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Post by joem on Aug 13, 2023 23:32:05 GMT
Quiet day.
The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria at Pleasance Dome
This has already received plenty of attention, rightfully so. A hugely entertaining account of a relatively obscure episode in World War Two - Bulgaria's participation and the reign and actions of the king in place at the time Boris III. Starts off in an Ubuesque manner then gradually focuses mainly on the struggles of Boris to save his Jewish subjects. Music and high jinks lighten the heavier aspects of the play but it is undoubtedly a success and deserves a London outing - Park? Southwark? Interestingly I recognised an actor I last saw overacting terribly at the Finborough a few years back (no names mentioned). Still hamming it but more successfully this time.
Heavy-handed ushering from the Pleasance team cramming people into every hole and trying to force those who arrive early to occupy the sh*test seats possible to leave the best ones for latecomers. All to do with the absurd turnovers (faster than Ryanair) to maximise the number of performances and therefore the bucks for the venue. Not me guv.
Afterwards dinner at Dean Banks at the Pompadour Room. Food as art or as drama.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 14, 2023 10:01:58 GMT
Heavy-handed ushering from the Pleasance team cramming people into every hole and trying to force those who arrive early to occupy the sh*test seats possible to leave the best ones for latecomers. All to do with the absurd turnovers (faster than Ryanair) to maximise the number of performances and therefore the bucks for the venue. Not me guv. Don't think it's anything to do with the turnover times, if anything filling the seats how the Pleasance do often takes longer. TheSpace UK have tighter turnaround times and don't try and occupy seats in a rigid order. I've found the Pleasance to be the most zealous in that regard this week. The rest of the big four generally only ask to avoid leaving gaps and filling from the ends of each row, if that. As an example of how the Pleasance's policy causes more trouble than it's worth, I was watching Showgirls and Spies in King Dome at Pleasance Dome which has raked seating apart from the second row which is flat on the same level as the first and the stage. The performance I attended was maybe about two thirds full so busy but not packed, yet the ushers tried to fill from the front row back. That was fine for me, as I got a spot on the front row, but not so good for the people then directed to sit right behind me. As people objected, the staff continued to try and direct everyone who came in to those second row seats, despite them offering the worst view in the venue. Similarly, this weekend in Pleasance Two, it was a similar space to King Dome with raked seating apart from the second row. That show was sold out but they still filled from the front, rather than filling that second row last. Again, I was on the front row so it didn't affect me but people near the front of the queue had to settle for the most restricted seats in the venue. It must be in the training for Pleasance staff this year. It also seems to fail to take into account that not everyone wants to be in front row seats for shows involving audience participation, particularly stand-up comedy, although they've been accomodating enough about that to be fair if you do object.
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Post by zahidf on Aug 14, 2023 10:07:34 GMT
I dont particularly like being told where to sit, but when its a sold out show, i can understand trying to fill the rows as quick as possible
i found for the most part for the non-sold out shows, they didn't really care if i ignored them.
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Post by mkb on Aug 14, 2023 14:05:02 GMT
Interesting to see the comments about the Pleasance. When I criticised some volunteers in my earlier post, this was the venue. Everywhere else, they were lovely.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 14, 2023 15:48:12 GMT
Interesting to see the comments about the Pleasance. When I criticised some volunteers in my earlier post, this was the venue. Everywhere else, they were lovely. The Pleasance use a mix of paid staff and volunteers, not sure of the proportion of one to the other, but the staff and volunteers I spoke to were great, really friendly. It's just the filling of venues when they're obviously following instructions that was sometimes frustrating. One staff member told me she was getting paid a lump sum for the festival, paying only £12 a night for accommodation (with the rest subsidised by the Pleasance), and getting to see loads of shows, either sitting in while working or free on a Pleasance pass when off duty. She seemed happy with the deal and was recommending working there to someone who was asking how they could do so next year. Anyway, onto the weekend for me. Day 9. Rewind at Summerhall. Santi and Naz at Pleasance Courtyard. Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical at Pleasance Courtyard. Caroline McEvoy: Street Smart at Just the Tonic at the Caves. Reginald D Hunter: The Man Who Could See Through Sh*t at Assembly Rooms. Bampots at Pleasance Dome. Day 10. Them at Pleasance Dome. On Your Bike at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose. Crash and Burns at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose. Jingle Street at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose. Freya Parker: It Ain't Easy Being Cheeky at Pleasance Courtyard. I wrapped up my first visit to the Fringe with both of Chordstruck Theatre's shows. Happy to report that Jingle Street was playing to an 80% full venue so ticket sales have improved substantially from the numbers reported earlier in the run. On Your Bike, which looked pretty much sold out, is the stronger show with the better songs but I enjoyed seeing the same cast in both. Loved their energy on stage, especially Maddie Smith who appears like a whirlwind part way through On Your Bike. I would certainly welcome a cast recording. I was treated to hearing the final number, Out of the Blue, twice on Saturday, since they were sound checking with that song before the show. Who knew a musical about food delivery workers could be such fun?! As a fan of Lazy Susan, I was keenly anticipating Freya Parker's stand-up debut. It didn't disappoint with Freya's reflections on being a cheeky little guy in a world on fire. Caroline McEvoy: Street Smart, meanwhile, was my favourite stand-up show of the festival, with some great storytelling in her 45-minute set about being anything