one4review | On 04, Aug 2025

I had planned a retro 80s Fringe day and decided to end the night with Bobby Davro is the Funny Magnet, a performer who rose to fame in the 1980s. I was curious to see whether there had been any modernisation of his material, especially following a sell-out debut show last year. I can confirm: the show is very much stuck in yesteryear.

Things didn’t start well—we found ourselves standing on the stairwell, listening to Davro warm up while waiting to be seated. The show began 15 minutes late. When Davro finally appeared, resplendent in a sequined jacket, a disclaimer targeting “snowflakes” and “woke” culture played on screen. The audience was then invited to sing “Bobby Davro” during The Proclaimers’ “500 Miles.” An hour of seaside-style comedy was about to begin.

There were occasional flashes of classic showmanship and professionally delivered one-liners. However, my friend managed to finish the punchline before Davro on two occasions—the jokes felt tired and unoriginal, more cringeworthy than offensive.  About 30 minutes into the show, a large group decided to leave. As they exited, the general consensus seemed to be that they were not entertained.

One pleasant surprise was the quality of Davro’s singing voice. His parodies of Tom Jones, Billy Joel, and “Ol’ Blue Eyes” Frank Sinatra were good. This was the strongest part of the show, along with a well-timed three-minute impressions segment. Unfortunately, by the end, Davro appeared to be running out of steam.

The show feels mismatched with the spirit of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Davro might find more success on the working men’s club circuit, where his nostalgic style would likely be better received.

**1/2

Reviewed by Louise Hall

Bier Keller at Frankenstein Pub 21.00 until 24 August