Author: bruceonthefringe

Music, murder and mind-reading

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It’s Sunday evening of the second Fringe week, I’m feeling somewhat peeved as I’ve just lost two days fringing to a lurgy! Oh, it’s my own personal lurgy that likes to pop up and lay me low at the most annoying times. It wasn’t going to stop me seeing Logan’s Close last evening though, oh no, an afternoon dozing on the couch sipping lemon and honey was just enough to pep an old moose up.

The lads along with two other acts were meant to be playing on a stage on an open area at the top of St James Quarter, but this is Edinburgh in August. Yeah, no, that wasn’t going to happen, of course the weather was not going to play ball! So the bands played on the third floor, but hey, it was grand, the Close were on top form; a lush intro going into Babestation and they were off. Previous LC drummer Alex was filling in for Gavin, busy elsewhere at the Fringe. What’s happening in the pic? Check it out on Instagram! What an utter joy, a mid Fringe dose of Elsie. A much-needed tonic 💛

I’ve done absolutely zilcharoony today, so now as my head is starting to clear, a few more Fringe musings…

First up The Grim a darkly comic piece of theatre. I really enjoyed it, the banter between the two undertakers, one a real geezer type and the other a more timid Irish Catholic lad, was great but one couldn’t help looking at the covered over corpse on the table and wondering… This is the second play I’ve seen by Edmund Morris, I very much look forward to his third. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Surreal: The Mind-Reading Show From Berlin! is something very different. Even as we sat waiting for the show to begin the animated vintage-style projections were incredibly beautiful and set the tone (at the end of the show we learnt that they were created by Vivian). Roman Von Thurau and Vivian Sommer are like creatures from another era, almost otherworldly, their storytelling pulled the audience in and their mind-reading kept us all enthralled. I like to think myself as open-minded with a healthy dose of cynicism; that was some show, quite unnerving ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Musical theatre, anyone? The Man Who Wouldn’t Be Murdered is performed in the round (or, more square in this case), and impressively without mics. Centre stage is the musical accompaniment, keyboards played by the writer/composer Lily Blundell who also plays a character too! She is Josephine, wife of Tony Morino, owners of a bar in 1930s America. Business is not good, Tony comes up with a plan to get some money, but Death has other ideas. A little different to my usual fare but again my Fringe-dar hit the mark, a deliciously dark, funny tale, brilliantly performed by all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

It’s late, I need my bed. I’ll leave you with one last mention, John Robertson: The Human Hurricane quite simply, bloody awesome!! The last time he did free Fringe show he had an old guitarist to accompany him, this time he’s playing an electric ukulele himself. John is as brilliant and gleefully manic as ever. The evening I saw him there was a dog in the audience (he is all inclusive) and a gentleman who kept John supplied with shots of whisky – a fine, fine show for us, quite what The Dark Room would have been like after it is another matter! I’ll definitely go see The Human Hurricane again ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

He’s a big softie at heart

An apple, an ironing board and a very bitter man

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Just now, as I sat to write this post the heavens opened, it’s bucketing down outside! Such a change from yesterday with blazing hot sun and a balmy breeze, that’s Fringe weather for you.

It’s the middle Thursday, some shows only have a few performances left as they finish this weekend. Some shows only come to the Fringe for a week, some for two weeks; there seem to be a lot more finishing this weekend than last weekend – is the third week pricier than the other two? Mind, the third week happens to coincide with the Edinburgh TV Festival, maybe some shows only want to bother doing the third week so’s to catch the attention of all the TV people up.

Ironing Board Man is one that finishes on Saturday. Oh, not just one ironing board, he has eight of the things (including two small ones as his children). The manoeuvring of so many ironing board characters did seem a bit clunky to me, but that will have gotten slicker as the show progressed (I saw it on the 3rd) and it gives a certain rough’n’ready charm, though some of the front row looked a tad alarmed at times at the proximity of the moving objects with their faces (they were very close to the action, it’s on in The Crate).

Ironing Board Man has a plot like a nineties movie, and the soundtrack to match. When the hero puts on the red jacket you know arses are gonna get kicked. It’s all great fun, hats off to Jody Kamali for such a wonderful creation; whilst anyone will enjoy this, I reckon a certain generation will embrace it a little more (and wonder that they didn’t see the original with Bruce Willis, on a rented video). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Saturday is also your last chance to spend An Evening with Dame Granny Smith a wonderful feisty old antipodean, oh, and her assistant David Salter (I can’t be the only to have thought there’s a shade of Dame Edna in there). Those who’ve followed me a while will know my love of all things antipodean, well that now includes talking apples!

