Venue 33, Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance One,
3rd-24th Aug (not 15, 22), 1.30pm-3.00pm
"A vibrant, stimulating showcase of talent."
SATURDAY 17th AUGUST 2024
Pleasance One, Venue 33
1.30pm-3.00pm
Tickets: £17.50
TODAY'S LINE UP
These Are the Contents of My Head (The Annie Lennox Show)
Cabaret and Variety (theatre, music)
Annie Lennox's transcendent solo album DIVA stands at the centre of this sparkling story about strong, defiant women and the little gay boy who loves them. Careening from Judy Garland's definitive Carnegie Hall concert to Kate Chopin's groundbreaking feminist novel The Awakening, Salty Brine defies the cabaret form in ways that must be witnessed to be believed. High camp and heartbreaking drama collide as Brine charts his way, track by track, through Lennox's masterpiece. 'A storyteller in total command of voice, a cocked eyebrow and his audience.' (Guardian).
Huge Davies: Album For My Ancestors (Dead)
Comedy (musical comedy, stand-up)
Nominee: Edinburgh Fringe Best Newcomer (2019). After multiple sell-out, five-star stand-up comedy shows (two), Huge Davies is recording his first ever music album and everyone's allowed to watch and pay. Armed only with his signature wearable keyboard, an Edinburgh Best Newcomer Nomination, a baffling lack of charisma and a residence on Cats Does Countdown; will Huge deliver a show again? Yes. 'Utterly hilarious' ***** (BroadwayWorld.com). 'You've got to be there' ***** (EdFringeReview.com). 'Devastatingly funny, perfect' ***** (TheReviewsHub.com). 'Had me shaking with laughter' **** (Telegraph).
Something To Believe In
Theatre (comedy, lgbtq+)
It's like confession without the guilt. Question who "deserves" a place in heaven in this divinely dark comedy. Faith and queerness clash at an all-girls Catholic school in Kentucky, as one senior hurtles to graduation feeling less than blessed. Forced to reconcile her undeniable queerness with the religion that raised her, Sarah Alice Shull asks if these two pieces of a person can grow together… and if they should. An outrageously funny and heartfelt exploration of what we're taught to believe; featuring Maroon 5, purity rings and the Catholic church.
/ and Her
Theatre (new writing, drama)
The infamous words added by King Edward VI to his last will and testament ‘/ and her’ unexpectedly thrust the 15-year-old Jane Grey onto the throne of England for a mere 9 days. Yet, amidst the annals of history, her cousin of equal age, Jane Lumley, remains largely obscure. However, Lumley is the authoress of the earliest known English translation of Iphigenia at Aulis, a play about the martyrdom of a young girl to her state. Join us as we delve into the power of language to redefine destinies in the midst of England's turbulent religious revolution.
Abby Wambaugh: The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows
Comedy (stand-up, storytelling)
Abby awoke in hospital after a late miscarriage and, high on anaesthesia, decided to become a comedian. In this silly, goofy, heartfelt show Abby presents her best 17 ideas for her highly anticipated debut hour, including potential hits like Old Man Learns Parkour and a very long impression of the number nine. Funny Women finalist and co-host of Help Hole podcast alongside Sofie Hagen. 'Reminiscent of Hannah Gadsby or Tig Notaro... Tackles what could be a thorny, complex subject with grace, underplayed charm and some great jokes' (Chortle.co.uk).
Jo Caulfield Pearls Before Swine
Comedy (satire, stand-up)
Jo's best jokes and funniest routines from her 2024 tour show. Voted Comedian's Comedian of the Year. Relish razor-sharp observations and scandalous one-liners as Jo gets her claws into everything that annoys her. Featured on HIGNFY, House Of Games, Mock The Week, Michael McIntyre Show, John Bishop Show, Breaking The News. 'Packed with brilliant lines, embarrassing anecdotes and hilarious insights' ***** (Herald). 'Sharp-witted urban comedy that goes down a treat' ***** (Times). 'One of Britain's smartest comics' ***** (Scotsman). 'There is a reason her shows are constantly selling out, she is fantastic' ***** (ThreeWeeks).
House of Cleopatra
Musicals and Opera (immersive, drag)
The charisma of Beyoncé, the influence of Oprah and the wealth of the Kardashians: Cleopatra had it all. 31 BCE finds the most powerful woman in the ancient world, celebrating Egypt's triumph over Rome with an extravagant celebration. But outside the city walls, danger lurks and enemies plot her dynasty's end just as the party hits its crescendo. Set to an original high-octane pop score by Laura Kleinbaum and Jeff Daye, this immersive musical examines history's most mysterious ruler and mixes historical drama with an enveloping spectacle that will leave audiences guessing and grooving all night long.
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