Greg Fleet promises there is only one story that is a lie in this show. He admits his choice of topic allows him to go off at any tangent, and these are diverse. He starts with an embarrassing tale about the day he met Stephen Fry in the street. Overexcited by this, he manages to turn the situation into an awkward conversation he had where he insults him unintentionally, with his schoolboy use of the word gay.

A story about the most racist man he ever worked for follows this, including a very clever joke homophobic joke. He recounts the time he was sacked for inappropriate adverts he designed, whilst working for an ad agency. This story he claims is a lie, but the rest are true.

It's then no-holds-barred, sharing pretty much every detail of his life - addictions, sex life, life as a stand up. Greg Fleet has a flair for the narrative, weaving stories that sound preposterous and far-fetched, but which could well be true. This includes telling shark-eating material to an audience which included a couple who had lost a son in a shark attack.

The stories certainly fill the hour with ease. The addition of a witty poem (about a baby wielding a nappy, and based on a character he created, whilst lying to his child) finishes the show in an unexpected way, as he seems unsure which bit of material to finish on.

Greg Fleet comes across as a natural storyteller who can easily hold attention. Sometimes the stories can lack a punch at the end - sometimes they lack a big funny finish that might be expected, and some of them peter out. He's easy to listen to, making it feel more like a chat. The show has plenty of enjoyable anecdotes, but doesn't quite always hit the mark.

Cast Credits: Performer - Greg Fleet.

Company Credits: Writer - Greg Fleet. Director - uncredited. Technical Operator - uncredited. Producer - uncredited. Company - Gilded Balloon Productions.

END

(c) Helen Johnson Fringe Report 08

reviewed Tuesday 12 August 08 / Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com