★★½

Review by Natalia Milne. Venue 236. Greenside @ Infirmary Street – Olive Studio

The idea of a father and daughter comedy duo (Leslie and Ruby Carr) seemed novel and fun so I went along to find out if I was correct. The show begins with the pair exchanging facts about each other in order to introduce themselves to the audience. As part of this exchange we find out that Leslie is a professor of Web Science (with his own anecdote of Tim Berners-Lee, an English computer scientist) and that Ruby is a teacher’s assistant. What follows is a mini lecture on AI (artificial intelligence) interspersed with jokes and stories. Together they represent two different perspectives: an expert from an older generation who had to seek out technology to be able to learn about it, and someone from the younger generation who has grown up with the internet. 

The room is small and cosy and being part of the audience feels like being at dinner with your friend’s family while they regale you with some classic family stories. Stories that have been told many times and each family member knows their part and which details to add, but are thrilled to be able to tell it to someone who has never heard it before. 

In terms of negatives I would say that the transitions between scenes were quite clunky, with both actors stumbling over their words quite often. At times it seemed that the audience wasn’t given enough time to laugh before the show had moved on to something else.

Ruby’s energy is effervescent and endearing; she was described as ‘insufferably delightful’ in her latest performance review. She speaks candidly about her mental health and neurodivergence as well as her experiences at work. As one would expect from a professor in the field, Leslie is very knowledgeable about his profession. He is able to explain complicated technical jargon quite easily using analogies in a humorous way. Together they have a genuinely sweet and supportive dynamic which is lovely to witness.

Overall it’s a good Fringe debut for this duo. The bones are there. I just think the show would be improved if it was more focused and streamlined. So take a chance on a newcomer and spend an hour with the Carrs; at the very least you’ll come away more clued up on the world of tech than when you went in.