Simon McKenzie - Comic Cuts

Published on Tuesday 9 August 2011 14:59

IF brevity were the soul of wit, there would be no need for the Fringe – every fool would just be laughing at Twitter.

Thankfully there are comedians like Simon Munnery (Stand 1, 3.40pm, until August 29 *****) whose routines could never be boiled down to 140 characters. That's not to say that he wastes words; he does more with the English language than many great novelists. He has a scattershot approach to his material and his absurdity and surreality are underpinned by a wonderfully humanist world view.

The highlight is his dialogue between the two crucified thieves on Golgotha after the body of Jesus has been taken down. It's better than The Life of Brian.

That's not to say fine comedy can't be snappy, though. The five fabulous comic actors that are Late Night Gimp Fight (Pleasance Above, 10.30pm, until August 29 ****) run through a staggering series of lightning-fast sketches like a slightly less surreal and more playfully puerile Modern Toss. Their sheer verbal, physical and visual inventiveness leaves you breathless. Talented singers, too, their Eminem-style number about a subject even Eminem would consider taboo is the most spot-on rap parody you'll ever see.

Asher Treleaven (Pleasance Beside, 8.40pm, until August 28 ***) is madcap Spanish matador and dapper Australian raconteur rolled into one.

He recounts tales of his homeland, his travels and his occasional jousts with racist sheep with wonderfully-timed wit and great physical comedy. His aptitude for impersonating humans and animals with minimal shapeshifting mimicry is as good as I've seen since Richard Pryor held a conversation with his dog.

Francesca Martinez (Stand 5, 7.35pm, until August 28 ****) bulldozes through stereotypes and lazy preconceptions in her wonderfully challenging show, What The F*** Is Normal? With a perfect balance of vivaciousness, sheer self-confidence and self-mockery, she brilliantly busts myths about normality, disability and working with Ricky Gervais.

She may be typecast on TV as a "wobbly girl", but there's certainly nothing wobbly about her comedy skills.