2013 in shows

For completeness I thought I ought to wrap up the shows I saw in 2013, just like the books I read. I reviewed all the Edinburgh shows but many of the others were missed.

Did I miss the show of the year, is there anything I absolutely have to see in 2014? Do let me know.

1. Onegin from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Soares, Hinkis, Zucchetti
2. Tatyana with Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker
3. Eugine Onegin from the Royal Opera: Stoyanova, Keenlyside, Maximova, Breslik
4. Ashton mixed Programme: La Valse, Meditation from Thais, Voices of Spring, Monotones I and II and Marguerite and Armand from the Royal Ballet
5. Apollo, Aeturnum and 24 Preludes from the Royal Ballet
6. Apollo, Aeturnum and 24 Preludes from the Royal Ballet
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland from the Royal Ballet: Lamb, Bonelli, Watson
8. La Bayadere from the Royal Ballet: Marquez, Bonelli, Nunez
9. Opening Gala at the Udderbelly Southbank
10. Mayerling from the Royal Ballet: Gartside, Galeazzi
11. Hansel and Gretel from the Royal Ballet: Ondiviela, Harrod
12. La Bayadere from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Acosta, Kobayashi
13. Raven Girl and Symphony in C from the Royal Ballet
14. Mayerling from the Royal Ballet: Watson, Galeazzi
15. Raven Girl and Symphony in C from the Royal Ballet
16. Madame Butterfly Dress Rehearsal at Opera Holland Park
17. The Hot House at Trafalgar Studios
18. BalletBoyz at Sadler's Wells
19. Festival of the Spoken Nerd at the Edinburgh Festival
20. Men at the Edinburgh Festival
21. Guilt and Shame at the Edinburgh Festival
22. Wardens at the Edinburgh Festival
23. Oxford Imps at the Edinburgh Festival
24. Bluebeard at the Edinburgh Festival
25. Spank! at the Edinburgh Festival
26. Midsummer's Night Savoy at the Edinburgh Festival
27. Gordon Southern at the Edinburgh Festival
28. Big Value Comedy Late at the Edinburgh Festival
29. Does My Face look Big in This at the Edinburgh Festival
30. Proms in the Park from the BBC
31. The Sound of Music at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
32. Don Quixote Dress Rehearsal from the Royal Ballet: Salenko, McRae
33. Don Quixote from the Royal Ballet: Marquez, Campbell
34. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Hamilton, Watson
35. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Osipova, Acosta
36. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Soares
37. Chroma, the Human Seasons and Rite of Spring from the Royal Ballet
38. Parsifal Dress Rehearsal from the Royal Opera
39. Peter Pan at Richmond Theatre
40. Nutcracker from the English National Ballet

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013: Day four

My last day in Edinburgh and I was keen to fit in as much as I could before my 6.30 train. Having dropped my bags I headed back up the Royal Mile this time it was really humming with loads of acts out fliering and a great atmosphere. The street acts were actually pretty engaging and I stopped to watch a few, especially a young boy (Luke Hunter) busking. Then my Edinburgh food must Mum's (Monster Mash) for lunch, yum.

Lead Pencil, Underbelly Bristo Square
Described as a cross between Art Attack and Saved by the Bell this show was a trip to the '90s. It would possibly only make sense to people who were teenagers in the 1990s, with three high energy performers and lots of felt tip pen props. The sound track took me back to our Year 9 disco and then Skool disco at uni and the dancing was nuts. We particularly loved the Nokia 3310 song and if you're in the 25-35 age bracket fit this into your schedule for a silly start to your afternoon.

Wardens, Assembly Roxy
This was on my list as the only chance to see Thom Tuck at the Fringe. It was a hostage situation with three traffic wardens, a police community support officer and a random (Thom Tuck) who just followed the crowd. It was an amusing hour with seemingly mundane conversations with a comedy twist. As one of the few things on my list that I actually managed to see this was a fine final show for my Fringe.

