Jonny & the Baptists: The Best of 2012-2017

If you don't know Jonny & the Baptists from their Edinburgh shows, then you might have heard of them from their spat with the UK Independence Party back in 2014. And if you haven't heard of them from that, then you've been living under a rock, clearly, as Jonny Donahoe and Paddy Gervers are basically the closest thing the Fringe has to rock gods. This six-night run is essentially a homecoming for the fans – of whom they have a significant number. I see young people mouthing the words to hits such as 'Upper Middle Class Gangster Children'. An older gentleman sat opposite me has one of those looks of wonder on his face that he may well last have sported at the moon landing. To say they have goodwill from the off is an understatement.

And you can't begrudge them it, really. They are very, very good. Musically, they are the tightest comedy song duo out there, Donahoe in as fine a voice as Gervers is slick-fingered on the guitar. And they've a wonderful dynamic between them, with Gervers the competent stooge to Donahoe's charismatically chaotic funnyman. 

They're in Paines Plough's circular pop-up theatre, Roundabout. Donahoe, particularly, has performed in this space hunners of times in the acclaimed Every Brilliant Thing and if there's something which transforms this into a brilliant thing, it's watching a performer with the confidence and mastery of playing in the round as has Donahoe. The snappy lyrics and wry observations of the pair's songs are a given – you can get them online. Rock in the round? Now that is something new.

 

Roundabout @ Summerhall, Run ended