but street savvy. Bampots at Pleasance Dome was about as Scottish a play as you could get with its exploration of what it means to be Scottish. The scenes featuring an American tourist visiting Scotland for the first time, much to the disdain of the locals, were especially amusing, especially their first tasting of a can of Irn Bru. I doubt I'll find a more powerful way to start a day at the festival than with Ephemeral Ensemble's Rewind, my first visit of the Fringe to Summerhall. Inspired by testimonies of Latin American refugees and migrants, Rewind remembers those who endured, and those who continue to live under authoritarianism. Two of the cast previously appeared in Theatre Re's The Nature of Forgetting so I knew the story was in safe hands Rewind packs quite a punch, with a closing scene as poignant and powerful as any piece of theatre. An instant full standing ovation for the visibly emotional cast. So, that's ten days and 72 shows watched, only a couple of major disappointments among them, and plenty of highlights. It's only when you take a step back from it all that you can start to properly reflect on everything you've seen. Edinburgh was insanely busy over the weekend, with lots of shows sold out. It feels like a significant increase in footfall from 2022 so far. It'll be interesting to see how busy things are when the Scottish schools go back. My top recommendation for the rest of the festival, out of all the shows I've seen so far, is Isabel Klein: Showstopper at Gilded Balloon Teviot, with Home at Pleasance Courtyard a close second. Isabel's uncle nails it in his quote on her poster that she is 'one to watch'. Her fun-filled parody showcase of her talents is a heartfelt, perfectly pitched comic creation and features the best pink PVC outfit you'll see all Fringe.
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Post by greenandbrownandblue on Aug 14, 2023 19:12:06 GMT
On Your Bike, which looked pretty much sold out, is the stronger show with the better songs but I enjoyed seeing the same cast in both. Loved their energy on stage, especially Maddie Smith who appears like a whirlwind part way through On Your Bike. I would certainly welcome a cast recording. There is a cast recording from when it was at the Fringe in 2021 with a different cast, then presented by Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society. It's available on Spotify. I agree it's a brilliant score, and I can't wait to see it again at the Fringe this year.
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Post by properjob on Aug 14, 2023 19:47:15 GMT
I have personally always thought the Pleasance staff are some of the best at FoH. Most venues will try and fill up in a particular way to get the shows turned around. I was tempted to put people at the fringe who sit at the end of the row blocking it or stand around dithering blocking the aisle in the bad behaviour thread as that annoys me. I've never worked for any of the venues in FoH. I would not have the patience to deal with the public! In the good old days of paper ticketing people would moan about the pre check in the queue when it was the staff trying to help them by checking they are in the right queue.
Further up the thread people are blaming the venues and or the fringe society for the costs. I think that blame is misplaced. The costs are driven by accommodation. It takes a lot of staff to run a good venue and they need accommodation and that will cost the venue a lot and that money has to come from somewhere.
The fringe society is a charity and HAS NO POWER. It just runs a box office, and markets the fringe via the catalogue for those that want to join it. It controls almost nothing other than that. Not the trains, not the accommodation, not the number or type of shows that is the thing about a fringe festival.
Edinburgh University owns most of the buildings used by the major venues and lets all its accommodation out of the summer and its student union run many of the bars. Other Universitys will be very jealous off that massive, massive summer holiday revenue stream.
Accommodation costs are the source problem behind most of the fringes current problems.
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Post by kz on Aug 14, 2023 21:10:29 GMT
Eight shows yesterday and three today.
Edges- one of the two Royal Conservatoire's shows this year. I didn't know any of the music beforehand and thoroughly enjoyed it. This show gave the four actors much more of a chance to shine. A few tired voices but that may be expected for first thing on a Sunday morning nearly half way through the run.
Echoes of Paris- this was really special. Unfortunately, it was their last show at the Fringe or I would be recommending it to everyone. A cast of two, Alaw Grug Evans singing beautifully, accompanied on the piano by the Jake Sternberg (although he sang at times and had a lovely voice). A mix of jazz and classical, piecing together memories of a forgotten time in Paris. There was a simple plot, but the focus was really on creating the atmosphere. The real beauty of the show for me though, was listening to Jake Sternberg play the piano. Such incredible talent and I had goosebumps the whole way through. If there's ever an opportunity to see this elsewhere, I would highly recommend it.
Four Felons and a Funeral- the other Theatre GOYA show this year. Following a cast of four and their adventure while travelling to scatter their deceased friend's ashes. Some funny moments and one particularly catchy song that reprised throughout the show. Important messaging about gender and identity, perhaps with slightly heavier-handed delivery than their other show Actually, Love. An enjoyable hour.
Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical- very silly show with lots of boy band nostalgia. None of the music stayed with me (eclipsed by Bye, Bye, Bye on the way out, perhaps), but a good few laughs and a cast having a great time.
Impro All Stars- an hour of improvised comedy with five experienced comedians. Perhaps slightly disappointing audience suggestions which maybe limited the show a bit, but some very funny moments.
Drunk Woman Solving Crime- I had no idea what to expect having never heard the podcast. I didn't quite get the format- a special guest shares a crime they've experienced, one of the hosts talks through a historic crime and the panel answer questions about what might have happened, and then an audience member talks about a crime they've experienced that the panel tries to solve. Some funny moments, mainly contributed by the guest comedian Thenwije, who I might well book to see at her own show, but not my favourite thing I've seen.
