Jellybean Martinez @ The Beehive
Matthew Ellis’ latest show in the guise of his alter-ego is a rollercoaster ride
Downfall is essentially an origin tale of how a sunkissed speciman first came to Edinburgh, and then got nominated for the Apocalyptic Festival Award in 2008. After a (hopefully fictional) one-star review, Jellybean decides he needs to up his comedy game; do something clever, and not just cock gags. Well, the cock gags are still there, but the delivery is what makes it.
The show could certainly divide an audience, but this crowd is definitely game. There are plenty of gags, parodies and weird and wonderful interaction, including the worst magician’s assistant The Skinny has ever seen (which, unfortunately today renders that whole section useless). Luckily, it's patched over and the show continues at breakneck speed. There's even a divided-self breakdown between ego and creator as it’s revealed that Matthew Ellis is in fact a creation of Jellybean’s imagination, getting the name from his two childhood heroes; Matthew Perry from Friends, and Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain.
It’s light entertainment which occasionally reaches a darker place. A frenzied hour of character comedy narrative and an intriguing new direction for Ellis' popular character.
Jellybean Martinez,Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive, 3-28 Aug (not 15 & 22), 8.10pm, Free