Pear Shaped Review 2006

REVIEWER: Ollie Wilson
Pear Shaped at Midnight 2006

I hit the town in a big way last night, checking out the Assembly Rooms and the Pleasance Courtyard, before flowing down the hill to the Holyrood Tavern for my annual feast of madness at Brian and Vicky (Krysstal) Damage's Pear-Shaped at Midnight.
Earlier in the evening, I had seen an Israeli comedian doing a Siberian character act badly while being outwitted by the small and intelligent audience at a free venue. So, a chaotic evening of comedy with some great new acts seemed like a breath of fresh air.
The club is held in the back room of the pub where Brian and Vicky met in the millennium year when they both had shows there as well as one of my favourite acts the Comedy Referee, Ivan Steward.
Despite their age difference, Brian and Vicky fell in love and married and have happily been promoting shows there since. They also became a double act and have over the years perfected their performance together.
Their warm-up is a sure fire hit, regardless of how small an audience is or how hard to please. The show is a straight transfer of what they do in London: a random bunch of comedians who have rolled up on the night. The good, the bad, and downright ugly of comedy. Somehow with the bread of Brian and Krysstal (Vicky's stage name) between the jam of these acts, the show nearly always works.
The show I attended last night was the first of this year's run of Pear Shaped at Midnight (the forthcoming ones at time of publication are from midnight on August 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26, 2006).

First act up was Karl Edrik, a strapping big lad with some good material. He showed promise but needs to work on his delivery. Next I have to confess I went up and performed a poem written for the Oliver's Poetry website.

Then Fringe stalwart Peter Buckley Hill appeared wild and wonderful with a satiric song lampooning the raw ambition of many Fringe performers. Buckley Hill has done much for the Fringe, promoting more than 50 free shows this year, and remains a Rebel Within.
Caroline Clifford - a pretty girl clad in something akin to DDR Communist Party garb - was a very funny act; the storyboard sequence at the end being particularly strong. She could have a great future in comedy.
Dave Howarth had some good gags, and Ginger and Black - unsurprisingly a flame-haired woman and black guy - were outstanding. The send-up of Eminem's Stan was absolutely brilliant. They need to develop a lot more material but have genuine star potential. (But please change that embarrassing name).
Man mountain Rennay was also good. The line in one routine that 'all weddings are gay' won a particularly big laugh.
Tiffany, who looked like a model, gave what appeared to be a slightly sozzled performance, ranting about a range of subjects including boyfriends. It was not polished but had its moments such as her examination of GIWLTFs (Grannies I Would Like To F***). Weird or what?
Rich Sandling performed well with some strong material.
Having patiently waited a long time to go on, Judy Batalion was excellent. Her routine about her mother and technology was particularly outstanding. She has great stage presence as well as a winning smile.
Phil Kline was laconic and amusing in an anarchic sort of way, rounding off a first-rate evening. It did not matter that when you took away the comics, reviewer, and camera crew, the audience comprised just two people. Indeed it was undoubtedly a finer evening for it.
I got back to the Edinburgh Garret at 3.30am, exhausted but happy.
Ollie Wilson