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Martin Milnes has a vocal range over 4 octaves enabeling him to sing from baritone to soprano. Despite being billed simply as ‘Martin ‘The Falsetto’ Milnes’, which sounds like a one-man show, this is actually more of a two-man musical comedy act. Martin is joined by long-term friend and accompanist Michael ‘The Fingers’ Baxter on piano.

Fresh from the All Boys school Hawful College, The Falsetto and The Fingers are determined to make it to Broadway armed with their unique takes on classic Musical and Operetta numbers. In the current economic crisis maetter and paetter can no longer assist with cash as college fees are still being paid. What to do?  Why off to Edinburgh and cash in on the Festival going music lovers.

I am not sure if  Martin and Michael will get to Broadway in the physical sense but they do transport us there via the medium of music. Beginning with ‘Cabaret’ ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ and ‘Salad Days’, we then hear an ode to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber plus ‘Pie Jesu’ after visiting several musicals and allowing Michael to have a solo moment we return to more operatic music.

Although the whole show is packed with good music well performed and lashings of public school humour a couple of the highlights for me were ‘Poor Fool He Makes Me Laugh’ (the Laughing song) and ‘Me and My Shadow’. The vocal range of this man has to be witnessed to be believed.

Martin 'The Falsetto' Milnes

Company: -  Ben David Presents Martin Milnes

Venue: -     Musical Theatre @ George Square  V 37  

Dates: -8 to 31 August 2009 ( not 17, 24 ) 

Times: - 21.15 to 22.25

Fringe Programme Page:  p173   (F49)