I do feel a bit guilty about calling Beggars Belief a rather bloated episode of Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps. It's not really that bad. In fact, of all the shows that I have seen so far in the fringe this year, this would be the one that I would recommend for ‘a good laugh before hitting the town on a Friday night'.
A group of friends meet up for a bizarre game of monopoly. Helen has just found out that her boyfriend has been sleeping with a pregnant woman. Ed has been visited by God in a dream and Tom just won't 'fess up to the fact that he likes Harriet.
I think that Beggars Belief is going to end up being my guilty pleasure of the Fringe.
It's not really very good... but there is a cheeky charm about it that eventually makes you crack a smile whether you want to or not. It is full of obvious humour, especially some of the situation humour and, well, there's nothing really that new here.
The focus eventually ends up being on the subject of God and why bad things happen to good people. But the discussions on it are a bit empty and leave you with nothing other than a desire to carry on with the easy jokes and innuendos.
Some of it is actually quite funny though. It is elevated by some good comic timing. The youthful five displayed great character and charm and, as I have said, did start to win me over towards the end. The end, however, was slightly ruined by having the story delve into a more serious tone with not so serious arguments. Maybe it would have worked better if the characters didn't spend so much time swimming at an end that was perhaps a bit too deep for them when we had just gotten ready to play in the shallow end.
A bloated ‘Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps'?
That's a bit harsh, I think.
Times: 6-31 August (not 18), 6.35pm