Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

It’s a solid, if not entirely original concept for a show, but Jack Scullion doesn’t quite know what to do with it once he’s got it up and running.

The premise is that he is Arthur, the aardvark from the eponymous animated kids’ TV show, now on his uppers, 20 years after his heyday, doing a Fringe show to try to claw himself back from obscurity.

Ziggy Marley’s jaunty theme tune sets an upbeat tone, only for Arthur to launch into a miserable monologue about how his wife has left him and his sad, lonely life now, the highlight of which is bargain-rate ten-pin bowling.

Every few seconds the reggae beat kicks back in for another blast of the theme, reminding us to Believe In Yourself on a ‘wonderful kind of day’ with grim irony. But it plays for so long, and so many times, that it definitely feels like padding, given the juxtaposition is the only joke for this section.

Then comes a one-man parody of Love Actually, for there must have been a reason. However, I have to confess I didn’t know the film well enough to get all the references.

I say ‘one man’, but it was also the first of some quite intensive audience participation.  I felt rather sorry for the two reluctant guys he dragged up on stage to recreate scenes from various movies. Both awkwardly tried to do the best they could, but it was obvious they were no cinephiles, and their hearts weren’t in it. 

The whole endeavour has a slight Butlin’s entertainment style vibe. We get to sing along with the Arthur theme tune!  We get to sing along to Hey Jude! We get to bounce along to I’m Coming Out by Diana Ross!

At one point, it goes full karaoke as Jack/Arthur gives us a full rendition of Shayne Ward’s That’s My Goal, purportedly the character’s X Factor comeback. The song changes every day, but otherwise it’s another singalong. I guess it works for Peter Kay, but still…

Scullion’s a big, gregarious performer who makes a lovable, fun frontman in the set pieces. Scullion – and this character – are part of the ensemble on Jake Bhardwaj’s Fringe hit Not Another Quiz Night. It seems he’s trying to tap into the same shiny-floor show energy, albeit in a more challenging daytime slot, rather than have any comically creative aims.

It’d be great to see him stretch himself and do more than lead a fun sing-along and some half-hearted audience participation.  

Review date: 20 Aug 2026
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: PBH's Free Fringe @ The Street