*****

Early afternoon in the Assembly Rooms on George Street, Rich Hall, packed house, brilliant show – seems like déjà vu! Rich Hall is now something of a Fringe stalwart and his following of regular fans will enjoy this show as well those seeing him for the first time. What absorbs is that the rich quality of his descriptive and expressive writing is almost thrown away with ironic, bizarre punch lines.

In this production he takes on the role of the committed angler somewhere in remote Montana. Never having understood why men in particular become obsessed with this pastime, I can now understand why. Joining him on stage are Mike Wilmot, who plays the townie ignorant of country ways, and Tim Williams, who plays the owner of a fishing tackle shop. The dialogue sparkles when the characters meet up in different locations as when Rich and Mike first come across each other beside a river and in later scenes in Tim’s shop   

Of course, there are the engrossing stories that each character tells as monologues. Rich has a near death experience with a grizzly and Tim does an eloquent send up of those beguiled by the latest gadgetry, describing them in the wonderful expression ‘technological crack whores’.

There was the odd fluffed line. The guys are very quick to improvise and keep up the flow of humour. Never will tying flies or the life of the mayfly be more amusing. Marvellous entertainment!

Rich Hall's Campfire Stories

Company: - Off The Kerb Productions

Venue: - Assembly Wildman Room V 3

Dates: - 6 to 31 August 2009 ( not 17)

Times: - 14.05 to 15.05

Fringe Programme Page: - p90   (C6)