A Well Groomed Fringe... The Third and Final

This one dedicated to Hoffi for her birthday (yup, it's a birthday dedication week). Right where were we...

• Karaoke Circus: (This was between Herring and Pappy's but I missed it out because I'm writing this from the ones I put into the Fringe app and KC wasn't listed on there) - Basically a fantastic evening had by all. A real party atmosphere permeated through Prince's Street Gardens where we'd arrived massively early. There were some terrific performances, my personal favourites, I think, being Thom Tuck's 'National Express' (if ever a singer was better equipped to take on the theatrics of the Divine Comedy...), Justin Edwards and Gus Brown's heartfelt (and dare I say well-rehearsed rendition) of Youssou N'Dour's '7 Seconds' featuring blistering falsetto from Edwards and astounding French rapping skills from Brown and Andrew Collins' identical to the record version of 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor', if only for him announcing "turned out nice again" at the end.
• Key's Album Launch: Right, back to the canon. Again we all turned up early, early enough to see Key, Horne and Mohammed (fulfilling the role of violinist in this instance) arrive at Avalanche records. The launch itself was fairly short, but included several poems, the 'Egg' sketch and David O'Doherty's interruption causing Key to tear up one of his playing cards. Another one of those classic 'only in Edinburgh' moments. Key signed my copy of the album and graciously did the same to my copy of 'Tutelage' which I had lugged to Avalanche in a record bag. Lovely guy.
  
• Stewart Lee: Lee, a comedian's comedian, was testing material for a new tv series which included some fantastic routines about Adrian Chiles, a vast segment of callbacks and absurdities regarding charity and some fantastic lies about meeting David Cameron in univeristy. He was selling merch at the back of the gig at the end and I snapped up a copy of his book which had been consistently recommended to me during the weeks, which the man himself signed and I read a large chunk of on the train back from Edinburgh attempting to ignore some anti-social Sheffield children.
• Gutted: The latest offering from Ward and White was excellent fun. Following a girl's revenge against the husband that murdered her parents, Gutted delivers big laughs and tandout performances from the Penny Dreadfuls as men of varying heights and Colin Hoult doing a magnificent Alec Guiness in Kind Hearts and Coronets sort of turn, leading a strong ensemble cast of talent. The songs are jaunty and the piece revels in schadenfreude and black comedy. I can safely say it's the most I've ever enjoyed a musical and therefore I bestow upon it the title of 'Best Musical. Ever. In the History of Arts. Ever'.
• Seann Walsh: There's been much hype surrounding the Brighton-born comedian, touting him as one of the future stars of comedy and it's safe to assume that a fair few more appearances on Mock the Week will materialise. As for his live material however, he delivers a solid hour of observational, witty rantings. Mixing Lee Evans-style slapstick with Dylan Moran levels of cynicism and general disenchantment with life. The show was however stolen by a wheelchair-bound man. Discussing the travelators at airports and the redundant warnings of "caution, you are approaching the end", he theorised that some idiot must have fallen off it to necessitate such an announcement. The man raised his hand and explained that he'd toppled backwards whilst trying to do a wheelie, prompting the audience to fall into fits of laughter and Walsh himself to sink to the floor wrapt in serious giggling.
• The Horne Section: My second Horne Section of Edinburgh and my third overall was naturally hugely enjoyable. The Magnets (who my friend's dad had engineered a debut album for) produced some excellent a capella stylings, Paul Foot delivered a bamboozling list of 'disturbances' that left the audience as confused as they were amused, Key was as implacably hilarious as ever (his song is still one of the best things I've ever seen). Appallingly, I can't remember who else was on the bill for this one (I think there was another act- leave a comment if you can help). EDIT: It was Pete Firman, providing wonderfully flawed magic. (Thanks to Zoe)
  
• John-Luke Roberts: A clever show built around the murder of a captive offstage. Serial killer Roberts delivers some marvellous whimsy and pre-prepared insults ('you wear mediocrity like a favourite jumper' etc.) and a hilarious public service video about contraception. A strong debut.
• Keepers: Psychical theatre. When put together, two of the most terrifying words in the English language. However Keepers was a thoughful and cleverly-staged meditation on the lonely existence of two 19th century lighthouse keepers. The tension ratchets up and during a heavy storm things take a turn for the worse, creating an interesting, for want of a better comparison, Weekend at Bernie's scenario (curse my limited frame of reference...). It jumps the shark during a bit about flying and there's a slight continuity error but it's forgiven for its bold portrayal of a fascinating subject and the inclusion of an on stage musician and foley artist who got an as big, if not bigger, round of applause at the end for his brilliant work.
  
• The Horne Section: Here it was, the final Horne Section of Edinburgh. The end of my Edinburgh adventure, but it did not disappoint. Alex promised a gala evening and duly delivered quality act after quality act. Key, The Magnets, Josie Long, David O' Doherty, Al Murray (in a drumming capacity) and finally Tim Minchin! Minchin improvised a jazz improv epic interspersed with a ad hoc Key poem about cheese. I'm always blown away by the man's sheer piano chops. The Horne Section is a show so good that Jimmy Carr and this year's darling of the Fringe Bo Burnham just turned up to stand at the back and watch. 'Nuff said.
  

Shows I didn't see:

• Bo Burnham: Winner of the 'Spirit of the Fringe' award. Apparently the Spirit of the Fringe is being young, already rich and from the internet. Not so sure about that one...