Birthday Girls – Squirrel Comedy

Birthday Girls – Late-night Comedy Party

By Ron Bingham

One of my favourite comedy acts is back in Edinburgh for a strictly limited run of four shows. The Birthday Girls, Beattie Edmondson, Rose Johnson and Camille Ucan, have been playing Edinburgh for a decade now (starting in sketch troupe Lady Garden). This year they have returned with Late-night Comedy Party which is a selection of their favourite sketches, a couple of new ones, some guest comedians as well dancing, drinking and molesting the late night audience.

I was very happy that they performed one of my favourite sketches, which involved the continued use of the word Kofte, something which still makes me giggle when I visit my local Turkish supermarket. There was also a very funny, and creepy, sketch involving a babysitter for Jamie Oliver.

I can’t recall the names of all the numerous guests on the night I was there but some of the guests who stood out on the night I attended were sketch duo Lazy Susan, Lou Sanders and Suzie Ruffell. The audience were pumped, a little drunk (helped by a number of free shots from our hosts) and very vocal in their appreciation of the comedy on offer.

This really was like going to a wild wonderful party. A loud, raucous and filthy ninety minutes of comedy from some talented women out to share a great time with their many friends.

Late-night Comedy Party was on at Pleasance Courtyard
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/birthday-girls-late-night-comedy-party

Birthday Girls: Sh!t Hot Party Legends

By Ron Bingham

Once again the Birthday Girls (Beattie Edmondson, Rose Johnson and Camille Ucan) deliver an hour of low-brow, tacky, tasteless, loud comedy…and the audience loved it. The show started with the BGs on the dance floor, sorry ‘stage’, greeting the audience as we arrived, handing out shots and grooving to the extremely loud dance music playing through the speakers.

The sketches consisted of a variety of vignettes on the theme of partying, interspersed with dance numbers, involving a lot of very amusing props and costumes. There were tales of love and romance and betrayal, personal hygiene tips and warnings of the dangers of using newfangled online sharing sites such as AirBNB and Uber. There was also a (very tiny) bit of audience interaction. The music was apparently some of the most modern of dance tunes (I’ve never felt so old!), as well as ‘classics’ like, umm….I recognised something from the Spice Girls and….someone told me they finished with a Take That song and….who did that Milkshake song again? Anyway, most people will know and enjoy the music I’m sure.

As it was an opening show, there were a few minor technical hitches with props and positioning but, as always, the audience were having a great time. If you want to see an hour of hilarity, very rude costumes, lots of props (and weasels), surprise running gags, deliberately laboured punchlines, possibly libellous routines about beloved Scottish crime writers, excellent tips for getting around in nightclubs and some big dance routines in a small space, this should definitely be on the list. They may not be suave and sophisticated, but they are very funny.

Sh!t Hot Party Legends is on at the Pleasance Courtyard until August 28

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22Birthday%20Girls%3A%20Sh!t%20Hot%20Party%20Legends%22

Birthday Girls – Party Vibes

By Ron Bingham

The Birthday Girls started out in five-member sketch troupe Lady Garden a few years ago, but time has whittled them down to the last three degenerate comedians peddling their mad sketches on an unsuspecting public. I first have to confess that I love them, as their minds are warped on a wavelength similar to mine. This year they are performing as part of the Free Fringe, at a venue which is still under construction (no toilets, door handles, air conditioning scaffolding and workmen everywhere) in sight of The Castle at a time when the Tattoo ends (thus fireworks and cannons about half-way through the show).

Party Vibes is basically a series of unrelated sketches with a few running gags, some dance numbers, a little audience participation and a coffee break. The room was full, with a number of people standing, but there are two huge pillars in the middle of the room, so fight your way to the front of the crowd and choose your seating carefully. There is also a small bar just outside the door but, remember, no toilets.

I won’t say too much about the sketches (although the parody of the Great British Bake Off was so terrifically tasteless!) but most of them got good laughs from the audience and on top of that there is always the dance numbers and corpsing to keep punters entertained. The donation bucket at the end of the show was filling nicely, which is always a good indication of how the audience felt. It’s on at 10pm, but get there early as it fills up quickly. Lots of swearing and some “adult” concepts from three ladies who take nothing seriously but give their all to entertain the punters. No message in this show, apart from just have some fun at their playful party.

Birthday Girls are performing Party vibes at Cowgate for Tickets and more information go to the Edinburgh Fringe Website:

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/birthday-girls-party-vibes