Politics is a funny old game. And so is entertaining. But that is what makes Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival so attractive.
There was something for everyone at the August event and included in the cream of the crop this year were former SNP politician turned comedian Mhairi Black in her one girl show ‘Politics Isn’t For Me’ and a cabaret cracker called ‘The Scot and Showgirl’.
In 2015, aged 20, Black was the youngest MP to be appointed since 1832 and with her strong Glaswegian accent and determined character, she hit the headlines many times, as stood up for her beliefs.
She retired in May, fed up with the toxicity of Westminster and the Fringe show was designed to give the audience an insight into her life and poke fun at herself and other politicians.
What came across was a confident, intelligent performance from a still young woman determined not to take herself or life too seriously.
Mhairi is obviously used to public speaking, and she entertained for over an hour, giving an insight into the workings of Parliament, peppered with funny stories and hilarious asides and the audience in the Gilded Balloon venue lapped it up.
It was interesting to see how the former working-class Paisley MP mixed with the London gentry and managed to live a normal life back in Scotland.
From cracking jokes about “arriving in a camper van”, a clear reference to the current scandal involving former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, to revealing the expensive wardrobe habits of Westminster’s doorkeepers, the show had it all.
As the person who holds the world record for the most swearing in the Parliamentary chamber, Mhairi had the audience captivated, which bodes well as she decides, at the tender age of 30, what she will now do for the rest of her life.
Fellow Scots, Frances Ruffelle and husband Norman Bowman are more traditional when it comes to entertainment.
Frances, the Tony-winning original Éponine in Les Misérables in London’s West End and on Broadway and Norman are very much in love.
And their cabaret act “From Brigadoon to Broadway” in The Scot and The Showgirl in The Pleasance Theatre is a good all-round performance which leaves you feeling warm and happy inside.
With music director and arranger Ryan McKenzie on piano (extras by David Barber) along with cellist Kate Shortt and drummer Nick Anderson, the audience were treated to a melody of Scottish tunes.
From “It’s Almost Like Being In Love” from the film Brigadoon to “I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)” by The Proclaimers, the duo tell their love story from meeting in a London tube station to falling out when they felt ignored.
The chemistry on stage was electric and director Paul Baker had the talented couple working well together and singing some cracking songs.
A performance which was alive and full of energy and one which left the audience shouting for more, which is music to the artists’ ears.
For more information on The Fringe in 2025 from 1st to 25th August, please check out www.edfringe.com, www.gildedballoon.co.uk and www.pleasance.co.uk.
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family
Photograph by Steve Ullathorne
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