The weird thing is that I couldn't find any Edinburgh Festival catalogs in London this year, so going up I couldn't make lists beforehand. I find the festival website quiet efficient when you know what you want to see, but planning all you're gonna see in advance misses the whole point of the festival, which is discovering new talent.
Underslept and massively burnt-out, I promissed myself I'll take it easy, though in truth I don't think I would've stood any chance to do otherwise anyway.
I arrived in Edinburgh around 2pm on Monday, went to the accomodation to drop my bags and then ventured into town, again, hoping to get a book from somewhere, but there were none in the Pleasance Courtyard. No idea why I checked the Courtyard first, I suppose I was hoping to see some theatre and I do like the theatre that Pleasance programs the most. Although in the past 2-3 years, Greenside have done an excellent job and they might take over as the place for scripted drama in Edinburgh. The Space are doing ok too, and they have some great venues in the Radisson at the top of the Mile, but their artistic direction is still a bit unfocused. Oh, no, wait, I remembered. I saw the poster for Lucy Buncombe's Remember Remember on my way in, so that was the first show on the list. But that was 5.15, so figured I'd shove another one in before.
After Olga's show I headed to the Dome, only to find out Remember Remember has a day off. Oh well. Let's see what else is there. Ah, Valeria Vulpe is here, let's see her. The Double Bill Daniel Petrie & Valeria Vulpe has been put together with no other connection between them other than they're both young and promising comedians, and the show has been managed by the same team looking after bigger comedians, like Connor Burns, Daniel Sloss or Craig Hill. None of which I have any interest in seeing. I did want to connect with Valeria, and it would have been a lot more relevant had we stayed at Arches Lane. A lot of shows would've been a lot more relevant had we stayed at Arches Lane. As it is, pump up Barons Court and regroup. Anyway, the show. It was everything you'd expect from a tenative stand-up in a dingy archway with a half full house. The comedy was good though, very much above average. Daniel Petrie did what's probably my favourite joke at this festival, about how Londoners are taking over, but it doesn't really carry in writing. Valeria is indeed a promising comedian and if she keeps at it she will do TV, arena tours and all that jazz in a few years. Her deadpan is great, and a trademark, but it does become tiresome after a while, it gives the audience too much time to breathe between laughs, which you shouldn't, really, in a comedy show. So, break the deadpan a few times, engage the crowd a bit more, and you have a comedian ready to take over the world. A new Olga Koch, if you will. No one wills.
The last show of the day was a pun. As I was hanging around The Space on the Mile, a flyerer gave me a free ticket to Pascol - Vocal Performance. Five female vocalists ask for stories from the audience and make a song and dance based on those stories. A good idea, though the ladies are missing a few tricks: engage the audience from the get-go, talk to us and tell us how the show is gonna go before doing an interpretative dance with no interpret; trust each other more, don't worry if you get it wrong or it's not perfect, go with the flow and create, rather than wait for the creatin to come to you. I know, easier said than done. Improv is hard enough as it is, but song improv, especially with no instruments is even harder, and add having to improvise a choreograpjhy on top of that. I know, I know. But do it long enough, you'll get good at it. Oh, and as for the show not selling well: dress in matching costumes (ideally colourful) and walk the Mile singing, impossible not to draw attention.
And that was day 1. I started day 2 late, hoping I'd do some work, which I didn't really. Turns out, resting is just as important.
Still feeling it a bit, and still not having found a book, I ticked the regular Edinburgh stops (the bratwurst atop the Mile, the Mosque Kitchen, then went to see Reuben Kaye, out of duty more than anything else, and a little bit out of curiosity. Having known Reuben for more than a decade now, it's hard to be surprised by him anymore, but was interesting to see which way his art is evolving. Reuben is still one of the absolute best entertainers I know or have seen, but this latest show of his doesn't hit as hard as The Butch is Back or Journey to the Center of Attention. It's more polished, more glamourised, and has more people in the band. More mainstream, if you will. Nothing wrong with mainstream, but it does keep the creativity in check, and uncensored creativity is what made Reuben great. But, you know, at least he didn't get any death threaths for this one.
