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Fringe 2006 Reviews (44)
I'm Worried that I'm Starting
to Hate Everyone in the World
By Mark Watson
Pleasance Courtyard
****
How refreshing, an unassuming stand up comedian whose nature fits his
favourite word, "nice". Mark Watson plays the good-natured
Welshman, although word has it that he actually comes from the other
side of the Severn.
The pleasant, diffident approach immediately begs the question as to
why this slim, round-shouldered young man is "Starting to Hate
Everyone in the World". The answer is that he was recently mugged
by a thirteen year old - great material for a comic and he makes the
most of it.
Another odd trait for this hard-nosed genre is that audience members
seem keen to sit in the front row and volunteer to assist, apparently
without fear of humiliation. Even 18 year old Claire who suffers from
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) was treated with kindness that one
sometimes wishes was still de rigueur in the NHS.
The bulk of the act is based on the Seven Deadly Sins, or six of them
on this occasion. These are introduced by the selection of aides
memoirs from "the bag of sin", an imitation leopard skin
effort made by Watson's newly-acquired wife. Each sin provokes a joke
or two to keep things going through a consistently funny hour.
Watson's strength is to seem like the nerdy guy next door and then
describe how life has taken its often less than ideal course, laughing
at his own foibles and carrying his audience along as friends. He has
the knack of seeing the funny side of things and steers clear of problem
subjects such as racial sterotyping and politics.
If you fancy a change from the harsh aggressiveness of the average
stand up, Mark Watson may prove the perfect anecdote but book soon as
very few tickets remain.
Philip Fisher
Midnight Carousel
C presents...
C Central Cabaret
*
Dusty Limits would seem to be in charge of this melange of mostly not-ready-for-prime-time
artists. He certainly is comfortable in this environment maybe
a little too much. The event is uncontrolled chaos. With strippers and
foul comedians the unseemly evening cannot even be save by a group of
Flamenco dancer, well accompanied by the talented guitarist, Ricardo
Garcia. Mervin Stutter has locked down this format and Mr. Limits might
study at this school.
And, as an aside, Mr. Limits should get help dressing or turn in his
gay card.
Catherine Lamm
Midsummer Night's Dream
Royal Holloway Theatre
C Central
****
Puck is a jazz cabaret artist, the lovers are patrons, and the mechanicals
are the waiting staff in the Royal Holloway Theatre's version of Shakespeare's
play with musical interludes. The action takes place, mostly, in The
Woods Jazz Bar. The production sometime jolts between song and dialogue.
The directing (Ian Evans) is uneven. Moving from text to cabaret may
be too much to achieve. The ensemble acting is only slightly uneven,
although many of the actor's singing voices cannot live up to the task.
But all make a good go of it.
Chris Green has nailed the cabaret crooner/Puck concept. Naomi Sheldon
(Helena), Nick Errington (Lysander), and Tom Morgan (Oberon & Theseus)
seem to survive best in both worlds. The Mechanical (Francis Heath,
Jamie Russell, Claire Masterson, Edward Pemberton and Jayne Springer)
put on an infinately entertaining Pyramus and Thisbe. Best success
is achieved by Adrian Daniels who seems to have nailed Bottom.
Not to take away from any, this production works. The text holds up
the concept and the group succeed in presenting a very watchable production.
Catherine Lamm
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