David O'Doherty: Tiny Piano Man- very funny, silly, non-controversial comedy.
Baby Wants Candy- Improvised musical by group of American actors. It's a bit of a Fringe staple, but I'd never seen it. Again, perhaps affected by the title suggestion from the audience (Barbies of the Galaxy), but skilful improvisation from a very experienced cast.
TINK- a one-woman musical, following Tink who was born big and began to shrink. I thought the writing was brilliant, expertly outlining the challenges faced by girls and teenagers. Simple but effective lighting which really added to the message. I was not the only one who was a bit of a weepy mess by the end! Although I see most shows on my own and am very happy to do so, I would have loved to have seen this in a group for some post-show discussion.
Tones: A Hip-Hop Musical- I booked this as a filler show and loved it! I know nothing about hip hop so will quite possibly embarrass myself talking about it, but it was solid hour of expert rapping by Gerel Falconer who also wrote the show. Even though hip hop/rap is not my thing, I was engrossed throughout. Evocative story telling, detailing some of the challenges faced by a young black man, with one particularly harrowing moment towards the end. Would highly recommend.
A Chorus Line- the first show of the Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group run. A really impressive production of a challenging show, in a very difficult space. The live band sounded great, with some lovely performances from some of the cast, particularly Paul's monologue.
I'm really enjoying reading everyone else's experiences. I have found all the staff and volunteers to be helpful and amiable, but recognise how the instructions to fill from the front at the Pleasance could be frustrating. Some of the seating can be tight and for one show this weekend, it definitely felt unnecessary to be completely filling the front rows for a show that wasn't sold out, when the audience could have been a bit more comfortable. I was listening to two actors being interviewed earlier today (sounded like possible podcast material?), and the main theme was the cost of accommodation, food and drink which they felt was limiting opportunities to participate in the Fringe which definitely echoes what others are saying.
I'm back to work again tomorrow with only a few more shows booked at the end of the Fringe. Will keep an eye out for further suggestions.
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Post by joem on Aug 14, 2023 22:32:35 GMT
Busier day today.
Casting The Runes
Though I still have to see a frightening play on stage this was a very good production of MR James classic horror tale with intelligent use of puppets, props and space and well acted by the two-strong cast.
Lost In Translation
Passed me over I'm afraid. Made the mistake of reading some promotional bumpf which called it "absurdist" and it set up expectations which were not met. This play s difficult to understand, not absurdist, but the character of the poet and whether he was in a coma, dreaming or making up a relationship for his analyst simply didn't interest me. Some technical problems but they managed to sort them out on the go.
They May Have Eaten Ham!
Autobiographical sort of revue by Naomi Paul, a British Jewish writer/actress, with songs and anecdotes and a good-humoured look at her family's history and its travails before and after emigrating to UK.
Top of the World
Charming piece by a young writer, Fabien O'Farrell, zippily acted by Neath Champion-Shorr and Maisie Jack as loving/sparring sisters Audrey and Evelyn. If you wondered what the Z generation is like, this might give you an insight.
Three Sisters and Them
More sisters! Sort of sequel to Chekhov's Three Sisters which gets rather bogged down with gender and unrealistic narrative leaps.
Mohan: A Partition Story
Good storytelling, history more problematic.
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Post by starlight92 on Aug 15, 2023 12:54:49 GMT
I'm back from a few days at the Fringe (my first time!) and here's what I saw, in order of when I saw them, and my thoughts:
Thursday Bangers - Excellent performances, especially from Danusia Samal. But I found the story a bit hard to follow as they switched characters and timelines. Tinderella - Slightly awkward stand up as it was in a small room and the atmosphere was a bit dead, but there were some great funny moments, particularly the song "I don't live with my parents".
Friday Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story - AMAZING. Completely bonkers of course, but amazing. Lots of audience participation in this one, but thankfully I didn't get picked! Showstopper the improvised musical - Great as usual, on the night I went it was set at a puppet festival and titled 'No Strings Attached'. Lash - A very intense, energetic and fast-paced show, which I again found hard to follow at times (but this is probably because I was exhausted at this point!)
Saturday Shake it up Shakespeare - Improvised Shakespeare, which was joined by a member of the Showstoppers cast. Very funny and huge props to the cast, as it can't be easy coming up with flowery Shakespeare lines on the spot! Showstopper - I hadn't planned this before coming to Edinburgh but had a free spot, saw the review here and decided to go. Isabel Klein is hilarious and the show was a lot of fun, only downside being that it was absolutely boiling in that room! Newsrevue - Great topical sketches, although there were a few references/characters I didn't get. Six chick flicks - Absolutely hilarious re-enactments of Titanic, Legally Blonde, The Notebook among others. Left with a huge smile on my face. This one was in a lecture theatre which felt a bit strange! An Interrogation - Excellent play and a great way to mix things up after all the comedy I'd seen that day. Great tension and use of cameras in the set. Would highly recommend.
Sunday Appraisal - A play about a work appraisal gone wrong, this was well-written but didn't grip me as much as I thought it would. I thought the character of Nikki was a bit unrealistic. Tim Marriott was excellent though. Austenatious - My third and final Fringe improv show and again very funny, this one was called 'The Good, the Bennet and the Ugly' and included hilarious attempts at pronouncing enmity in an American accent.
