Author: bruceonthefringe

I got hugs today, yay

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Well, this has been a marvellous day so far, and in a bit I’ll be heading up to Stramash for The Buccaneers, yay. I was there last night for The Scat Rats and Mr Marah will be back there again Friday night at ten o’clock on Hurricane duty. Very exciting though, is tomorrow evening in Stramash as the Ol’Times are back in town for a few days!! Needless to say, I’ll be in there for seven, and the following evening the same time in Whistlebinkies and finally Binkies midnight on Saturday (you’ve gotta get it while you can).

This afternoon I bumped into two of the loveliest people on the Fringe, both of whom I had no idea were coming to Edinburgh this year until about 24 hours ago, and both called Aidan! First up Aidan Sadler looking fabulous as ever, flyering a last minute organised show at theSpace on the Mile. Then blow me, just a minute later, only Aidan Goatley! Back up, back on the Free Fringe with that brilliant show 10 Films With My Dad this time it’s the Director’s Cut! One of my favourite all-time Fringe shows, yes it’s that good, well, he is the loveliest man on the Fringe.

And on the subject of great shows, I don’t think I’ve mentioned how brilliant Laser Kiwi: Rise of the Olive is, bloody brilliant! Their acrobatic skills combined with spot-on comic timing make for a thrillingly hilarious show. You’ll never see Jenga played like this anywhere else! ☆☆☆☆☆

Bishops at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose is another cracking show, Chris and Noah have very strange minds, indeed, but they sure know how to subvert expectations. Honestly, they had me half gasping, half laughing at some of their sketch endings. Oh, and I bet I wasn’t the only one to google a certain fruit after I’d left! ☆☆☆☆½

Time for some buccaneering, me hearties! Toodle pip!

What are the odds?

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… On being sat a few seats away from the same person at your first show of the day and then the last show you see?! No, I don’t know him but he was pretty distinctive, so definitely the the same chap. Well, you obviously have similar tastes, Bruce. Erm, the first was Max Norman: A Pirate’s Life For Me, a jolly silly romp, and the last was Fabulett 1933 on the life of a gay man in early 20th century Germany. A day of light and dark, my third show of the day was Tom GK: Chemodian, a lovely upbeat guy whose body is riddled with tumours, for the darkest of subjects it’s quite an upbeat show, oh, with plenty of dark humour ☆☆☆½

Back to Max Norman: A Pirate’s Life For Me a show for all the family. Max Norman has a sense of gleeful wonder about him, he has silly in spades with a creative, make-do attitude that almost seems quaintly old-fashioned (dare I say it, I was reminded of Brian Cant). If you have kids they’ll love it, if you don’t, then just take your own inner child and be pirates together! ☆☆☆☆½

Another odd coincidence in the last couple of days, two mentions of Cornish pirates. Max Norman mentioned Pirate Captain was Cornish, the old stereotype for a pirate (they do say aaarrr a lot); just the day before I know I was told the origin for the accent (by a man dressed as a Cornish pixie) in Tre, but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was, dammit. I gave this a bash as I have a soft spot for Cornwall, but well, I did quite enjoy it, it’s not bad, but… ummm. Tre is just on until Saturday 12th, interesting Cornish facts in there.

Fabulett 1933 was excellent. Felix is the emcee at Fabulett, a cabaret club in Berlin, it’s February 1933, the club is about to be closed down by government order. Throughout the performance there’s reminders that the clock is ticking down, Felix uses the hour to recount his life from childhood, conscription to fight on the Western Front, to Berlin. Much of his story is told in song (accompanied by pianist, Hans), well naturally, we’re in a cabaret club! The music perfectly sets the scene, the singing spot on, the story fascinating and powerful ☆☆☆☆☆

I was actually in the same room an hour and a half before, I did mention last post that Monday was my Underbelly day. The two shows before those two were through the same outer door, two venue rooms next to each other – a warning for Clover and Daisy goers, make sure you’re queuing for the right show! And Clover people, unless you have a long body and upper half, best be in the queue early or almost last. If you’re three or more rows back good luck seeing what’s happening, but the back two rows are on higher seats so you can see really well there (I will having a full-blown rant about seating in a post very soon!).