What a lovely, lovely show! Sweet but with plenty bite, old but still sassy, hilarity and bittersweet poignancy. The mention of Dame Maggie Smith was an utter joy, had me in stitches. Oo, now that would be fun An Evening with two Dames called Smith! I’d definitely go to that! Having written this, I’m actually tempted to go see her one more time, she’s worth it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Time will also stop for The Whirligig of Time on Saturday. I caught this yesterday with a Half Price Hut ticket, bought because the one man in this show is Robin Leetham who was excellent as Shakespeare’s Fool. This time he plays Malvolio, a few months after the events of Twelfth Night; remember how he swore revenge on all?

This tells how he did it – and how eloquently he tells the tale! The wordplay is a treat, sharp and droll; I wish I had a brain capable of recalling swathes of great lines (like that friend who can blithely quote from films seen just once!) I shall count this as part of my Shakespeare for this Fringe, I’m sure the bard wouldn’t mind ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The sun is now vaguely out, though the traffic outside sounds like the roads are still pretty wet. I should step out and see what delights are on offer today, or, first just check the Half Price Hut tickets online in case there’s something there. Wow, so many shows on the list, Dame Granny Smith is on there, but at the same time Aidan Sadler: Melody is also a HPH in the Voodoo Rooms. Or, I am intrigued by Bad Clowns: Hostage, another overlap. Decisions, decisions.

Toodle pip!

Let’s be totally clear about this….

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And he’s back!! I arrived back in Edinburgh last night, the moose matriarch will soon be back in her home, the rest of the family are all on to everything. So, the second part of my Fringe, this is weird, I would usually have lots of shows lined up, so many semi-plans, but it’s all big gaps on my calendar, not even lots of pencil scratchings. The uncertainty and worry over my mother, I didn’t want to think anything past a few weeks; it’s hard when the bedrock of your life is brought down low. So, if I’m to regale her with Fringe stories (well, she always claims to enjoy hearing all about it!) I’d best get on.

Wow, my inbox has invites to review shows! This is a new experience for me! I’ll have to go through them, reply to folk. So, if you’re reading this and have sent me an email but haven’t heard anything back from me, well, big reason see above; but also, there’s something I think I should make sure everyone is clear about, especially folk who’ve come across my musings this year. I’m not a professional critic.

This blog is just me, a moose rambling on about life on the fringe; years ago, friends kept telling me that I should do something with all my accumulated Fringe knowledge, the history, my insights, my love of Fringe (probably just to make me shut up saying it all to them). After a few years mulling it over, everything takes time to process with me, I started this blog in 2017. It’s my hobby, hell, I even pay to write this rubbish, I couldn’t bare to have crappy adverts hovering about, so I pay! Well, it’s cheaper than therapy.

So, not a professional writer, not a critic for any press (not that I’ve ever pretended or claimed to be such) just a moose who likes to share their Fringe experience (and generally my life in Edinburgh Old Town). The idea of doing whatever to get an official press thingy – see I don’t even know what it’s called, nevermind how to go about getting one. It has been suggested to me by Fringe friends but somehow I feel it would change my relationship with the Fringe, yes I know you’re thinking that’s weird, but that’s me. I’ll need another few years to mull it over.

People may enjoy my ramblings and want to take a chance that I’ll like their show and will wax lyrical about it afterwards, or I may now get second emails saying, oh I thought you were serious, consider the ticket offer rescinded. Hey ho, no worries, she’ll be right, worse things happen at sea, my cup runneth over anyway. Just thought I should set the record straight, that and I recently had an odd encounter with a performer, a misunderstanding or possibly mistaken identity, I don’t know, but it has disturbed me and I really didn’t need it, not at this time!

Well, there’s Half Price Hut offerings that I haven’t checked out yet this year. I’ll leave you with something entirely different – those beautiful boys Logan’s Close are playing on top of St James Quarter on Saturday evening, oh my heartses! I managed to grab a ticket, yay! (they’re all gone now)

And have a pic from the other evening in Yorkshireland….

Fancy a mockumentary or two?

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Hey! How’s your Fringe going? Got any shows planned for this weekend? Huh? Can I recommend any? Oo, that’s a loaded question, see I can tell you what I’ve enjoyed, but as I’ve said in the past, even giving recommendations to your closest friends, who you think you know so well, can end in disappointment (and you thinking, who is this person? how could you not love that?!). So here’s a few notes on a couple of shows that I have thoroughly enjoyed, made me laugh my socks off and left me with a warm fuzzy glow afterwards.

