‘It’s not going to be one of those fringe shows where you find out your dad is a tree, it’s just two guys having a laugh and trying out some new material’ says Rosco Mclelland, after he introduces himself as a comedian with a hangover. What a relief. The theatre available over the fringe is fantastically diverse, but sometimes on a Saturday night you just want to sit back and have a bit of a laugh.
That’s just what Mclelland delivers. His relaxed interactions with the audience lead naturally to prepared material without seeming too strained. He is particularly good at discussing the daily gripes of irritating colleagues and hilariously minute relationship arguments. These topics seem to be bread and butter of most comedians, but they work well and most of the audience can usually relate to them – there’s a reason why they’re such popular themes.
Christopher MaCarthur-Boyd delivers similar content, focusing on his ex-girlfriend, living with his parents and painfully adolescent sexual encounters. His comedy is based more on one-line zingers at the end of stories, rather than Mclelland’s almost improvised style. But they are just as good as each other and make a good combination in one show. Two highlights of MaCarthur-Boyd’s set are an unfortunate mix-up with a girl and a fox, and his views on Scottish independence as an adult living with his parents.
Both Mclelland and MaCarthur-Boyd are relaxed, natural new talents. While their show isn’t quite as polished as other well seasoned comedians at the fringe, that is all part of the fun. It wouldn’t be surprising to see their names plastered on the larger venues next year.