****

4 Stars

I willing to bet that if you asked a selection of comedians who they thought was one of the best in the business a huge number would opt for Carey Marx. Who? That is the unfortunate reaction from far too many of the public. I was fortunate in that I got into his humour a few years ago and he has remained high on my list of must sees.

Marx is not a dynamic comedian, he enters his show through the audience door and few are aware that he is the performer, prior to him hitting the stage and introducing himself.

He is engaging in his approach and at his very best when his humour heads down the dark route as it does often. And he has that positively evil grin!!

The show is centred on his one time job as a Blue Coat at Pontin’s back in 1985 and the séance he was persuaded to lead, and con his friends.

Marx is adept as a magician, which he proves with some simple tricks, but goes on to disparage such talents and highlight cons such as… and… No I’m not going to tell you go and see him and find out.

He saves his most vitriolic stuff for religion however, claiming there have been walk outs during this part. Certainly there were none at the packed show I saw, and around another 50 or so were well aware of Marx power, hopefully they will return in the future as I certainly hope to.

****

Reviewed by Geoff

Stand II V5

6 to 29 August

19-50 to 20-50

Fringe Brochure P 40