Author: bruceonthefringe

Never babysit an anxious hound.

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Really, don’t! Even in the night I’d be disturbed by my door opening as he checked I was still there. So no fringe shows, just walking and more walking. We did take a brief trip down to Portobello beach for a run on the sand followed by coffee at Miro’s on the Esplanade, ok, so we had cake too. Damn fine coffee, friendly table service, scrumptious sticky toffee cake, just a shame pooch wasn’t one for chilling and watching the world go by. Thankfully he went home this morning, yay.

So from paranoid pooches to good bears – I much prefer a Goodbear! Goodbear are a comedy duo, Henry Perryment and Joe Barnes who are now finely tuned to tweaking funny bones. This is the third year I’ve seen them at the Fringe and they just get better and better. This year the Apres Vie Hotel is the setting for their strange, often rather creepy, creations in sketches which twist in the most unexpected ways. It’s the twists that they do so well and they’re so charming too. I predict great things for both of them.

Also back was Aidan Goatley doing an updated version of his 2013 show Ten Films With My Dad, which was a free show at the Voodoo Rooms, next he moved to the room downstairs at Ciao Roma. TOP TIP – buy some of their icecream if you’re going to a show at Ciao Roma because i) it’s bloody roasting down there, and ii) it’s sooo good, I would recommend a scope of the sea buckthorn with a scope of the mango, heaven in a tub!

Last year Aidan moved on to the paying Fringe, which was ironic as I bought a ticket at the Half Price Hut for £4 – I always give a fiver at free fringe shows! He is an hour of joy and amusement at life’s foibles, there is an occasional slight rant, like last year’s about “street food” on which I am in total agreement with him. This year’s rant was about Avatar and again I find myself supporting his stance, quite obviously a man of intellect and taste. Highlight was his telling of going to Chicago with his Dad, with his synopsis of Escape to Victory a close second. He’s finished his Fringe run for this year, worth remembering his name for next year.

Let’s make this a trio of rib ticklers and mention Sleeping Trees, who have moved to Pleasance Dome this year, once again at the Movies: Mafia, Western and Sci-fi. The live score is superb and adds so much to the show. The physical and verbal comedy of these chaps is outstanding with some surrealism thrown in for good measure. They’re also doing Sleeping Trees and the Chocolate Factory again at the Pleasance Courtyard on Friday and Saturday evenings, it’s not in the Fringe Programme so almost feels like a cosy secret for the fans. Which reminds me I really should get a ticket!

 

The bastard lovechild of Brian Blessed

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So did that get your attention? This is a man who attempted alchemy to make gold, when that didn’t succeed he tried to become a supervillain, eyepatch and all, and now, still with gold in mind, this year he’s back in Edinburgh recruiting for an expedition to find El Dorado. He also lures innocents into the Gilded Room at midnight to scare the bejesus out of them with ghostly tales – it’s not called the Wee Room for nothing!

I am, of course, referring to the wonderful Will Seaward, a veteran of the Fringe. A most eloquent and exuberant fellow, full of mirth and wisdom. As when he did Alchemy, this year’s afternoon show (15.30, Heroes @ the Hive, Niddry Street) Will Seaward Goes to El Dorado, has been well researched so there’s plenty of learning with the hoots of laughter. Who knew there’d been so many attempts to find El Dorado? Who knew the Vatican may well know where it is? Who knew so many thousands died looking? And so many dangerous creatures waiting to pounce on you along the way? And he’s so jolly about how evil (but cool) most explorers were – still a touch of the supervillain there, perhaps?! I was enthused and stoked enough to sign up but I’d probably end up doing all the donkey work (I’m an educated moose, you know), no, plus this moose would find the Amazon a tad hot.

As I mentioned, Will also has a midnight show at the Gilded Balloon telling Spooky Midnight Ghost Stories (part IV). To be honest you’re more likely to pee yourself laughing than from fright. This is a gloriously silly show, though at times through the narration I noticed how hushed we’d all become as we lapped up every word, only to burst into hoots of laughter again a second later!

He is, as I would say, sooo fringe, definitely worth a punt on one or both shows, you may end up on an expedition to El Dorado! But could Will succeed in finding El Dorado, I point you to the heading, he is the bastard love child of Brian Blessed, an intrepid explorer who’s climbed mountains, gone to the North Pole AND he’s been on an expedition to the jungles of Venezuela, hmmm.

 

 

What’s Monday without a little drama?

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That’s all I heard of a conversation as I meandered to the Pleasance Courtyard on my way home this evening. With so many wannabe thespians in such close proximity there’s bound to be some tears, or at least dramatic flouncing before bedtime.

I decided to pop in as it had dawned on me that I hadn’t been in so far this Fringe! This is a very strange occurrence, how could I have not seen a single show at preview time at the Pleasance Courtyard?! The last time this happened was 2008, and then I saw four shows there the first weekend, ah the preview prices may have continued to the Saturday for some shows and back then the 2for1 days were the first Sunday and Monday. The Pleasance Courtyard has always been good for comedy acts, but at higher prices, and they never appeared on the Friends of the Fringe 2for1 list, hence early on cheaper shows were a must.