Did you read my last post? To write or not write about shows I haven’t enjoyed so much, that is my predicament. Especially I feel that stand-up comedy is such a personal vibe, not getting a stand-up doesn’t mean they’re rubbish (or maybe they are!). So, I’m not really on the same vibe as Tom Lawrinson but he did go down very well with the crowd. I did laugh plenty, you know that hyena laugh, when you’re joining in with the pack and part of your brain is thinking “yes, I can see the amusement value of what was just said, but I’m not half as amused as this sound I’m making would imply”. I certainly didn’t walk out thinking I’d wasted an hour of my life, but neither will I probably go see him again.

Well, I’ve waffled quite enough for one post. Yes, I still haven’t gone back and completed my previous reviews I know, but the sun is shining out there! I will just mention the other show from yesterday (just to complete the set). Finlay and Joe: Past Our Bedtime was so much fun! The second show of my day opened and finished with a song with lots of silly inbetween. Now, these guys are on my wavelength, inventive, bonkers, with an occasional slight hint of whimsy ☆☆☆☆ I can’t believe I didn’t figure out the author’s name! I realised there was a joke in there but I couldn’t see it, bah.

Now where are my sunglasses? Toodle pip!

The end of the beginning

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Already it’s Sunday night, the previews and first weekend almost at an end. Just three weeks and a day to go! Yes, the Fringe finishes on Monday 28th August, or more like, gasps it’s final breaths (please someone change the last day to the Sunday, there’s no good reason for the Monday ending, and after all, the official start has been brought forward to the Friday).

Tomorrow is my Underbelly day, five shows for £6 each (plus £5 booking fee), you know how much I like a good ticket offer. I’ve been taking it a bit easy today, was feeling a little Fringed out; counting today’s shows I’ve seen sixteen, which the observant will know is way more than I’ve written about. For one, my time management could be way better, and second (as I’ve mentioned in the past) my mother always said, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

Yes, I know I shouldn’t feel bad about saying something negative. Hey, if someone really enjoyed every show they saw, they’re either bloody lucky or way too easily pleased (or just plain lying about it). Anyone can read what I’ve written, then put it down and go their own merry way, sometimes hearing another’s take can help clarify one’s own thoughts. As someone once said, I should publish and be damned. Sorry, mother.

I kinda snuck out there to go see Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers, I hadn’t yet been and next chance wouldn’t be ’til Thursday. His show is from eleven ’til midnight, it’s a great, fun way to round off an evening, or get you in the mood for partying through the night. For me it’s the former tonight, I shall get to my bed, tomorrow I’ll fit in some reviews, honest.

G’night, sweet dreams!

Three morsels of Fringey goodness

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Three days in, twelve shows seen. It’s tricky balancing wanting to be Fringey, writing about the Fringeyness and getting enough sustenance and sleep. It’s late just now, I had intended to be already in the Land of Nod but a few quick mentions before I lay my head.

Second day of previews I started with Ringer at Underbelly Bristo Square, picked as it’s by the same chap who wrote the very last show I saw last year, Out To Lunch (I was rather cajoled into seeing it as one of the few punters in Bristo Square, but it was very good). Another sharp, dark comedy; maybe a tad confusing to follow at the start but the storyline got underway, great fun and great performances by both actors. Same as last year’s, I’ll give it 4 stars.

I bumped into Grubby Little Mitts when they were flyering before the show, so lovely to see Sullivan Brown again, he said the new show is even better than last years – a bold claim! He was right though. The two of them (Rosie Nicholls is the other mitt) have a great chemistry, the sketches come fast and furious, there’s darkness and light and all sorts of bonkers in between. So that’s five stars plus another little star for Grubby Little Mitts: Hello Hi.

I want my bed so just one more, Shadow Kingdom by Mochinosha Puppet Company; that’s puppets as in Japanese shadow puppets, over four hundred are used! Another big epic story, last year’s was sci-fi, this year it’s fantasy (but again with a message in there) with plenty of adventure, hey, they paraphrase that line from Princess Bride! As last year, the flyer is actually a short comic book, and they have badges, yay (for a small donation), that’s 4½ stars from me. You might think shadow puppetry isn’t for you, maybe not, I wondered the same last year and am glad I gave it a chance.

G’night, sweet dreams!

Twenty four hours in….

