one4review | On 09, Aug 2024

In August, in a dark cave in the labyrinth of Edinburgh’s Old town, lurks Mark Simmonds, an extremely personable comic, and a true exponent of the ‘one-liner’ style of comedy. In my opinion there are few, if any, better at this artform.
Greeted by the man himself the audience were quickly settled and this relaxed show was off and running. Mark is firing on all cylinders with a mix of belly-laughs and a few intentional groans to get everyone warmed up and it doesn’t take long.
The gag fest is broken up into manageable chunks when he chats with his crowd, it makes sense, it gives a chance to rest the chuckle muscles before the next salvo of merriment hits hard and true.
Simmons explains that partly this show is test driving some newer stuff that is being honed prior to his, never ending seemingly, tours and judging by ‘the guinea pigs’, us, and our reaction whether they were kept or rejected.
If there was a slight fault, in my opinion the show was too short, running for just under 50 minutes, however perhaps this was just as well, I felt we were exhausted with all the laughing as it was.
****.1/2
Reviewed by Geoff
PBH free Fringe @ Liquid Room Annexe
13.45 – 14.35
Until 24th August