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Edinburgh Fringe 2017

Chips and Cheese

Awkward Talkers Theatre Company

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fringe Theatre, New Writing, Theatre

Venue: the Space on the Mile

Festival:


Low Down

A simple tale, simply told as we have Youtube star Bex and her boyfriend Phillip who have just moved up to Scotland. Whilst she is a Youtube star, he seems to be a bit of an artist. Cue the arrival of best friend, Harry. Harry and Bex share a secret which, once it tumbles out, is the cue for her grandparents to arrive. Being a wee bit more Mrs Brown/Still Game than Grandpa Broon, this soon descends into home grown advice from a couple of roasters. All good fun – even if yer English.

Review

This is a young Scottish company who have arrived at the fringe after a crowdfunding campaign to get there. I have to say they make a pretty decent fist of it though there are some raw edges to it all. Whilst the humour does saw the knuckle off rather than go for the subtlety of character development, this has a certain charm about it. Big and bold the stereotypes are mercilessly plundered though the reason for the problems that arise are far from cultural or based in ethnicity.

The script shows that they have an ear for comedy and though it will never win a Pulitzer, nor possibly get a second airing, this run should give these guys the confidence to motor on. The place was packed and they ought to be encouraged to come back with more serious material.

I don’t mean very serious stuff but something that adds to the comic cannon. This could be a company who do make great strides in the comic circuit but it does need a sharper edge and more experience to make it. One thing youth does not bring is experience and I would love to see the sequel – chips, cheese and curry sauce anyone?

With the young company being, well young, they ask us to stretch our credibility a little with the arrival of the auld yins. Having said that they do manage enough pathos and humour to be convincing though their mouths betray a youthful exuberance rather than an elderly reticence when it comes to direct and indirect comments!

The set was functional and had enough of the charm of arriving at a new flat and performing at the Fringe to make you understand why a table is not needed. Costumes were equally functional with humour gained from a kilt that’s a wee girl’s skirt which was joined by Phillip wearing a feminist t-shirt that succeeded in confusing grandpa.

Taking comedy into the Festival can be a bit of a risk given the number of stand ups vying to take the ticket money but the Fringe can also be somewhere that you are likely to win as people are in a comic mood; see the history of the aforementioned Still Game. It does hit some heights but could do with development though at the end you are left in no doubt who, in the house, wears the onesie.

Published