Crying with Laughter

 

“If you want to be a stand up comedian, Scotland’s the place to be!” So says lead character Joey Frisk, and he’s got a point. Leaving aside the phenomenon that is the Fringe, Scotland’s comedy scene is a prime subject for a dark, well, comedy, and Crying begins in strong fashion, exploring both the glam face and the seedy underside of the business. Like Friends Reunited gone wrong, a barely remembered school peer surfaces in Frisk’s life, interrupting his merry-go-round existence of gigs, parties, drug taking and ex-wife battling and begins to lead them both down some very dark paths. Whilst the performances are good (Stephen McCole is particularly fine as the arrogant but charming comic) and the production looks great, Crying begins to lose its way around half time. The story becomes a little clichéd, the motives of the characters are unclear and the promise shown at the beginning is never quite fulfilled. Director Molotnikov does a good enough job that it’s worth keeping an eye on him, however, just maybe a film or two down the line.