Jason Henderson is amused but underwhelmed by the Fringe comedy show.
The Jazz Bar on Chambers Street is the venue for comedian and poet Robin Cairns’s one-man show The Weegies Have Stolen the One O’Clock Gun V (★★★☆☆), in which a plethora of characters, including the popular Morningside Malcolm, tell a tale made rather self-explanatory by the title.
With well-known references ranging from Taggart to James Heriot, character voices boasting more than a strong resemblance to the work of Only an Excuse’s Jonathan Watson, a number of national and regional linguistic terms and an undeniably strong Scottish sense of humour throughout, this is definitely a Caledonian comedy. There are many laughs to be had, from Cairns’ quick one-liners to his array of jokes focused on the rivalry between Glasgow and Edinburgh—at least for any audience members lucky enough to be from Scotland’s Central Belt.
At times the jokes, characters and sketches are harking back to a golden age
of Scottish Hogmanay comedy television, which is undoubtedly a good thing. Unfortunately,
the storytelling aspect lacks any real cutting edge throughout and the
‘Edinburgh versus Glasgow’ comedy does begin to seem repetitive after a while,
resulting in a show which, although perfectly enjoyable, is a tad
underwhelming.
The Weegies Have Stolen the One O’Clock Gun at the Jazz Bar, 17:30
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