At the Fringe 2008

If you enjoy a variety of entertainment, entertainment in a very broad sense, are prepared to cue for and sit in a variety of performing areas, some no more than a room in a student union, be prepared to walk a fair a bit and get a little wet then go to the Edinburgh Fringe. What make its more special for me is having a great group of friends who are prepared to to this as well.

It has been our third week in three years, so let us lay out the battle ground which you have to prepared to fight through to select your weeks pleasure. The 2008 Fringe programme featured a record breaking 2088 shows. It runs for three weeks from August 3rd until August 25th. It involves an estimated 18 792 performers from 46 countries presenting 31 320 performances in 247 venues dotted around the city. Quite staggering and for the past three years, we have tried to select a dozen or so shows to fill our week. It generally works well.

This is what Trish and I did this year. We constructed a fairly joint programme and left quite a few gaps to enjoy walks in and trips to the surrounding areas should the weather prove fine. I'll repeat that...should the weather prove fine. And thus we saw a few more shows than we originally planned.

Each day pans out to be at least a twelve hour day. There were daily free shows. Quite handy for getting a random preview of other performers some new and some iconic figures in the world of radio and television. This year featured the spectrum that was Jim Bowen and Clive James via Barry Cryer. These shows were by courtesy of BBC Scotland withe daily MaCaulay and Co and the Guardian podcast hosted by Miles Jupp. These two shows provided the early morning rendezvous for our group, which numbered fourteen and who were living in two apartments on either side of the city, before the daily diaspora following our planned shows for the day. There were joint meals, lunches and dinners and the occasional drink when plans opened up free windows.

I could run through each show but that would be tedious, so I will mention the highs and the lows. Starting at the base were the Tiger Lilies - Seven Deadly Sins. They are supposed to be in bad taste, but this was a tedious attempt to debauch the seven deadly sins. Better left to one's own imaginings really as the world is already full of evil people doing evil things on a range of scale from personal to global, all of which can be categorised under the seven deadly sins. This contribution to the theme was puerile.

But to the delights and highs. Footsbarn's A Midsummer Night's Dream was magical. Set in a big top atop of Calton Hill, you walked in to the sound of birdsong. Brilliant performances with enchanting music played out the familiar play to every bit of fun and silliness.

Barbershopera featured four performers who told the simple tale of barber shop rivalry and the attempt of the British team, who have lost their star tenor, to outsmart the seemingly powerful Swiss team. Up 'n' Under meets close harmony. Great ensemble work by the four singers.

Stefan Golaszewski speaks about the girl he loved was another gem. A one man piece of theatre about a young man's journey into that utterly unbelievable first love was superbly enacted by a most talented man. As an older person, it recalled the hope and knife edged moments between utter disappointment and supreme ecstasy of falling in love.

Count Arthur Strong - the man behind the smile presented my current hero of comedy in a surprise, or I should say sursprise, tribute to himself which he is planning to do. I find this shambling character a hoot because he combines so many British comedy characteristics. There are reminders of comedy actors and comedians from the word confusions of Mrs Malaprop mixed with silly syntax and senile mis-associatons to the muddling, mental confusions of Harry Worth, the false pomposity of Tony Hancock combined with applying social values of the 1950's against the social values of today.

Learn to Play the Ukulele in under One hour (How George Formby saved My life) is contender for the longest title but I doubt for one minute it is. The audience all sit with a loaned ukulele and learn whilst listening to the story hinted at in the bracket part of the title. As your chord knowledge builds up from on to four (via the famous three chord trick), practice is encouraged to underscore points of the story. A major chord (C maj) for brighter parts with a minor chord (A min) to add sadness and contrast. So, apart from learning some chords and some songs, we receive a bit of music theory too. After the show you has the opportunity to buy a ukulele, so Trish bought one for me.

The remaining shows were just bubbling under these warm and enjoyable experiences which, all in all, were perfect for the very wet week that Edinburgh was providing outdoors.