Another shocker, I’m not seeing anything in Pleasance Two this year, I’ve seen the list of shows there and not one appeals to me, which is a shame because as venues go, it’s a pretty good one. The seating is well tiered, only someone freakishly elongated could block the view of the fellow behind. It’s been sometime since I haven’t seen a least one show there.

So I wandered around having a nosy at all the little and not so little changes. I noticed the inside bar looked different through the window so popped in for a look, ye gods, it’s bloody awful now! Even worse than what’s been done to the Peartree, a few streets away, which has just recently been reopened after extensive work at the expense of losing the Blind Poet next door, becoming just another part of the Peartree. From two great old pubs, they’ve made a modern dull, could be anywhere, lounge bar. Bloody vandals!!

Well, that’s quite enough drama for one night. Toodle pip.

 

Croissant for brekky, soup for dinner.

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So I went to Shakespeare for Breakfast and was so impressed that on my way out I bought a ticket for Dickens for Dinner! Just to clarify, it was the meal some call lunch, but that really wouldn’t have the same ring, would it? Oh, it was chicken soup with a bread roll.

Yes, S4B was excellent, worth getting up for (and I made it in time to grab a coffee at Cafe Nero). The writing was really sharp with great gags and some really good soliloquies, all performed brilliantly with great comic timing. I really liked the touch of transposing MacBeth, or MacGarry, to an allotment society takeover, double entendres almost wrote themselves. Even the song at the end was really good (it has been a weak spot sometimes). Special mentions go to Duncan King, MacGarry and Lady MacGarry (and all their other roles) for their most excellent performances.

I did have a quick scrambled eggs on toast for first dinner before I headed back out, well half past one is rather late for me. The soup wasn’t too bad, wonder what they could put on for tea?

Okay, so D4D wasn’t as good as S4B, but it was still a very jolly romp, setting A Christmas Carol in the 80s with Scrooge in the music industry, cue a game of Spot the Song Lyrics throughout the show, reckon I got most of them. Again, very funny and sharp writing.

And if you like your classics straight, the same company are performing The Tempest up at C South, that’s St Peter’s at Lutton Place, in the gardens, which I can vouch are very lovely. Now if these bloody showers would just clear up!

 

Checkpoint checked out.

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Back again, just popped out to see Mikelangelo at Assembly Checkpoint, wasn’t sure what to expect but worth a punt at a fiver. Ok, so I expected some Cohen, Waits and Cave, that was the show, what I got was one man on a stage with a guitar and an accordion, and one helluva voice. It wouldn’t be my usual thang at all, but what a great show. Swordfishtrombone was particularly brilliant (and not just because I knew it) and at the end he played us out on the accordion, literally played us down the stairs and out the door, now that was special!

I like the Checkpoint it’s a good room for music and it has it’s own bar in the room. A few tables mingled with the front seats round the stage add a touch of je ne sais quoi, actually that comes from the smoky touch added to the air – we might have gone smoke-free, but clear air actually isn’t that atmospheric.

Kudos to Assembly, today’s shows at their venues are the only two that have started bang on time so far for me.

Aaaand suddenly it’s Sunday!

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My, doesn’t the time go fast when I’m having fun! So far so good, no turkeys yet. Eleven shows since I last tuned in, I did mention I do a lot of previews, didn’t I? And that Assembly resident’s offer has been most useful. Just earlier today I saw a marvellous play at the Assembly Rooms in the Drawing Room, To Hell in a Handbag  (The Secret Lives of Canon Chasuble and Miss Prism), and I’ve just noticed from the flyer that the two actors, Helen Norton and Jonathan White also wrote it, a most talented pair indeed. It was quick-witted and charming, their performances were brilliant, a wonderful hour well spent. And not just to get out of the rain!

On leaving the venue, young eager stewards made sure we didn’t deviate from the route out of the building. Assembly may be using bits of the old Assembly Rooms, but it’s a far cry from what it was, can’t really say I’m keen on the George Street takeover. It is obviously very popular but I’m just an old town/southside kinda moose.

First night at the Fringe

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It’s quite late now, but hey, I only have work in the morning. Just thought I’d jot down a few words about the previews I saw today. Silly, enjoyable, outrageous, Jimicaw, hot, unpolished, entertaining.

Tom Neenan: Attenborough is in Buttercup, a large box in the Medical School Quad. Silly, Jimicaw, entertaining and most definitely needs polishing, but that’s what previews are for, and as Tom has a rather endearing way about him, forgiven. You may be wondering was a Jimicaw is, a bloody good gag that’s what, along with Sample Text, no I’m not going to explain either. A special mention should go to his supporting actor Shutterstock (pretty certain that was his name), a great performance there. Yes, a few slipups today but utterly charming, this moose was well amused.

Next up were Brendon Burns and Craig Quartermaine in Race Off. This is in the Night Club at the Gilded Balloon, a strange room that doesn’t always work well, but it kinda suited them. After a quick recap of how they met (part of last year’s show), but this time with Craig’s perspective on it too, they then moved the story on, with the narrative ball being smoothly bounced between them. As usual Brendon wasn’t without a few tricks to try to unsettle and discomfort the audience, though some snares didn’t work quite as well as he’d hoped – plenty of us were obviously big fans and so savvy to how Burnsy works. And one thing he likes is a twist in the tail, another great ending played for and got. Not sure Craig will ever manage to show his angry face though, he’s enjoying himself way too much.

