****

After a few years’ break from the Fringe, the Early Edition makes a welcome return. Posh boy Marcus Brigstocke and Brixton boy Andre Vincent take a satirical look at the daily newspapers and throw in a bit of gentle leg-pulling along the way.

Each day they have different guests – actress and writer Carrie Quinlan, and comedian Terry Alderton on the occasion I saw the show. Naturally, the show is unstructured and follows the whim of each of the performers. Thus, some of the banter is hilarious and some doesn’t work so well, but there are enough humorous nuggets to keep the laughs flowing.

One issue is worth mentioning from the huge range of topics covered. There is the controversy of the selling of school playing fields in England. Brigstocke has a less than complementary estimation of the Education Secretary and is encouraging us all to say his name as Michael GOOve.

The show was brought to a clever finale. The comedy singing group Jonny and the Baptists were set a challenge the previous day of writing a song about Ian Duncan-Smith’s accusation that the BBC had developed a left wing bias. They came up with a blues song with a suitably stinging riposte. On the evidence of this song alone, their show would be worth taking in.

As for tomorrow’s show, who knows, but the format with Brigstocke and Vincent in charge of proceedings is a winner.

Reviewed by Ben

Udderbelly Bristo Square: 300

2 to 25 August 2012 (not 13)

14.00 – 15.00

Fringe Programme Page Number: 72