Nicholas Parsons' Happy Hour

This is the eleventh year of octogenarian stage and screen veteran Nicholas Parsons’ chat show, in which he interviews a different trio of Fringe performers each day. You have to tip your hat to the man’s simple staying power—“I’m in a profession that retires you,” he quips, “as long as there’s an audience, you’re there”—though calling this Happy Hour is putting it much too strongly.

The cravat and pinstripe blazer-sporting Englishman bears more than passing resemblance to Alan Partridge – a likeness not diminished by him trying to flog his autobiography at every turn, coming onstage to the Mission Impossible theme and patronising a lady from Sheffield in the front row with a mock Yorkshire accent. He trades in a very mild brand of humour that works a charm on a certain older demographic. But it falls to his guests to try and bring some genuine life and freshness to a show that trundles by slowly and slightly depressingly, without much form or enthusiasm.

Christopher Douglas discusses the Fringe debut of his BBC Radio 4 character Ed Reardon, a failed writer turned curmudgeonly ghost author who, he amusingly speculates—“may well have written your autobiography—Nicholas.” Doctor-turned-singer of “smutty songs”, Adam Kay showcases a few of his deliciously deadpan piano ditties. Parsons praises Russell Kane to the heavens, but then—as with all of his guests—fails to hit him with one pertinent question and seems conspicuously unable to keep pace throughout their chat. It’d be harsh to say it’s time the business retired Parsons, but this show at least is overdue its pipe and slippers.