@ Gilded Ballon, Edinburgh, until Mon 31 Aug 2015 @ 18:00

LA based comedian Miles Allen, returns with The Unauthorised Parody, after a sold out run at last year’s Fringe. You may have already binge-watched Breaking Bad, but presented here are all five seasons—sixty episodes—crammed into a sixty minute dose of nostalgia. He describes his tour-de-force parody as a love letter to fans of Vince Gilligan’s show, but for anyone who isn’t a “breaking baddict”, you may not be able to relate to any of the humour.

It’s as if Allen has taken a hit of the blue stuff before starting the show, his energy and enthusiasm completely holds the audience’s attention as we share a mutual love with him. He does Walt, Skyler, Hank, Marie, Gus, Mike … everyone … and nails some of these, although admittedly some are more developed than others. Jesse Pinkman (B*tch) narrates the show, but his best impression is of Walter Junior. The unrelated sketches in-between are misplaced, but Walt Junior as Miley Cyrus on a wrecking ball, that should stay.

Unlike the similar show, One Man Lord of the Rings, in which there are no props, just a wide voice range, Allen has a talking pillow, meth samples and poppers (the throwing at the ground kind), in attempt to dress up his show. It’s a well written script that manages to capture the highlights and forgotten moments of the series. He points out that all Walter Junior ever does is have breakfast, which would be his best joke if he didn’t over use it. Everyone likes the joke that if the show were set in Britain, it would only be one episode, since the NHS would pay for the treatment, but… this isn’t true is it? He still wants to save money for his wife and kids, ’cause Walt’s a great guy.

No amount of time watching Breaking Bad is wasted, and this sixty minute parody might make you want to watch it all over again.