Before we get into this, I should probably say something about Mark Dean Quinn’s history. After developing a cult following at the Fringe for eating cheese and lettuce in previous years (yes, that was 90 per cent of the show), now is the time for him to move on. Move on to where you may ask? Well… the title of the show does a good job of summarising that. Through the hour (sometimes more), he will attempt to walk towards a box labelled as a flipchart but there’s a twist: any time someone in the audience laughs, he will start his journey again. I was in tears by the end of the show so you can probably imagine that this can be a problematic condition.
Beyond the show’s base concept, there are less than five separate jokes that somehow keeps the audience fully invested and laughing the entire time. One of these involves a pint glass, another involves Bruce Forsyth’s autobiography and at the end of it all, out comes the lettuce, at least in the show that I went to, there may well be cheese involved on other nights but who’s to say? It is definitely worth finding out by going along. I don’t want to spoil the show any further, but Quinn’s irreverent sense of humour and sheer weirdness makes this my favourite comedy show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
Make sure to get down early to secure your spot, as it is a small venue that operates on a first-come, first-served basis. The experience is definitely heightened after a beer or two, which I think most would indulge in anyway if you’re attending a free show at two in the morning. It is a show that requires great patience and the payoff is so worth the wait, but don’t turn up expecting cheese…
Mark Dean Quinn: Tries To Walk Towards a Flipchart, 01:50, Banshee Labyrinth – Cinema Room, until August 30