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Just a quick rundown of the twenty-four hours, before I get some sleep. It’s been quite a start to this year’s Fringeyness, a very wet one too. So, twenty-four hours ago I’d just got into Whistlebinkies to see that edgy and dynamic duo The Scat Rats. It’s becoming quite a regular slot for them, Tuesday midnight, it always surprises me how many folk are up until after two so early in the week.

The lads were on great form, as were some members of their audience, especially one particular lady to Babestation! I won’t tell you the details, suffice to say, Carl later said, it’s one of those things that could only happen in Binkies. So true, certainly Scotty won’t forget it for quite some time.

I happened to meet a stand-up from Austria, over for his first Fringe, a personable young chap so I’ll go see his show. He’s Elias Werner, his show is called Live & Deaf at Hootenannies. Oh, the show isn’t listed in the printed programme, neither is the venue! It’s taken over an older number 108, Hootenannies is at the Apex Hotel in the Grassmarket, it has plenty of shows on offer.

Didn’t make it home until around half two, had to be up in the morning at eight to be sure of making my first show on time. It was chucking it down outside, bugger, but I made it with time to spare for Shakespeare For Breakfast so second breakfast was coffee and croissant. A good show, I kinda felt it took a wee while to really find it’s stride but hey, first preview, oh, and Puck kept forgetting to light up, I’m sure that’ll get sorted. Overall, great.

A Voloz Collective double next. First The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much then just over an hour later The Life Sporadic of Jess Wildgoose, like OMG, they were both so brilliant; a very talented bunch! More on them later. Hard acts to follow for Crizards: This Means War in the early evening; there seemed to be a number of preview problems, or it could have just been their style of comedy (it was amusing, some parts very funny but I found it a tad lame at times).

I was hungry after that, didn’t want to wait to eat, so Mosque Kitchen time. Yum, chicken curry and rice, washed down with a mango lassi (I rarely go there outside of Fringe time these days, so it felt quite a treat). Home to chill, but not shut my eyes for fear they wouldn’t open in time for my last show.

Finally I’ve seen John Robertson’s The Dark Room and it’s bloody brilliant!! Again, more later, the clock’s ticking, luckily my first show tomorrow isn’t until early afternoon. Oh, and joys, Crizards had badges to give out after the show (well, they had 300 made, after that, tough).

So a fine start to Edinburgh Fringe 2023! Goodnight guys, sweet dreams!

The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much

(PS. Don’t miss anything by following me on Facebook, Bruce T Moose, and Instagram @bruceonthefringe)

Don’t judge a show by the poster?

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Well, I do try not to judge a book by the cover, but with hundreds of shows to choose from, a poster is a quickfire way to yay or nay. Some make you shudder, ye gods, no, some amuse, some bemuse. That first look counts, and if it’s a massive poster, well, call me Homer Simpson, but the influence to see or avoid is greater on this moose. I have written previously about misjudgements I have made based on the look of a poster, hey ho, usually pleasant surprises in the end.

The town by this stage, the Eve of Fringemas, is postered up to the max. Here is a multi-show poster board, anything tall, thin and stationary gets these things attached in August. Shakespeare given comedic makeovers, hmmm. For one, I already have that covered with Shakespeare For Breakfast, and second, neither poster has much moose appeal. Miss Havisham pops up most years in one form or another, such a magnificent character to get creative with; a possible possible there.

Top right and bottom left, neither yays or nays, wallpaper; as the Fringe goes on, they make more of an impression. It’s the little beauty bottom right that caught my eye, loving the artwork. Oh, and if you read my last post, no, I didn’t realise the connection before now. Yes, I’m doubly persuaded that it’ll be worth seeing!

It could become a spotcheck game – asking random people for immediate honest yay/nay responses to posters. Probably get rather more truthful answers than they would say to flyerers! Oo, and on that, I got flyered twice today! The Out of the Blue crew were out in numbers on the Royal Mile, actually, I got past them all without taking a flyer but not for want of their trying. Shortly after I bumped into Paul Currie, been doing the Fringe for years, I’ve never seen any of his shows, this could be the year. Yes, I accepted his flyer!

By the way, I share all my blog posts on Facebook, Bruce T Moose is the name (and no, the T doesn’t stand for what you’re thinking). There’ll also be more daily pics and vids on my Instagram, do check them out.

