From the top of the show Martin explains his main issue with standup – there are no epic scores, penned by the likes of Hans Zimmer that are playing under comic sets. He has remedied this, by using his friend, a musician, who has written a score that gives this set a real individual feel. It's fair to say that this show is truly unique, compared to other stand up shows at the Fringe. That is however, the only thing that set him apart.
His set is very much standard stand up fare, the main topic being his impending marriage, the price of the aforementioned event, and living on the same property (but a different building) as his parents. His delivery is good, but what works best for this set is the music. It's incredible, and really well composed. Every joke is perfectly underlined by a song that perfectly fits the mood, whether the joke has a jolly, intense, or sad set up, the music further emphasises the feeling, resulting in the humour being made that much greater, purely by the very nature of having that much more contrast. The jokes themselves are amusing, some of them fall a little flat, and some have a set-up that doesn't always pay off as well as it perhaps should do, given the amount of time dedicated to that joke.
This show is innovation. You can't deny it. It is a show that has fully utilised a completely different medium – in this case music – in order to make it more diverse, and potentially change the way stand up shows are done in the future. This is a meticulously planned show, and it is definitely unique. If you're looking for either traditional stand up, that doesn't change much in terms of jokes, or are looking for a different take on a tried and tested performance, then this show is for you. If you're looking for a different breed of humour to that which you can find in Edinburgh, then you might want to pass this one by.
Chris Martin is performing until the 30th August at Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters (Venue 272).
For tickets and more information, visit the Fringe website
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