And because the festival started on a panslavic theme, I thought I might as well go and see Sasha Nezlobin at 10 Dome, make a Bistrot Square day of it. Sasha does acknowledge he's Russian: 'I was born there. It's not my fault', but he also did do something about it. Specifically, fled the country. He gets a lot of sympathy for this during his hour, and a massive proportion of Russian-speaking audience. His English is not perfect, his cultural clue-ins even less so, but he is a funny man, and can be a solid addition to the English-speaking comedy scene, especially when he lets the dark, Eastern-European humour surface. Keep an eye on Sasha, because I feel we haven't seen the last of him.
The second day on just three shows, and finishing at 10.30, God, I really must be tired. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't really feeling it by this point, wasn't able to enjoy much and wondering about the point of it all. I think it was on day 3 that I started to relax a bit, and get more into the spirit of the fringe.
Half forced on day 3 to go out and see Death of Hundun at 11.25. But I'm glad I got out of the house so early. Death of Hundun is a decent physical theatre show, wearing its Chinese cultural markers with pride, and it can be a lot better if it mixes up the timeline a little bit, and dips into the actual Hundun legend a bit more. A lot more. On an equal footing with the contemporary story.
12.50 was Cruising back at the Pleasance Courtyard. I wanted to see it in the July previews at Hope Theatre, and was definitely on my list to see in Edinburgh because Clare Stenning is in it, and I find Claire a very interesting actress. I enjoyed it, a two-hander comedy drama about thruples, cruise ships and the environment. A show I'd happily program at Barons Court, and we would do such a great job with it, too. But Claire and co. are dreaming of Soho Theatre, so, you know... wait and see what Soho Theatre says.
And then I started to well and truly relax. A Dark Line Upstairs at 2.40 pm, Zoo Playground. Known quantity, just a great show I wanted to watch again. And a good reminder of what a wonderful performer Matilde is. Without the bells and whistles of the Barons Court production, she still made it work and made it entertaining, and wasn't even at her best. I am really happy to have met Matilde and keen to work with her again. The sooner the better.
First off, Keeley Hazell still has a bit of clout. She could have a comfortable existance in a number of ways: tabloid darling, tell-all TV media, or - you know - Only Fans. The fact that she has chosen to put herself out there at the Edinburgh Fringe, performing to 60 people in Bunker Two - hats off to her. Hearing Keeley tell her own story really does put a name to the face. Or the tits, in her case. Makes her look like a real human, with hopes, aspirations, desires and vulnerabilities. Takes one's mind off the tits, even for a bit. And it's an ok show overall, though I do have a few things to add:
1. Keeley is currently 39, her character in the play is 32, and talks as if her life is over. Well, Keeley, you're still hot and still 6 years younger than me, with a name for yourself and one of the most recognisable faces and... you know. So this complaint about squandering your life for being a brand and a worldwide male fantasy... I don't know. It feels to me like you did ok.
2. Her biggest complaint is not getting a part in Ted Lasso. With all due respect, both to you and to Ted Lasso, it's a supporting part in a moderately successful TV show. On the one hand, there will be other parts, on the other... your boyfriend selling a sex tape of yours is something you just brush aside?!? That's the real trauma if you ask me. And maybe for her too, she's just beign too afraid to admit it.
3. It's a real shame I saw this right after A Dark Line Upstairs. I like Keeley, and I like her even more after seeing her show, but purely in terms of acting skills... she's not bad, it's not that. But Matilde lights the way, and it's a lot of training and a lot of humble pie for Keeley to eat before reaching that level.
The time was 6.40, and maybe I should've gone and see another show, God knows there were plenty to choose from, but for some reason I felt like going home and taking a nap. Skipped the main attraction comedians and the pissed late night comedians, but I did go to the half past midnight Magic vs Burlesque, because it was Fou Fou Kaboom's show. I've never been to the Voodoo Rooms before, and I won't be making that mistake again! The classiest establishment I've been too in Edinburgh, the staff was really nice, and how could they not, they're Scottish? Besides, seeing the velour, the historic building, the art on the walls, I was thinking I'll get absolutely skinned. I even ventured to get a double fancy local single malt, and it was like £15?!? Loved, loved, LOVED the Voodoo Rooms. Three venues, late night shows, and they also had Tom Little performing, so had I stayed more I would've probably come back. Eh, next time.
