★★★★
Comedy isn’t usually something I gravitate towards, but as I had a free slot, I decided to give The Britpop Hour with Marc Burrows a try. Written and performed by music journalist Marc Burrows, the show is a whistlestop journey through Britpop music.
Armed with a PowerPoint, a “Brexit” guitar, and a cardboard cutout of Jarvis Cocker (lead singer of Pulp and one of Burrows’ personal heroes), Burrows takes us through the short-lived but impactful era. It starts with the nonsense song lyrics used in the music, through its beginnings as a rebellion against Nirvana and the eighties, and ending with the infamous chart battle between Oasis and Blur. He is impressively knowledgeable about the topic, and constantly keeps the show entertaining. It would be easy to rely on either the comedy or informative element, but Burrows switches it up, adding in a segment where he guesses people’s personalities based on their favourite Britpop band, and a musical interlude/rant where he demonstrates how much Britpop songs are similar to those from earlier eras.
Despite the vast amount of content it covers, nothing feels unfinished. The act was expertly written, with a clear flow and structure throughout that never veers off track. He starts by explaining part of his reasoning behind creating the show: his step-son Oscar has no interest in music, something incomprehensible to Burrows, who has been obsessed with music since his early teens. He intersperses personal anecdotes through the narrative, including his fond memories of a whole pub singing along to Oasis while on holiday, and his attempts to emulate Liam Gallagher’s “genius” by tweeting insults at his brother until he is blocked.
As well as his stepson’s disinterest in music, Burrows was also inspired by the re-emergence of Britpop. Many of the acts are touring this summer, leading the press to call it “the summer of Britpop”. He suggests it is due to the themes of reconciliation within the genre and culture. In a time where the world is so divided, perhaps this is us looking for a way to come together. It’s an unexpected conclusion, but one that makes perfect sense.
In a nutshell, Burrows is the Fringe’s Dave Gorman with added singing, dancing and expletives: his presentation has the same wacky humour. There’s no doubt that he has put his all into the show. He seemed nervous, and spoke quite fast, which made some jokes tricky to hear, but his energy must be commended, especially as it was a midweek, quieter audience.
Educational, entertaining, and hilarious, The Britpop Hour with Marc Burrows is bound to appeal to hardcore Britpop fans and newbies alike. There’s good music, great storytelling and side-splitting jokes—what’s not to like?
The Britpop Hour with Marc Burrows will be performed at Underbelly Bristo Square – Dairy Room until 25 August (not 11) as part of Edinburgh Fringe.
Words by Ellen Leslie
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