Folk off Ulster
| Traybake Intimidation League | The Southside (Venue 82), 117 Nicholson Street, 0131 667 2212 |
|
August 8th to August 20th 2005 19:30 (1hr) | |
|
Admission : £7.00 (£5.00 concessions) weekdays; £9.00 (£7.00 concessions) weekends |
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Reviewed by David Kerr
Folk off Ulster is a sketch show from the newly formed Traybake Intimidation League.
After an early first run at the Old Museum Art Centre in Belfast and a fundraiser in Reno's, the troupe have hit the ground running by going straight to the Edinburgh Fringe. John Bradbury, Niall McSperrin and Peter Welsh wrote the sketches. I was delighted to discover that the 'one hour photo lady' is Helen Madden, who for people of a certain age will always be 'Miss Helen' in the old UTV children's show, Romper Room
Like all shows in this format, the sketches are a bit of hit and miss. There's the one hour photo lady who puts her own spin on 'quality control', the Belfast taxi controller, the Belfast bar, the Dutch tourists visiting the 2010 top tourist attraction - a cross-community nudist camp in the Maze, the unhelpful new Samaritans counsellor, the hostage negotiator and best of all, Billy McGonagall (Robert McGregor), the Poet to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Billy's doggerel makes you cringe, squirm and laugh as he addresses the Phoenix Women's Centre and a George Best testimonial at the Cregagh Leisure Centre. Not too much emphasis on the Ulster troubles either. Sadly, the company's intention to distribute free traybakes to the punters had to be scrapped owning to health and safety regulations. They might have contained nuts! This setback notwithstanding, it was great stuff! The Hole in the Wall Gang may look to their laurels as the new kids on the block have arrived.
Cast:
Writers:
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