CV

George Ryegold: Fringe 2012
Live Review
Underbelly Bristo Square

There are some cracking lines in the play created around George Ryegold’s stand-up persona – even if the actual piece is heavily flawed.

It’s less a play and more a sitcom episode, with limited locations and every character ending where they began. And there’s a very good reason why sitcoms stick to twentysomething minutes, over an hour the plot and characterisations offer thin pickings indeed, certainly in this case.

The exception is Ryegold himself, the alter-ego Toby Williams has had years to inhabit on the stand-up scene. He’s a sleazy, stingy, gloomy, tweedy doctor, with an unhealthily causal approach to some of the workings of the human body. Tellingly, his best lines come when he’s addressing an audience –  either a conference of his scientific colleagues or a school sex education lesson – belying his stand-up roots.

Comics fill up the cast, too. Ryegold’s professional nemesis Dr Strode is played by Milo McCabe, who does his best, but there’s not much a character to sink his teeth into: a posh ‘Oh, yahoo’ stereotype with sweater tossed casually around his shoulders and an arrogant, swagger of entitlement.

Ryegold has a love interest, a teacher played by Lindsay Sharman – though quite why she has so little in her favour that she is interested in this penny-pinching grump is never explained for this paper-thin character – while The Trap’s Dan Mersh amiably plays generic flatmate, a dim but easy-going foil for Ryegold’s misanthropy. Hattie Hayridge is underused as the owner of the local café where they all hang out, demonstrating that dour world-weariness she has made her own.

Essentially the plot involves Ryegold having to make the big conference speech, without having any ideas. The bully Strode is piling on the pressure, while Ryegold is keen to show him up as a charlatan. It sounds very much like a Radio 4 sitcom – and securing one may well be his aim – just not a very good one, and a bit more ‘adult’.

The jeopardy and tensions are slight – just enough to get Ryegold from one set piece to the next. The writing of individual lines can be exquisite, with a real twist and elegantly precise use of language,  but other parts of the dialogue seem flat. And as an overall script it doesn’t work.

There are maybe a dozen fantastic lines, here – but at one every five minutes, it’s not a great rate when the storyline isn’t absorbing enough to make up for it.

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Brilliantly suited to playing Holly in Red Dwarf, her live shows are like a walk down memory lane though respect for a woman that has led the way for other female comics.

Number, July 2020

Hattie Hayridge at Eden Court Theatre Inverness - 23rd September was simply - diabolical for those who attended. No structure to her comedy, just "rambled on", like someone out of the audience on a open mike night. Considering she came out of the 'new wave' of comedians in the 80's it's not the lack of experience in the business? She should have had a wealth of anecdotes to regale the audience with. Instead total shock and bewilderment! A comedienne of her calibre - unprofessional, to say the least.Politeness of the Inverness audience was the only reason she was on the stage for so long! 20/25 minutes.

Douglas Thomson, September 2010

Still gorgeous, with a voice like melted butter, her mood and tone of comedy are gently reassuring in cyncical, agent-driven times.

Mandy Allan, January 2010

HH is fantastic, loved her for years and still do.Cant wait to see her again!

jenny noades, June 2009

Not good.The room just died! I have never seen 200 people so quiet! For the money there is a lot better out there. Look around.

w j m, May 2009

Wonderful comedienne, loved her for years, and years, and years

Bruce, August 2006

HH is absolutely brilliant. Her style is unique and intelligent. She doesn't rely on physical mania like so many comedians who have no other way to communicate. Amazing, witty and very clever. I'm a long time fan and she just gets better and better.

Chris, August 2005

The silences and stare-downs are as much a part of Hattie's act as the jokes. You simply don't know what's coming next. Some of the jokes fall flat, others are just stunning, like most comedy.

Bob From Liverpool, October 2004

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