Tuesday 12 August 2014

Mark Nelson - Please Think Responsibly, The Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe 2014

By Laura King

I was attracted by the title which had led me to expect a sharp-suited Scottish political comedian.

I found myself somewhat disappointed when a scruffy figure in jeans and polo shirt shambled onto the stage. Ah well, at least he was Scottish, I thought.

As he later revealed, he is a relatively recent father, which explained the jaded look. He was the third male comedian we'd seen who spent at least half their act extolling the joys (and otherwise) of fatherhood employing TMI - Too Much Information.

Good poster boys for contraception, one and all.  And all of them inserted some paedophilia jokes and allusions, rather unwisely, presumably testing to see if it was now laughing material again, post-Savile. It does not seem to be.

However, I enjoyed the Scottish material, the referendum routine, the row with his wife about Navaho white paint and what he actually put on the walls.

He did paint a depressing picture of manhood though: no emotions, terrible sex and allegedly a boring b***ard who doesn't understand what his wife sees in him.

Nor did I by the end of the show, well-delivered as it was. I was just left hoping it was all an act.

He is right about writing new shows though. Everyone expects from the comedian what they would be horrified by if a pilot suddenly announced over the intercom; "I'm just going to experiment with some new stuff here".

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