In his debut hour in Edinburgh, Edd Hedges shared a dramatic event that occurred during a visit to his family home, expertly building tension and providing in-depth context to the story.
Directed by fellow comedian Sofie Hagen, Wonderland is the first solo show that Edd Hedges has brought to the Edinburgh Fringe festival after winning the So You Think You’re Funny award in 2013.
Upon entering the venue for Hedges’ fringe debut, audience members are greeted by the comedian himself. Hedges graciously takes the time to speak to everybody that walks past him, immediately creating a warm and intimate atmosphere.
Hedges confesses an ulterior motive behind his pre-show meet and greet: he wants to scope out the audience after an unfortunate experience where not one but two stag parties attended his show and almost started a fight.
At the beginning of the show Hedges shares some stories about his experience at the fringe so far, the audience learns about his ‘laddish’ flatmates and loud neighbors (they live above a Brazilian dance club). Sharing these relatable issues with his audience creates a sort of bond between them and himself, a kind of trust that’s necessary for the tall tale that he prepares to tell.
The thorough context that Hedges provides during Wonderland shows off his incredibly sensitive and perceptive nature, characteristics which allow him to easily explore complex themes such as masculinity and family dynamics. Occasionally, the drawn out story feels frustrating, as the audiences became more and more eager to find out what happened during his eventful trip home.
Hedges is quick to admit to being an unusual comedian, referring to himself as more of a storyteller. Despite this, he pulls off an impressive number of gags in between his ominous tale. Hedges slips lighthearted bits into his dialogue but rarely pauses for laughter, meaning that the audience would barely finish laughing before he was on to the next one. At times, Hedges’ light hearted humour cuts through the growing tension that he had worked hard to create.
The hour ends in intrigue, with Hedges withholding details from the audience and leaving many questions left unanswered. However, Hedges offers clarification to those brave enough to get in touch with him after the show.
One thing is certain, you’ll be thinking about Wonderland for the rest of the run.
Edd Hedges: Wonderland
Gilded Balloon – Turret (Venue 14)
Until 27th August
image: press@gildedballoon