What’s in store for us in Edinburgh today?
Here’s the schedule for 7th August:
11.20 – Everyman, C Arts C Venues C Aquila. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:
“The last two years have shaken our confident and cosy existence. The toilet roll and organic flour shortage reminded us just how selfish we can be. Join Everyman on his journey to judgement and consider who and what you would want to take to your final reckoning. A young ensemble cast perform this fast, furious and funny modern retelling of the medieval morality play Everyman (adapted by Splendid Productions) and remind us that there is one ‘certain certainty’ waiting for us all.”
The young ensemble cast are from Guildford High School. Here’s hoping they put on a good show!
UPDATE: And what a fresh fun start to the day that was! The Everyman story brought up to date by five nurses who originally wanted to give me a blood test, but that’s another story. Huge fun, great commitment, and a very clever play, brilliantly performed. Really enjoyed it!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
13.30 – Mark Thomas: Black and White, The Stand Comedy Club.
“Hi-de-hi darlings – welcome back. Expect creative fun from one of our oldest surviving alternative comics. Taking down politicians. Mucking about. New ideas and finding hope. This award-winning comedian (is there any other type?) asks how did we get here? What are we going to do about it? Who’s up for a sing-song? After lockdowns and isolation this show is about the simple act of being in a room together and toppling international capitalism. ‘You’ll leave recommitted to the fight against this appalling authoritarian government, to keep that tradition alive’ (Guardian, 2021).”
Hard to believe but this will be the first time we’ve seen Mark Thomas and I am really looking forward to it!
UPDATE: Why have I never seen Mr Thomas before? Most definitely a no-Conservative zone, he dishes out brilliant political observations nineteen to the dozen and absolutely left me wanting more. He also has some memorable Barry Cryer and Bernard Cribbins jokes, God bless their souls. I had no idea I’d be singing my favourite music hall song, The boy I love is up in the gallery, by Marie Lloyd. Just a fab hour. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
15.10 – Death of a Disco Dancer, Greenside @ Infirmary Street.
“Set over one surreal night of dancing and debauchery, Death of a Disco Dancer is a psychedelic, wild black comedy. During a fateful college reunion, four friends find themselves in a neon, nightmarish dimension. Twisted visions from the past and bizarre dreams of the future join them on the disco floor, and soon, a very present danger arises. As they dance deeper into the night, and this musical world swirls around them, these lost companions must fight to escape a labyrinth of their own design. When the sun rises, who will still be dancing?”
Ultraviolet Productions bring this play by Eric Yu to the Fringe. It sounds interesting – I hope they make a good job of it.
UPDATE: This was a very intense, dark, and above all noisy play, with four pretty troubled characters, which I also found very confusing, partly because of the way it played with time, and partly because it just wasn’t very clear. They threw everything at it, and the acting was good, but it just wasn’t to my taste. ⭐️⭐️
16.40 – Nic Sampson: Marathon, 1904, Pleasance Courtyard.
“32 athletes entered the 1904 Olympic marathon in St Louis, Missouri. Only 14 finished… What happened in between was a perfect storm of stupidity, cheating, raw eggs, wild dogs and rat poison. In his Edinburgh debut, New Zealand comedian Nic Sampson brings to life the incredible true story of one of the dumbest sporting events of all time. Co-writer of Starstruck (BBC Three). Star of The Brokenwood Mysteries (UKTV). ‘A world-class hour from one of the country’s best performers. It’s essential’ (Stuff). ‘A beautiful gem of comedic goodness’ (Three). Winner: NZ International Comedy Festival Best Newcomer.
I know nothing about Mr Simpson, but I love the premise of this stand-up show, so I’m hoping for good things!
UPDATE: Nic is a very likeable chap with a very relaxed delivery, and he has created one of those hybrid entertainments which is part stand-up and part one man play. Fascinating, and very informative about this bizarre Olympic event, with some very enjoyable characterisations, and, fortunately, also very funny. It’s amazing to contrast what the Olympics are like, 120 years apart. Great work! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
18.50 – 71BODIES 1DANCE, Dance Base
“71BODIES 1DANCE is an interdisciplinary and choreographic initiative by Daniel Mariblanca. The work is inspired by 71 personal experiences and testimonies from transgender individuals living in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Spain. With this production the intention is to give visibility, awaken curiosity and to generate knowledge around the transgender community from a human level – through an artistic work. By exposing diverse ways of being, the performance wishes to insight new references and ways of appreciating beauty and generating desire. The dance performance is 71 minutes long, embodying one minute for each personal experience that inspired this work.”
The first dance show on our agenda and it sounds like a fascinating and challenging work. If this is half as inventive as it appears, this is going to be astonishing.
UPDATE: Bold and brave, often visceral and sometimes hard to watch, this extraordinary solo performance shows life at one of its extremes, full of private and public agonies, always very thought provoking, and an immense physical achievement. It ended with a song with the chorus, “pussy – dick” which people were singing to themselves in the foyer afterwards! A memorable performance. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
21.05 – You’re Dead, Mate, The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall.
“A man wakes up drunk, scared and alone, with no idea where he is or how he got there. Until he meets Death. Death might be able to answer that for him. In Edmund Morris’ playwriting debut, You’re Dead, Mate is the turbulent and hilarious journey of a young man coming to terms with his mortality.”
Harry Duff-Walker plays the young man – and this could be a fascinating and funny piece, here’s hoping!
UPDATE: A very clever play, very well written and performed, with clear and concise story-telling, lovely use of music, and just thoroughly engaging and entertaining. Fantastic stage-fighting skills in such a confirmed environment! A great way to end the day. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️