On another note, did anyone else find the app extremely frustrating? Issues include:
- Saying a show is available when you first go to look at dates, then when you try to buy one it now tells you it's sold out. - Giving you unnecessarily anxiety with a 'Cutting it close!' message in the planner when a show is an hour apart from another one or right after it in the same venue - More something that happened only when I had intermittent internet on the train up to Edinburgh, but it would inexplicably take me to the homepage instead of the payment screen. - Not giving you the option to search by time, only date. A feature that lets you find whatever shows are still available for a free time slot you have (like 4 to 5pm) would be great. Otherwise, you can spend ages looking at shows, thinking something sounds good, but then seeing it's either sold out or clashes with something you already have.
Also found that signposting could be improved, some venues were tucked away with little help in finding them, or when arriving at a venue you weren't sure which way to go for a particular show.
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Post by mkb on Aug 15, 2023 13:54:44 GMT
Another issue with signposts was that they directed you to the venue room itself, only for you to be told that you actually had to go back outside, round a corner, where there was a queue, which you then found the back of, only to be told that there was now a secondary queue and to be sent off to find the back of that.
That seemingly unlikely scenario happened three times!
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Post by NorthernAlien on Aug 15, 2023 18:32:15 GMT
Another issue with signposts was that they directed you to the venue room itself, only for you to be told that you actually had to go back outside, round a corner, where there was a queue, which you then found the back of, only to be told that there was now a secondary queue and to be sent off to find the back of that. That seemingly unlikely scenario happened three times! Gilded Balloon?
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Post by properjob on Aug 15, 2023 22:32:44 GMT
I have similar problems with the app. I've been invited to some sort of customer research thing about it later in the festival. I will have LOTS to say!
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Post by joem on Aug 15, 2023 23:20:18 GMT
Another day's hard work...
Richard Pulsford
My one concession to stand-up. This guy tortures puns in such a way it is only a matter of time before he is investigated by the ECHR. I love it!!! Great short jokes too.
Persephone
On pregnancy. And grief. Tangentially reimagines the Persephone myth but too much emotive writing, not enough meat on the bones despite a strong performance from writer/actress Isabelle Woolley. It feels more like prose than dramatic writing.
Land Under Wave
More fine storytelling at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, this time from the Young Edinburgh Storytellers, three actor/musicians who take us on an underwater journey to Faery. Each of them tells a tale, backed by the other two, and then there's a bonus tale. Really enjoyable for anyone who likes myth/folk tales or storytelling.
Hekabe
Euripides' play on the aftermath of the Trojan War gamely tackled by a young cast from Edinburgh University.
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Post by mkb on Aug 15, 2023 23:21:52 GMT
Another issue with signposts was that they directed you to the venue room itself, only for you to be told that you actually had to go back outside, round a corner, where there was a queue, which you then found the back of, only to be told that there was now a secondary queue and to be sent off to find the back of that. That seemingly unlikely scenario happened three times! Gilded Balloon? No, once at the Music Hall, 54 George Street, and twice at Pleasance venues.
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Post by ellisael on Aug 16, 2023 14:04:18 GMT
did yall check out this video play by Indian Nisha Abdulla? It was mind blowing
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Post by joem on Aug 16, 2023 23:11:56 GMT
Getting towards the end.
Shortlist
Very good two-hander by Brian Parks about warring authors competing for literary awards and more, then embarking on a sort-of joint quest. Particularly strong in its first few minutes, highly recommended.
Sunshine on Leith
Good quality production amdram revival of this musical with songs from The Proclaimers. If you enjoy their music (I do) you'll love this, especially seeing it where the whole thing started for the twins.
The Ballad of Truman Capote
Despite his cattiness and the way he wasted his talents in later life I love Truman Capote's writing but - good as the performance/impression of Capote by Patrick Moys in this play by Andrew O'Hagan is - listening to Capote's constant lithpy whine for nearly an hour grates. This would have benefitted from some variety of tone.
Food
My only dip into the "International" bit of the Festival and easily the nadir of the week so far. What a waste of resources when compared to the limited budgets on the fringe. Starts off like a comic turn then churns onto interminably long dumb shows. If its about waste and/or the environment, then boy this is one huge waste. An hour and a half of my life I'll never get back.
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Post by distantcousin on Aug 17, 2023 11:25:45 GMT
Bit of advice please, experts!
We're on our way up now. When a show says on the official website "no allocation, contact the venue" what's the best thing to do?
Try phoning? (Is that even possible?!) Just turn up early and hope to buy tickets at the venue?
Or is it just a polite way of telling you it's "sold out"?!
Thanks
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 17, 2023 11:45:53 GMT
Bit of advice please, experts! We're on our way up now. When a show says on the official website "no allocation, contact the venue" what's the best thing to do? Try phoning? (Is that even possible?!) Just turn up early and hope to buy tickets at the venue? Or is it just a polite way of telling you it's "sold out"?! Thanks Fringe website and venue website may be different allocations so check on both. Also, plenty of 'sold out' shows make house seats available for sale an hour before the show so worth checking the Fringe and venue websites then (or enquire at the box office). Also, keep an eye out for any extra performances at different time slots being announced.
