REVIEW: Edinburgh Fringe – Ellis and Rose: Failing To Pay Off Their Student Loans, The Southsider
Writers: Gareth Ellis and Richard Rose
The Public Reviews Rating: 
The British comedy scene is always on the lookout for something new and unique, something that sets itself apart from what’s already out there and Ellis and Rose deliver a tantalising glimpse of future stardom. This fledgling act only formed in 2012 and bring a touch of surrealism, chaotic energy and appealing absurdity to this inventively written and hard to categorise comedy show.
Where else could you see a pork-based meat product turned into a universal symbol of hate (go along to one of their shows to see for yourself what a swausage is), witness a quite frankly ground-breaking reworking of a dance routine from Cats or have nipple tassels mooted as possible after-show merchandise? It’s unique.
Gareth Ellis in particular has an irresistibly appealing devilish glint that draws you to him from the start and his physical comedy is the highlight of the show. If his partner Richard Rose could hone his character into a more cohesive foil they really could be on to a winner.
The pair deserve major credit for managing to sustain the laughs throughout this one hour show despite it being the middle of the afternoon, in a fully neon-lit space behind a violent green curtain in a noisy city-centre pub. For an act to be at such an early stage and show such promise can only mean a bright future. It’s time a bit of good old anarchy returned to British comedy and Ellis and Rose’s unique slant on the world might be just the thing to fit the bill.
This is thrillingly dark and different and deserves to be seen.
