The venue is full. All of the audience are sat at tables and excitingly waiting for the wine tasting. The two Australian comedians, Sweeney Preston and Ethan Cavanagh obviously don’t know much about wine.  “It comes in plastic bags doesn’t it?”  

These two are at the front asking the audience about what they can taste in the wine glass just poured. “Walnuts and wood!” seems to be the popular choice.

Assisting the pair is a “wine expert”.  “Come and try more in my local restaurant eight minutes’ walk away!”  Bell rings. (see below). 

They manage to get the audience quickly in the mood, by teaching them the movements of “Hot Potato” from an Australian children’s tv show.  To assist both them and the punters, they have a “bullshit bell” : when someone gets too boring, a ring of the bell cuts them off.

The show has had a well-rewarded international success and, as most of it is ad libbed, they deserve full credit. The pair are affable and have a strong sense of humour and take the audience with them at all turns. 

Interestingly there was a complete cross section of ages in the audience.  I suspect that some of the fans might have been to the earlier show that day! Most seemed to have finished all the wine they could before we started; not just what was in the wine glass but also from the container for the next tasting.  

I have to say the wine was pretty mixed but it did not seem to matter.  Preston and Cavanagh are two of the best improvised comedians I’ve seen.   If I was still in Edinburgh I would definitely try and get a seat. In Pour Taste gains five Fringe Festival Stars (FFS) from Theatrevibe the site that doesn’t do stars!