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Post by joem on Aug 17, 2023 23:59:01 GMT
Last day! I wish I could live my entire life like this.....
And This Is My Friend Mr Laurel
Jeffrey Holland reprises his role in this one-man show by Gail Louw as Stan Laurel, reminiscing about his life and career whilst visiting his terminally ill buddy, Oliver Hardy. Very well acted although the hysterical laughs from one member of the audience seemed rather OTT to the point where Jeffrey had to stop the show and wait for it to die down and actually joked "can you come back tomorrow?"
Violets and Vinegar
Hilarious but also at times poignant play with three different (unrelated) stories told by three women - a cancer survivor whose husband is probably cheating on her, a mature virgin who decides to go for it and a young Scouser on holiday in Magaluf looking for sex and booze. Really packed with laughs, one o them had a slight accident in the performance I attended - fell off the back of her seat - but got right back and stuck into her part. A real trooper. Very highly recommended.
The Grand Old Opera House Hotel
A triumph. This needs to tour and be seen in London. Part rom-com, part play with music with an aesthetic reminiscent of Wes Anderson's "Grand Budapest Hotel" movie, the cast rollicks its way through a bunch of scenes with influences from Carry On to Saint Saens and delivers some of opera's greatest hits into the bargain - adding some new "operatic" dialogue to move the story along. Marvellous.
Colonel Anne
Amdram with interesting tale from the '45 about a Scottish aristo's wife who calls her clans to action in the face of her hubby's vacillation. Did feel some of the cast were a little overripe for their parts but it was an entertaining watch.
Ay Up Hitler
Bad taste play about Hitler and his chums surviving the war and moving to Yorkshire which is saved by the fact it has plenty of laughs, even if it is overlong. Interesting to see what one can laugh at these days, given there are increasingly things one is not even allowed to talk about let alone use for a laugh. Punters will be reassured to hear though that at the end Hitler and Goebbels are joined on stage by usual suspects Johnson and Trump, no sacred cows are used for mirth.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 20, 2023 8:25:37 GMT
Back in Edinburgh and boy is it busy! So many sold out shows yesterday and street and venues teeming with people!
Day 11.
Skies in the Cloud at theSpace on the Mile.
It's a Woman's World at theSpace Triplex.
Grubby Little Mitts: Hello, Hi at Assembly George Square.
Vino Veritas at theSpace on the Mile.
Pandemonium at theSpace on the Mile.
Cabaret Impedimenta at Assembly George Square.
Day 12.
Losing the Plot at theSpace at Niddry Street.
Here You Come Again at theSpace at Surgeons Hall.
The Dead Ducks at theSpace at Surgeons Hall.
The Life Sporadic of Jess Wildgoose at Pleasance Courtyard.
A Chorus Line at Paradise in Augustines.
Laser Kiwi: Rise of the Olive at Assembly Checkpoint.
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical at Pleasance Courtyard.
Ivo Graham: Organised Fun at Pleasance Courtyard.
Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group (EUSOG) smash it out of the park every year and their festival production of A Chorus Line is no exception. The talent in this troupe of triple threats belies the show's status as a student production. You could put the company of A Chorus Line on a West End stage and they wouldn't look out of place. Some of the standout performers look like future stars in the making, none more so than Minnie Cross as Kristine. The music is all performed live by a sizable orchestra. It was a pretty incredible experience sat on the front row sometimes mere inches from this insanely talented cast singing and dancing their socks off. The full standing ovation received was richly deserved. Truly outstanding, EUSOG's work once again sets the standard for other student productions to follow.
Another very entertaining student production comes in the form of Losing the Plot by Fruit Bowl Theatre from The University of Manchester. A group of friends try to help a struggling writer pen a new musical, set to a soundtrack of classic 80s songs, with the occasional 70s hit for good measure. This provides a high-energy start to the day, with distinctive characters well mined for comedy by the enthusiastic cast. The dance routines accompanying many of the songs, as well as plenty of amusing references to other musicals, added to the feel-good fun. This was a show and a set of characters I could have happily watched for longer than the hour-long run time.
Other highlights from the past couple of days include Laser Kiwi's eccentric, wonderfully bizarre circus cabaret, themed around the humble olive! It was also great to catch Grubby Little Mitts' follow-up to their award-winning debut sketch show last year. Featuring two alumni of The Cambridge Footlights, Rosie Nicholls and Sullivan Beau Brown, the opening and closing sketches of their new show riff off Singing In The Rain to spectacular comic effect. Their easy chemistry is palpable, the sketches often surreal, occasionally filthy, but consistently hilarious. Sometimes it's not even the material itself but how it's delivered - Rosie exudes warmth while Sullivan's facial expressions often convey more than words ever could. These are two hugely likeable performers whose new hour is easily the pick of the sketch shows I've seen at the festival this year. The opening scene and sensational finale are worth the price of admission alone!
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 21, 2023 8:10:32 GMT
Day 13.
Chasing Butterflies at Pleasance Dome.
Tink at Underbelly Bristo Square.
The Half Moon at Pleasance Dome.
2020 the Musical at Underbelly Bristo Square.
Potty the Plant at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose.
A Good Panto Die Hard at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose.
Gunter at Summerhall.
