Take 3 naturally talented (and strapping!) lads, a handful of hilarious props, a pinch of nakedness and a good dousing of the cheesiest music you have ever heard and voilà - ‘The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek’; one of the best and most entertaining sketch based shows Edinburgh has on offer. As the first show in my Edinburgh adventure and with the lads’ trailer alone promising great things, expectations were high; and boy were they met!
That they’ve worked hard at this show is obvious from the outset (and indeed the incredible ending) and their consistently high energy and incredibly slick scene changes ensure that the audience’s attention never waivers. Over the hour we are introduced to a myriad of entertaining characters, many of whom reappear throughout the show much to the audience’s delight. From a despondent scarecrow, a lollipop man with delusions of grandeur (aka ‘the Protector’) and a Polish superhero, the boys’ imagination and originality is unmistakeable. Choosing a favourite would be like choosing between children but I’d challenge anyone not to go away recreating at least one of their masterpieces!...and if that hasn’t tempted you enough, the Geek’s facial expressions alone warrant a visit to this fantastic show!Showstopper the Improvised Musical, Gilded Balloon 
In the name of trying out alternatives to stand up in Edinburgh and having been taken in by the buzz surrounding this show, at 10.50pm on Saturday evening I found myself witness to the improvised musical ‘What the Dickens’; a title chosen by the audience, as was just about everything else within the show. From the overarching theme of ‘Victorian London’ and the setting of ‘Bedlam’, to the song styles which included bollywood, Oklahoma, and Dream Girls, the audience ensured that the actors task was never an easy one! And yet still the musical appeared effortless, a joy to watch, making it very hard to believe that what you witnessed was truly the work of that very moment (although I’ve no doubt it was despite theories that at least some of it is common to every performance).
That’s not to say that the musical didn’t go off track occasionally, it did, but the company had made allowances for this by the inclusion of a director-cum-narrator who at the start of the show phones his ol' pal Cameron to pitch a new musical. Although this beginning did feel somewhat laboured it did mean that the story could be steered, ensuring plot development, a sense of direction and a satisfying conclusion.
Performing in a musical requires talent but performing in a different musical with a premiere every night whose characters, story and songs are unknown and have never been rehearsed, takes guts; something this show has in bucketfuls. That the musical also manages to be funny is down to some very imaginative prop use and the individual actors whose ability to think on the spot is incredulous.
Comedy Hen