The show itself was a lot of fun. I would've gone anyway, Fou Fou is a performer I really like, but I also wanted to see if the concept of just one burlesque performer making an entire show works. It's a concept I've been fiddling a bit with in my mind, and it wouldn't be much different than what Fou Fou has done here. High energy, highly interactive, loads of fun!
Honest honest, both the burlesque and the magic were a bit light - only two numbers of each, but even those two numbers seem moot. They could've done the whole show out of audience games, that's where the meat was! And kudos to both performers for coming up with the games and being able to engage the whole audience to such an extent! I saw a much better show than I expected, and probably my favourite up to this point.
Hang out with Isabella, Ben Sumrie who's in town with a couple of shows, and Flick, who led me to the next show, which she was op-ing. Be Not Afraid. I paused a bit to look up Camilla Borges a bit. With a name like that, she doesn't feel English, yet she is talking about South London, so second generation I suppose. The show is a sily clowning interactive romp through the Nativity story, with some good bits and pretty well thought-out overall, I think all Camilla needs is a bit of maturity and confidence to hold a bit more sway over her audience. On the evening I went the audience played ball pretty well, which made for a good show. But a good performer can squeeze a good show even out of an audience that does not play ball. I'm not sure that that's Camilla yet. Not far off, but not yet.
Because I was already in an yurt in Nicholson Square, I stayed for Halima Habil's Baba. By the way, the clowns are expanding. From the two yurts in Bistro Square who were clown central a couple of years ago, two other yurts have popped in Nicholson Square this year, while the previous one make inroads into more mainstream programming. Not allowed into a real venue yet unless you're Viggo Venn or Elf Lyons, but you know... expanding.
I met Halima briefly in March while she was in a play at RCI, and a Romanian artist, especially one that has a bit of a profile in the UK, always interests me. Halima is also a clown, with a show strangely reminiscent of Dupont Police Trainer. Her show has some of the advertised Romania-core, but if feels befuddling and confusing for an audience that presumably knows very little about Communist Romania. She is a charismatic performer and a smart clown, so the show has the chance to get better, but as it is it would just about cling on to the thrid star by the skin of its teeth.
Then the last show of the day was Ce De Lu, a recommandation from Silvia, and a show coming from Italy, so I do care. This one reminded me of Juggernaut. It has a great mask and it has monsters, and two young and promising performers. I really liked Paulette Rufin, and I could see how dedicated Pietro is. But it's the script and possibly the direction that betrays the two young actors. Six people in the room when I saw it, which is not the end of the world, and only two reviews on the website. The fringe is harsh enough as it is, but harsher by an order of magnitude when you come from someplace else and have no network to rely on, or no money to pay the PR. So I'm hoping the young actors had a good fringe, but I totally see their show as a victim of the machine.
Ce De Lu finished at 10.30, and the night is young in Edinburgh at 10.30, but for some reason I really didn't feel the late night comedy vibe this year. Maybe my age, maybe exhaustion, maybe worrying about spending yet more money, maybe the lack of company. On the other had, getting home at 11pm, asleep by midnight, and 8 hours sleep sounds really mature and responsible. So, I thought I'd tried that too for a few days.
Day 5 was 6 shows, and I swear, this is the perfect Ed Fringe day. Hear me out:
Sobremesa at 11.40 at Pater Hoose. I could've actually seen some 10 am children shows, and I kinds promised Dragon Song that I'd find them, but again, without Arches Lane there's a lot less scope for us to do children's theatre. Anyway, Sobremesa because Ben Sumrie invited me, and I found out Aggie Robinson of Ragged Claws fame wrote it. Alice - her producer - was also there, it was a Barons Court reunion, on the skinniest stage I've seen. A 4x1 m which was enough to convey this interesting kitchen sink piece, with a little bit of dancing too. The twist was that it is a Spanish-themed kitchen sink drama, with a trick missed by not using genuine non-alcoholic sangria instead of the too brightly coloured cranberry juice passed as wine. But like, proper, real theatre, you know?
Another invitation from the day before, The Three Marias, a play produced by Flavia D'Avila who I'd have really loved to see but didn't in the end. An interesting story about three female Portugese writers who spurred on the Carnation Revolution. Not the most dynamic play, but really, genuinely interesting documentary theatre, and it made me want to read the book. Which might've been the point.