I wasn't sure what to expect from Potty the Plant but I loved the zany humour of the show. Described in one review as "an unholy fusion of Sesame Street and a B-movie horror film", Potty is a talking plant on Dr Acula's desk in a hospital setting where blood-sucked kids seem to be disappearing. That premise sets the tone for an hour filled with zany characters, upbeat and catchy songs, and plenty of laugh out loud comedy! There's some great one liners but I also enjoyed some of the humour in the set that's never referenced by the characters, with signage around the hospital including "More than 50% of our staff are properly qualified" and "Are you worried you're turning into a gorilla?" Sarah Oakland as Miss Lacey gets some of the best lines and has a beautiful singing voice. The mock earnestness of Miss Lacey contrasts well with the over-the-top characters, not to mention the singing pot plant, all around her. I'm still humming one of her solo numbers, Unhappy, as well as the earworm title song, the following morning! Subversive, crazy, full of knowing humour, Potty the Plant is a wickedly funny slice of Fringe fayre.
A Good Panto Die Hard is also a blast. This reworking of the film sees Die Hard get The 39 Steps treatment, with a cast of four where one plays John McClane and the other three multirole to hilarious effect. Throw in some songs from the era, like Something Happened on the Way to Heaven and several Duran Duran numbers, then add many of the essential ingredients of a panto (minus a dame) and some inspired sight gags and you have an idea of what to expect! The concept is executed quite brilliantly by a cast of all the talents. Meanwhile, the audience gets into the spirit of things from the off with shouts of "He's behind you" and "oh no it isn't". Frankly, this is a show that is so much better than it has any right to be. Die Hard is crunched into a 75-minute format that can be enjoyed by fans and those unfamiliar with the movie alike, but it also seamlessly weaves in panto tropes and delivers some brilliant musical numbers. The singalong finale of Fairytale of New York is somehow quite moving. This is a work of genius that belongs on the Fringe, while also settling the age old debate of whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie!
I ended the day with Gunter at Summerhall, where Dirty Hare are retelling a true story of deception, magic and torture from 1605. Two boys have been murdered and their mum wants justice. This precipitates a feud between two families and when the murderer's daughter falls ill, there’s only one thing that could evidently have happened - she must have been bewitched. This was one of the most powerful pieces of drama I've ever seen, heightened by its musical storytelling style and in-your-face exposition. A chaotic reimagining of the most notorious bewitchment case you've never heard of in a vibrant fusion of drama, physical theatre, music, and history. The immersive setting of the anatomy lecture theatre at Summerhall only heightens the atmosphere and tension. This is an hour like no other at the festival. A triumph for all involved.
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Post by aingidh on Aug 21, 2023 11:51:48 GMT
4 shows for me today:
Cat sh*t Crazy - theSpace Triplex Hello Kitty Must Die - Pleasance Courtyard Chloe Petts - Pleasance Courtyard Tom Lawrinson - Underbelly Bristo Square
Was meant to be at England & Son but received an email this morning saying it had been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Luckily managed to find Cat sh*t Crazy as a replacement.
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Post by kz on Aug 21, 2023 19:26:53 GMT
Was back out again today.
Started with Best of the Fest Day Time- a mixed bill of magic, comedy, circus and cabaret. I'm hoping to be able to fit in the full length shows for What Does Stuff Do?- a very talented juggler with an edge of physics, and Tom Crosbie- Actions Speak Louder Than Nerds.
I then saw Home. As others have said, this was really impressive theatre and the use of lighting, set pieces and movement was exceptional. I was a bit unsure of the story at times but I think that might be the intention. I did leave feeling completely overstimulated but I think that says more about the intensity of the experience.
After This Plane Has Landed- a musical about the experiences of John McCarthy (news producer taken hostage in Lebanon) and Jill Morrell. I found this really quite disappointing. Benedict Powell and Claire Russell are both hugely talented and acted and sang well but there were so many songs that just felt pedestrian. It felt a bit confused about whether it was a serious piece or trying to be light- lots of chat about "We're in a musical" at the start. There could be something in the idea as it's an interesting story, highlighted by the delightful audience member who spent most of the show reading about the story on Wikipedia on their phone....
Ended with The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria. An enjoyable play with excellent use of music. Some slightly distracting overacting from one cast member (I know it's supposed to be over the top but I felt it was maybe just a bit much) and an audience member who laughed so loudly and so often that it drew the attention of the cast. This made me want to read more about the real events, although not on Wikipedia on my phone during the show...
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 22, 2023 22:26:35 GMT
Day 14.
Lara Ricote: Work in Progress at Monkey Barrel.
The Great Ruckus at Pleasance Courtyard.
Edmonds at Pleasance Courtyard.
Graveyard of the Outcast Dead at theSpace on the Mile.
Black Martini at theSpace on the Mile.
Talkies: Improvised Classic Hollywood Comedy at Just the Tonic at the Caves.
What If They Ate The Baby? at theSpace on the Mile.
Day 15.
Hooked: Mr Sister at Just the Tonic at the Caves.
The Bristol Suspensions: Susps - The Acapella Friends Show at theSpace at Niddry Street.
The Knot at theSpace at Niddry Street.
Junk Monkey at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose.
Public the Musical at Pleasance Courtyard.
Frank Skinner: 30 Years of Dirt at Assembly George Square.
