Elf Lyons @ Pleasance Dome

Economics (or, in the occasional stylings of Elf Lyons, "Economonics") is not known as The Dismal Science for nothing. For starters, the underlying assumption which unites a variety of competing theories is that human beings act rationally – which we all know is bollocks, therefore invalidating any claims to scientific legitimacy from the get-go. So, why not try to reimagine what it all means, affecting as it does all of our daily lives?

Step forward Elf Lyons, who’s decided the best way of decoding complex concepts is via the tangential media of mime (you try ‘Quantitative Easing’ at your next game of Charades), interpretative dance (it may have been perhaps the Laffer Curve, or Keynesianism, but it definitely was incredibly suggestive), and the reimagining of popular music – Petula Clark’s Downtown is now Downturn, the bawdy Olivia Newton-John classic morphs into Let’s Get Fiscal, etc. Lyons adds some 'authenticity' to proceedings with pre-recorded punctuations from her dad Gerard Lyons (former economic advisor to the Mayor of London) who attempts to imbue his daughter with the same enthusiasm for fiscal policy he possesses. But, enthusiasm is not something Lyons lacks, supplying an impressive level of sheer physicality which demands your attention throughout.

---

Elf Lyons: ChiffChaff, Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome), until 27 Aug (not 13), 6.50pm, £6-10.50

Scroll on to read more of The Skinny's 2018 Edinburgh Fringe comedy reviews; click here for a round-up of all the best reviews from this year's comedy and theatre programmes