Fringe: A power point declaration of love to a Clinton ...

Summerhall, Red Lecture Theatre

Rating **

The lecture theatre venue is entirely appropriate as this show contains power point. In fact it’s based on a power point presentation.

That in itself shouldn’t put you off.

New Zealand comedian, Arthur Meek, has an easy going charm and engages well with his audience.

Saturday is the biggest crowd of his Fringe run thus far, and he puts it down to being attracted by his six reviews gathering him five stars. That’s the total score so far.
So here’s review number seven ...

Meek plays Richard Miros BA who is pitching to be the official younger lover to possibly the next President of the USA.

Having inquired who in the room has degrees, Masters, PHDs or simply left school to empty bins, he sets about explaining why he – and only he – is suited to the task of the official bit on the side to POTUS.

He’s done the research and created a power point to back up his claims.

As with all power points it’s packed with stats and slides and, thankfully, humour.

The opening is good, the finish is fun. The bit in the middle ... well, there just isn’t enough mileage to string this out to an hour long stand alone show.

As a sketch it’d be ace. As a running gag, spot on. Sixty minutes of comedy? It’s about as thin Bill Clinton’s initial defence when he denied any wrong-doing with ‘‘that woman.’’

Shame really, because when it’s funny, it‘s really funny.

Meek is a nice guy too and, with better material, or as part of a small group, this idea might have stood more of a chance.

And he deserves that - this is a guy who sent a letter to Hillary’s office introducing himself as ideal younger lover. He got one back. From Homeland Security.

Undeterred, he hands out postcards renewing his plea to find a place in the White House – or, at least, in a discreet hotel near by – and encourages his audience to sign it and pop it into the post. Presumably they too will join him on national security’s radar ...

He laughed off his one-star reviews.

In truth he didn’t deserve so little,

So, we’ll give him two stars.

And a stamp for his postcard to send to Hillary. Just don’t tell Homeland Security, or Bill, it came from us ...

Run ends August 28

Allan Crow