Edinburgh Fringe 2015: Luke Wright: Stay–at–Home Dandy

‘Starched cravat and vampish slap / Stay-at-Home Dandy – what a chap!’

Poet, performer, festival curator and Fringe favourite Luke Wright is bringing his eighth selection of blistering stand-up poetry to The Fringe.

Decadent boozehound Wright would love to spend his life flouncing around looking fabulous, but back in suburbia he’s got the kids to drag-up. By turns funny and poignant, he examines his dual life as a ‘jobbing fop’ and a ‘paunchy dad.’ Luke takes a peek behind the curtains of middle England to discover where the ordinary and the extraordinary clash.

There are downright comic turns and vivid characters: meet the cane-swinging, merlot-glugging Bastard of Bungay or spend a foggy Saturday morning with the mascara smeared and hungover Glam Dad. But Luke’s great strength is shifting emotional gears without missing a beat. He’ll also introduce you to lonely science teacher Mr Hooper, who can’t bring himself to open that letter; to Callum, skulking around his semi on Christmas Eve contemplating leaving his family and to Tracy, who is weighing up her dreams and her duty.

Wright’s poems are grandiloquent, expertly crafted, and incredibly accessible. His vernacular is modern and entirely his own while the use of rhyme and metre recalls Betjeman and Larkin. There’s laughs a-plenty as the poems are linked into a narrative with his own brand of warm, anecdotal stand-up.

Luke Wright is the author of eight poetry shows, one play, three books of verse and four spoken word albums. He tours the world each year with his unique brand of poetry, and is often seen with John Cooper Clarke. His verse documentaries on Channel 4 have been enjoyed by millions of viewers, and he frequently writes topical verse for BBC Radio 4. He curates the spoken word line-ups at The Latitude Festival, Festival Number 6 and The Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Wright’s previous shows have been awarded 5 stars by The Scotsman, Herald, List, One4Review, Broadway Baby, ThreeWeeks, Edinburgh Festivals Magazine, Scotsgay and Remote Goat and four by The Daily Telegraph, Chortle, Exeunt, Mail on Sunday, Metro, The Skinny, WhatsOnStage, Fest amnd TV Bomb.

Luke is also performing his first theatre show, What I Learned from Johnny Bevan at Summerhall at 16.55 daily and curates Babble On at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Luke Wright: Stay–at–Home Dandy
Underbelly, Belly Laugh Venue 61
6-30 Aug (not 18)
6.20pm (60 mins)

Submitted by Martin Mouth