Edinburgh Festival: Obie – Total Recall - Half Scum, Half Genius

Obie – Total Recall – Half Scum, Half Genius

Going in to the deep dark depths of Espionage where Obie is going to take to the stage, a small man with a look of mischief in his eye walks up to the bar I am standing at, “are you here to see the show?” he asks, “yes” I retort. He then advises me to go into the small performance area hidden by a length of black drape.

The show begins after a slight delay, with Obie delivering a number of shit and fart jokes spread round a unmitigated tale of the last few years of this life. This carries on for while with mother, father and gay jokes scattered into this tale of uplifting woe. The audience is then asked to offer suggestions at add to an every growing list of random words, at the time of writing there were 236 individual suggestions. Each of these memorised by the man himself. Audience participation holds the key with random numbers being shouted at the small Glaswegian he tells a story.

We were then taken on a journey through the USA via Iceland and Europe, with penguins, elves, and Noel Edmonds of ‘Noel’s House Party’ fame. Taken to Partick Thistle with Elvis stopping off at Lidl on the way. With sexual innuendo galore and implements of all kinds at his disposal this is not one for the easily offended.

A very enjoyable performer and extremely funny man, quick wit and an awesome memory, one of the hidden gems of the festival. A must see for everyone, those with a nervous disposition need not apply.