Five star reviews and extra Hawkwind tickets released for Morecambe Bay Fringe
The 10th edition of the Morecambe Bay Fringe Festival is off to a storming start with packed out shows, five star reviews, local debuts and extra Hawkwind show tickets released for the sold out concert on the closing weekend.
With plenty more coming up in Morecambe and Carnforth, the organisers are absolutely delighted with the reception to the first week.
Fringe festival founder Matt Panesh said: “It’s a bumper year so far with all the shows packed out from the local make your own fringe performances at the West End Playhouse up to the brilliant Young Ones retrospective in front of a full house at the Winter Gardens.
“The Comedy Crawl was fantastic and a big thanks to all the venues, volunteers and staff for embracing the comedians in the way they did. It’s wonderfully exciting to see so many people coming out and engaging with the fringe.”
Over in Carnforth, organiser Councillor Chris Smith has also reported bigger audiences for all the shows, and said he was ‘gobsmacked with the sheer quality.’
The first reviews are in:
Stand up for your right by Chris Kehoe, 5 stars
Reviewed by Peter K
Drawing on family experiences and an understanding of the world and its imperfections, Chris is a comedian at the top of his game. Social commentary wrapped up in great humour. A packed venue, an appreciative audience. Fun from the off, engaging throughout - left on a high.
Stand up for your right by Chris Kehoe, 5 stars
Reviewed by Phil Pritchard
A comedy master class. Some of the best crowd work I’ve ever witnessed. Chris seems to remember everyone’s names and come back to them time and time again. Some of his premises for jokes are incredibly original. Bolton should be very proud of him!
If I Had A Magic Wand by Jo Jinty, 5 stars
Reviewed by Phil Pritchard
Heart warming and emotional yet incredibly comedic. Jo holds you in the palm of her hand with her story telling ability. Yet at many points, the story of her personal journey is somehow made absolutely hilarious.
Next show, August 6, West End Playhouse, Morecambe
A Better Memory by Lubna Kerr, 5 stars
Reviewed by Peter K
Ihsan Kerr’s A Better Memory was a tight, well written, and well acted drama performed by Lubna Kerr with a compelling storyline. The play explores the interface of humanity, memory, and technology, with a very human perspective. Compelling, engaging. A play for our time. Well worth seeing.
Justice by Tiffany Esteb, 5 stars
Reviewed by Paul Simeon
A freedom of speech lawyer successfully defends tech mega giants until an incident results in her harassment and she's forced to face the world she created. All too relevant and timely. A beautifully constructed piece excellently performed. Characters swish on and out of proceedings but it's never rushed. Emotions are perfectly measured and you're dragged into the main characters' spiralling life.
Almost Famous, 5 stars
Reviewed by Andrew Wood
Almost Famous is a one woman show which launches us into the world (or boudoir) of an ageing luvvie actress Emily Benton (played by Jac Wheble) preparing for an audition, which might just be the big break she has longed for. Her tales of LA and the Broadway stage, the glitz and the glamour, gradually give way to reveal tawdry tales of betrayal and abuse, heartbreak, mundane reality and brave survival. From summer spectaculars to chorus line exploitation to single motherhood, abandonment, loneliness, unrealised dreams and the prejudices of age. All of these are revealed under the glare of the spotlight, leaving her daring, defiant and bold. Jac Wheble’s portrayal is full of humour, bitter sarcasm and poignancy. It’s a classic in the tradition of “The Entertainer” and is highly recommended.
Brittlestar by Tommy North, 3.5 stars
Reviewed by A Alvarez
A brave show that aims to increase suicide awareness via a comedic 45 minutes as part of the Morecambe Comedy Fringe Festival. Tommy North, who works for a suicide prevention phoneline, was raising funds for Papyrus, a young person's suicide prevention charity. A difficult show to watch at times, hearing the facts about suicide in the UK, such as it is the biggest killer in under 35s. Most of the jokes came from Tommy's personal life and from internet famous embarrassing situations. Well done for trying to break the taboos around suicide. We all know someone who is struggling and maybe this show could help in society.
Next show, August 8, Royal Station Hotel, Carnforth
Pestle & Mortar by Ryan Woods, 4 stars
Reviewed by Andrew Wood
Ryan is a wisecracking scouser, but he certainly ain’t no John Bishop. He’s a firebrand of nervous energy who explodes comedic bombs, chucking tales of his extraordinary life into the audience like incendiaries, lighting up a room like a blitzkrieg. From the mundane to the uproariously funny, with a non-stop barrage of little disasters piled one on top of another, while Ryan runs around spinning plates, trying to avoid the inevitable, messy, hilarious crash. You think, how is it possible for a comedian to be this funny? He deserves all the accolades, all the plaudits. Expect near the knuckle confessions, puns galore, and even the odd joke!...and plenty of mentions of Susan Sarandon.
A Bit of Foreign stuff by C K Nath, 4 stars
Reviewed by Peter K
CK Nath is an engaging, high-energy comedienne who showcased a carefully constructed hour of ordered chaos, with cross-cultural observational humour that took the audience from a packed venue on a journey from Delhi to Croydon and created an hour of laughs. Not to be missed.
A Bit of Foreign stuff by C K Nath, 4 stars
Reviewed by Phil Pritchard
Super high energy performance. Despite the warm weather CK never ever slowed down. She is a talented joke teller, and excellent impressionist and her crowd work was spot on. I look forward to seeing her again.
Young Ones Retrospective, 4 stars
Reviewed by Ulf Nordling
Being in the company of the comedy greats Nigel Planer, Alexi Sayle and Lise Mayer was like being with old friends. Easy chat and fun reminiscing about the outrageous Young Ones. A very pleasant way to spend an evening in the stunning Winter Gardens in Morecambe - very much looking forward to the rest of the Morecambe Fringe.
Singer & Guitarist Michael Dillon, 3 stars
Reviewed by Peter K
Mike gave us a confident arrangement of sixties and seventies covers, where guitar and vocals complemented each other perfectly. A great set to finish a Fringe night of music in Carnforth.
Saxophonist Kara Woods, 4 stars
Reviewed by Peter K
A young woman with confidence that belied her years took us on a musical journey from the mellow jazz of Misty to the country classic of Take me home country road. At all times, the sax was the star. Kara herself is destined for stardom.
An extra 50 tickets have been released for Hawkwind’s full concert in the historic Morecambe Winter Gardens on Saturday August 8, followed by an aftershow party.
Book via Skiddle at https://www.skiddle.com/g/morecambe-fringe-festival/
Follow @MBfringe on Instagram.