one4review | On 08, Aug 2016

You need a ticket to get into this show. You don’t need to pay for it, but you do need to ask for it at the bar. There’s a small sign at the door informing you of this fact, but once the queue’s started, you can’t see it. The reasons for the tickets are Seann Walsh and Mark Simmons. Lots of people want to see them, but the room isn’t the biggest venue in Edinburgh.

Ostensibly, Mr Walsh, being the benevolent and experienced established comedian that he is, has offered to help Mr Simmons improve his comedy performance (in front of a live audience). For about the first seven minutes of said ‘help’, I really wanted to leave because show-Walsh presented as such a pillock, being really mean to Simmons. The knowledge that this was for effect, rather than a true presentation of himself didn’t really make it any better.

However.

The whole thing turned out to be really bloody funny. The concept is well developed, and they present believable-enough characters: Walsh as a slightly bitter ‘least appreciated comedian on the Fringe’, and Simmons as the apparently naive ingénue trying to please his mentor. Most of the funny came from Simmons, and some the funniest bits were those that were improvised. They play with expectations and stereotypes, poking fun at themselves and comedy in general.

The ending, as they pointed out after they had done it, was a bit flat. But the explanation of why it was flat gave the audience a chance to see a little of the normal Seann and Mark, which was nice after the horrible show-Seann.
Packed out on its second day in, definitely worth a watch.

Banshee Labyrinth, 15:10

Reviewed by Laura