Venue 33, Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance One,
3rd-24th Aug (not 15, 22), 1.30pm-3.00pm
SATURDAY 26th AUGUST 2023
Pleasance One, Venue 33
12.40pm-2.10pm
Tickets: £15.00
Horizon Showcase: Birthmarked
Theatre (lgbtq+, live music)
A young Jehovah's Witness comes to terms with his sexuality and finds his feet (and high heels...) in a world he once believed would be destroyed at Armageddon. Birthmarked is a new concept gig written and performed by Brook Tate and his grand ol' band of pals. With original music likened to Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell, alongside a whale, a paintbrush and a pair of tap shoes, he hopes to shine a light on what it means to be marked... at birth. Written and composed by Brook Tate. Directed by Sally Cookson.
Ian Stone Will Make It Better
Comedy (satire)
Feel like life is getting you down? Ian Stone will make it better. 'Seriously funny' (Guardian). 'One of the top ten comedians in Britain' (Independent). 'Ultimately, it's the sheer quantity of funny material that impresses' (List). 'Stone’s been in the business so long he makes it look easy. He’s relaxed and conversational, instinctively hitting the cadence needed to get the most out of every punchline, and the hour whizzes past' (Chortle.co.uk).
Death Suits You
Musicals and Opera (dark comedy, new writing)
Show of the Week Winner VAULT Festival 2023. We all feel underappreciated at work, and Death is no exception. Death (personified) puts a lot of work into the way we die, and never gets the credit he deserves. Across an hour, Death takes us through the artistry involved in ensuring that each and every one of us meets our maker. This musical black-comedy shows the lighter side of the inevitable. Death Suits You features an original book, lyrics and score by Sam Hooper and Robert Tripolino. Directed by Gabrielle Scawthorn.
N.Ormes
Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus (circus, acrobatics)
Provocative, dysfunctional and tender, N.Ormes is a circus show that pushes the limits of gender norms with never seen before acrobatic exchanges. Don't miss this Fringe debut! Skilfully combining acrobatics and dance we follow our two protagonists and their relationship, navigating between complicity and power struggles. The stage becomes an arena! One by one, the archetypes fall in battle, giving way to a quest for friendship and fairness through power and fluidity. Come witness this inspiring journey to see how the exchange of roles and acrobatics blurs our preconceptions!
Goodbye Uncle Fudgey
Theatre (dark comedy, alternative comedy)
In this pathetic comedy about privilege Tom Greaves (BFI Award winner) presents a dark satire about the psychological trauma of his own "privileged" childhood. Hiding behind his caricature, Greaves jumps between his own stifled vulnerability and the comical make-believe world of Uncle Fudgey, a sorry, desperate middle-aged man who falls down the rabbit hole into a kaleidoscope of unconscious memory. An emotionally charged, at times hilarious, at other times disturbing, account of one man's quest to uncover his feelings, and find... himself. Don't miss this man in crisis! 'Incredible… a delight to watch' ****½ (on Shuttlecock, Filmcarnage.com).
Al Porter: A Work in Progress
Comedy (work in progress)
2016 Edinburgh Best Show nominee. As seen on Live at the Apollo and Michael McIntyre's Big Show. 'Shades of Dave Allen... born to be on stage' **** (Chortle.co.uk). 'A steamroller crowd pleasing talent' **** (Guardian). Six years since his last Fringe show and making a mess of his life and career, Al is moving forward with everything he's learned. Here he reimagines the comic and person he can be today. Back selling out venues across Ireland again, Al follows his dream once more. God loves a trier.
A Migrant's Son
Theatre (storytelling, live music)
'Igniting memories of a story that millions can relate to' (Australian Stage). A true-life, original musical tribute to the heart, hilarity and sheer hard work of the migrant experience. This multi award-winning, critically acclaimed show explores one of the most colourful times in Australian history: the arrival of the Greeks! Pays tribute to her Greek migrant family and hard-working, fun-loving, larrikin father Luke who defied all odds. His unrelenting determination to build a successful life is comical and heart-breaking; as he pushes through like an unstoppable force and is willing to sacrifice everything for his family.
Mervyn Stutter
Host and Compere
Mervyn has been in the entertainment industry since 1974. He started in theatre where he acted, wrote scripts, songs, and directed for around 14 years. In the 1980s, he became the 'regular topical song bloke' on the BBC TV's first ever daytime show, 'Open Air', fronted by a thin Irishman called Eamonn Holmes. Over the years he has performed weekly topical songs on many TV current affairs programmes and more of the same on radio. In the late 1980s, he took his comedy songs onto the Comedy Circuit and then touring theatres. Merv's first Edinburgh Fringe was in 1986 and he has been every year since. 'Pick of the Fringe' started life as 'Have you seen anything good?', a show to help answer the perennial Fringe-goer question. The title was changed to 'Pick of the Fringe' in 1994 and it he has built it up into one of the must-see Fringe shows.
“Mervyn Stutter is very, very good as compere of this chat show, for to make such a showcase work requires skill, talent and quick reactions. Stutter works the crowd like the showman he is.”
THE OBSERVER