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.

Nige from student mag ‘The New Current’ had some fantastic things to say about South African duo The Brothers Streep. You can read about them in this FOUR STAR review!

The Brothers Streep

****

The New Current

A South African duo The Brothers Street bring a new style and fresh ideas to the now very popular music/comedy shows at The Fringe. Their show was in a small overly hot room at Gilded Balloon and their show had the audience in stitches and at one point swaying. They won over the crowd and one thing was certain The Brother’s Streep are fast becoming a 2010 fringe favourite.

Their music was more creative and smoothly written than some of the other acts like theirs at the fringe. With topics ranging from a song about Disney Princess to their Ode to Anna Paquin the Brothers where really able to show the audience what they where about and just where their music and comedy where coming from. Their Anna Paquin song was actually sung to Anna when she was on The Graham Norton Show and they have been building up an international following ever since.

Musical comedy isn’t easy to do and some of the acts that we have seen have either been able to do it, and do it will, whilst others have been somewhat lacklustre. This, I have deduced, is down to the performers ability to write songs that are simply songs that can stand up on their own. The badder of these types of shows are like poets who write a poem but try to hard to make it rhyme. That’s like music comedy, it doesn’t have to have punchlines and such in every line.

Simon and Dylan manage to make their songs stand up as songs, they are well written, wonderfully accompanied by their acoustic guitar strumming, and performed with a good humour. One of the highlights of the show came from their Pirates themed four minute opera which was amazing, and when Simon came into the audience and sat in the front row and got the whole audience to sway, was pretty ace to see!

Their comedy did sometimes play second fiddle to their music and their performances together. Unlike their songs their jokes or sketches in-between was more conversation than stand up and they remained funny and engaging – and at times rather sweet. Towards the end of their show they tell us a story about how they got to come to the Fringe on the back of the Anna Paquin song, a New Zealand springfree trampoline company agreed to sponsor them if they wrote them as song. Looking at their flyer the guys didn’t lie.

‘This was a fringe debut from a duo who really knew how much it meant to them to be able to perform at the Fringe festival. They gave the show their all with great songs and beautiful banter these guys really know how to make an impression. The Brothers Streep are a music comedy duo like no other!’

The Brothers Streep are performing at the Gilded Balloon at 6.15 everyday. You can buy tickets for their show here.

Another 5 star review for Des Bishops new show! This one comes from Chortle. Here’s what reviewer Julia Chamberlain had to say about Des’ performance.

‘My Dad Was Nearly James Bond’

*****

In recent years there’s been a fashion for misery memoirs about impoverished childhood blighted by neglect, abuse and absentee parents. This joyful show is the polar opposite of all that and will make your spirit soar as you laugh your socks off and feel your heart squeezed.

This is a show about family, growing up and dealing with life’s big moments; it packs an emotional punch  and yet will keep you rocking with laughter.

Des Bishop’s  film-star looks come straight from dad, Mike, who could not have made a worse job of  James Bond than George Lazenby did, but  was denied the opportunity. A successful model and small-time actor, he invested in his family’s future rather than his own ego by abandoning  his acting dream, swapping the precariousness of movies for the security of retail. And the three Bishop sons behaved like any other family group, moving from  hero worship to mockery once their hormones began to fizz.  Much of the humour comes not only from the family stories but the astute observations of national personality traits.

We are treated to a race through Mike Bishop’s life, excellently illustrated with photos and film clips and illuminated by Des’s affectionate but not over-respectful commentary. The laughs are paused, but not halted, by the news of that Bishop Snr was diagnosed with terminal cancer back in November. And this is where Des Bishop’s emotional intelligence and humanity take the story from the specific tale of his dad’s life to the universal problem of how we behave when we confront the reality of our parents’ mortality.

It’s a club which we all join eventually, but it’s also an experience which is rarely talked about before it’s too late.  This show confronts that annihilating pain without sentimentality or histrionics and left this audience whooping and cheering in celebration of the guy who was never James Bond.

Des Bishop’s control of the room is outstanding, he radiates warmth and energy but is never needy or puppyish, this a mature, controlled, humane and above all dazzlingly funny show.

Des Bishop is performing at the Assembly Rooms on George St at 8.05 every night. You can buy tickets here.