by Ed Fortune
They are a lot of terribly talented folk doing shows at the Edinburgh Fringe every year. Quite often, you’ll come across a show that is a great idea, features some amazing talent and yet doesn’t quite live up to expectations. Alas, Tom Short’s Stand-Up Horror Show is a prime example of something that isn’t as amazing as it could be.
The basic idea is this is cabaret horror that has gone so slightly wrong. With all the amazing acts unavailable, it’s up to our masked host to step up and run through a whole array of magic tricks, occult quackery and stand-up to keep the crowd entertained.
Broadly, this is one of comedy and magic’s hardest routines to pull off – deliberately bad magic performed competently. Go too far one way, and it’s just bad magic; veer in the other direction, and it’s bland magic. Tommy Cooper was a legend for a reason, and as Tom attempts to channel his spirit (figuratively, not literally), we get a glimpse at how good this could be.
Tom Short is incredibly funny, talented and certainly one to watch. He has a blend of Northern charm, blunt silliness and a super-sharp wit that serves him well through the show. Alas, the performance just isn’t quite tight enough; Tom goes into the weeds a couple of times with the likes of Tarot cards and mediumship, and though this is often quite funny, the humour falls a little short as the performer tries to keep a healthy distance between the beliefs these things and laughing at them. A task that much more seasoned performers frequently fail to do.
This is a promising show and one that needs a bit of love from the Fringe attending crowd. Tom is one to watch.
You can get tickets here.
