The curse of Fringe tech has hit Richard Brown this year. Did his Free Fringe venue have projection equipment? Yes. Was he allowed to use it? No. Did he bother to check this before he started his run? No. For two days before this, he’s been improvising as best he can – first with his laptop, then with the TV from his flat. Now he’s just ditched the planned multimedia. He’s not left floundering though, having patched in some old material to cover the gaps. In fact, he’s got it so under control, you wonder what a bit of video would really add.
The newly beard-free Brown has a good line in slightly superior cynicism. There’s a kind of withering disgust that the world doesn’t quite see things like he does. Exhibit one: David Bowie’s documented liaisons with underaged girls. In the post-Yewtree era, how did he escape public condemnation? Exhibit two: Family tickets at visitor attractions. Why is it families get the discounts when there’s other more needy groups?
David Bowie and families – they’re not popular candidates to be taking down, but Brown’s got a very inventive mind that can follow through a reductio ad absurdum for sweet comic effect. He’ll pick at the contradictions in his own life too, such as working a BAE gig for cash, even though he finds what they do inherently evil.
There’s a few weaker self-flagellations about white privilege. When his main trade is in sneery nihilism, this feels token, a nod to a comedy topic du jour. Really, it’s not his patch. As one of the more original thinkers on the Fringe, he’s better letting his mind wander down different alleyways.
While he’s perfectly fine as man-and-mic, the fact he planned to screen something for us does leave a question mark over proceedings. There’s definitely more to come from the man.