Showing @ Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh until Mon 26 Aug (not 19) @ 21:40
Spoken word has finally been recognised by Fringe management as a medium deserving of its own category, and rightly so. It blends the solemnity of theatre with the atmosphere of a concert. Shunning the electronic melodies of frequent collaborator Dan le Sac for a solitary microphone, Scroobius Pip works through a variety of material, performing works written before he met le Sac, tracks from their albums together and some new pieces.
Pip’s prose are uncompromising, himself recognising that his second poem; The Magician’s Assistant – about self harm, is quite a morbid way to begin a show. But this is an angle Pip has become known for. He makes a point of addressing social ills that many prefer to sweep under the carpet and this is to his strength. Each of his pieces is entrancing, not just because of his rhythmic vocabulary, but because whether its about the banality of a dead end job or God’s disappointment in mankind, each carries meaning. In this intimate address, it’s interesting to listen to his discourse between recitals, exposing his own weakness (a stammer) and showing how even these weighty topics can be enhanced with a comic twist. With his compelling mixture of lyrical prowess, profound content and good-natured banter, an hour watching Scroobius Pip is time well spent.