Live Performance Review: Mark Thomas: Cuckooed (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014) Saturday 02.08.2014 20:30 Traverse Theatre, Traverse One (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh

Another year, another Mark Thomas show (He is one of few people I consider to be a hero of mine). This one focused upon upon the Campaign Against The Arms Trade, of which Mark has been involved for many years, who some time back became aware that they had been infiltrated by a spy, who Mark had previously thought to be a close friend. It is strongly suspected that the spy was working for B.A.E. Systems, the U.K.s largest weapons manufacturer. 

The show was very engaging and focused upon betrayal and the resultant need Mark had to do a 'revenge fuck', meaning that he took actions that lead to the shutting down of several of the U.K.s weapons manufacturers. Bravo! Towards the end, Mark allowed the focus to widen to consider spying in general and incidents such as the family of Stephen Lawrence being spied upon. 

I don't consider this to be quite up there with his best work, that has to be performances such as 'Coca-Cola', 'Extreme Rambling' and 'Bravo Figaro!', though it is a return to performing with a single focus which I feel his performances benefit from. 

I suspect that part of the reasoning for it not being quite up with the best of his work, is that I have heard him cover some of the same details of his activities with the 'Campaign Against...' previously throughout the vast amount of M.T. Product that I have consumed (I still have more than 24 Hours of his programmes from Chanel 4 on video, all of which I have watched several times). So in that sense this was not entirely fresh material for me and if memory serves correctly that is a first in terms of seeing Mark Live. 

To consider the show, without regarding how I relate to it due to my eighteen year devotion to the master, it is hard not to concede that this is another show of the highest caliber from a passionate and committed performer who continues to be at the top of his game and the comedy tree. I find it hard to imagine it possible that there could be another 'comedy' show in the 'Edinburgh Festivals' this year that would top this. If you have not seen Mark before this is good entrance level stuff. The devotion continues...

Rating: 10/10.          

Live Performance Review: Mark Thomas: 100 Acts Of Minor Dissent (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Wednesday 14.08.2012 19:30, Stand III, The Stand Comedy Club (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh 

This was a return to politically based comedy that Thomas is known for after taking sixteen months out from the field due to family health, which produced the theatre show Bravo Figaro!. 

This was not up there with the best of Thomas, though even his seconds is better than most. In terms of how satisfying I found the show, I would say that it is equitable to 'The People's Manifesto', which coincidentally I saw him perform in the same room. Some of Thomas's shows, where he focuses upon a single subject I tend to prefer, though even though this show was slightly scatter-shot it was still very interesting and chuckle-some. Always a joy...

Rating: 08/10.  

Live Performance Review: Mark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! (Edinburgh Festival Fringe) Sunday 05.08.2012 13:30 Traverse Theatre, Traverse One (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh 

If my memory serves me correctly this is now the ninth time I have seen Mark Thomas perform, first back in the summer of 1996. When the festival programmes for Edinburgh get released each year, Mark is always one of the first I look for, this year I did not see him and thought he must being taking the year off from the Edinburgh Festivals. A couple of weeks back, I noticed him listed under theatre, rather than the expected comedy sections.

He is by some distance my favorite comedian, who I also view as being so much more than that. This was the most personal performance I have seen by him. It is centred around the character of his father, who sounds to have been a firebrand, though who is now severely physically debilitated due to a progressive condition he has.

Of particular note to me, was that the performance spoke of the father's love of opera, and how Mark gave him a gift that was centred on this love. He recounted how his father through concentration managed to battle  with his debilitating physical condition to engage with this gift.

There is something I find very emotionally moving about tales to do with the affecting power of music, and how it can allow people moments of clarity during physically or emotionally difficult/compromised times.

I have found myself emotionally moved by Mark's performances in the past, though this was something more. By the end I had not mealy shed a tear, though was in tears; that in my mind should not happen in response to a 'comedy' performance. I have never seen him do a compromised performance, and he still does not disappoint. It feels difficult to wax lyrical about his performances as to me his brilliance has been obvious for so many years. This was not the most politically revolatory, which I often expect of Mark, though was a uniquely affecting performance.

Rating: 10/10.