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New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Theatre
A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
Restaurants
Kitchen W8 is a bargain for this area, if such sophistication is what you crave
Kitchen W8
Too long and drawn out but very entertaining with excellent special effects
This is a peculiar play and does not work for me. Some of it is very funny but there are real flaws
Alex has a strong powerful voice and was faultless, she is far better now than she was on the X-Factor
London,
Bruce Dessau's rating
Reader rating
If there is a theme to this year's Edinburgh comedy it is the lack of theme. While shows often boast fancy, attentiongrabbing titles, under scrutiny, many are just an hour of crowd-pleasing jokes. Matt Kirshen does this well, newcomer Tom Wrigglesworth does this very well but few do this better than Stephen K Amos, who abandons high-concept humour in Find The Funny.
Amos is famous for claiming that as a black stand-up he cannot get a BBC series until Lenny Henry dies and he soon trots out the line again. It still gets a laugh but if Amos was being marked for originality he would lose points.
In fact many of his pithiest put-downs will be familiar to fans, though he never looks tired of his nightly schtick, turbo-charging punchlines with dances, grins or "you go girl" smirks. The winning patter - on national differences, confusing pop lyrics, the perils of flying, Brits loving a loser - is not exactly groundbreaking but the laughs cascade like Niagara Falls.
On growing up with strict parents he recalls how there was no TV remote control: "I was the remote control." And on the evening this critic was in there was a classic you-had-tobe-there moment when a latecomer mocked mercilessly for being posh turned out to be the venue's head press officer.
For sheer entertainment value Amos is tough to beat. He is a natural performer who makes observational comedy and working a crowd look like the doddle it certainly is not.
Even when his material is predictable it shines. But then it should, given how many times he has polished it.
Until 25 August (0131 226 0000, www.edfringe.com)
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
