Edfest Day 26: And now, the end is near; And so I face the final curtain

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Connection. Something I've been thinking a lot about. When a connection comes loose on a computer, it simply won't work. When a connection comes loose in life, it may take a while to notice.  Things still move along until one day you realise you're in a bubble and you can see out but can't touch anything. 

Today's Forest Fringe show was about connection. A show that found me. Literally.  The guy in charge had some no-shows and the nature of the show is dependent on participants. You can't connect if nobody's there.

I'm glad it found me. The show is called "Landline" and connects you with a counterpart in Reykjavik through Skype.  A show about connection that requires an Internet connection.

You are given an Ipod and a map and sent off to wander wherever you want in your local area. The participant in Reykjavik is also listening to the same recording, pressing play at the same moment.  We're wandering on different roads but taking the same journey.

The physical distance and relative anonymity gives us the freedom to be completely open with each other. We are prompted to find places that remind us of certain things and then to share that story with our partner.

It does require some quick thinking and an open approach but the gentle voice and the freedom to say exactly what you want... anything. .. makes it so worthwhile and I got a lot out of this experience.

The same cannot be said for the show I saw after my shift, again at zoo venues. Regrets, I've had a few, and one of them was seeing this show. I don't want to waste any more energy on it than I already have, so I'll simply say - stop when you get to the Pleasance courtyard for physical theatre performance featuring superheroes. Avoid the zoo venue just up the road. Although, given that the festival is wrapping up, I suppose that advice is redundant.

There's definitely a sense of finality in the air on this crisp and clear night. The crowds have thinned, the sound of drills can be heard in the distance as get-outs commence. Greenside has disappeared completely, while the BBC is skeletal.

The city and the remaining people in it are sleepy and looking forward to a long, well deserved rest.

I will probably try to fit in a few more shows tomorrow daytime, but doubt there will be a blog post as I'll be getting to bed early to be up at 5am on Tuesday for the bus home... Have I mentioned I'm not a morning person?

I'm pretty happy with how this daily blog went and glad I decided to do it. It's added an extra dimension to this experience. It's going to be weird not ending my day this way... Time to start a journal? 

Edfest Day 24 & 25: Little Show of Horrors

Tonight's evening meal - subway.  Why? Because if you're a solo diner in busy places at peak food time,  you're not getting in. Fast food places though?  Hell, that shizzle's for everyone to enjoy.  Whatever,  I saved about £8 for it... In money.  I'm probably paying that 8 pounds in calorie content instead.

Finally saw a show at zoo venues this evening, where I bumped into a girl who is clearly my soul mate,  if I were gay and such a thing existed. She was horrified to see I had the same bag as her (which is a pretty unique bag), we chose seats right by each other at the same show. A light hearted choice - "The Ted Bundy Project". I felt the need for something dark and challenging before my musical theatre frivolity this evening.  Plus it comes with the Lyn Gardner seal of approval.

There's something both friendly and eerie about the solo performer in this show. Comforting and alarming. He bounds into the room dressed in tennis gear. White shorts, white tshirt, white socks and white shoes. His piercing blue eyes scan the room trying to make eye contact. He seems friendly and non threatening, but at the same time makes us feel slightly on edge. Like Bundy himself, I suppose. "he seemed nice" said his neighbours.

The show is performed and written by Greg Wohead and examines our morbid curiousity with violence - how we are both attracted and repulsed by it. There are uncomfortable moments in this show. At times my breathing felt shallow and my heart pumped - especially at one particular moment when we aren't sure whether we're about to witness something horrific. The girl next to me covered her eyes. I won't go into details ... spoilers and all.

This show gives us a lot of food for thought and had my attention from start to finish. The hour flew by. If anything, I wish it had been longer... but then I guess that's morbid curiosity for you. We always want to know more.

[An aside. I thought at the time this show was very 'forest fringe'  - experimental, risk taking, challenging, offbeat - and after looking at his website it turns out that he was there with this show last year. Don't tell me I can't identify show types.]  

It was time to lighten up. What better way than with musical theatre.... about a murderous, blood hungry plant. No theme here.

"Little Shop of Horrors" was next on the menu. I love the film but have never seen the stage show and after reading a 5 star review, I was reeled in. It was also my first visit to a Paradise venue - Paradise in St Augustines. 

I wasn't disappointed. This is a strong ensemble and their puppetry of Audrey 2 was exemplary. Every movement and facial expression was synchronised and as each person gets 'eaten' they merge into the plant. I get the feeling this company specialises in puppetry, since the programme says they did Avenue Q last year. 

The singing voices of the lead characters weren't all that strong, but honestly, for a show like this it didn't matter that much; the acting is much more vital and I have no complaints there. Though it must be said, the trio that provide the narrative all had great singing voices. 

I didn't realise how different the ending of the stage show is to the film. It's darker (and darker, of course, means more interestng, as we learned from the Ted Bundy Project) but it meant there was no 'mean green mother from outer space' and that is a great song. Swings and roundabouts.

