Brighton Fringe review by Steve Bennett

Ignore the cumbersome cardboard scenery depicting a mountainside campsite and quirky cartoon posters that between suggest a whimsical, semi-theatrical storytelling show. Dinner Dance On Douglas Mountain is a traditional stand-up two-hander, with a little added interaction between the two newish comics sharing a bill.

'Traditional' might not be quite the right word for it, though, as there's a strong seam of originality running though both sets. Fraser Geesin, in particular, has an imaginative, offbeat wit that earmarks him as a talent to watch.

He starts by defining what he's not, with a sarcastic putdown of the cliches of club and arena comics – which seems a bit rich (not to mention in-jokey) for a comedian who has not yet established his own credentials, but is wryly amusing. Another mistake is to read a story he wrote when he was seven, which is not as charming as it needs to be. And as a comedy anorak he would surely know a lot of other stand-ups have done this before, notably Richard Herring with his Men Of Phise story.

Still, this is not to undermine the inventiveness behind his best material, with some cracking gags turning on an smart use of language, often surprisingly dry given some of the excesses of his performance, which he deploys when needed. He even has a fresh take on the rant against teenagers playing tinny music on the bus, which he counters with some antisocial behaviour of his own, acted out in all its unhinged glory here.

Matt Banks is similarly offbeat, if not more so, although his strike rate is not yet quite so good – especially when it comes to the cartoons he displays on A3 cards, which are more weird than funny.

Yet there are surreal shades of Vic and Bob in this, as well as in the odd audience participation section Is It Art? and the menacing baby mannequin that forms the basis of another deranged game-show segment. Strange nonsense, indeed, and presented with a weird charm, even if the material is not yet quite as magical or as punchline-driven as it could be.

Review date: 6 May 2014
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Brighton Hobgoblin