Gilded Balloon Comedy (November)

Festival Studio Theatre, Edinburgh

7th November

Keara Murphy Chris Forbes Rob Rouse

In recent months, the Gilded Balloon comedy nights have begun to dip their comedy wicks in Fife, & has seen their comedians’ weekends begin on a Wednesday. Thus, by the time they reach Edinburgh’s Festival studio on the Saturday, one of two things has happened. (A) : they have honed their routine to perfection; or (B) they have one hell of a hangover & have lost their golden touch. For tonight’s MC, Scott Gibson, it was clear;y a case of A, for the guy is a rip-roaring class act who warmed up the crowd nightly, getting us all familiar with the front row, which consisted of a group of mums on tour, & a couple of young sailors stationed in Edinburgh. The highlight of his wee sesh was going on about Tindog – the tinder for breeders, which set him off an a hilarious canine-comparison flounce ending in coco-pops being sprinkled in dog-poo, rendering it crunchier for the little mutts when they munch it.

KEARA MURPHY

two-stars

Material Delivery Laughs

For me, it seemed that Keara Murphy, a self-confessed lover of the booze, was more of the B category as stated above. The facade was there, a hard-living Weegie-bird who takes no prisoners, but it felt like she was just going through the paces. Her material was classic Glasgow-Edinburgh fare, & it seemed like she had been thrown into the mix to please any visitors to Scotland that were in the crowd – so the mums in the front row loved her. Likeable, but slightly annoying, her best stuff was her rendition of what really goes on inside another Weegie woman’s mind – Lorraine Kelly. This was genuinely hilarious & I think on another night she could have had us all eating out of her hand – but she just wasnt on it tonight.

CHRIS FORBES

Material Delivery Laughs

Chris Forbes, however, was completely different. A young comic on the rise, his delivery was bang on, coming with a nonchalant conversational manner full of quips & clever subtleties, all born from a clear genius in the craft. From a small town in the highlands, his arrival in the capital is a breath of fresh air, his hearth-side humour as refreshing as a walk beside Loch Tollaid. Way up north, with no proper football team for miles, he & his family are fans of the national team, & for me, wonderful expose on the world of the Tartan Army’s song-selection was the highlight of his set.

ROB ROUSE

Material Delivery Laughs

When a comedy selection’s headliner uses the word ‘undercrackers’ you are know you’re in for a good do. Hailing from the Peak District, Rob Rouse & his soul-touching accent is a surreal spot of comedy emerald, who gives us a well warm window into the funny moments of his life. Blending amiability with theatrical virtuosity, Rouse is a real treat & his talented ‘truth-bombs’ were a perfect way to finish the night’s entertainment – although his brilliance definitely came on in waves with the occasional lag in momentum. His extended, gag-packed finale was the reportrayal of the time his 5-a-side football pal & doctor, Andy, gave him the finger… up the bum in a Prostrate-gland examination.