Oo, not long now. In two weeks time I’ll be just home after seeing my first two preview shows, fingers crossed it won’t be chucking it down like it is tonight. Now is the time to go through the programme again and see what else leaps out as possibilities.

For many years the first category in the programme was Children’s Shows, to be skipped past to reach Comedy, then in 2011 Cabaret appeared! Had the Fringe been devoid of cabaret before this?! Argh, the new prog has Cabaret & Variety, what? When? In 2015 it turns out, and in 2014 Dance & Physical Theatre took Circus under it’s wing. Prior to 2014 circus could be in Comedy, Theatre or Dance & Physical Theatre, some acts probably still are.

Variety acts sometimes still laze in Comedy and if you throw in a few amusing songs then Comedy or Music fit too and also back to Cabaret. It wouldn’t surprise me if Magic is put in with Cabaret & Variety next year (there is quite a bit of it about), but if you tell jokes while doing it, you’ll probably list it under Comedy. Is your head spinning yet?

Then in 2012 came Spoken Word, well yes, they usually are on stage. Ok, so the poets and storytellers generally leapt over to this, unless they considered themselves more comedic or theatrical. Plenty of university academics and scientists like to pop up to pontificate on their subjects, yep, definitely Spoken Word. My favourite entry in this year’s crop just says, Diary, Charlie Dupre, A man reads his diary. Fairy nuff, but when is a word just spoken, how theatrical can it be before it’s Theatre? Or Cabaret? Is Spoken Word more of a solo sport? But then if it’s funny would that make it stand-up comedy?

Are there any rules, or is it just about how a show wants to be perceived?  I think I’ll just go lie down in a darkened room a while.