Brian Logan from ‘The Guardian’ reviewed Des Bishops ‘My Dad Was Nearly James Bond’. He must have been impressed with what he saw because he has given it an amazing 5 stars!

My Dad Was Nearly James Bond

***** ‘The Guardian’

Cynic that I am, I approached Manhattan Irishman Des Bishop’s show about his father’s terminal cancer with trepidation. When standup takes on personal trauma, goodwill can substitute for laughs, and trite uplift for the complexity of experience. But that’s barely the case here – Bishop sails close to but resists sentimentality for most of the show, at least until a tearjerking, coup de théâtre finale. The show is only sometimes great comedy, but it’s always a totally compelling story about a father’s sacrifices, and the midlife awakening of an errant son.

Its success lies in its specificity. This is a show about Bishop and his family’s crisis. The first half relates – in film clips and anecdote – Des’s father Michael’s early career as a 60s model, bit-part actor and near-miss to play James Bond. Bishop gave this all up for his family, and regretted it – and the implication that he was second-best always riled his son. But these currents of sacrifice, authority and affection are all reversed by the father’s cancer diagnosis. Suddenly, Des is “parent to my parents”, and dad gets revenge for years of insolence.

For much of the show, Bishop’s high-octane delivery makes his serious-minded script seem funnier than it is. Later, there are well-crafted routines about Irish emotional inhibition and the imbecilic sexual attitudes of the 007 films. To have been James Bond is less than to have been a good father, says Bishop. Such conclusions are glib on the page, but there’s nothing cheaply bought about the grip he exerts on his audience. He brings honesty, perceptiveness and 35 years’ worth of bottled-up love, and fashions them into a beautiful gift to his dad. Like diamonds, this show is for ever.

Des Bishop is performing at the Assembly@George St. for the duration of the Fringe at 8.05. You can buy tickets here.

Martin Gray from ‘The Scotsman‘ went along to see Jennifer Coolidge at the Assembly Rooms. Here is what he thought.

Jennifer Coolidge- ‘Yours for the Night’

***** ‘The Scotsman’

She’s appeared in American Pie, Legally Blonde, Joey, Best in Show and now here’s Jennifer Coolidge in the Assembly’s Wildman Room. Talk about a great surprise – I was expecting the Hollywood star to be in one of the big halls, but here she was, close enough to make eye contact with her audience.

Or maybe that should be church. It was obvious everyone there was a fan, but after an hour of candid tales of life as a non-skinny, decidedly non-ingenue character actress, there were more than a few acolytes. It helps that Coolidge has the body of a Greek goddess – she’s statuesque, voluptuous and has the face of an angel.

And the mouth of an alley cat. Coolidge is no shrinking violet, she knows exactly how people see her in the Hollywood talent pool. She’s a good enough actress to attack any type of role, but her turn as Stifler’s Mom in American Pie led many to file her under brassy blonde MILF. But she’s not in Edinburgh to give her Lady Macbeth, she’s here to make us laugh.

And laugh we did, at tales of how she lost out to Renée Zellweger for the role of Bridget Jones, her theory as to why Penelope Cruz can keep A-list Hollywood boyfriends for so long, where Brokeback Mountain went wrong, and much, much more. She even reenacts her big scene from Sophie’s Choice, with a live Danish pastry. And all the stories of LA’s movers and shakers come with dead-on impersonations.

Coolidge is in Edinburgh as part of a project to “Get the **** out of America” and, as a newly single woman, maybe even meet a new man. Well, she’s in Edinburgh and in her prime (hmm, I can think of a role ripe for reinterpretation).

She started on the comedy circuit last summer and rather than “straight” stand-up is, as the title implies, sticking to personal observations and revelations. Her delivery is dry and dead-on – when she aims that whip-smart mind and vicious tongue at something, it’s toast.

Despite the stunning looks, Coolidge isn’t vain; she constantly tells stories against herself, not in a “poor me” way but in “what the hell?” mode. Despite the blousy public persona, there’s a vulnerability and humility to the woman – she was genuinely touched by the warmth of her reception. Jennifer Coolidge deserves it.

Jennifer Coolidge is peforming at the Assembly@George St at 8.15 for the duration of the Fringe. You can buy tickets here.