Show Details
Markus Birdman: Sympathy For The Devil
Show type: Edinburgh Fringe 2008
Starring Comic:
Markus Birdman

Markus Birdman: Sympathy For The Devil


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Videos

At the Chortle Fast Fringe showcase

July 2008
More Markus Birdman: Sympathy For The Devil videos
At the Chortle Fast Fringe showcase
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Description

Markus Birdman talks about Godliness, cleanliness and being the nephew of an exorcist.

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Reviews

Original Review:

Markus Birdman seems to be picking up where last year’s Edinburgh show, Son Of A Preacher Man, left off with this companion piece, Sympathy For The Devil.

Not that he’s got any such sympathy, he’s repeatedly keen to assure us. He’s an atheist, not a Satanist.

But he does indulge in sinful behaviour: swearing, drinking to excess, taking drugs, buying porn; and that’s what he’s talking about here. The problem is, it’s also what the vast majority of other comics on God’s earth also talk about. Add a bit of material knocking evangelical creationists, and a few pot-shots at Biblical stories, and you have the topics list from the Stand-Up For Dummies guidebook.

It’s not that Birdman doesn’t do it well – he’s an engagingly cheeky performer who knows how to structure a show – it’s just that his limited outlook for subject too often leads him down the same path so many others have trod. Examples are the checkout girl loudly asking for a price check on the embarrassing item he brought,straightforward Michael Barrymore jokes and gags such as ‘Bipolar? I thought that was a sexually confused bear’ to name but a few. He even includes material about Germans putting their towels down on the beach early, which Stan Boardman might want back.

The show is largely stripped of the personal element that raised last year’s offering, as he has obviously exploited that to the full. Instead, Birdman dresses his material up with some wider philosophising: Who am I to preach to my child when I’m not blameless is one theme, and that it’s better to regret what you have done that what you haven’t is another.

There are some good moments here: an entertaining story about getting drunk with some Iraqi midgets, and a couple of good lines about communion wafers and why God must be a man. But it’s slim pickings in a show that has all the hallmarks of a 20-minute club set, combined with a bit of compering-like banter at the top and a lot of padding to fill the hour.

Maybe the Devil doesn’t have all the best gags after all.

Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
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Comments

I too found the review disagreeable. Markus Birdman's show has been one of my highlights of my Edinburgh trip and my fellow audience members seemed to agree. I would definitely recommend.

Pete Atkinson, August 2008

How odd. I was at the same show that Mr Bennett was at, and Markus Birdman's thoughful, intelligent and above all funny show has certainly been a highlight of my visit. I know comedy's subjective , but the audience certainly seemed to share my opinion rather than Chortle's.

Neil Duffy, August 2008

What the hell is wrong with just been bloody funny, have been booking Markus at the Comedy junction with Karen for years, and the gig I saw Markus do last week was the best I have ever see him. What’s wrong with a comic doing good strong stand-up, if they don’t have gimmick or some kind of big theme at the Fringe, they get bad reviews. (And I have seen some great comics kill great stand up dong this) People want good sold jokes, this might come a shock, but so what if this 'leads him down the same paths so many others have trod', as a promoter I only care if the punters are laughing, and man did they laugh at this show. Markus had one of the best Edinburgh previews we had at the Station, and we ran a week of them this year, this is a very, very, poor review, was it your cat he killed (Go see the show). I’m with Karen on this one, I’ll gladly pay half towards the pint.

Mark Degenetais (Comedy Junction), August 2008

This review has got my blood boiling. Markus did his preview at my gig just before Edinburgh. It was sold out and the audience (who are a discerning crowd) laughed clapped and cheered throughout. The laughter didn't lull for a whole hour. You didn't have to patiently wait for the occasional laugh, it was thick and fast throughout. His was one of eight previews we had this year and one of the best. Call me old fashioned but when I go to a comedy show I want to laugh. Not sit smiling at obscure references, or nod knowingly...thinking "mmmm oh clever and mildly amusing." I want to laug, and I want to laugh a lot. If you're like me, then definitely go and see Markus' show. If I'm wrong, hunt me down and I'll buy you a pint

Karen Bayley, August 2008

I rarely disagree strongly with Chortle reviews, but this is harsh. He previewed this show at my Ashby club and it was one of the best received previews we had. It may have been on a similar theme to last year, but it's a solid hour of very entertaining stand-up with no lulls. Four stars in my book!

Spiky Mike, August 2008

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