Live Performance Review: Mark Thomas: Talking Comedy (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015) Sunday 16.08.2015 14:00 The Assembly Rooms, The Ballroom (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh & Mark Thomas: Trespass: A Work in Progress (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015) Sunday 16.08.2015 17:00 Summerhall Festival, The Dissection Room (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh

Talking Comedy: 

This was a one-off show which featured Mark being interviewed by someone from the University of Kent's British Stand-Up Archive. The interviewer is also someone who has known and been friends with Mark for many years. 

I have been going to see Mark perform for 19 years; he is my favourite 'comedian' and this is reflected by the fact that I have seen him perform far more often than any other spoken word performer. I don't know if this would have had appeal to someone who is not already familiar with his work though I found it very informative particularly regarding his early years. The only gripe I had was that it was only for an hour. 

Once Mark gets going with a tale it can be hard to get him to stop; exemplified by there landing up being only time for one question in the Q&A section at the end of the show, due to his rambling though interesting and informative answer. The time allowed appeared to only really touch the surface of his nearly 30 year career and I'm sure he would have been able to have easily filled a slot of twice this length without it become tiresome.  

A nice first part to my Mr. Thomas Double Bill. 

Trespass: A Work in Progress:

This is Mark's new show that focuses upon the fact that a large proportion of 'public spaces' are not really so, although we are allowed conditional access and the situation is getting worse. 

An example of this is that in London, the only land not owned by the landed gentry, the super-rich, multinationals, foreign countries or royal families, is the 'yard' outside St. Paul's Cathedral where the 'Occupy' protesters were corralled a few years back. There is shockingly intolerant behaviour being displayed by private landowners towards behaviour which they just don't care much for - even if no law has even so much as been sniffed at.

There are also a plethora of Councils who are in the process of trying to introduce new draconian laws covering the areas within urban areas that the public are allowed access to.      

The show is called a 'Work in Progress' solely to reflect the evolving nature of what he will be discussing on stage on any particular day depending upon where his mischievous actions have got to. As always with Mr. Thomas this was an informative an hugely entertaining hour with many a laugh. Still never a disappointment. 

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Talking Comedy: Rating: 09/10

Trespass: A Work in Progress: Rating: 10/10