Tatty Macleod: Fugue review – frothy French v English comedy

Monkey Barrel Comedy, EdinburghNational stereotypes aside, the cordial TikTok star delivers lively cross-Channel observations and adds a soupçon of substanceSocial media rewards high concept, quick-hit ideas, and Tatty Macleod had a peach of one when s…

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‘Like a naughty Siri’: friendly sex robot Vanessa 5000 asks audiences to test her powers

In her Edinburgh festival show, LA comic and clown Courtney Pauroso plays a latex-clad humanoid pleasure device. But are fringegoers ready to restart her?The last time I saw Courtney Pauroso, she was upside down, legs splayed, doing a naked, spotlit ha…

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‘Like a naughty Siri’: friendly sex robot Vanessa 5000 asks audiences to test her powers

In her Edinburgh festival show, LA comic and clown Courtney Pauroso plays a latex-clad humanoid pleasure device. But are fringegoers ready to restart her?The last time I saw Courtney Pauroso, she was upside down, legs splayed, doing a naked, spotlit ha…

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Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical review – goofy comedy gets ’NSync

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThis fantastically silly show by writer-actors Valen Shore and Alison Zatta reflects on the adrenalised rise to fame for young pop starsOn the face of it, a musical about ’NSync from the point of view of Chris Kirkpatrick …

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Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical review – goofy comedy gets ’NSync

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThis fantastically silly show by writer-actors Valen Shore and Alison Zatta reflects on the adrenalised rise to fame for young pop starsOn the face of it, a musical about ’NSync from the point of view of Chris Kirkpatrick …

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Strategic Love Play review – witty ins and outs of the dating game

Roundabout @ Summerhall, EdinburghIn Miriam Battye’s comedic tour de force, Her and Him go through the motions of getting to know each otherGiven the survival of the species depends on it, the mating game is surprisingly hard. After so many millennia w…

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High Steaks review – labia love in a profoundly personal show

Summerhall, EdinburghEloina Haines’ performance considers her own – and other women’s – labia and the obscene pressure to make this body part conformIf the Edinburgh fringe has never really begun until the obligatory shock of full-frontal nudity, this …

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Gillian Cosgriff: Actually, Good review – musical comedy accentuates the positive

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThis relentlessly upbeat call to relish life’s little boons was an awardwinner at Melbourne’s comedy festival and is a fun hourMisery loves comedy, they say. But recent years have seen a rise in standup that flouts that id…

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Food review – Edinburgh festival banquet serves up theatrical spectacle

The Studio, EdinburghGeoff Sobelle is firmly in control of this clever show full of tricks, but it doesn’t really feed the soulA gigantic banqueting table dominates the room, with members of the audience seated around it. A formidable chandelier shimme…

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Sean and Daro Flake It ’Til They Make It review – sharp-talking Glasgow comedy

Traverse, EdinburghLaurie Motherwell’s avoidance of cliche is commendable, but it does leave this tale of a get-rich-quick scheme with little sense of jeopardyPlaywright Laurie Motherwell is sensitive about stereotypes. In a comedy about two working-cl…

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