Tiger Paws Junior

Review: Andrew Maxwell Preview Show

Andrew Maxwell – Oh Contraire, Assembly 22.30 daily

Tiger Paws Junior’s Stories – **** 4 Stars

It’s remarkable the confidence and brilliance of some of the top comedians in the Fringe. Edinburgh is the biggest Fringe festival in the world…by far. All the top acts come here to showcase their new and old shows. People like Nina Conti, Tommy Tiernan, Dave O’Doherty, Rory McGrath, Jo Brand etc all walk the streets with pleasure and perform sold out shows every night.

Andrew Maxwell fits perfectly into this category of greatness. This is his 21st year performing at the Fringe festival and he walked on stage on his opening night with a smile that told the audience it was great to be back.

As it was his preview show, only flying in the night before, he carried with him his set list and apologised for his lack of preparation. When he got immediately heckled by an old biddy in the front row, he told the audience that this was why he relished being back in Scotland. He asked her was that her first heckle of her season to which she replied ‘Not Really’…he asked her how that made sense to which she replied easily ‘I shouted at someone across the street earlier today’. It brought the house down and he blew her a kiss and thanked her for her magic.

The show was rough and he tangented of his unfinished script quite a lot, recalling a story of the previous day and a delivery man walking into his back garden with a package for next door and leaving it there. It was a really enjoyable, refreshing show.

Maybe what distinguishes the returning old-timed, experienced, tried and tested comedians and the nervous newbies is the ability to relax on stage and trust the material. That, along with the delivery, Maxwell has in abundance, and I’m sure his show will be as tight as a rope this week.

I was just happy I saw him in his ragged, raw and funny show. It was the first time I have seen him and I was perfectly happy with the results. If there was one comment in the negative, I would question his mind set. He claims to be happy out, too happy for comedy, and wills the audience and the UK in general to be happier and less argumentative on social media etc. It just seemed a bit whiny and preachy at some points…then he got heckled again by your one and the audience lapped it up again.

A really enjoyable 4 star show.

Tiger Paws Junior’s Stories – 4 Stars

Review: A Life with the Beatles, Apex Intl Hotel

Tiger Paws Junior’s Stories Review ( **** 4 Star Show)

This gripping show tells the story of the Beatles first rodie and tour manager, Nick Aspinnal, when they were in the height of their fame. It starts with an old Neil, played wonderfully, sitting talking to the audience. He has since the Beatles, become a member of Apple Corps CEO, but he immediately transports us back to his late teen years.

He recounts his first job in accountancy and a friend of his getting kicked out of the band after the bands famous long stint in Hamburg, Germany.

He then moves through time, cleverly intertwining the Beatles chronology via songs and backing music as he describes when Beatlemania took the world by storm and he was travelling along with them. He ironed their shirts, listened to their problems and a really lovely relationship between himself and the Beatles record label head Bob is struck up.

Neil describes how John and Paul were wonderfully inspired by Love, Sense and inevitably, psychedelic drugs. He uses songs such as Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and Come Together to take the audience on the trip with him through his memory.

It really was inevitable that Neil would lure us into his world. He tells the story well and anyone who loves the music of the most famous band in the world will enjoy this show. The set is great, it’s a beautiful new script by Italian writer, David Verazzani translated into English by Sabrina Maccahi and the actor nails his role.

You will enjoy the show, it is a slow starter but at the end you will be moved. This write certainly was.

Tiger Paws Junior’s Stories – 4 Stars

Day 6 – Edinburgh Fringe Festival

What a greeeat day. When your day starts with meeting and listening to John Hannah for an hour, it’s gonna be a good day. Pleasance Bytes every Saturday morning at 11.30 am stages an Inside the Actors Interview-esque, interview with Fringe stars. Yesterday it was John being interviewed by Mark Fisher author of How to Write About Theatre.

John recounted tales of Drama School and getting cast in Four Weddings and a Funeral. He then moved on to films such as The Mummy and Spartacus. It was just a pleasure to listen to his insights.

When I asked him about the difference between American and British Drama School training in terms of American Chekov feelings versus British technicality, he described how both sides of his brain were working simultaneously on stage. He was the character on stage completely but he also allowed himself be John and think that maybe he’d want a cup of tea after the show and that he had to hit his lights and he had been directed a certain way so he had to do it that way. It was a really interesting talk.

