Let me tell you what we’ve got lined up in Edinburgh today!
Here’s the schedule for 22nd August:
10.20 – 50 Ways to Leave Your Employer, Laughing Horse @ City Cafe. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:
“The Great Resignation? We call it The Great Escape! Join hilarious Brits abroad Jess Bauldry and Sharon VS to hear how they broke out from the 9 to 5 and their musings on the meaning of work. There’s also a ukulele. Good luck! This is stand-up for grown-ups that shows that adult themes doesn’t have to mean dick jokes. Our show re-examines the workplace through the female gaze. It is uproarious, educational and cathartic.”
Sounds like a fun and refreshing way to start the day!
UPDATE: A bright and funny start to the day, with two stand up sets and a career change clinic added for good measure. Lots of great material; a very good morning laugh. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
12.50 – Hotel Elsinore, The Space on the Mile.
“Denmark. 2am. A hotel room. Three weary travellers, an unexpected will and a production of Hamlet to rehearse before morning. Tragedy and humour blend in this new play about the challenges of family, forgiveness and Shakespeare. Written and performed by award-winning actor Susanna Hamnett, featuring her son and daughter, Joshua and Lily MacGregor. Susanna Hamnett: ‘A virtuosic performer’ (New York Times). ‘A mighty theatrical force’ (Press and Journal). Joshua MacGregor’s The Teeth of Haros: ‘One of the best-written theatre scripts I have seen during my time at the Fringe’ (BritishTheatreGuide.info).”
Yet another way of putting a new twist on Shakespeare – but I’m up for that, no question!
UPDATE: A mother with issues, two tired teenagers and Dad’s ashes in an urn turn up at a hotel in Denmark at 2 am, then receives phone call inviting them to perform a production of Hamlet the next morning. An all-night rehearsal follows. I won’t tell you the final plot twist, but it completely bamboozled me with its sheer oddness. Sometimes you just “get” a play, and sometimes you don’t. I didn’t get this at all. Not to say there aren’t some nice moments, but I couldn’t see the point of it. It all felt like an exercise in futility. If they’d simply decided to do a three-person Hamlet, it could have worked really well. But embedding it inside a framework of visiting Elsinore with some ashes is pure distraction. Not for me, this one. ⭐️⭐️
15.00 – Olaf Falafel: STOAT, Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree.
“Olaf Falafel is the holder of ‘Dave’s Best Joke Of The Fringe’ but more importantly he is also the holder of ‘Person Whose Show Description You Are Currently Reading And Are Tempted To Book Tickets For’. Olaf guarantees two things – it will be stupid and it will be funny.”
It isn’t Edinburgh without Olaf. He’s one of the funniest guys anywhere! I think I’ve already worked out what STOAT stands for.
UPDATE: I was right about the meaning of Stoat! I won’t tell you the twist to Olaf’s tale but, sadly it’s something of a downer, even though he tries his absolute best for it to be something positive. In all the appearances we’ve seen him before, this is the first time he hasn’t just sailed through on a sea of delightful silliness. Still loads to laugh at, of course, but it doesn’t quite hit the spot in the same way as previous shows. Don’t let this put you off though! Four stars is a very good rating! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
20.30 – Robin Morgan: Snip Snip, Bitch (Work In Progress), Laughing Horse @ The Counting House.
“Robin Morgan (as seen on Mock The Week) has an hour of new jokes and stories. Writer for The Mash Report, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Have I Got News For You. Tour Support for Ellie Taylor, Rachel Parris and Iain Stirling. Warm-up for The Graham Norton Show. ‘Bloody funny. He must surely be on the verge of nationwide fame’ (Chortle.co.uk). **** (Sunday Times).”
We saw Robin Morgan at the Leicester Comedy Festival a couple of years ago and his was the best show we saw – so I’m hopeful for something great!
UPDATE: Robin is even slicker and funnier now than he was when we saw him in Leicester! There’s no real narrative thread to his act, it’s just observations and memories and quirkinesses, all of which somehow combine together to create a very satisfying whole. He’s so very likeable and persuasive; you end up letting your guard down and telling him things you’d normally keep under your hat. Absolutely brilliant! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️