I didn't blog yesterday as I spent most of the day doing "life admin", before going to Forest Fringe to watch the show "Alba", then volunteering for the evening. (Life admin = tidying up, emails, washing, throwing away all the flyers I forced flyerers to give me, eating an actual proper meal and.. er... watching netflix.)

"Alba" is a show devised and performed by a girl with albinism. It's a quiet, subtle piece which feels like a gentle brush on the cheek rather than a pull on the heartstrings. It leaves us with a soft, warm feeling and smelling faintly of talc. It shows us that people who may be different and unique externally are ultimately exactly the same as everyone else, doing the same mundane things like ironing, making a sandwich and washing their hair.

As I was over at the biscuit factory ushering for volcano again, I stayed to watch the show in the space above, called "Now is the Time to Say Nothing" - an audio visual immersive experience about the people affected by the Syrian conflict.

11 chairs are set up in a circle facing away from each other, each with their own old fashioned CRT television set and a pair of headphones. The experience begins there, as a London based youth drama group deliberate on how we can feel more connected with the people of Syria. 

This is a hard-hitting, sobering peice. Earlier in the evening I smashed my phone and this piece truly made me think about how our first world problems, though often frustrating, are so small compared to what these people go through on a daily basis - the fear, the hopelessness....the horror. 

Edfest Day 19 & 20 - Shifting Sands of Time

The Fringe official twitter says it's day 17. I understand why I'm ahead 2 days because I counted the previews but where has the extra day come from?

I'm combining these days because, other than volunteering, I'm not doing much else. I'm finding it harder and harder to get up early enough to see shows before my shifts. My body clock has shifted so I wake up at 10am and go to sleep around 2am. That'll have to change tomorrow as I've got the subjectively early shift of 10.30am at their filmhouse venue. The good thing about this is it's a short shift, I should be done by 12.30/1pm so should be able to pack in a good bunch of shows.

I had time for a brief visit to the International Book Festival yesterday and the West End Craft Fair today.

The book festival was a lot busier than I'd been led to believe.  I was told it was a haven of calm amongst the chaos.  This it wasn't.  The book festival has a lovely outdoor seating area and people were making the most of it on this rare warm, sunny day. I didn't manage to see any talks - the one I would've wanted to see was Moira Young, Young adult author of a book I read earlier this year called "Blood Red Road" - but this didn't finish until 15 minutes before my shift started and the Drill Hall is about a half hour walk from there. Never mind.

There were lots of lovely international books on sale with enticing covers, but at full retail price, it was too expensive for me. I did, however, find a lovely cheap book store much further down at the foot of Leith walk in St James Shopping centre with prices to rival The Works but with better stock.

The craft fair is near to the book festival, so those who have the leisure of time can do both in one go. There are about 50 stalls, all with original, handmade products, so worth checking out if you want a unique gift or memento. 

Walking down Princes Street, I'm always a little appalled to see people happy to take photos of the street performers - some of whom even pose for said pictures - but won't then put money in the hat.
If you're stopping to admire their art enough to take a picture, pay for the product.  It doesn't even have to be much,  just a small token of gratitude. Can you tell I've been reading Amanda Palmer's "The Art of Asking"?

Once again I'm occupying the same space as Lyn Gardner. Or she occupying the same space as me? Obviously a testament to our shared great taste. She's a big supporter of Forest Fringe generally and has reviewed many of their shows favourably. I smiled and said "Hi" earlier ...and she looked vaguely alarmed. To be fair, as front of house it's part of the role to meet and greet. Maybe I should stick with the scowling.

Yesterday, I attempted to start some kind of schedule of shows I want to see by time zone, so I don't end up wandering around looking at the app and just going to whatever is near. Don't get me wrong, that does make for a more spicy fringe experience, but I realised earlier that from tomorrow there is just a week left to pack it all in, so I'm looking for quality stuff that really appeals to me now.  

I think I should stop here and go to bed at this (subjectively) early hour so I can be bright eyed and bushy tailed for the filmhouse tomorrow and then, hopefully, a day of (quality) show watching.

Till then, G'Night 😴

Edfest Day 16: The World's Craziest Café

I was "ushering" for Volcano Theatre's  "Black Stuff" at the biscuit factory warehouse building today - and by ushering I mean sitting on a plastic chair by the entrance incase any late comers dropped by and needed directing... They didn't. It was cold and I needed to pee (much like now, on the bus - why is there no where to pee in Edinburgh after 11? It's gonna be an uncomfortable half hour folks) when the "chef" from Scottee's Social, in the main biscuit factory building across the road, came by to try and pillage some customers. I told him there were only 5 people in and they didn't seem the type.

Given that I was so desperate to pee and the toilet was in the main building,  I thought "hey why not drop in" - from out in the street there was much laughter and applause and it sounded like quite a hootenanny. Forest Fringe had the opening night party at this venue with these people so it wasn't unfamiliar territory.

I entered the café after my much needed pee (I really have to stop thinking about peeing) and the only people in there were the performers, a bar man with his tshirt pulled up behind his neck, the check in lady and the chef.....

