Never sure what to think about the Underbelly. On the one hand it’s big, brash and unashamedly corporate (fancy a Magners? I’d really like a Magners!). But on the other there’s always something about it that’s quintessentially, well, Edinburgh.
To conclude things no Underbelly preview would be complete without a nod to Spank!, as sordid, boozy and lovably rubbish a late night comedy show as you’re likely to find. Get liquored up, don’t expect anything too accomplished to happen onstage and bring your best heckling boots: you’re bound to have the time of your life. An absolute bear pit in the best possible sense.
Maybe it’s the lovable dankness of Underbelly Cowgate – a claustrophobe’s nightmare - or the fact that alongside the headline crowdpleasers it never shies away from programming enough oddities, chancers and weirdos to make late night guide hopping ever so fun, but somehow in spite of its size (more venues added this year) much of the Underbelly manages to still feel decidedly fringey. Which is wonderful.
The theatre section is always chock full of whimsical offerings worth wandering into: expect any random punts to be full of white face paint and accordions as far as the eye can see.
One man show John Peel’s Shed has had great notices in London (word is bring a tissue), Lounge Room Confabulators comes fresh from winning awards in Adelaide and the critically acclaimed Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer pitches up in Edinburgh. Dry Ice by Sabrina Mahfouz could be interesting, while we also like the look of Death Song, The Observatory and The World Holds Everyone Apart, Apart From Us.
Laughs-wise there’s a decent selection. Everybody’s favourite comedy cabaret duo Frisky and Mannish return with their third full-length show Pop Centre Plus (book tickets early), Richard Herring brings his first new show since the superlative Hitler’s Moustache and telly stalwart Ruby Wax is doing a full run in Edinburgh for the first time since the mid 80’s.
On the more alternative front grumpy bastard Edward Aczel brings along another hour of hilarious anti-comedy, the completely bananas Doctor Brown should continue to build up his cult following, while everyone should see Paul Foot at least once before they die, even if it’s to decide ‘I don’t think I’m a Paul Foot sort of person’.
Of course the Underbelly also usually boasts a nice range of ‘God that’s big!’ event-shows (most of which reside in the bowels of that bloody big purple Udderbelly in Bristo square) and this year is no different. Parkour show Free Run and World Cup 2010 openers Soweto Entsha will both probably be a sight for sore eyes, if you’re after that sort of thing.