Love the small print at the bottom!

I saw it last year, I saw it again this year, it’s brilliant, bonkers and totally Fringe, it’s The Last Gun by Will BF. I had a look back on what I wrote about it last year and I stand by everything I said, so well, I’ll just paste it here….

So, silliness incorporated, The Last Gun starring, in many many roles, Will BF and a couple of sock puppets – what’s the Fringe without a sock puppet or two?. Right from the off when an audience member was urged to put a video in a video player (he was young, not sure he had much clue what he was doing!) the tone was set, daft, a tad retro, with audience participation.

The Last Gun was a film made in 1975, it sunk with barely a trace, never finding it’s audience, this show is a documentary looking back at “the garlic of films – very stinky”. The laughs come fast and frequently in all forms, impressive wordplay and sharp, funny dialogue, the characters in the talking heads documentary sections, visual gags (an easter egg, loved it!). The audience participation bits are excellent, there’s playdough and video-gaming (Will has written operating instructions on the back of his shirt to help the other player along), Will is equally quick and hilarious on and off script. The film is well realised, in fact I’d swear I got it out of Blockbusters in the late 80’s for one of my infamous movie marathons! ☆☆☆☆½

And if you enjoy that mockumentary, he’s done another one! This year’s new offering is Moon Team IIIV on DVD, bless, the young’un didn’t even know to take the DVD out of the case before inserting it into the machine. This looks at the prequel sequel of a blockbuster sci-fi movie made twenty years after the original (are you still with me?) Again there’s plenty of talking heads recounting memories, giving opinions, all very funny and well-realised.

The film itself plays out through the show with Will BF jumping between all the characters, so much energy! Like The Last Gun Will knows his subject well, so many sci-fi references to spot and chortle at through a film with a plot to make George Lucas jealous. A big shout out for Swimothy, he was awesome! This sci-fi like it used to be, funny, action-packed, strangely compulsive, great fun with a bucket of popcorn ☆☆☆☆½

If you’ve read any of my stuff, you may have realised I rarely write anything about plots or twists, personally I don’t like sitting knowing certain points are coming up or that there’s a big, shocking reveal (kinda takes the shock out of it).

Toodle pip!

Fancy a sardine sandwich?

bruceonthefringe 2024, Comedy, Comedy duos, Comic theatre, Edinburgh Fringe 2024, Fringe reviews, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

That’s a duo of duos with a filling of Sardines; a fine concept if the showtimes had lined up, sadly not. My, a sandwich like this could really give you bizarre dreams afterwards (mmm, actually yes, probably as well it doesn’t exist). First on the board, BriTANick: Dummy.

BriTANick are from the States, a sketch comedy duo who’ve worked together for some time (oh, and the good-looking one is married to Karen Gillan). There’s a charm about them, their comedy is surreal, often subverting the audience’s expectations, but always charming. BriTANick are not afraid to follow ideas way down deep into the rabbit hole when timider comics would stop and head back to the light; the reward is a highly entertaining, deeply funny hour. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

On to the filling, Sardines a surreal comedy about William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. I’ll admit I was very unsure about picking this, like in one of those sandwich shops where it’s all unusual fillings, so you just have to choose and hope for the best. Oh, my Fringe-dar was so on point! Truly, wonderfully silly, there’s sweet and sharp, whimsy and dark. Another brilliant production at Paradise in The Vault but take note it finishes on Saturday 17th, if you like your theatre on the absurd side, do catch it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And completing the sandwich are those Grubby Little Mitts with yet another ridiculously brilliant show, how do they do it? Hmmm, I reckon that Rosie and Sullivan skipped into a rabbit hole went right to the end, then extended it, and stuck in a few sneaky doublebacks just for fun – they’ve built a whole damn warren! And watch out, this is comedy with a soupsant of unease, and a shiver of disquiet (it’s Rosie, I tell you, she’s scary, looks sweet but …). Without doubt a contender for my top show of the Fringe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌟

More later, toodle pip!

A few more I’ve see…

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Late last night I put up couple of pics on my Instagram story, I suppose I should say something to support them. Okay, there were three pics but I’ve already told you how great The Gummy Bears” Great War is (4½ stars, in case you missed it).