I finished off my Fringe with a drink at the Udderbelly Pasture, the best way to finish a Festival.
So to sum up my Fringe 2013, I have ranked the shows I saw in order of preference:
1. Festival of the Spoken Nerd
2. Men
3. Guilt and Shame
4. Wardens
5. Oxford Imps
6. Bluebeard
7. Spank! (It would be 10 for the show I saw, but ranking it here as I think that on a normal night it would still be a pretty good night)
8. Midsummer's Night Savoy (but it has finished)
9. Gordon Southern
10. Big Value Comedy Late
11. Does My Face look Big in This (I wouldn't recommend this at all)

Things I didn't manage to see but really wanted to:
1. Make the News
2. Austentatious
3. Boy with Tape on His Face
4. The Play that Went Wrong
5. Improverts 

Edinburgh Fringe 2013: Day three

Day three was my crazy show day and I hit town early, I had a plan but in the end it didn't really play out so I saw all kinds of things.

Men, Underbelly Bristo Square
I wondered through Bristo Square and was fliered for this show, it had an NSDF award and sounded interesting so I gave it a shot. I bought the last ticket ran across the square and sat down just in time. It was a play and darkly comic, two men in a flat with a twisted devisive relationship, but there were some funny moments and I found myself laughing throughout. Some great performances and writing, do check this out, it's a good way to start your day.

Does My Face Look Big in This, Underbelly Bristo Square
Next up was supposed to be Austentatious but as it is non-ticketed and very popular you have to start queuing at about 12.30 for a 13.30 show. So we took a flier and as it was two for one decided to try this. It wasn't to our taste and had no real thread and just wasn't that amusing. I thought it may have been alright as a half hour or twenty minute slot in a compilation show but there was not enough to carry a whole hour.

Oxford Imps, Guilded Balloon
I usually try and see the Edinburgh Improverts when I'm up for the Fringe but circumstances dictated otherwise so I headed in to the Oxford Imps instead. Despite a less than engaged audience they did a great show and I even managed to get a little bit of improvised Austen for my ticket price. I really enjoy the improvised games and I particularly liked the improvised musical set in an igloo kitchen. Good fun and an uplifting start to the afternoon, go prepared with weird and wacky ideas and a good pair of lungs.

Festival of the Spoken Nerd, Assembly George Square
This was my Fringe highlight. I don't think a George Square lecture theatre has ever seen this many graphs or spreadsheets. I saw a street lamp made put of a pickled gherkin, I'm not kidding it just needed some mains electricity. Find out what would happen if you set a turning ice skater on fire, see a spreadsheet become a photo and so much more. Plenty of laughs and lots of education, I can't recommend this show enough whether you have just watched all the episodes of The Big Bang Theory or play with spreadsheets in your spare time. I can't write more without giving the show away so just a buy a ticket and go see.

Bluebeard, Space Surgeons' Hall
This was another theatre piece and a bit more contemplative, a sister and brother watch their mother fading away in a care home, slowly losing her mind. Initially, a touch confusing but I got with the programme quickly as you see flash backs into Claire's (the mother) mind. It was interesting to see both sides as the flasbacks slipped seamlessly into current day. The actress playing Claire deserved an accolade for her flawless acting as an old woman with involuntary shaking and quick switches between a sharp young wonan and her older confused self. Worth a watch if you're in the mood for something more downbeat.

Spank, Underbelly Cowgate
I was looking forward to Spank and as this year is the last year that James and Leon are hosting I was sure to place this on my list. So I was pretty disappointed to see that they were in fact not hosting and it was Late Night Gimp Fight hosting instead. However, I was determined to enjoy it so we settled in for a night of fun. It really wasn't the same without James and Leon, although the boys did do a great job. I think what was missing was the more relaxed banter with the audience that you usually get. Late Night Gimp Fight were good fun and on the basis of what I saw I'd go see their show, but for Spank they need to loosen up a bit and add chit chat in amongst their fixed sketches and some banter between acts. In the first half we had a mixture of acts starting with a weird duo who I. Think were called Twisted and Something but I can't find them anywhere. It was a mime piece to start and I really wasn't sure about it and laughter was more nervous confusion in the room around me. Their second piece was amusing to start with, A Made in Chelsea parody but it was overworked and should have stopped when the sound track came on. Next up was a man with a guitar from Sussex, there's a lot of parody rap floating around this year's Fringe and not much of it good. He then moved into a convoluted rant about Sussex being 'bad' and a not so funny song. Next up Chris Stokes, actually pretty funny and reading a steamy novel, written by his aunt, in the voice of Alan Bennett was inspired. Finally Dana Alexander, the rest of the room loved her but by this point I'd lost interest and wasn't really amused so I headed home at half time. The verdict? Spank requires a good audience (Monday is never the best day), plenty of banter, a good mix of acts and I needed more booze, but Late Night Gimp Fight could make good hosts in the future if they can drop the sketch material.