Public the Musical is a strong contender, along with We'll Have Nun of It and Potty the Plant, for my favourite musical at this year's festival. Four strangers become trapped in a gender-neutral public toilet and we follow them in real-time through the following hour as they wait to be let out. With meticulously crafted characters, an intelligent appraisal of gender identity issues, and a banging score filled with guitar-led hooks, there's lots to enjoy here. Public feels fresh and exciting and tailor made for a transfer to somewhere like Southwark Playhouse. The cast of four features Annabel Marlow from the original student cast of Six. I saw Annabel's solo musical cabaret show a couple of weeks ago an in some respects this is also the Annabel Marlow show, as she milks every line to brilliant comic effect.
Talkies is a new improv show harking back to the golden age of Hollywood. While Talkies might be making its Fringe debut, there's familiar faces in a cast that's something of a supergroup of improvised comedy. Members of the troupe have previously appeared in the likes of Murder She Didn't Write, Paul Merton's Impro Chums, and Racing Minds. This is by far the best improvised show I've seen at the festival this year. By a mile. Sheer class and packed with laughs and a cohesive narrative from start to finish.
Olivia McLeod's Fringe debut, Pash, was one of my favourite solo shows in 2022. She returns this year with a new play, Junk Monkey, which is a masterpiece of solo theatre. After a chance encounter on a train, with a girl who might just be the love of her life, Olivia sets about finding out who the stranger is and conspires to bring their worlds together. Interspersed with brief memories of crushes and sexual encounters growing up, this is a show about missed connections, crushing obsession, and the power of a single day. Olivia is an energetic, quite mesmerising performer, with a whirlwind script that's immensely funny and a character who's dizzyingly un-self aware. The story recaps the 12 hours after the initial encounter on the train, drawing the audience into Olivia's world and portraying just how easily we can construct a fantasy around a total stranger. The breaking of the fourth wall in the play's closing moments provides a nicely judged, tongue-in-cheek final twist. Building on the success of Pash, Junk Monkey demonstrates that as a writer and a performer, Olivia is a star in the making.
Time to sleep now before checking into The Grand Old Opera House Hotel in the morning.
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Post by Dave B on Aug 23, 2023 8:42:27 GMT
The Life Sporadic of Jess Wildgoose at Pleasance Courtyard. Oooh, what did you think? I'm a big fan of Voloz Collective. I saw this in one of the first previews in London a couple of months ago and really liked it. At the time they were quite open about still working on and I suspect it will have ended up a bit tighter by now, slightly under an hour running?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2023 14:00:45 GMT
With the fringe is it still all about being "discovered" or is it more a launch pad for a comedy performer to unveil a few show to take on tour in the following autumn/winter/spring and then the cycle starts again. We get the established performers/veterans taking a show up there too maybe they have been doing so for years or want to do it as a one off or return after many years.
What are the show prices like? I'd assume that apart from major ones they wouldn't be much over a tenner if you want to see a lot of shows. It must be tiring for all concerned but a great thing to do and why not spend the same amount seeing a lot of shows and discovering some hidden gems than spending it all on a major show/concert.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 24, 2023 8:23:33 GMT
Day 16.
The Grand Old Opera House Hotel at Traverse Theatre.
In Everglade Studio at Assembly George Square.
Salty Irina at Summerhall.
Help Yourself at Summerhall.
Strategic Love Play at Summerhall.
Quitting Comedy at PBH's Free Fringe at Legends.
1 Tent, 4 Girls at Greenside Infirmary Street.
The St Andrews Revue: Here Come The Worms at Just the Tonic at the Caves.
Three brilliant plays back to back at Summerhall were among the highlights of yesterday. Salty Irina is a romantic thriller about two girls falling in love and fighting fascists. Strategic Love Play follows the cat-and-mouse play of an awkward first date. In between those two productions in the Roundabout tent, I saw Help Yourself, a spoof wellness seminar with a five-step plan to eliminate sadness from your life. This was a reflection on grief, disguised in comic form, and the sort of unique show that you can only experience at the Fringe. Well worth a watch if you're looking for something completely different!
I also really enjoyed Malia Simon and Caroline Haynes' comedy play within a play, which places their standup routines, both as themselves and in character, in a narrative about why they're (not really) quitting comedy. Malia Simon in particular is absolutely hilarious.
Special mention from yesterday has to go to The Grand Opera House Hotel. This is 90 minutes of inspired writing from Isabel McCarthur that morphs a comedy into a full-on opera with triumphant results. The faceless modern hotel of the title, of the type where every room is identical, is built on the grounds of an old opera house which was destroyed by fire. Nowadays, the hotel is a health and safety nightmare, with fusing electrics and doors that jam shut. The play begins with a new member of staff, Aaron, arriving for training ahead of his first day. While trying to locate the training room, he hears the haunting voice of what he presumes to be a ghost, perhaps an opera singer who perished in the flames all those years ago? In fact, it’s another staff member, opera loving Amy, singing along to her Walkman, and Aaron sets out to track her down.