Ah, looking again I didn’t put any stars on the Shadow Necropolis pic. Another excellent production by the Mochinosha Puppet Company, revisiting some of the characters from last year’s Shadow Kingdom. This time our young heroine Minerva goes to Necropolis to rescue a new friend from the clutches of Oizys (new fact for the day, Oizys is the Greek goddess of anxiety, distress and misery).

If you’ve never seen Japanese shadow puppetry before (yeah, there’s a good chance of that), it’s not just dark shadows – there’s plenty of colours! The story is told using hundreds of colourful shadow puppets projected on to a big screen. The artistry is breathtaking and will sweep you up into the story, which fair cracks along from the off with the two puppeteers supplying distinct voices to each character.

There’s plenty of humour, intrigue and storyline to enjoy, but I did feel that some of the references to coping with anxiety were too heavy-handed and bogged the story down; a show like this is a great way to highlight anxiety issues and I applaud the company for doing this, just a lighter touch would have worked better for me. Apart from that, a top show for me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

The third pic is the flyer for Hughie Shepherd-Cross’s latest play Gang Bang about a mafia gang, not an orgy as some may wonder by the name! Okay, so I did titter when the call was made for the queue to start. I may have to enquire why the author chose the name, if I do I shall let you know.

Gang Bang is an awful lot of fun, the three actors morph perfectly between the multiple characters, delivering the laughs that just kept piling up. Well, Lancashire is just a funny place anyway, stick a sicilian mafia guy Don Lambrini in there (he thought he was on a boat sailing to America), next thing it’s nearly thirty years on, time to name his successor….

Okay, so I may be a bit partisan for things set in the North of England; Blackpool is the particular setting here. The accents were delivered with gusto, like I said, there’s an awful lot to enjoy with this production. Shepherd-Cross’s writing just gets better and better, he’s definitely one to watch ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Just one more mention for the night, Napoleon’s 100 Days written and performed by Andy D in one of my favourite venues Paradise In The Vault. Last year he successfully transplanted Mark Twain’s The Stolen White Elephant to England, plenty fun there, but a show about Napoleon?! Surely a tad on the dry side? Never fear, this is the story of Napoleon’s escape from exile on Elba and return to Paris and power with a just small army, his friend Stanley from Lancashire (see why I included this here?!) and a dog called Fido – some elements may be more fictional than others, but it’s all delivered with a dry but fuzzily warm northern humour.

Annoyingly, just like back in my schooldays, the historical dates, names, places refuse to nestle in my brain, but I enjoyed being along for the ride. You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy this show, just an enquiring mind and love of a semi-factual tale ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Goodnight, sweet dreams

Norse men, bears and a bard

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August, the month of short, intense bursts of exercise, well, covering distances in a quarter of the time it would usually take. Oh, it’s not just about speed and stamina, there’s sidestepping obstacles, anticipating numpties, spotting and slipping through the slightest gaps in sprawling crowds. That was me tonight trying to get to the Gordon Aitman Theatre at George Square in time for Mythos: Ragnarok. Reader, I made it! Only because as I dashed out, 20:55 morphed into 20:50 in my head (yeah, I wouldn’t have made that).

So how was Mythos: Ragnarok a tale of Norse gods told by wrestlers? Bloody entertaining, that’s what! This particular venue often feels quite dull and sterile to me, but tonight was very different, the backdrops and effects really gave the place an atmosphere; the action was dramatic and powerful with plenty of humour and wit. Wrestling isn’t usually my thing at all, but as it’s Fringe, why not; so don’t be put off if it’s not yours either, it’s a great storyline and that noise as they slam down is something else (honestly, it sounds so painful, just as well they’re all professionals and incredibly well rehearsed). So glad I went!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

From Norse gods to Gummy Bears – only at the Fringe! As gummy bears are very small, so the timelength of the show is short, but The Gummy Bears’ Great War packs a lot of punch into thirty minutes; also, despite being tiny, the room layout means all the audience can see the stars of the show (the room being in C Alto aka The Quaker House). While we start off laughing and chuckling, the chuckles become wryer and sparser as the mood changes to a sad pathos for the absurdity of it all and the inevitable end. I was reminded of Henry Naylor’s plays on the human, personal consequences of war. Those gummy bears moved me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

Time for one more, Shakespeare For Breakfast at C Aurora (aka Lauriston Halls). The ten o’clock start is a hard one, inevitably always a rush to get there no matter my intentions the night before! This year it’s The Tempest getting the C Theatre treatment where pentameter blends nicely with modern speech, and the setting is quite farcical. You don’t have to know anything about the original play to enjoy this take on it, honest. Always a joy, it wouldn’t be the Edinburgh Fringe without Shakespeare For Breakfast one morning! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Time to hit the sack, more reviews tomorrow, promise!

