Mark Thomas: the Fringe’s great storyteller
Want to read spiked ad-free? Become a spiked supporter.
Mark Thomas’s new show, Check Up: Our NHS at 70, offers an authoritative overview of the history of the NHS, and what he perceives to be its decline. The material for the show came from a range of interviews he did with medical professionals, time he spent shadowing various doctors, and an interview he conducted with a GP, who told him everything that could go wrong with his health before he dies. As ever, Thomas mixes his polemical points into a highly entertaining, emotionally involving show.
He has a fantastic knack for mixing personal moments with broader insights, using his storytelling skills to bring dry statistics to life, perfectly placing them within the show’s most damning moments for the greatest emotional impact. A lot of the show’s comedy flows from the astonishing moments Thomas himself witnessed. Though one-note NHS worship could have easily proved tiresome, his impassioned humanism enriches his analysis. Another excellent show from the Fringe’s great storyteller.
Christian Butler is a spiked columnist. Follow him on Twitter: @CPAButler
Mark Thomas – Check Up: Our NHS at 70 is at the Traverse until 26 August.
Not a supporter? Sign up now to enjoy loads of exclusive perks.
or
Already a supporter? Log in now:
HELP US HIT OUR 1% TARGET
spiked is funded by you. It’s your generosity that keeps us going and growing.
Only 0.1% of our regular readers currently donate to spiked. If you are one of the 99.9% who appreciates what we do, but hasn’t given just yet, please consider making a donation today.
If just 1% of our loyal readers donated regularly, it would be transformative for us, allowing us to vastly expand our team and coverage.
Plus, if you donate £5 a month or £50 a year, you can join and enjoy:
–Ad-free reading
–Exclusive bonus content
–Regular events
–Access to our comments section
The most impactful way to support spiked’s journalism is by registering as a supporter and making a monthly contribution. Thank you.
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Only spiked supporters and patrons, who donate regularly to us, can comment on our articles.