Dan March: My Myspace Baby

Dan March has brought to the Fringe another true story to add to the surprising weight of autobiographical comedy invading the venues of Edinburgh. This tearjerker is a little different to most of the crazy escapades on offer, but a lot more mundane outside the Fringe’s comedy bubble.

My Myspace Baby is the story of how, while trying to find an appropriate sandwich filling, March discovered that he had a one-year old daughter as the result of a snakebite induced one-night stand.

Embodying the classic struggling actor—a cliché at any arts festival let alone Edinburgh—March makes the most of a long list of demeaning theatre performances and miniscule television roles to fill his performance, not omitting the obligatory zany agent. He recounts his tale with the practiced manner of a man of many auditions.

March’s acting ability does shine through in this well structured show and the narrative becomes very involving. But no matter how funny a lot of the digressions and thespian antics are, the focus of the story eventually lets the performance down. The entirely predictable route through panic, fear and uncertainty to love and acceptance may be heart-warming, but it is easy to get tired of a man staring in wonder at an imaginary child.

The story is all about transformation from being childless and free to being entangled in new-found chains, and as such it will be difficult for those who haven’t travelled this path to relate to March’s dewy eyed obsession. Then again, he does point out that fatherhood may be only an email away.