Page 156 - Katherine Ryan press pack

welcome. They could have done just favourite oldies, but while giving older fans a nice dollop of
nostalgia by doing just that in the first half (with some minor adjustments), they opened out the
show after the interval by updating us on current happenings in Royston Vasey (“portal to
another world, or just a shit hole?”). Gatiss, Shearsmith and Pemberton have all had great
success in other projects but their joy at being back on stage together was obvious, and made a
great evening even better.

Alex Edelman, Pleasance Courtyard

Plenty of American comics come to the UK and do a strict hour
of their club set straight through, with no deviation from the script and definitely no interaction
with the audience, as that might delay picking up the cheque on the way out. But Edelman, who
was best newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2014, is a fan both of the Fringe and
the UK comedy scene and is noticeably different from so many of his compatriots. In Just For Us,
his third markedly intelligent stand-up show, he told a tale about meeting an anti-Semitic group
while throwing in observations about politics, the royal family, anthropology and much else
besides. It was a real pleasure to see back him at the Fringe.
Alex Edelman's work in progress is at The Cookie, Leicester on 9 February 2019

Katherine Ryan, Garrick Theatre

I do like a feminist who takes no prisoners, and Katherine
Ryan is certainly that. Glitter Room was her West End debut and she was unfazed by the next
step up in career that has gone from small clubs to television regular in just a few years. Talent
really will out. The title (indeed much of the show) was inspired by Ryan’s young daughter, whom
she is bringing up to be empowered to do whatever she wants, but there’s still work to do in
dismantling the patriarchy, and Ryan is big enough to take on that job – but on her terms, in her
way. A true original.