And lastly, Dan Antopolski has returned, so lovely to see him again, though I’m not that keen on that room, Studio Five at Assembly George Square, a little lecture theatre. Largely I really enjoyed the show but a few parts seemed to miss a bit, preview problems? Maybe. He speaks mainly about his marriage break up and his daughters, always good rich veins for material. I’ve always laughed at his stuff and this year was no exception.

The fingers on the clock are wagging at me for being up so late. Night all!

 

It’s the wrong order, Gromit!

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So I ummed and aahed and settled on getting preview tickets for Tom Neenan: Attenborough and Shakespeare for Breakfast. I have a very finite Fringe Fund (which I diligently put money into every month) compared to a seemingly infinite number of shows I’d like to see. Previews will be the cheapest way to see them this year – I could have chanced Tom Neenan being at the Half Price Hut for a midweek performance but no, he is rather good, so preview it is.

This irks me because neither show is in the right place.  S4B should be on the Friday of the second week and Tom should be around then or the third week, but why? I hear you ask, because they should! Did you (anyone over 50) used to make compilation tapes, which though only 60 or 90 minutes in length would take at least twice as long to put together because the tracks had to be in the right order? Well, my Fringe has a right order too, or it did up until a couple of years ago when after eighteen years of fringing together, my Fringe Buddy up and left to explore pastures new.

As I mentioned in Perusing the Programme, I like to be organised, in previous years I would have tickets for shows throughout the Fringe by now, we would have booked our days off work, probably already used up half our quota of Friends of the Fringe 2 for 1 tickets. Yes, I would have organised everything with the cutouts of shows and my timetable sheet, each show in the right place, enough time in between shows, not putting all the best shows together, spreading them through as cheaply as possible. I like some order, then the spaces can be played with. Bud on the other hand was perfectly happy to merely agree on what to see, actually organising anything was not really his forte, he enjoyed the Fringe too, as long as he just had to turn up.

Now the only planning ahead I do is sorting my Previews out and the odd one or two other. I am still a Friend of the Fringe though it won’t benefit me much anymore. But why not take other friends with you? Oh, I may to a few shows, but they’re not really bothered about the Fringe, and organising others? Oofph, I was spoilt with Bud, it was easy, we both really got each other and wanted similar things. I have a pile of cutouts for shows I’m hoping will be at the Half Price Hut, a pile for Free Fringe shows and a pile of “Buy a ticket or Pay on the door.” It does have a certain thrill to it, not knowing how the next three weeks will pan out!

Hey Ho, it’s all part of life’s rich tapestry, or tapas tray, if you’re feeling peckish!

 

 

 

The buzz begins

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Edinburgh is starting to buzz. Bright young things are everywhere getting venues readied for next week. Already a lot of the recently erected hoardings are filled with Fringe posters. The Saturday papers are giving their tips of who to see at the Fringe and International Festival. The Times even had a two page spread about Brendon Burns and Craig Quartermaine, in the accompanying picture Burns looks like so mild mannered, that or he was quite bemused that The Times wanted to interview them.

The purple cow is once more in George Square Gardens (Bristo Square is actually just finished, so either they weren’t able to guarantee the completion date or cows are no longer welcome, and it’s now a circle rather than a square), a few days ago it was just a large purple blob but I assume the extremities will be inflated by now.

Vans clutter up the streets outside venues as all the Fringe paraphernalia is delivered and set up. Traffic will be lucky to get up to 20mph in some streets, complying with the new speed limit won’t be too difficult through August.

The small supermarkets around town will be full with newly arrived theatricals giddy with excitement at being here at last. God, the queues at the tills will be a nightmare, as will trying to get served in pubs. On the plus side, its fun recognising famous people in Tesco’s and seeing what’s in their basket!

 

Uke Hooting!

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I did intend to write another post tonight but then I decided instead to go to the Kilderkin for the Uke Hoot. Now I’m home, it’s late, so just a quickie! Uke Hoot is a bunch of people who meet in a pub to play all sorts of tunes on ukuleles, it really is a hoot. I first came across this phenomenon a couple of years ago by happy accident.

Anyone can turn up uke in hand, you don’t have to be a great player, just enthusiastic, though be warned – they do tend to play everything at 100 miles an hour! No worries about the music, there is a large bag with all the song books and most songs had the little chord diagrams somewhere on the page.

Usually it’s on at the Kilderkin, down near the bottom of the Royal Mile, at 7.30 on a Wednesday, but as the Kilderkin will be using the side room as part of PBH’s Free Fringe, for the month of August Uke Hoot moves to the Blue Blazer, another fine real ale pub on the corner of Bread Street and Spittal Street (well worth a visit).

Witnessing the Uke Hoot would be almost like a free show itself, or if you’re in town and happen to have a ukulele about your person, do go along!