'In this way I shall preserve many things that would otherwise be lost in oblivion. I shall find daily employment for myself, which will save me from indolence and help to keep off the spleen, and I shall lay up a store of entertainment for my after life.'

For James Boswell posts please follow the labels on the right.

This blog mainly contains reviews from the Edinburgh Festivals from 2008 to 2010 which I wrote for the Edinburgh Festivals Magazine. These reviews cover everything from comedy to contemporary dance; children's theatre to Handel.


Sunday, 23 October 2011

Nick Mohammed in Apollo 21 Review

Nick Mohammed in Apollo 21

It’s now been forty years since Neil Armstrong landed on the moon and promptly fluffed his lines. Along with Darwin and Burns, it is not surprising that it has received a fair chunk of focus at the Fringe this year.

Mohammed, impersonating Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins (the one who didn’t land on the moon) takes us through the emotional baggage and memories that the two have sustained from their extraterrestrial exploration.

Buzz, having attained a blunt northern accent and equally blunt sense of humour, is initially quite funny. Mohammed has clearly gone to some effort with the characterisation – Buzz obviously suffering from being not getting let off Apollo 21 first.

Doubtless Mohammed’s humour may be lumped into the awkward character acts, most famously promoted by Ricky Gervais in The Office. Be that as it may, Apollo 21 translates poorly onto the stage and fails to ignite many laughs. It even had Britain’s poet laureate falling a sleep in the back row.  

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