Edinburgh Festival 2013: Day two

Yesterday I had a more Fringe type of day. A leisurely morning and then I walked into town with a friend and we battled our way down the Royal Mile. Given it was a Sunday lunchtime it was fairly quiet (for the Fringe). The street performers were not inspiring and we didn't bother to stop for them before wandering on. Most of the rest of the day was spent catching up and enjoying the atmosphere, but as it's the Fringe I had to squeeze in a few shows.

Gordon Southern: a Kerfuffle, Gilded Balloon
Gordon fliered us at the Udderbelly pasture and he was engaging and stopped for a chat which always improves the chance I'll act on the flier. He had a little sound system to create silly noises as accents during the show and it was an amusing hour. He rambled a bit and the audience participation wasn't as slick as it could have been. I did enjoy his raps though and the story of his expression doing stand up for soldiers during decompression was a highlight. The verdict? I wouldn't book but it but if you're at a loose end in the area at the right time it's worth an impulse buy.

Big Value Comedy Late, Just the Tonic, Caves
The Caves were as dark and sweaty as ever but that's part of the Fringe experience. This was a series of three acts with a compère. Described as up and coming we hadn't heard of any of them but that's not a bad thing. The compère (Chris Mayo) was fun if perhaps a little new to the role but he got the room going. The first act was mildly amusing at times but not a show I'll go see. That said he has a great singing voice both baritone and impressively counter tenor and I really can't recall his name but he is the funniest thing to come out of Grimsby. The second act was a girl with a guitar and good sense of humour. I think her name was Kay and her songs were laugh out loud funny, although very stereotypically comedian girl with plenty of relationship anger. The final act of the night was Paul Myerhaug and he was hilarious. His set revolved around sex and with an eighteen year old boy and his mum in the front row it upped the anti with the perfect foil. He was the ultimate professional when the venue lights blew half way through his set, he carried on and it was just a shame he didn't get to finish. With more time on my hands I would seriously consider seeing his show Canadians of Comedy at the Gilded Balloon.

Guilt and Shame, Underbelly

As we wondered past the Underbelly it seemed a shame not to pop in and this show looked like fun. It's a bit disconcerting when you enter a venue to be handed a label and a pen and asked to write your name out. Comedy when they know your name is a little more high stakes! turns out we were at an addiction anonymous meeting with hilarious effect. God and the Devil both made an appearance but my highlight was the piece from Swan Lake, a moving work... If you're looking for a late night laugh and plenty of silliness then do go down and check these guys out, they are totally worth the ticket and so far the best thing I've seen this year.

Edinburgh Fringe 2013: Day one

This year my Fringe got off to a slow start with a one show day. I did fit in a first birthday party and a lovely dinner at The Apartment in Brunstfield with a friend visiting from New Zealand.  The Apartment has a lovely set menu at the bargain price of £10 for two courses and the food was great,I recommend it if you're in the area.

So my first show of Edinburgh Fringe 2013?

