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.
This is what we're up against...
A media ecosystem dominated by a handful of billionaire owners, bad actors spreading disinformation online and the rich and powerful trying to stop us publishing stories. But we have you on our side. Supporters help to fund our journalism and those who choose All-access digital enjoy exclusive extras:
- Unlimited articles in our app and ad-free reading on all devices
- Exclusive newsletter and far fewer asks for support
- Full access to the Guardian Feast app
If you can, please support us on a monthly basis and make a big impact in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Only spiked supporters and patrons, who donate regularly to us, can comment on our articles.