This is a dark and often confusing monologue which is full of inventive lines and clever jokes but ultimately fails because its intelligent premise – that its initial narrator is a paraplegic – is not made clear enough. The opening monologue about the narrator being in love with a waitress and having a relationship with her in his mind, weaves an agreeable path until a frankly bizarre interruption, where the narrator (played by Phil Nichol) proceeds to reel off a series of homophobic statements about how “the gays” are ruining the Fringe, which succeeds only in alienating the audience. Note for the playwright: if your narrator is constantly having to clarify, “I’m joking”, then your jokes aren’t very good.

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 3 – 29 Aug (not 15), 12.00pm (1.00pm), £8.00 – £10.00, fpp299.
tw rating 2/5
[sj]

Sections: by Samuel Johnston - ED2011 Theatre Reviews - tw rating 2/5 | Tags: Comedians Theatre Company, Festival Highlights, Gilded Balloon

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