one4review | On 09, Aug 2025

Benjamin Alborough is Terry Wogan “back from the dead”. This is a  late night Fringe show with a format which offers much promise in an Alan Partridge chat show host style parody. Unfortunately, this is improvised and as a result lacks structure and is just chaotic.

Tonight we have on Terry’s sofa; “Keanu Reeves”, “Sydney Sweeney” and “David Lynch”. The latter of which is notably played by Alasdair Beckett-King, who with his long flowing pre Raphaelite style red locks and beard, is quite an unconvincing David Lynch!

This Terry Wogan has a side kick in the shape of Joseph Stalin. He sits by the side of the stage looking more like Super Mario! Free from the burden of Collectivization, it was good to see Stalin back on form!

There is an excellent house band who are inexplicably medieval and set the scene with a Terry Wogan singalong chant. They have their time in the spotlight throughout but, and I’m sure it’s by design, look not at all happy to be here!

The late night Fringe crowd are receptive and entertained by the “anything can happen” style entertainment, and as this is improvised, anything indeed can happen. This was possibly not their best night but it will be a different show each evening.

***
Reviewed by Margot

Assembly George Square (Studio One)
August 15th and 22nd @ 22:45