Edinburgh 2023 - Cooling down

The Bubbles Show is way too popular for me to just walk in. By Thursday, they were already sold out for the run, so I will now have to wait until next year. The upside of not going to a show at 10 am is sleeping more. I still ended up seeing 6 shows, though not the same 6 I was planning to.

My Dad Wears a Dress (11.25, Underbelly Cowgate, V61) - I love Maria. I've had my doubts about her up until she started the run at Barons Court in November 2022, but no more doubts now. She is taking Edinburgh by storm, turning a profit for a first-year show and churning them 5-star reviews like socks. Maria is an incredibly charming performer, she is smart, spontaneous, and funny. Her show has a very exact target audience, and I have rarely seen a clearer description of the show through its title (The Brief Life and Mysterious Death of Boris III King of Bulgaria is close, but try to memorize it). She's got so much star potential that it feels like a matter of time, and not that much time. I am proud as a parent of her achievements, even though when it comes to interpreting a text we don't really see eye to eye. But we seem to like each other, and I was very happy to be spending the afternoon with her rather than seeing shows. You want to see a future star from up close? Go see Maria, thank me after.

Declan (14.35, Underbelly Cowgate, V61) - one of Maria's recommendations, though if we are to be honest this was 4th on the list. We missed two shows at Assembly (a sold-out and a canceled), and we missed Rosalie Minnitt: Clementine as we were just a tiny bit too late. It does feel like Declan is where we were supposed to be though. An LGBT/coming-of-age story from rural Ireland, so you already know what to expect: depravity, guilt, shame, family issues, toy fetishes, remoteness, darkness, and sadness. Declan is an impressive performance feat by Alistair Hall (writer/performer), who delivers a beautiful, touching story, at pace. 45 minutes in which we see an entire world outside the main story. One of the rare times when I thought a play should slow the pace down a tad. We were tired in the audience after the 45-minute play/race, I can only imagine how tough it is to perform it. 

Declan deserves bigger audiences for sure, though it does feel like this was a test run, and the real deal is still waiting in the wings. Whether that's a tour, a run, or next year's Ed Fringe, remains to be seen.

Pitch (15.45, Pleasance Courtyard, V33) - I took a punt on Pitch after seeing their posters. It's a story about football, and I like football stories. Theatre and art in general misses a trick by paying so little attention to this global phenomenon which encapsulates humanity in a 100 m x 50 m grassy patch. In addition, Pitch is a queer story about football, so the premises for success are there. And yes, the script is exceptional. A strong story, good crafting, engaging, well rounded. Unfortunately, the direction betrays the show. So many strong moments devoid of all emotion! Clearly, if the emotion isn't there, I'll struggle to empathize with the characters, and I'll struggle to engage with the play. 

I'm glad I saw it, but I'm sad it's not a better show. The company seems to have a solid strategy in place, so hopefully, I'll have the opportunity to see the show again soon. And when I do, I hope it will be better.

Paved with Gold and Ashes (18.40, Infirmary Greenside, V236) - I went to see this because Everleigh is in it, and I'm glad I did. I wish the Fringe would have a lot more shows like this one. A strong story about immigration in early 20th century America, centered around the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. I had not heard about the fire before the show, though it does look like it's an important event in New York history. A well-researched script and excellent direction make for a very engaging show. The choice of costume is superb, to have this kind of production value at this scale is commendable, and I hope for a future life for this show. If I were to nit pick, I would say that the script feels a bit disjointed, with two clear bits: the gold and the ashes, that don't necessarily flow from each other. The first half is very much a social play, talking about immigration, history, and capitalist ethics. No warning when it takes a sharp steer into tragedy. I'm not making much of it, maybe it was the fringe trimming, or maybe the script is in need of another draft, as it is it's still an immensely watchable show, a really strong recommendation.

Reuben Kaye: The Butch is Back (19.50, Assembly George Square, V3) - Shall I compare Reuben to a summer's day? My love for Reuben is well known, and the way he bloomed into one of the biggest stars of the festival circuit in the past two years fills me with joy. Of course, I recommend his show to everyone, though I don't really need to, the entire run is sold out anyway. And most people just end up recommending him back to me. I have a feeling that, unless TV steals him, any planning for any festival for the foreseeable future will start with Reuben. And I'll know to book far in advance because I didn't this year, so I could not get in to see The Kaye Hole. Australian TV thought the 'Jesus getting nailed for 3 days and then coming back' was an off-color joke? They should hear his Holocaust ones.

Avital Ash Workshops her Suicide Note (22.05, Monkey Barrel Tron, V51) - On a personal level, I feel I could connect strongly with Avital. A love of Leonard Cohen, an honest inquiry into the nature of the divine, and a generally cynic view of life, all up my street. But for the richness of the material that life provided her, Avital makes a hash on the show. This is first and foremost a stand-up, ok, maybe a stand-up that got drunk that one night and made out with a piece of theatre, but since it's a stand-up, I was expecting it would have jokes, and that they would be funny. So before workshopping a suicide note in a set way longer than anyone would have wanted, Avital should have really workshopped some of them jokes.

But it worked. Her depression was passed on to me, at least for the evening. I retired relatively early, disappointed that this year the Festival seems to quiet down completely around 1-2 am, whereas in my day the Assembly Late'n'Live would still be going at 4 am.