A few cuts of comedy…

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Just time for a quick one!! I have a date at eight with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. A few notes on Comedy, methinks. The wonderful Will BF is back with two shows, The Last Gun (last year’s show) and Moon Team IIIV. I’m looking forward to seeing both, yes, both, The Last Gun was very entertaining!

Also back are Crizards, just not together, they’ve gone solo. Eddy Hare: This One’s On Me is on at the Pleasance Courtyard, so a tad pricey! While Will Rowland: Masterpiece in Progress is on at the Banshee Labyrinth, part of the Free Fringe. Interesting choices. I’m interested to see what they each bring, will I prefer one over the other?

For years Gamarjobat entertained Edinburgh Fringe-goers, first just on the streets then also with proper shows. Mime is often the butt of jokes, but Gamarjobat a double mime act from Japan were brilliant; this year just one half is back with Ketch Sketch. Hmmm, I’m not sure if one mime can create the magic that the two had together, we’ll see.

And last but definitely not the least, John-Luke Roberts is back with not one but ten different shows; a retrospective of his solo shows, if you will. I’ve seen five, do I pick one I haven’t seen before or re-visit one that I have? Hmm.

Shakespeare, Gummy Bears and a Gang Bang?!

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This is going be short and sweet, like myself! It’s very late but let’s do a quick trawl through more cuttings, tomorrow is going to be busy so that could be another non-blog day. Crikey, this time next week this year’s Edinburgh Fringe will be properly underway. Aargh.

I did have my cuttings neatly sorted, yeah, that was doomed; so what’s at the top of the heap? Aha, first a slight correction, David Alnwick has a third show, it’s listed under Theatre that’s why I missed it earlier, The Mystery of Dracula. I saw it last year and enjoyed it, he knows how to tell a story!

The coffee and croissant crew are back, yay, Shakespeare For Breakfast and I am still without a ticket! That ten o’clock start is hard work, but on average it’s been well worth getting up for. The talented Hughie Shepherd-Cross is bringing another play up, that’s three in three years! I enjoyed the previous two, Out to Lunch and Ringer so I definitely intend to see Gang Bang.

Great poster applauds for Plotters and Corpse Flower, the blurbs are quite enticing too; and looking closely second time round The Gummy Bears’ Great War has me intrigued. I suspect its a show worth queuing early for to get a front row seat – those dudes are really small!

And last for tonight two possibles, largely helped by being at one of my favourite venues Paradise In The Vault. Now I must away to my bed.

Toodle pip!

A few more notes

bruceonthefringe 2024, Cabaret and Variety, Edinburgh Fringe 2024, Music, Musicals and opera, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Music. Not content with popping up a lot in Cabaret & Variety, and on occasion in Comedy, it has its own category and an extra one just for Musicals & Opera. I rarely see anything from either category but, always have a look through, just in case….

Oh my heartses, there’s two shows listed on the first two pages of Music featuring the divine Nicole Smit! On the first Sunday evening of the Fringe, she’ll be in the reopened Jazz Bar, for not just sixty but ninety minutes of jazz; I guess it needs to be that long, the show’s called “26” Songs Nicole Cassandra Smit Wants to Sing. Oh, it’s gonna be good!

Nicole is back in The Jazz Bar mid Fringe, this time with Jed Potts doing their thang with country, blues and jazz numbers; there’ll be some sweet, sad, sassy and maybe just downright silly stuff in there, depend how they’re feelin’! There’s two chances for all the out-of-towners to see Aaaah Look Who It Is: Jed Potts and Nicole Smit, Again! The Jazz Bar also sees the return of The Blueswater for five late night shows spread over the Fringe, yay! Which night to pick?! Another chance to see Jed play, and no doubt Nicole will be up for a number or two.

Much as I love all that stuff, I have other needs, heavy heavy riffs and disco (yes, I’m a moose of many musical tastes). Luckily there’s a show that covers both … in Bannermans, they’re back for two nights, Tragedy: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees and Beyond. It’s gonna be hot and sweaty, and gleefully, wickedly OTT!!

But have any Musicals caught my eye? Just three have tweaked my curiosity…..

It’s late, I’m pooped. A look through one of the big ones tomorrow, ooo. Sweet dreams!