EDINBURGH 2017 - Review: #JOLLYBOAT: WHY DO NERDS SUDDENLY APPEAR?, Subway

It seems that everywhere I go in Edinburgh this month, I see T-shirts proclaiming "Jollyboat Are Overrated". Luckily, the self-deprecating marketing is not an example of truth in advertising.

Musical comedy duo of brothers Ed (the thoughtful, if slightly filthy-minded, guitarist) and Tommy (the shirtless rocker brandishing a balloon cutlass) make up Jollyboat, a vaguely pirate-themed double act who are a definite Fringe cult hit.

They have two shows this year, a "Best of" show celebrating several successful sell-out years on the Fringe, and #Jollyboat: Why Do Nerds Suddenly Appear?, featuring new material alongside a few favourites that delighted the audience of evident fans packing out Subway.

The show is launched with pirate parodies of well-known pop hits, followed up by comedy numbers that took in everything from Disney princesses to the perils of dating a superhero. A love poem through the medium of Harry Potter left the audience torn between finding it hilariously cringey and adorably romantic.

The performances are energetic and jokes abound through the show, both good and downright groan-inducing, to the point I was surprised by the absence of Jollyboat from the "Top Fringe jokes" lists that pop up during August.

There are a couple of slower numbers to vary the tempo up a little, though it is questionable if the show needs them, as it does already feel a little on the short side. Equally, it's a free show, so you are able to judge the value for yourself via donations at the end without feeling short-changed. As a bonus, like all of the free shows I have seen at the Fringe this year, certain donation amounts will gain you a CD or one of the aforementioned T-shirts.

The humour and wide-ranging song topics mean that this duo offers about as close as you can come to guaranteed enjoyment. Are Jollyboat worth seeing? They certainly Arrrrrrrr!

#Jollyboat: Why Do Nerds Suddenly Appear? has now ended its run.

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