A WHIFF of vintage Fringe in this intimate venue – a corner stage lit by fairy lights within an otherwise spartan café layout. Singer-guitarist Stewart Hanratty strolls on first and, to a changing sequence of enigmatic paintings – a winged Eros, a
one-legged dancer, a Heilan' coo – performs his own bittersweet songs relating to the canvases. These are delivered with conviction, but aren't hugely memorable.
Things liven up considerably when multi-instrumental wind wizard John Sampson strides through the audience blasting out the Post Horn Gallop on hunting horn.
Accompanied by Hanratty, this seasoned Fringe trouper careers through his characteristic blend of virtuosity and musical Goonery – a manic Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on recorder, two recorders at once in his piece Schizophrenia ("I wrote it myself, I think"), parping away on early reed instruments such as the crumhorn or the shepherd's pipe and his climactic William Tell Overture on trumpet, complete with Lone Ranger overtones. There are gentler airs as well, including a nice tune he wrote in memory of the late Angus Calder.
This is an amiable act, which might work better if Sampson opened with his manic flourish and the songs were interspersed throughout.
• Until 9 August. Today 9pm
The full article contains 210 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
