one4review | On 08, Aug 2025

This may seem like an odd title for a show in Edinburgh and Simon explains that the title is taken from Coleridge’s epic poem Kubla Khan. Oh that explains it! The relevance is lost on me and perhaps most of the audience at the Just the Tonic Caves.

The intellectual thought process behind the naming of the show does tend to set the tone. The show presents as more of an hour’s lecture than a stand up comedy show.

Simon Evans is a Fringe veteran of twenty years plus and begins the show by telling us that he has played more venues at the Fringe, than possibly anyone else, and admits that he may have burnt a few bridges along the way.

Simon steers well clear of making any political comments and references to cancel culture are fleeting.

We are regaled and furnished with many facts and references to Plato and Aristotle and the relevance of playing in “the caves” venue this evening. It begins to feel a little like a history lesson with very few laughs to lighten the tone.

Simon is clearly an educated man with many talents. A talent, or shall we say, previous job was as a writer for a porn magazine. He is in good company, as we are told that Alistair Campbell wrote for the same publication.

Now that’s an interesting fact!

***
Reviewed by Margot

Until August 24th
JTT at the Caves (Just the Big Room) @ 18:00