Robin Morgan: Free Man ★★★★½

Edinburgh Just the Tonic @ The Caves (Venue 88)

Until Sunday 28^th August 2016

Robin Morgan produces a very accomplished show that had the full room in the palm of his hand. Through well-crafted storytelling he produced a very entertaining show.

Robin takes everyone back to the 27^th December 2014and a trip to New York. He was planning to propose to his girlfriend on Brooklyn Bridge. Getting the ring and seeing her parents was the easy bit. He was hoping that she’d she yes…but that didn’t happen. What does happen is both unexpected and entirely in keeping with the narrative.

This was a great performance underpinned by a clear story. Robin is not one for jumping around from one random tenuous link to the next. He engaging personality ensured that the audience were on his side as he describes a life of a geek who went on to be in a band. The show is slick without being nauseating, warm and professional without being too polished. He seemed unfazed by the audience’s reactions and took everything in his stride without losing his place.

The show does show the occasional brief supportive Powerpoint slide to illustrate, very quickly, a point. The clever part is that the screen remains blank which he is talking – so the focus is on what he is saying rather than a visual. The speed of the images also reinforces the pace of the show.

Robin’s show was one of the best comic performances that we have seen at the Fringe so far. Highly recommended.

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for the North East Theatre Guide. Follow Stephen on twitter as @panic_c_button

Tickets:

Tickets are £5 in advance to reserve a seat or pay what you feel on the way – though be warned, some people were turned away on the night that we saw the show. https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/robin-morgan-free-man