Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Low Down
Tales of growing up gay in rural Ireland, interspersed with songs with a Celtic flavour and a superb audience interaction.
Review
With his tongue firmly in cheek, though not necessarily his own, Mark T. Cox provides an hilarious hour recounting his life growing up as a gay man in the West of Ireland. He offers tales of gay life, a “blow by blow” account of his sexual experiences, (yes,there’s a nice “Carry On” feel to the show), and sings songs by world famous Irish artists.
It’s that claim that provides most of the comedy, as those Irish artists include the likes of Jennifer Lopez, the Spice Girls and a descendent of Bally Minouge! We are given some “original material “such as a Christmas song that sounds suspiciously like Wham’s Last Christmas, but that’s the joy as he cleverly alters the lyrics to reflect a sleazy, happy weekend, or his tribulations with his best friend and occasional lover, servicing the straight men of his town, Dublin and now, allegedly, Edinburgh!
It’s all performed with a twinkle in his eye and with tons of that legendary Irish charm, and with excellent audience interaction. What would have been a niche show in the 1980s, with the Leather Man drag even more emphasised, (think of the clone from the Village People), now attracts a more diverse audience, Cox even has to check if an audience member belongs to “the community “. Whilst this is to be celebrated, I felt the material could have gone further, there’s no shock value, the naughtiness pushed a little further, he certainly has the charm to get away with it. In the 1980s High Energy hit Male Stripper, Man 2 Mans sang about leather man drag, and here Cox has slightly watered down that look, perhaps making it more universal. His confidence is high, the writing well structured, a very well crafted comedy show, but there are a few envelopes that could be pushed. That said, this is a witty, celebratory way to spend an hour of your time, and if you love a good singalong, then this is the show for you!