But I'd committed; Sitting with the chef and check in lady because it would have been even more awkward sitting alone, I decided the only thing to do was go with it. I went to the half-shirted bar man and asked for beer (there was no way I was having a divorce cocktail again) and settled in for the soiree.

It felt a bit like we were mental patients in a day room pretending to be at a cabaret café. Even more weirdly.... I kinda liked it.

I guess awkward is the general vibe, but a deliberate awkward. It knows it's awkward. In fact,  the host Scottee has a show at forest fringe next week which will encourage audience members to step up with their party trick in a sort of "performance karaoke". In the description in the programme, it describes it as being a "socially awkward" hour.... So I think this vibe is intentional.

And yet, in all its outright awkwardness, I feel quite comfortable there. Like there's a general acceptance that you don't get in most bars. 

I feel like the whole set up is a mockery of the festival itself with its carousel of outrageous, over the top comics, clowns, cabaret acts, actORs and performance "artists". Like holding a big distorted circus mirror on the whole shebang..... or maybe it's not this at all. Maybe it's just a cabaret performance which, awkwardly, has no audience.

Anyway. I think they deserve more people at their crazy little cabaret café. It is well off the beaten track but you can visit Forest Fringe (10 mins away) while you're there, go to Volcano's show at 8, then finish the evening across the road at the café.  See I've even planned it for you. You're welcome.

Edfest Day 14: Love, Evil and War

And we're back on the show horse. It started with a beautiful, moving one-on-one exploration of love at Forest Fringe, through a haunting, engrossing tale of evil at pleasance and then finished with a disappointingly mediocre but not terrible production of war at C venues.

The first is a show I've been chaperoning for at Forest Fringe. After a no-show, I was given the opportunity to experience it for myself, which I'm so glad I took. It's a fully immersive experience, taking advantage of all 5 senses. It recaptured that feeling I got at punchdrunk's 'sleep no more' in New York, it has a very similar essence but very different ingredients. The show is called "I Worried My Heart Wasn't Big Enough" and it moved me enough that I had to take a moment to gather myself before going back to work. All the people who are booking but not showing up. .. big mistake.  Make sure you catch this,  it's only 20 minutes but it's 20 minutes you will remember. Lyn Gardner has also been along experience it, here is her review http://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2015/aug/18/theatrical-encounters-i-worried-my-heart-wasnt-big-enough-forest-fringe 

When my shift ended I headed for Pleasance courtyard to see a show that keeps catching my eye and has had great reviews all round. It's a show called "Molly" and explores the theme of the development of evil - what is the pivotal moment where 'evil' seeps in? It's not a new concept but it's told in a new way and had me gripped from start to finish.  For a moment, I forgot I wasn't the only one in the room watching - the audience disappearing is a sign of a great show. ... unless they are actually physically disappearing because they're walking out.  That's not so great.  Needless to say, no walkouts here. In fact, we all seemed to be leaning forward on the edge of our seats, holding in one long collective breath.

That took me to 6pm which I consider a bit of a dead zone. Between 6 and 8, I always seem to wander unable to find a show that really grabs me. 

I've been avoiding C Venues this year, to be honest. Like I've found with TheSpace, the quality tends to be in direct relation to the cheap prices. However, it was the dead zone and a company were putting on the musical "Dogfight" which was in London recently - the end of last year I think. It's a musical about Marines on a last big blow-out before their deployment to Vietnam the next morning. I'd heard good things about the London version but didn't catch myself. So, I put aside my C Venue qualms and went for it.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible, but in comparison to the other shows I'd seen today it paled to the point of invisibility. The company had a lot of gusto, but the singing didn't blow me away, the score was unmemorable and the plot rather bland. There was laughter, but unfortunately for the wrong reasons - a couple of prop mishaps, which resulted in me flinching every time someone stood on a flimsy wooden box (which they did a lot).

Nevertheless, today has been a good show day - to see two top quality shows in one day is not to be sniffed at. I'm not working tomorrow, so hope to get into town early and catch a pre-midday shows... I have good intentions now, but I'm not a morning person. I have booked 2 shows already, both at Pleasance again - "Institute" and "Blam!", both of which have had excellent reviews and have been on my list since the start. 

Edfest Day 13: Divorce Cocktails

Forest Fringe - where even ordering a drink is a performance... no really.  I'm currently drinking a cocktail that represents divorce, served by a lady wearing a pineapple on her head. At the fringe this is normality.

Well, kind of. It's not an everyday at-the-bar occurance. It's their opening night party at the delicioisly delightfully titled "biscuit factory" ... because it used to be a biscuit factory,  I imagine. 

I've mostly been focusing on the volunteering again today, so only seen one show, which was at their venue. Tomorrow I plan to get back into it and will see a few shows after my shift.

I also have wednesday off so plan to make that a hefty show watching day, and hopefully have a broad enough range to pick from for my "what's hot" roundup... Right now it's looking more like "what's tepid to lukewarm".