Some Tuck, Rats and Hot Blondes!

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This time last week I was in Stramash watching The Scat Rats, another damn fine performance as we’ve come to expect from them. The early evening band was Nicole Smit and Jed Potts doing their thang (the first time I’ve seen their double act outside of Binkies) ranging from country, blues, rock’n’roll, and this week Jed went lounge (honestly, eyes shut he sounded like he should be wearing velvet and ruffles!) on a couple of numbers.

Last night I had been expecting to see The Blueswater but alas they had to cancel, well, some of them, so instead Nicole and the Back-up Crew (there are a few overlaps there) did the late night shift at The Jazz Bar. No, I didn’t go, I went to bed at a reasonable time instead! I do hope things are okay again for their Fringe shows (the first one is Wednesday 9th).

I had been wondering at a seeming lack of Tuck this year, nothing in the programme! Surely he’d be up? What anarchy would ACMS descend into without him? And This Is Your Trial without a single Tuck appearance? Surely not. Oh, and TIYT is with Laughing Horse this year, in The Counting House at half past five in the afternoon. It is very random depending many factors but hey, it’s free, definitely worth a punt!

And then, midweek he shared a pic on Instagram of his Fringe schedule so far, yay! Thom Tuck will be in the building, well, a building, a number of buildings, around Edinburgh during August. I like his use of colours, if a tad rough, but curious what Dom and Wogan mean!? 2110 Ginzel’s I think I’ve figured out, some serious acting? I’ll let you know.

This morning I headed up Moose Ridge in Holyrood Park, after a week of slow ambles with old dogs I’ll have to get back into the long climb up, ready for Arthur’s Seat Comedy Extravaganza on Saturday 19th. If you’ve never been up to the top, then that’s the day to do it! Catch a 45 minute free Fringe show with four stand-ups and the most spectacular view in town (unless there’s very low cloud!)

Hot news of the week, Logan’s Close have released another succulently scintillating single from their forthcoming album Heart-shaped Jacuzzi, for which they have also announced a Release Party date in late December, oh yay! So that’s Hot Blondes In Your Area Tonight available now on Spotify and other music streams; and Liquid Room on 29th December.

Alas, I was away on Monday when they invited fans to go along and be in the video for Hot Blondes, hopefully it’ll be out before too long. In the meantime, I have put a clip on Instagram of The Scat Rats doing an acoustic version in Stramash.

Anyhoo, time for bed, just three sleeps to go. I’ll leave you with the Rats from last week…

A few faces to watch out for

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Just time to fit in another quick flit to the home country, then it’s back up to Auld Reekie and no sleep ’til September! I’ve noticed that The Blueswater are playing the Jazz Bar on Saturday night in advance of their Fringe shows, I may well make it back up in time for that. A couple of days to get my moose cave in order, it’s all coming together.

Yay, Accordion Ryan will be back with more Pop Bangers, this time he’s in 32 Below, next door to where he was last year, again part of the Free Festival eleven o’clock every night except Wednesdays, really, make time, go see!!

Alex Farrow is back, once again hosting Stand-up Philosophy and Stand-up Science besides his new solo show Wisdom of the Crowd, all at Laughing Horse venues. His solo show is PWYC, the other two are free, they’re more or less entertaining depending on the line-ups each day.

David Alnwick has a new show The Mystery of Dracula, expect good theatre and great magic (if you’re thinking, umm, a magic show, it will be way more than that!) in the Speakeasy at the Voodoo Rooms. It is part of PBH’s Free Fringe but be warned, Mr Alnwick is very popular, best be there in plenty of time!

Those two absurdly funny men, Neil Frost and Dan Lees are back with solo shows. I could be wrong but Neil Frost: The Door sounds very similar to his show last year, no matter, it was a wonderfully funny show. That other absurd clown Luke Rollason is back with Cheep Cheep, of course I have a ticket! Oh, it’s not mentioned in the printed version of the Fringe programme.