His show, The Titanic Orchestra is playing throughout the Fringe in the Pleasance Courtyard at 7.15 pm.

John Hannah and Mark Fisher — Mark Fisher and John Hannah

I then legged it back and did the show which went well. Our audiences have been really lovely.

Straight from the show to George Montague, a great up-and–coming musician who has a nice acoustic set going on. Pedal and Loop is very in at the moment. He was good and then audience, especially two young kids, seemed to like it too. It was a nice setting too, outside in the sun, near Underbelly.

I then had a little sit in the park cuz I was wrecked after the show and then adrenaline had worn off. I did see a nice girl with a kite though.

I then headed back to Drummond Street for our second show. It was another smashing show, probably our best of the Fringe to date.

Finally I was walking home and a nice flyer-er outside of Guilded Balloon recommended a ticket to Dave Callan’s new show A little less Conversation 2. I’m so glad I said Yes because it was so good. If you like Dance, Comedy and beautiful girls, go to this show. It really won’t dissapoint you. Just make sure you bring a few beers in with you and get involved!

So we had a few beers after with friends and headed home exhausted. Two more shows today and then a day off on Tuesday (Whoop whoop).

Think I’m booked in to see an Italian Beatles show at 5.15pm today to so that should be lovely. I really wanna see some Dance too, maybe in C Venues… (the photo below is genuinely one of my favourite photos I’ve ever take btw)

Chat to you all tomorrow, hope you’re all having a good day.

Stay safe out there,

TPJ x

Meeting John Hannah

Pleasance Bytes (***** 5 Star Show, Tiger Paws Junior Stories)

John Hannah is a legend, I think a lot of people know this fact.

From Four Wedding and a Funeral to Sliding Doors to The Mummy or Spartacus, the Scottish native had all the elegance and eloquence that I had expected.

Mark Fisher sat him down and asked him questions of his life in a sort of Inside the Actors Studio vibe and we the audience sat there in silence, listening to a modern great recall stories of Drama School, to camel riding on the set of the Mummy.

I won’t say much more but that it was a pleasure to meet him. He has a show running in Edinburgh called The Titanic Orchestra showing at Pleasance Courtyard and I can’t wait to see it. I believe Pleasance Bytes runs every Saturday morning from now on in Pleasance with a different Fringe big name interviewed by Mark each time. Looking forward to the next one.

TPJ x

A Review: A Little Less Conversation

A Little Less Conversation 2

Dave Callan, Guilded Balloon 22.45

Rating by Tiger Paws Junior’s Stories ***** (5 Star Show)

Edinburgh is hard! I think everyone who comes here knows that, especially the performers. It’s hard for the venues, its hard for the livers, it’s hard for the natives. What makes a show great or not is how hard everyone works together on their project. And A Little Less Conversation 2 works bloody hard.

Dave Callan, a Viking lookalike, Dundalk lad living in Australia now, has put together this wonderful show over the passed two years. He takes us on a journey through the Alphabet naming a dance (or several dances) for each letter and he doesn’t hold back on any performance moves.

I think I found it so refreshing because I had just come off a 2 show day and was wrecked. I was heading home and a nice flyer-er pulled me aside and just asked would I like to come it. He pulled out a flyer and it had a tiger on the page. How could I not go!

So I entered the show with limited expectations and two Ciders in hand. Out comes Dave and his four absolutely beautiful backing dancers and they perform a super rendition of Hit me Baby One More Time complete with full outfit and choreography. That sums up the entire 55 minutes of entertainment.

I guess what I liked most about it, apart from the obvious amount of work that the cast put into it, was that it is a fearless show. There wasn’t even a hint of fear in his eyes from start to finish and that, with the incredible amount of preparation, is why I rated the show a 5’er.

The only thing that this show needs more of is Drunken punters in the audience. The more the merrier as they say, so if you like Dance and Booze and A Good time, fly up to Guided Balloon’s Dining Room at 22.45pm. I had a great time!

Tiger Paws Junior (5 Stars) August 10th 2015

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