Eels, eggs and bolognese

Finally yesterday morning there were only the lightest of breezes, so I took myself off to the Park and up Moose Ridge. There was a wildfire up over the other side of Arthur’s Seat on Crow Hill a few days ago, great plumes of smoke could be seen for miles! Of course, the most popular joke was that the volcano had come back to life (Arthur’s Seat is a very old very extinct volcano), I had intended to go and check out the damage. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten my water so at the top of Moose Ridge (I’m gonna keep calling it that until it catches on), I took Pipers Walk back down, and home via Old Wood Cafe at St Leonard’s to try their Eggs Benedict, not bad.

The afternoon saw me stepping into the darkness of the Banshee Labyrinth Cinema Room to bear witness to The Night Mouth. I had no idea what to expect, certainly not the Childcatcher! Ye gods, the stuff of nightmares, oh, and two school dinner ladies from hell (Lady Bolognese) popped in. Silly, and comically disturbing, mind, it was Pittman and Hughes behind it; and as you can’t have too much of a good thing, I later popped into Carbon to see God’s Longest again (it was the last of three shows, and being impro it’s always different). Hmmm, some folk’s deepest, darkest secrets really should remain secret!

My childhood trauma came a-knocking!

Evening time found me at that fine old institution the Bedlam Theatre to see Eelmageddon by Intrepid Fools. Yes, it’s as it sounds, the imminent end of the world as we know it, brought about by eels (some days looking at the news, would it be that surprising?!). Only a mad scientist and his assistant stand in their way, one wants to understand them, the other wants to eat them; but they’re running out of time and the super secret underwater science bunker is developing cracks.

Eelmageddon is a laugh-out-loud comedy with a great plotline running through the silliness, and oh, Mother Eel is a fine big bad with a voice to send chills through her enemies (it had me back to watching Dr Who as a young calf). For a small theatre company, they’ve put together a great show, just one thing grated by the end (and if they’re reading this, I bet they know what I’m going to say) – the professor’s voice, obviously a well-travelled scientist as the accent went everywhere and beyond, which, yes does have comedy value, but for me it tipped over into grating. Sorry, that’s just me, but I did love the creativity of Intrepid Fools, their comedy, the sound and lighting (a lot more important to making a production well-rounded than many realise, but then, if you don’t notice, then job well done!), and a cracking song to end on, what great voices! This is grassroots theatre, I look forward to whatever they do next. ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

That’s enough from me for now, I have another show to see. Toodle pip!

I pondered lonely as a moose

[Edit. It helps if I press the Publish button twice as instructed!]

No paradise nor bedlam this year!

It’s Friday night, I’d usually be in a final preview show at this time (four years on the trot it was Will Seaward just starting as I type this). It really doesn’t feel like Fringe time, apart from the weather – thunder early afternoon and heavy showers since then. I took my walk early evening once it was looking dry for a while. I was noticing the things that were missing, a Spot The Difference Stroll. There’s often six differences to spot in those pictures, so six, i ) no C cubed at Riddles Court, ii) nothing at St Columba’s, iii) nothing at Roman Eagle Lodge aka C Aquila, iv) no Paradise in the Vault (a big miss, I always see something great in there), v) no Paradise in Augustine’s (not that any production came close to that in there!), and vi) no Bedlam!!! That’s a really big hole in the aesthetic of the Fringe; an iconic building looking bare and closed up, such a shame.

Was it because of the rain, lack of interest or a lack of people, but George Square Gardens, weren’t remotely busy; the Assembly side was positively genteel with a harpist playing on a small stage set into the bottom corner. I think it’s the Underbelly in Teviot Square (shows how much of an impact it made on me), also quiet. Oh, I’ve just realised – no Pleasance Dome, of course. One small thing that made me smile was a few couples dancing the tango by the Dugald Stewart Building; I have no idea what that was about but it was quite charming to watch a while!

As I was quite peckish by then I headed home via the Sharwarma House on Nicolson Street. They do a rather good lamb sharwarma wrap for a reasonable £5.99, there’s plenty of it. I washed it down with a bottle of pils, yes, a pils, one of the few times I do prefer a lager to real ale or cider.

Oo yes, I did book some tickets today, six, enough to save a bit on the booking fees. I did try to book two more, but, well, the computer said no, and it kept saying no no matter how many times I tried! Why did I keep trying? Well, when the screen shows which days there’s still tickets available, but then comes up with “Sorry there are not enough tickets available to fulfil your request” at a request for one ticket!! I was a tad narked, any of the days I clicked on said the same thing and both shows are the same venue theSpace Triplex, hmmm. Maybe I’ll try checking them next week in case more tickets are added after Monday, I do hope so.

On the plus side, and oh so fringe side, my new favourite from 2019 is back, Luke Rollason, yay. He’s back at the Monkey Barrel again – I have my ticket booked! So looking forward to seeing his latest offering.

I’ll leave you with a photo of the Bedlam Theatre taken back in 2017. Adieu!