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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Mark Felgate - Freelance Fool
Verdict: Four eyes and invisible Harry
Edinburgh - Pleasance Dome - August 03
Wear glasses? Called four-eyes at school? Mark Felgate's character was. But in his case, it was true.
Meet the lad with four eyes (and he has photographs). Meet Harry, his former childhood friend and comedy partner. Not meet per se, because Harry's invisible. But his glasses are not.
Mark Felgate, stand-up and stylish ventriloquist, delivers a one-man show using spectacles (his 6-eyed grandfather's are particularly, well, spectacular), slides, and his remarkable voice-box. It's the story of his life, voice breaking at 5 years old to a basso profundo, his friendship with Harry Morrison, and what became of it. And there are photographs of Harry on the lavatory.
Mark Felgate is blessed with a comedian's face. Not that it's in any way clown-like, simply that his affectionate smile projects a friendly welcome to laugh at whatever hair-brained story's coming out of his mouth. He's a tall good-looking chap, with wiry light brown hair (just the faintest suggestion of a lavatory brush), a risqué earring to the right, brown shirt and shoes, blue jeans - and glasses. The first glasses are black-framed. And Harry wears the same. Glasses are the co-stars in this delightful romp through a fairytale of unusual childhood.
What's inside Mark Felgate is the other star. His lips, larynx and everything that's attached to it combine to produce some unusual and remarkable sounds. There are farts (going both in and out), deep voices, helium-lightened Chipmunk speach. There are superb pieces of ventriloquism. In one, a teacher calls the register in class (as Mark Felgate), and all the class reply, in different voices (ventiloquised). It's a talent that's used imaginatively, to build the story in a conspiratorially entertaining way.
Harry and Mark Felgate's character shave off Mark's brother's eyebrows. Fortunately, surgery enables pipe-cleaners to be glued on - there are slides of his remarkable new range of facial expressions. The show's sponsored by Mark's granddad's record company 'Sounds Of The Eighties', but like most items in this show, the Eighties in question aren't quite what they seem.
Freelance Fool is a gentle hour of affectionate and unusual humour, skilfully directed by Lizzie Roper. It's a comic journey by a natural comedian with a fine gift for engaging the audience, and creating delights of the imagination.
Credits Written and performed by Mark Felgate. Director - Lizzie Roper. Technicals - Pleasance staff. Public Relations - Claire Walker.
END
John Park
reviewed Thursday 21 August 03 / Edinburgh / Pleasance Dome
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
