It’s still all go, let’s have a look.
Here’s the schedule for August 10th.
11:25 – Dissociation, theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:
“Dual personalities meet but don’t recognize each other. Are they natural enemies in a fight to the death, or is love a possibility? Brilliant ambiguity leaves the audience with a lot to think about. ‘What an amazing ride from start to finish. Everything about this play was totally relatable and thought provoking. Almost like an outer body experience. Just the right amount of comedy/drama.’ Mark Heany.”
Yet another meaty play to start a Fringe day. It sounds like a thought-provoking experience, so we thought we’d take a lucky punt and hope for the best.
13:10 – Phil Hammond and Dame Clare Gerada: Fifty Minutes to Save the NHS, theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall.
“Two doctors devise, with your help, a revolutionary health manifesto. Does the NHS need saving, funding or fixing? Will a change of government make much difference? Why can’t we be like Sweden or Singapore? Is ‘Health For All’ an aspiration or a joke? Why are NHS staff so angry and knackered? Do we live too long or not long enough? Where can I buy some end-of-life drugs? Laugh, shout, argue, vote, save the NHS. Seriously subversive. The perfect election wind down. All profits to Doctors in Distress charity.”
We’ve seen Dr Phil a number of times and he never fails to present an intelligent and witty sideways slant at the NHS in all its glory. It will also be interesting to hear his views about how a new government might change things. We’ll see!
15:00 – Rebels and Patriots, Pleasance Courtyard.
“Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not an Arab eyes? Israeli-Palestinian co-creation following four friends and how mandatory conscription to the IDF affects them. One wants to get out, one’s a pilot, one was never drafted, one’s torn inside. A raw multilingual, physical portrayal that exposes the consequences army life has on the mental-health of the teenagers enlisted. It explores themes like protest against war, self-harm and what it means to be Israeli and peace-pursuing; the critical voice for coexistence under the pressures of politically motivated violence. Who’s a rebel? Who’s a patriot?”
This play couldn’t be more timely; and if it’s bold but fair in its approach, it could be one of those productions that stays with you a long time.
16:55 – Martin Rowson: Shred the Front Page, The Stand Comedy Club 5 & 6.
“Multi-award winning cartoonist, writer, performer and poet Martin Rowson will work his way through the day’s papers while he outlines his hilarious and often acrimonious relationship with the dozens of daily and Sunday newspapers, magazines and publications he’s worked for (and mostly been sacked from). Almost everyone except The Sun. Only because they never asked. With the aid of a shredding machine, extremely strong language, unsettling images and brutal assessments of the people who own, edit and gob off incessantly in our “fearless mainstream media”.”
Full disclosure – Martin is an old school friend (both an old friend and an old school) and when we saw his show last year I gave him four stars because it was excellent but I wanted to keep him on his toes. Let’s see if he earns that extra star this year.
19:55 – Run, theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall.
“Set over an unforgettable summer and encompassing all of space and time, Run explores what it means to love, to lose and grow from a boy into a man. As a young man’s night unfolds and falls into chaos – some of it real, some of it not – Yonni pulls us into his world. A world filled with school riots, first loves, beached whales, sunshine, cinema, sex, rebellion and political demonstrations. First produced at VAULT 2016, No Frills return with their highly acclaimed production, now starring Taylor Moore (Blood Brothers, Romeo and Juliet, Mary Poppins, Cinderella).”
This sounds like a thoroughly entertaining play about growing up; something we’ve all done (to a greater or lesser extent) so there should be something here for everyone to recognise.
22:00 – Randy Feltface: First Banana, Assembly Rooms.
“The first banana appeared on earth 10,000 years ago. Randy Feltface believes humanity has been in a downward spiral since. The only logical solution is a brand-new comedy show from a felt-faced comedian with an axe to grind. As seen on Netflix and NBC, Randy has spent the past 19 years winning awards and garnering critical praise while amassing a huge, devoted following across the globe. Randy has written and performed a dozen comedy shows, released seven comedy specials, played to sold-out crowds around the world and been nominated for Best Comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe.”
Mr Feltface is new to me but he comes highly recommended. This is an additional performance as his earlier Saturday show sold out pretty quickly. I’m expecting raucous hilarity.
Check back later to see how we enjoyed all these shows!