ED2011 News

Watson to lead as comics try to retain Fringe football trophy

By | Published on Saturday 13 August 2011

Mark Watson

The annual ‘Comics v Critics’ Fringe football match will take place tomorrow, Sunday 14 Aug, on The Meadows at 2pm, monsoon permitting presumably (I’m not sure God knows Fringe Sunday doesn’t exist anymore, so is sure to ensure the heavens open tomorrow afternoon).

A long term Fringe-based sporting institution, originally instigated by Fest magazine and now staged in association with Amnesty International, stand-ups from across the Festival will try to defend their crown, having defeated the fourth estate at last year’s match. Among the stand-ups playing this year are Daniel Sloss, Jimeoin, Carl Donnelly, Tom Rosenthal, Humphrey Kerr and Chris Martin, with Mark Watson as team captain. Leading the critics team this year will be Fest’s Peter Geoghegan.

Watson told ThreeWeeks: “Captaining any football team is the realisation of a boyhood dream for me. The responsibility is quite terrifying. Rob Rouse whipped up the comedians into an adrenalin-fuelled frenzy last year and I’ll be looking to keep that up. We’re not going down on my watch”.

For the press, Geoghegan added: “It’s the biggest grudge match of the year, pure and simple. Man United vs Liverpool, Real Madrid vs Barcelona, Rocky against the big Russian bloke, they all pale in comparison to Sunday’s game. With our fearless challenges, never-say-die attitude and skilful teamwork we’re going to show those workshy comics how the beautiful game should be played. If that fails? We’ll revert to Plan B: bite their ankles till they cry ‘Mummy!”

Fringe-goers are invited to watch from the sidelines. The match is part of Amnesty’s various activities at the Fringe this year, which includes the Stand Up For Freedom gala show at the EICC on Monday night.



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