Tony Lee

Source: The List (Issue 584)
Date: 23 August 2007
Written by: Marissa Burgess

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Aggressive comedy hypnotism

Despite the title’s claim to be ‘aggressive,’ Tony Lee turns out to be a kindly softy suggesting that anyone with mental health problems and those who are very drunk shouldn’t offer themselves up as hypnotist fodder; he’s the one that would get sued. The show begins by rooting out the susceptible and weeding out the cynical with a couple of standard relaxation techniques.

The XXX of the title that follows turns out to be the usual simulated sex, faking orgasms and lap dancing antics; all revelled in by a late night, slightly tipsy, audience; particularly the companions of some of the ‘victims.’

But the disturbing part of the show arrived when two participants were encouraged to racially abuse Lee who was pretending to be a Chinese fast food worker and then a co-worker from the Asian sub-continent. Lee excused this experiment, explaining that he was ‘part-Chinese, part-Asian’ himself, but what emitted from the participants made you hope they were acting. After all, this being the Fringe, by the law of averages a percentage must have been drama students. (Marissa Burgess)

UdderBELLY’s Pasture, 0870 745 3083, until 27 Aug, 11.30pm, £11.50–£13.50 (£10–£12).

More: Edinburgh Festivals, Festival Fringe, hypnotism, Tony Lee, Reviews (Comedy), Stand-up (Comedy)