***

There is a growing tendency towards combining stand up comedy with an educational approach, allied with the use of PowerPoint to provide visual illustrations. Mark Walker’s show belongs to this movement and there is a danger of getting the balance wrong.

Mark Walker is a Scorpio and he explores the positive and negative sides of this star sign. Is his life pre-ordained or is it governed by chance and his own decision making? He illustrates this dilemma with anecdotes from his background as schoolboy living in different parts of the country and from the variety of jobs he has had in the entertainment industry such as a member of a rock band and Billy Connolly impressionist.  

His manner is relaxed and the humour is funny. He has carried out research into a whole range of famous Scorpio personalities as varied as Marie Curie and Charles Manson. This for me didn’t work so well – interesting but not particularly laughter inducing.

Mark Walker is without doubt talented. He strikes up a good rapport with the audience. He can time the punch lines. He has an ear for impersonation. However, limiting himself to the one theme does have its constraints and he didn’t quite get the balance right between humour and factual material.

Mark Walker - Scorpio

Company: - Mark Walker

Venue: -  Gilded Balloon Sportsmans V 14

Dates: - 5 to 31 August 2009 (not 18 )

Times: - 20.00 to 21.00

Fringe Programme Page: - p75   (C27)