Because I was up in the new town, I stayed to see Ethan's 113, which I wanted to see anyway. Ethan and Rio are quite the theatrical power couple, and a real discovery. While all of their work is a bit rough around the edges, they have a lot to say, and their language is only gonna get better. 113 has one of the guttsiest stagings I have ever seen, and by not allowing anyone to see more than half the stage it enhances the claustrophobia effect a great deal. I would have loved to dabble into this play, but they've already had three London runs and are happy to give it a rest. Looking forward to Ethan's next piece of writing though, and of course, he'll be the writer of our Christmas show this year.
Are you still with me? Three scripted dramas, all of them interesting in different ways, from creators I have a connection with! But now, because 113 started at 3.05, I missed the 3.45-4 window, so found myself with some time to fill before Edith's The Void at 8pm. I knew by know this was gonna be my last day at the fringe, so I made my way to the Scottish Storytelling Centre. A beautiful old building at the Eastern end of the Mile, I only learned about it two years ago when Seb Lopes brought me to see Sinead O'Brien's magnificent Hero/Banlaoch. Not only was that an amazing show, I thought, what a great institution! Hence why I wanted to see something else this year, and there were two options that fitted: Selkie and Through the Shortbread Tin. Not sure for what reason I chose the second one, I would've probably not regretted either. Through the Sorthbread Tin is a very Scottish story about identity, living in the shadow of Empires, culture and the forgery of it. Martin O'Connor is mesmerising performing his own writing, and the three ladies singing traditional Gaelic songs do wonders for the overall atmosphere. Pretty much the perfect show for that specific place and time, very glad I saw it.
And ended the Fringe with Edith's Alibec The Void, which I thought was on at 8pm but was actually 8.55, so more like 9. I really liked Edith's first show (Why is the Child Cooking in the Polenta?), not so much her second, Tea and Milk, but all that's irrelevant because The Void is a big departure from her previous style. This is a clown show through and through, and it has the chance to become an iconic clown show with a bit of refinement. Edith needs to commit to the character more, and maybe not break it so often, learn to deal with answers she's not expecting or with difficult audience members. To inhabit the world she's creating more fully, if you want a snobbish answer meaning nothing.
And that was it, that was my fringe, 5.30am train to London on Saturday morning to tech some shows. 22 shows in 5 days, a good average, I just wished I was in a better mood. Before I'm done with this post that took me 7 hours to write and no one will read though, a few words on the shows I didn't see. I ended up making a list, even if I was 3 days in. Naturally, I didn't manage to see all of the shows on the list, but I regret missing the following:
- The Pitch, produced by Moya Jane Productions, which had its first ever production in Barons Court. I kinda fobbed off this show from Arches Lane and ended up doing 3 days at Theatre 503 and I ended up beating myself over it. My Decca Records moment, but I am now sure I'll see the show again, probably at a solid venue (Pleasance maybe?). Anyways, I like Moya and I hope she gets rewarded by the show;
- Allura, a dance show by a company from Seattle. I met one of the dancers and her mum when watching Pascol and promised them I'll come and see their show and then did not keep my promise. Unlikely I'll be able to ever make it up to them, unlikely I'll ever see them again.
- Mitch Benn's Ask Elvis. I really wanted to catch Mitch and have a chat with him, and I also wanted to see him in Edinburgh, which I feel is his natural environment. I couldn't, unfortunately. I am immensely privileged by having developed a personal relationship with Mitch, and having him perform bits of this show for me while flyering along the North End Road. Not quite the same thing, but hey-ho, sometimes we take what we can get.
- Billy Bones Every Ghost Story Ever is coming to Barons Court for Grimfest and would've been good to see it in Edinburgh before, but then I misread the time for Edith's show and they overlapped and I couldn't see it anymore.
- Maria Telnikoff was in Edinburgh again with Campitalism: Three Gays Try to Fix the Economy, and maybe I would've been more motivated to see this had Maria and I not drifted apart so much artistically. She seems to be trying out a new style every year, which is fine, she's still young and still refining her voice. Plus, I have seen enough Dead Effing Rebels for Camden Fringe at Barons Court to last me for a couple of fringes.
And then if course, just for fun I would've probably seen Abandoman, Acid's Reign, Kate Butch, Folk Marry Kill and all of the camp cabaret I could've gotten my hands on. But such is fringe, you always miss more than you see. And there's another one next year.
