of interest for those who return on several occasions throughout the run.
The audience do get a look-in as he works the front row, avuncular yet sharper and providing sweeties for participation.
Today’s guest range from Lizzie Wort from The Unremarkable Death Of Marilyn Monroe to the a cappella choir of Oxford students, Out Of The Blue. He dedicates himself to seeing every show before the guests join him, so being refused admission to Sean Hughes’ Penguins as the show had started meant he couldn’t discuss the show.
This was the best thing that could have possibly happened as the unlikely double act of Hughes and Parsons served up at least 20 minutes of comedy gold.
It’s a worthy perennial, agreed, but without the injection of this unexpectedly sweary banter (more Parsons than Hughes) it might have lacked a little happy hour fizz.
Until August 18 (not today)
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