4 Stars

****

Sam Simmons brand of comedy defies easy pigeon holing. This I learned from seeing him last year. It is unpredictable, frenetic and very funny, hilariously so at times.

There is a theatrical feel to his show, with his failures forming the recurring theme. This is maintained by his tightly scripted responses to a soundtrack of a set of bizarre quiz questions. Despite the mayhem, this gives the show some coherence. The answers to these questions give him the opportunity to go off in all kinds of directions form the surreal to the slapstick – cracking one liners, long rants and  visual gags with props like Diane the cabbage and a sellotape dispenser. He is a master of non sequitur humour. The soundtrack also has backing music for a variety of silly songs.

He ends optimistically by appreciating the small things in life which give him happiness, thus throwing off the shackles of failure. It is interesting leaving the Dining Room auditorium because you are passing close to the performance area and it is littered with all the many props he has used, from a saucepan to bundles of wool. It does give confirmation that his humour is the product of an inventive and ingenious mind.

Reviewed by Ben

Venue; Venue Number                  Gilded Ballon Teviot; V14

Dates                                                  4 to 29 August 2010

Times                                                 21.15 to 22.15

Fringe Programme Page Number: 118