I went to see A Midsummer's Night Savoy in Gryphon venues, written and directed by my friend Chris Drew and with a number of friends in the cast it was on my must see list. The Shakespeare elements were a bit thin on the ground but there was plenty of Gilbert & Sullivan. All the songs that a dedicated Savoyard knows and loves and maybe a few that are a little less familiar. With a troupe of 'dainty' fairies including Little Buttercup trying to avoid that most terrifying of things, a group of men, the evening was fun and definitely a little silly. The male chorus and principals deserve a mention, they were all really good and there were some really strong performance during the hour. I was disappointed that the 'Sisters, Cousins and Aunts' was restricted to just a little mention and nothing more, but overall I couldn't really complain. It was the last night and the show was sold out the audience were all on board and kept the atmosphere up, it was a truely Fringe experience to start my 2013 trip.

Other more professional reviews can be read here and here.

Snow Spider

Just heading home from Snow Spider at the Oval House in Vauxhall. Joey Hickman was fab in the role of Gwyn, a nine year old boy who was at the centre of the show with his yellow back pack. For me though the show was carried by Anne-Marie Piazza playing Nain, Gwyn's grandmother.

Based in a children's story this show asked you to suspend belief. For a start Piazza is no grandmother and Hickman not a nine year old boy. But what I really loved about this show was the feeling of a secret Edinburgh find. You know, the one you see on the first weekend, then you see the Guardian review, then it wins an award and you know you saw it before it was big. What a shame the same accolades are not available for these shows all year round.

The cast were not just talented actors but also musicians. I've never seen one violin in so many hands and the folk music element brought the story to life.

I particularly loved the simplicity of set and costume. Everything was knocked back with just a flash of colour bringing families together. I think this approach leaves the audience with a blank canvas to paint their own picture on.

So it might have been a children's play with a predictable story line but I got caught up in the magic and even cried at the end. At the time of writing you have just 2 days to buy tickets, I recommend you do., especially if you miss that edgy fringe theatre you often only watch in Edinburgh!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Edinburgh Fringe 2013

This year, I introduced P to the Fringe and we took in the last weekend. It was a great vibe in the city and being the end of the Fringe the venues were running very slickly compared to last year. However, despite better weather, there was a slight lack of enthusiasm from the flyering team. We took it easy with four shows a day and so we saw:

Early Edition at Udderbelly

P and I saw the Early Edition a few years ago at the Udderbelly on the Southbank and we loved it, so this was at the top of my list to see. I love the fact that the team bring today's papers (and the Daily Mail) to the table and strating with the headlines you watch the conversation take tangents in every direction. Andre Vincent's Oli Mugabe was perhaps a little close to the line but Marcus Brigstocke's middle class outrage kept the conversation on track. this was laugh out loud funny and a great way to start our Fringe.

G star rating: 4/5 

P star rating: 4/5

Nik Coppin's Caricatures at Laughing Horse Free Festival at City Cafe

We had a good break after Early Edition and lunch at Mum's on Forrest Road, so we wandered along the Royal Mile. We popped in to the Fringe Friends' booking office, worth paying for this to skip the queue! Then as we passed the City Cafe we were handed a flyer for Nik Coppin's free show. The Free Fringe can sometimes be a risk but Nik Coppin was one worth taking. Nik's a stand-up comedian with a real skill for drawing caricatures. His pictures ranged from his family to Spiderman and President Obama, we had an education in Caribbean accents, found out who would win a fight between Spiderman and Wolverine and much more. Some light bribery with Haribo kept the audience guessing, even if responses were sometimes bizarre, his girlfriend was identified as his brother!

G star rating: 3/5

P star rating: 4/5

Thom Tuck at The Pleasance Dome

I loved Thom Tuck's stand up piece last year and so we had to go see his show again this year. This year Thom managed to appear even more eccentric and strangely middle-aged. A mixture of rambling and ranting, with some very loose connections this piece was perhaps not for everyone. But Thom plays with words and grammar with great comedy effect and he's still on my must see list for next year. 

G star rating: 4/5

P star rating: 2/5

Tricity Vogue's Ukulele Cabaret at Laughing horse Free Festival at the Counting House

My friend C had read good reviews about Tricity Vogue and a cabaret sounded like fun. Unfortunately it didn't stand up to the review. The acts that were on were pretty good but there was too much talking and not enough performance. The highlight was the final performer who sang 'When I'm screening Winders' a play on  George Formby's original. There was also a girl up from Bristol, straight off the plane who did an amusing Star Wars turn. The audience seemed to be enjoying it but I will not be going back next year.

