Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Sporting his classic blue jump-suit, Paul Foot manically made his way through the crowd. Speaking to members of the audience he went off in a tangent about his show needing purpose, a metaphor and a meaning. Getting up in members of the audiences faces, he began to preview his unique manic comedy.
Paul Foot’s stand-up comedy is unique, using audience interactions to elevate his comedy to another level. He jumps off his stage to speak to the audience, standing up on chairs in moments of passion and shouting in people’s faces to get his point across. Creating a show that’s less of a routine performance and more of an improvised story that goes off into random tangents but still always has a meaning.
His show ‘Dissolve’ focuses on himself. Using memories and trauma throughout his life, he told the story of his years of depression and how he overcome mental illness. Focusing on the key date that he overcame depression and, in his own words, the day he became enlightened, he leads us through a timeline of his depression.
This newfound happiness or ‘enlightenment’ is obvious in his show, with his wacky nature coming across as a man who has overcame trauma but, in the process, has left him with a unique personality. The very theatrical performance was unique, using exaggerated humour, such as, taking a long time to drink water, leaving an uncomfortable silence in the room that the audience loved.
His storytelling is what made this show unique, using a serious topic to create laughter. Taking the conversation into different directions, his random tangents added to the comedy, talking about stories from his childhood that had nothing to do with the final story, but they were just funny. His delivery was spot on, creating a unique style that I have never seen before, elevated by his excellent crowd work and combined with his manic nature, it all added up to be a perfect show.
If you are looking for a strange but highly entertaining evening, this is a must-see show. Coming out feeling enlightened like Paul himself, he takes us through overcoming trauma but with humour and laughter all the through. Highlighting in his show the meaning of life, he adds laughter to his troubled times, opening up to us in a humorous way.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Nostalgia was in the room at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar as the iconic British sitcom actor, Joe Thomas, entered the stage. Showcasing his creative comedy, he took us on a journey through his family and personal life. The popular British actor from sitcoms such as, The Inbetweeners and Fresh Meat, has become a pop-culture icon. Creating staple shows, he has used his unique awkward comedy to build his career,bringing this comedy style to his show at this year’s Fringe.
In the room of over 100 people, he took us through funny situations in his filming career, telling antidotes from the shows we all love. Displaying that awkward charm that his character, Simon, in The Inbetweener’s had that made him so iconic he told us stories from his personal life, such as funny medical scares and him and his partners in-ability to be parents. Using many Inbetweener’s references and mentioning cast members left the audience roaring in laughter, bringing the nostalgia that the crowd was looking for.
Despite the stand-up comedy needing improvements, his personality and experience carried the show to a successful end. If you are a fan of Joe himself or his iconic TV shows, this show is for you. Showing us a funny insight into his personality away from his TV characters alongside the nostalgic stories from filming the iconic programmes it all added up to be a hilarious hour-long show.
5/5, very nostalgic and a great stand-up routine.
Ali Wood’s is back at the Fringe for the third year running with his fully finished stand-up show. Taking us on a journey of love and relationships he tells us the story of his relationship with his ex-girlfriend.
The hour-long comedy show is more than just a stand-up hour, it’s a theatrical story of his personal development through his ex-relationship with loads of comedy mixed in. Commanding the blacked-out stage, Ali Wood’s walks the stage with swagger and theatrics, using facial expressions and over-exaggerated body language to engage the crowd and elevate his comedy.
Ali Wood’s style mixes storytelling and comedy, taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster of sadness and laughter. Guiding us with his comedy through the story of his relationship, making jokes about his ex-girlfriend’s behaviours and key moments in their relationship, makes us believe he is still happily with his ex.
The storytelling takes a turn near the end of the performance where we find he has been single for a year, adding a sad but hilarious twist. Creating a show based around your ex-relationship looks desperate on paper, but Ali Wood’s self-awareness to this fact takes the story from a depressing cry for help to a unique stand-up hour, using the base of an important story of his first relationship to display his creative style of comedy, spinning off into tangents about his work at the time and his up-bringing.
The comedian has gained a large following across social media platforms creating comedy skits. Building over 305 thousand on Instagram, he uses his social media to promote his stand-up comedy, creating skits around themes in his stand-up hour.
Coming off his internet popularity, this is his first year at The Edinburgh Fringe with a full-finished stand-up hour which has been a sell-out performance at the Bristo Square Underbelly.
If you after looking for a fun packed comedy hour told through a theatrical style of heartbreak and laughter, Ali Wood’s ‘At the Moment’ is a must-see show.