As the two would-be lovers pursue each other from floor to anonymous floor, the play steadily evolves into a thrilling, unique fusion of art forms. The closer Ali Watt’s Aaron and Karen Fishwick’s Amy get to meeting, the more the bedroom farce becomes an opera and the arias come sweeping in. Wild, romantic gestures take the place of overworked staff dealing with awkward, oversexed guests. The first hour is full of humour and laughter, but when the production fully gives in to what it wants to become, it soars even higher. The end result is a thrilling combination of farce and opera that, like Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of) with Austen, somehow manages to both send up and celebrate the conventions of opera.
The cast are outstanding, from the central pairing to the ensemble multiroling as a variety of hotel staff, guests and the ghosts of former opera singers. The set is ingenious with some great visual gags and the many doors every good farce requires. Surely this play will have a life beyond the festival? Certainly, it proves that Isabel McArthur's successful debut was no fluke. The Grand Old Opera House Hotel sees one of our most exciting writers hit new heights. From its array of eccentric characters and the love story at its heart, to the hilariously re-worded sections of celebrated opera melodies, The Grand Old Opera House Hotel is a complete joy and a masterpiece of slapstick and operatic invention.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 24, 2023 8:38:43 GMT
The Life Sporadic of Jess Wildgoose at Pleasance Courtyard. Oooh, what did you think? I'm a big fan of Voloz Collective. I saw this in one of the first previews in London a couple of months ago and really liked it. At the time they were quite open about still working on and I suspect it will have ended up a bit tighter by now, slightly under an hour running? I enjoyed it. It's highly stylised in a similar vein as The Man Who Knew Too Much but with a darker subject matter. I thought it was wonderfully inventive but maybe so frenetic that it lacked a bit of the emotional impact they were going for. I'm not sure how they do those two shows almost back to back every day, they must be exhausted by this point of the festival! With the fringe is it still all about being "discovered" or is it more a launch pad for a comedy performer to unveil a few show to take on tour in the following autumn/winter/spring and then the cycle starts again. We get the established performers/veterans taking a show up there too maybe they have been doing so for years or want to do it as a one off or return after many years. What are the show prices like? I'd assume that apart from major ones they wouldn't be much over a tenner if you want to see a lot of shows. It must be tiring for all concerned but a great thing to do and why not spend the same amount seeing a lot of shows and discovering some hidden gems than spending it all on a major show/concert. I think it's both, there's established comics like Marcus Brigstocke who's been coming to the Fringe since 1996 and continues to do so. But they are outnumbered by the emerging artists. Average show price across the major venues is probably £10-£15 this year, but there's plenty of cheaper shows, as well as those which offer pay what you can pricing or the option to buy in advance or get in for free (subject to availability). There's hundreds of free non-ticketed shows that are part of the Fringe too. The free shows have a collection at the end. There's also two-for-one ticket offers on certain days, more widely if you sign up as a friend of the Fringe, and the half price hut from the first Wednesday of the festival which has a capped number of half-price tickets for lots of shows. Edfest.com also run various offers, both before and during the festival, and performers will also sometimes advertise free tickets for paid shows if advance sales are low. The main challenge, for artists and audiences alike, is the cost of accommodation. The show prices are creeping up but generally still pretty reasonable. Some of the big circus shows are the most expensive, I think, at around £21 a ticket this year.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 25, 2023 22:38:55 GMT
Day 17.
Cooked at Bedlam Theatre.
Dugsi Dayz at Underbelly Cowgate.
It's a Motherf**king Pleasure at Underbelly Bristo Square.
One's a Musical Comedian and One Isn't at Just the Tonic at Grassmarket Centre.
Troll at Underbelly Cowgate.
Lies All The Way Down at theSpace at Niddry Street.
How to Rob a Millionaire (in Five Easy Steps) at Greenside Infirmary Street.
Day 18.
After the Act at Traverse Theatre.
Lena at Assembly George Square.
Shoot the Cameraman at Assembly Roxy.
Palindrome at theSpace at Niddry Street.
Lost and Found at Just the Tonic at the Caves.
Puppets at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose.
Oscar at The Crown at Assembly George Square.
I really enjoyed the chamber musical Lies All The Way Down, a two-hander plus four-piece band, with its exploration of friendship and lies.
The Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society's new offering, Palindrome, has a gorgeous score and top notch performances.
Shoot the Cameraman fuses media and live performance with its sinister exploration of an abusive relationship. The two performers on stage are followed throughout by two camera operators. The impact of the live filming, so every moment can be seen from multiple angles, is quite fascinating. The camera operators are an integral part of the performance and contribute to an epic piece of physical theatre that's breathtaking to watch. The sound design is equally spectacular. As one review on the Fringe website puts it, "I don't know what on earth we just saw, but it was incredible!"
A late contender for my standout show of the festival is Lena, a play with music by Tim Whitnall. The play commemorates child star Lena Zavaroni who appeared on Opportunity Knocks and won the show for a record five weeks. Charting how Lena was whisked away from her family aged 10 to appear on the show, we see her become a singing sensation, only for the pressures of fame to have tragic consequences.
Leading a cast which includes Jon Culshaw as host Hughie Green, Erin Armstrong is sensational as Lena. From the young enthusiastic child to the broken adult, Erin captures the pressures of a world that Lena just wasn't ready to face on her own quite exquisitely. If there's an award for best performance at the Fringe, Erin would be a deserving recipient.
Making this particular performance of Lena especially poignant, the visibly emotional cast announced at the end that Lena's father was in the audience this afternoon.
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