Vladimir McTavish + Keir McAllister: Aye Right? How No? - The Comedy Countdown to the Referendum @ Assembly Rooms

The problem for any comic trying to joke about the independence referendum is that satire died the moment the deputy leader of Scottish Labour turned up on the steps of Bute House wielding a giant pound coin with Alex Salmond’s face on.

All respect then to Vladimir Mctavish and Keir Mcallister for battling on and bringing their cabaret of political comedy to the Fringe. The show itself has been knocking around Scotland a while, but is kept fresh by a constantly changing raft of talent and an emphasis on comedy over agitprop independence lecturing.  The guests have ranged from satirical songwriter Lady Alba (aka Zara Gladman) to Rory Bremner; but not Hardeep Singh Kohli, who has his own show at a different venue.

Pitching an independence themed show to a festival audience largely ignorant of what is going on in Scotland, or as the hosts note middle class enough that the very idea provokes guffaws, there are some awkward moments. Watching avowed unionists chuckle uncomfortably to videos of Rangers fans singing No Surrender and when the hosts play the ‘Better Together scare story or made up’ game is comedy in itself.  

There is a bit of the usual self-mocking but self-reinforcing Scottish performativity with references to buying heroin off the council and alcoholic ginger football supporters, but it never wallows in self-deprecation to the point of insularity. Most of the laughs come at the expense of what other people think of Scotland and the fact that Robert Peston pronounces ‘bawbee’ as ‘boaby.’

You probably won’t leave the venue having changed your mind about how to vote, but as things get intense and both sides get increasingly bizarre Aye Right… is the perfect antidote to the propaganda wars and vacuous soundbites of the official campaigns.