The Fringe can at times be overfacing, and with so many incredible comedy acts, it’s difficult to know what to book, and whether you’ll enjoy it. The Laughing Horse Pick of The Fringe is essentially a try before you buy of some of the best comedy acts of the festival, giving you a 10-minute taster session of five acts. It’s a fantastic and fun way to get a feel for the comedy scene.
The night kicked off with emcee Dave Chawner who expertly warmed the crowd up and established an open, fun atmosphere which carried throughout the show. Chawner introduced each act with short interludes of his own comedy, which kept the energy high and made for a great crowd.
The first two acts, Australia’s Ty Gray and Canada’s David Tsonos, shared similar themes about cultural differences that they shared with the UK and with their respective partners. This is always a risk of having multiple comedians perform, however these similarities did not detract from their sets which both kept the crowd laughing.
Steph DePrez followed, an American opera singer whose act consisted of her performing Italian opera and then translating it into a ‘valley girl’ American accent. Although simple in concept, this act was hilarious and her vocals were simply stunning.
For me it was the final two acts that stole the show. Hasan Al-Habib’s crowd work was hysterical, his set about his Iraqi-Muslim background was delivered at a fast pace with jokes consistently hitting. Finally, ‘Silky’ was easily the funniest act of the night for me. He arrived on stage with acoustic guitar in hand and performed an improvised song about audience members which was not only hugely impressive but hilarious.
I can’t guarantee that every Pick of The Fringe show will have such a strong line-up as this one, but if you are looking for a quick sample of the comedy that the fringe has to offer, this is the fun, fast paced, and varied show for you.
Laughing Horse Pick of The Fringe is running until 30 August at The Three Sisters (The Live Room and Maggie’s Chamber), West Nic Records – Main Cellar, and The Pear Tree – Main Room. Buy tickets here.
Image provided by Laughing Horse as press material.
