EDINBURGH 2023: Review: MAD RON: CRIME SCHOOL, Assembly George Square, The Box

Have you ever wondered how criminals learn the tricks of the trade? Have you ever considered committing a crime yourself? Well, do I have the show for you! Mad Ron: Crime School, is an hour of Mad Ron, “The Third Hardest Man in Uxbridge,” teaching you how to live a life of crime. Ron, having recently got out of jail, is sharing everything he has learned so that others can more successfully commit crimes (and not end up in jail like him!).

The structure of the show is quite simple as Ron has small laminated strips of paper with different themes on them to guide the audience through the show. There isn’t much movement, either. Ron is able to capture the attention of the audience simply by standing next to a table, occasionally sipping from a cup of beer (which does lead to a hilarious tip on how to get your money back from a pub). When props are used, they are incredibly effective, like messages wrapped around rocks that had been thrown through windows as a form of communication.

Even though Mad Ron: Crime School is hilarious, it does not really teach you how to be a criminal, which was a bit disappointing as I was hoping for a fun “how-to” guide along with the one-liners. The jokes are great, and typically related to crime in some way, but it felt more like it was from the perspective of a man frustrated with the younger generations than a hardened criminal. 

Ultimately, Mad Ron: Crime School had me laughing from start to finish and, even though it was mostly built on one-liners, flew by. I may not have learned a lot about how to commit crimes, but I certainly did have a fantastic night out!

Mad Ron: Crime School runs at Assembly George Square, The Box at 22:35 until 27 August.

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