There is a memory from a past Fringe that will probably always stay with me. I was leaning against a barrel/table in the Assembly Gardens waiting for my mates to get back from the bar. I probably playing on my phone or something when I was approached by two American women who asked if they could share the other side of the barrel. I said of course and we exchanged a couple of pleasantries about recent shows and the food options in the garden.

Whilst we’re chatting I couldn’t help but think – how funny, she looks just like that actress from Mystery Men and Dogma – but you can’t say a line like that without sounding like you’re flirting, so I left it (you can probably see where this is going can’t you).

Unbeknownst to me, my pals had been watching this exchange and, as the two ladies left to catch their next show, they gleefully shuffled over and asked ‘so, what’s she’s like then?’ I say ‘who?’ From that one word, the die is cast and the mocking begins!

To this day, Janeane Garofalo has been know as ‘your good friend Janeane Garofalo‘ amongst my mates. Hardly the worst insult but it did occur to me that I hadn’t actually seen my ‘Good friend’ perform live and that needed to be rectified – after all, what are friends for?

The Wine Bar used to be one of my least favourite spaces in the Gilded Balloon but its new configuration works a treat and suits this clown down to the ground. She takes to the stage and midway through her opening monologue she descends the stage and wanders throughout the crowd, still performing! This is a theme that continues throughout the set and actually works with our clown’s flow – I just can’t think of too many Fringe spaces where you could do it!

Jeneane Garofalo claims to be a terrible joke writer, emphasised by the bulging folder of notes she carries on stage, but that does nothing to take away from her incredibly entertaining performance.

This clown is essentially a comedy filibuster, she doesn’t stop talking and her mind is constantly wandering to different anecdotes and situations – covering everything from the original format for telephone conversations to James Spader’s hair in the 80s.

Our clown prides herself on not inventing content and there is a real honesty to her stories that makes them relatable – even as they fly past your head at 100mph! The rapid-fire monologue may not be for everyone but we thoroughly enjoyed it and would happily recommend her show to anyone looking to fill a time slot here at the Fringe.

That is all.

Clown Stars: * * * *

@Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh