EDINBURGH 2016 - Review: BETH VYSE AS OLIVE HANDS IN ALL HANDS TO THE PUMP, Heroes @ The Hive, 12 August
One of the most wonderful things about the Edinburgh Fringe, and comedy itself, is the room for all types of acts - you don't know what to expect next. Off-the-wall comedians like Beth Vyse can test out material, free the silliness in all of us, and let their freak flag fly high.
Beth Vyse as Olive Hands in All Hands To The Pump tells the story of Britain's second-best daytime TV host making her way to North Korea to restart her career. Of course this would take place via a cruise ship and submarine.
The script is wonderfully spontaneous and ridiculous, but some of the cultural references are dated. Her four supporting comedians are equally humorous and give themselves fully to the madness. However, the show relies on technology a lot, and when that unfortunately malfunctioned, the show went a bit lost and stalled. This seemed unusual for something that felt almost improvised in a joyful freeing way.
Beth Vyse is a greatly talented comedian, as anyone who has seen her at the Fringe previously can confirm. She is better than this show, and she is thankfully getting great praise for her other show this year, As Funny As Cancer. Saying that, it may have been the wrong day to see this show due to technical difficulties, and there are many laughs to be had in its absurdity.
Beth Vyse as Olive Hands in All Hands To The Pump runs at Heroes @ The Hive until 28 August
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