****

4 Star

 Nearly every venue runs a similar sort of show these days but the one I return to year after year is the one that is at The Stand I every week day.

Hosted by STV’s The Hour reporter and comedian Bruce Devlin, it is part chat show part showcase for acts who come along for the chat and to promote their main shows, a win-win situation for all concerned.

Bruce set proceeding off as only he can, generally warming up the crowd true compere style before settling down to interview and chat with his first guest Karl Donnelly. These two obviously get on well and the banter is good throughout the all too short section available, but judging on that Karl’s own show on at The Underbelly should be well worth catching.

Next was a brief stand-up segment by Steven Carlin who is performing at Stand II. Carlin is based down south but comes from Scotland and it is not too often he is found on his home turf.

After a brief interval, there is a brief example of magic from Magic Mandy Muden who performed a cunning piece of mind reading before Bruce picked up the reigns again. TV presenter, former MP, comedian and writer Giles Brandreth was the next chat guest and I was most impressed with his storytelling. Although he is very successful on the telly, he obviously enjoys Edinburgh as this is his third visit. He is performing at Pleasance One throughout the Fringe.

The final stand-up section was from Pete Johansson who is performing at Assembly and although it was his ‘last years’ material he presented, it gave a flavour of what he can deliver.

At that was it, all finished for the day, but with a brand new line-up each day it is obvious that this is a show that can be visited more than once, and there’s good food on offer too.

****

Reviewed by Geoff

Stand I Venue 5

12-45 to 14-00

Fringe brochure page 55