Edinburgh Fringe 2022
A Political Breakfast
Jesters Dublin / PBH's Free Fringe
Venue: PBH's Free Fringe @ Natural Food Kafe - Basement
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Three amiable comedians take you through the topical issues which included for us, the Northern Irish problem, Tree of the Year, an audience topic which this morning was Taiwan, other available shows – including those or especially those, our hosts are in – and Boris. Of course, it also takes in the Brexit issue as well as the number of opportunities to discuss everything from national service in Switzerland to American arms – thanks to those people who are in the audience, as we meander along with the only destination being a possible solution from our gang of three.
Review
The premise for A Political Breakfast s a simple one. Our host, Irish comedian, Chris O’Neil, supported by Harun Masho’d takes us through some rambling discussions, hoping to find comedy gold or at least pleasant conversation, with a third guest in the company from the many comedians at the Fringe. To help things along, he also invites an audience topic to cement the relationship between us.
Whilst O’Neil drives the conversation, he is ably supported by Musho’d and this morning Andrew White. O’Neil is a decent raconteur and an amiable host, and the structure of the performance is that he provides some topics, asks his guests to contribute, throws it out to the audience and then we return to the hosts to give us a solution. Where it does struggle a bit is that the fluidity of the process begins to lose the structure and the idea as we progress through the topics of the day. It’s a bit like watching the news as people remember things that need reported rather than following a script – might improve the news a little if it were to become universally adopted, if you ask me.
This morning their collective ideas included the idea of us taking both Boris and Arlene Foster back into the fold to promote unity in Ireland which was original and funny, the Tree of the Year which became very pun heavy – not all funny, but amiable enough, Taiwan which was fascinating and the Swiss army/ Taiwanese military service discussion was more interesting than it was hilarious, other Fringe shows which were understandably – and pardonably – self-indulgent whilst Boris is a topic rich in absurdist reality already, never mind an imaginative challenge for anyone to find humour in.
Of course, with the premise being dependent upon audience participation and the varying comic effect of the news, this will always be a hit or miss but with O’Neil and Musho’d at the centre it has a heart and core of comedy that makes it a very good way to start your day. I could, however, do with at least one host laughing at their own jokes a wee bit less.
P.S. Breakfast is suggested as available at the venue, but it is liquid… and hot…