Anyhoo, must go, I’m being taken out for lunch! Apparently it’s by a place we used to go many, many years ago – I have no recollection of it. ……. and I’m back, I was whisked away! Even driving past Waters Meet (where we used to have picnics on Sunday afternoons I’m told) I only had the faintest of memories. It’s at Walshaw Dean, a bleak moorland area above Heptonstall (above Hebden Bridge), further on and bleaker still, you come to Pack Horse Inn; it’s stood there as a welcome shelter from the elements for just over 400 years (ok, no doubt with a few changes over time). They serve fine ales, a very good Ox Cheek Bourguignon and scrummy desserts.

More about tasty Fringe morsels next time. Toodle pip!

There’s nothing else here but bracken, more bracken and hills

Is it a compliment?

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I reckon so, see what you think. I was told this a few days ago by a friend, we were having a long catch-up conversation on the phone.

My friend picked up his mum so she could do a big supermarket shop (she doesn’t drive). Some way down the road he thought to turn the music down as it was quite loud, apologising to his mum for not turning it down sooner, but to his surprise she was fine with it, actually rather enjoying it. Indeed, as they drove along she began tapping her feet, her fingers caught the rhythms too. Apparently, the music fair took her back to the beat clubs she loved to go to in the early ’60s.

She couldn’t figure out who the band were, but they were awfully good! Oh, they’re not an old band, my friend explained, they’re a current band but with 60s sensibilities. A search on YouTube was called for, once back home (hmmm, I never asked if they watched Babestation), still impressed, so reminiscent of the bands back in her day.

Yes, the band was Logan’s Close, the CD playing was their LimbicTV session. My friend didn’t think that praise from an octogenarian, well, could it really count as a compliment?! Let’s see, the lady in question went to lots of clubs, saw lots of bands, the Stones, the Beatles, Jerry Lee Lewis, included (sounds like she was my type of gal!) What a time that was to be young!

Yep, I’d say such praise from one who was there, is a true compliment, and it surely indicates how just good Live at LimbicTV really is!

Things that made me go, hmm

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It’s Saturday afternoon and time for the annual defrosting of my fridge freezer, well, I’m waiting for it to defrost completely, then I’ll clean it. No meat from the Farmers Market this morning, instead I’m letting mince and chicken thaw out for cooking later; the subsequent bolognaise sauce and chicken curry will refill the freezer in mealsize portions. There’s method in the madness!

Now, while the freezer slowly warms up, on with “things I’ve spotted in the Fringe programme” with pauses to occasionally go through and mop up the gathering puddle. Oo yeah, definitely possible, the gorgeous Rose Matafeo will be at Monkey Barrel 4 for only £7 or PWYW, bargain! Unfortunately whilst in the Box Office in June I overheard the chap at the next till being told that Rose was already sold out, so that’s almost definitely impossible, then. I say almost, apparently a few seats will be available on the day, good luck getting one of them!

The show with what has to be the longest title is back again, one performance only. It’s part of PBH’s Free Fringe, I’ve never seen it but maybe this is the year for A Young Man Dressed as a Gorilla Dressed as an Old Man Sits Rocking in a Rocking Chair for 56 Minutes and Then Leaves… 14. Would you be tempted? I really don’t know, I suppose it is free, very much a see-how-I-feel-on-the-day. I wonder how many will go, and has anyone gone to it more than once?

So …Gorilla… is now pencilled with brackets in my calendar, supposing he never does it again? Someone who won’t be back at the Fringe ever again is the late great comedy legend that was Barry Cryer who sadly died last year. For the last twenty years Barry was part of the Fringe in a double act, this year instead it’s Ronnie Golden: Allo Keith! Remembering Barry Cryer, I came over quite emotional seeing that!

What do you reckon “unusual old-school Fringe activities” will entail? Apparently Mark Watson’s Churchfest will be seven hours of the stuff on Tuesday 22nd. Churchfest because the venue is St Peter’s Church up at Lutton Place on the Southside (it has a lovely garden beside it). I do like Mark Watson, he’s intelligent with a slight of whimsy, he has me intrigued with this show (and it’s free non-ticketed).

Back in my school days I studied Murder In The Cathedral by T.S.Eliot for English Lit A-level, even got to see it performed in York Minster. This year, for one night only it’s on at Old Saint Paul’s Church. I’m don’t remember ever seeing it in a Fringe programme before, an OMG moment when I spotted it; but no, well, I’ve already seen it, haven’t I?

More from me tomorrow, I have a Jazz Festival to attend just now. Toodle pip!