Showcasing a medley of bright young things from the Invisible Dot’s impressive roster of talent, The New Wave, hosted by Fringe stalwart David O’Doherty, gave us an exciting glimpse into the future of alternative British comedy.
There cannot be enough praise heaped upon the creators of this show for choosing such an invigorating collection of comedy.
Taking place in a bingo hall, the show took on a slightly chaotic feel, compounded by some rather significant technical difficulties, but this all contributed to a shared sentiment amongst the audience that we were watching something more innovative and intoxicating than your conventional Edinburgh fare. The producers at the Invisible Dot must be applauded for managing to pick out such a diverse, accomplished group of performers.
David O’Doherty sustained the show’s energy in spite of the countless broken microphones that could have stopped the whole thing. Whilst all acts were entertaining in their own way, some really shone in the neon glow and faded glamour of this decrepit monument to the past. Phil Wang, the first guest, has the wit, humility and confidence to be a star, and observations on his Chinese heritage were utterly brilliant.
More great acts followed, but sketch trio Sheeps were the next to really capture the attention of the audience, with a very amusing rendition of Oliver that was both perceptive and hysterical. With more popular performers such as these appearing on the stage, it was refreshing to see two lesser-known entities steal the show, in the form of Eleanor White and Natasia Demetriou. Playing the role of Eastern-European duo ‘Sexy Dangerous American Girl Cousins’, their interpretation of foreign concepts of commercial Western culture were absolutely spot on. Dressed in impossibly garish outfits emblazoned with the stripes and stars of the American flag, the comic pairing treated the audience to a truly surreal ribbon dancing routine.
This long highlights reel gave us an exciting preview of things to come over the next few years, and there cannot be enough praise heaped upon the creators of this show for choosing such an invigorating collection of comedy.
