---

August 4th-26th (23:15)
Surgeon’s Hall

Dum Vivimus Vivamus

---

Stephen Catling has brought his new, four-part show to the Edinburgh Fringe – which is part stand-up, part spectacle, partly stupendous & partly stupefying. I say that because, as I watch’d his vigorous performance, I found myself at different times laughing out loud, staring wide-eye’d, gushing with joy & wondering what the damninnit was going on! I’d taken my pals along to see him, two of whom were ‘encouraged’ onto the stage for one of the several very entertaining audience participations – of which, the sport of eating a yoghurt with toothpicks was the thrilling best. That’s what I mean when I was the show was part-spectacle – Beehavioural Problems is prop heavy, & they appear before us at a relentless pace, for Stephen is a galloping comedian & keeps us clinging on all the way right up to his incredibly, ehm, interesting climax.

I guess I should also mention that Stephen is autistic, I mean, he does himself a few times thro’ the show, & we get genuine flashes of his autism when his voice suddenly goes exhortatorialy louder & sharper in response to whatever tribulation he is facing at that moment. I should also mention the bee theme, which only pops up at the end, but rather punny-funny & dripping with honey. Before then we find ourselves rising on a tide of deft daftness all the way to the big reveal & that quite astonishing climax. So, nice one Stephen, & I’m extremely curious to see what theme you come up with next, tho’ your colorful Beehavioural Problems will definitely be sticking in my mind for a long, long time.

Damo