G star rating: 2/5

P star rating: 3/5

Lights, Camera, Improvise at Underbelly Bristo Square

I love improvised comedy and this appealed in the programme and then we got a recommendation from a girl at work so that sealed the deal and off we headed. So it was down to us to choose the movie of our choice from the host's vast collection. The audience managed to come up with a challenge that seemed impossible: a Roman Epic, set in the Senate, with a scene in the dressmakers called 'Rome Wasn't Built in a Sleigh'. The performers then proceeded to make their task even harder by getting confused about whether Brutus (played by a girl) was in fact a woman or a man. They placed her eldest daughter in Jewish boarding school and then killed her off. The host made their lives even more difficult by picking up on every slip and forcing a 'directors cut' to explain it. But the highlight was the mournful gravestone, the most expressive inanimate object I have ever seen.

G star rating: 4.5/5

P star rating: 5/5

Frisky and Mannish: Extra-curricular Activities at Assembly on the Mound

I had already seen this in London along with a Fringe preview of their 27 Club. I'd found the 27 Club to be too dark for me and I was keen to see this again. It was well worth it from a Grime version of The Carpenters: On Top of the World to the Northern Pussycat Dolls. I still wonder how Frisky makes it through the whole Fringe with her voice intact, given the amount of high pitched screeching in the show. But once again Frisky and Mannish were a Fringe highlight and a high energy, professional performance that got our final Fringe evening off to a positive start.

G star rating: 4.5/5

P star rating: 4/5

Jonny and the Baptists at Underbelly

We loved their song of the day 'Not a pub' at the Early Edition and our friend C knew Jonny from her venue a couple of years previously. So we headed off for a little bit of satirical, musical fun in an exceedingly hot and sticky venue. There were a few last night high jinks and I'm surprised that Jonny didn't fall flat on his face, climbing all over the collapsible chairs. Mildly amusing Jonny and the Baptists are lovely way to spend and hour and they coped admirably with all sorts of technical mishaps and what looked like Jonny heading off in his own directions.

G star rating: 3/5

P star rating: 3/5

Spank! at Underbelly

We ended our Fringe with a night at Spank, an essential part of my Fringe. James and Leon were on form and Leon might say it was a long Fringe, but it didn't show. I can't really remember the acts which isn't a great sign, although one of the staff got his stag-night strip from a burlesque dancer in front of a raucous crowd and the final act of the night was successfully bullied into doing most of his act in his underpants. The biggest thanks of the night go to the Underbelly tech choosing the tracks after the show, my best ever post-Spank sound track, finishing the Fringe on a high, with just a touch of tinnitus.

G star rating: 3/5

P star rating: 1/5

For me, the Fringe was lacking a real five star performance this year, but we still had lots of fun and hopefully we will be heading back next year.

Edinburgh Fringe 2011 summary

So I thought that while watching Three @ The Fringe on catch-up was the perfect time to post my round-up of the Fringe. As promised this is the shows I saw in the order I would recommend which should help to overcome the confusion of my previous posts where I kept forgetting what I saw...

1. Thom Tuck Goes Straight to DVD at the Pleasance Dome
2. Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson the Nazi Smasher at Pleasance Courtyard
3. Minute after Midday at the Gilded Balloon (the only serious theatre in my top 5)
4. Rock the Ballet at the Assembly
5. Spank! at the Underbelly
6. Frisky and Mannish at the Udderbelly
7. NewsRevue at the Pleasance Courtyard
8. Fresher the Musical at the Pleasance Dome
9. Street Dreams at the Underbelly
10. The Horne Section at Assembly George Square
11. Translunar Paradise at the Pleasance Dome
12. Improverts at the Bedlam
13. David Reed Shamble House at the Pleasance Courtyard
14. Dead Cat Bounce at the Pleasance Courtyard
15. Showstopper the Musical at the Gilded Balloon
16. Pollyanna meets Piaf at the Space Surgeon's Hall
17. You Want Me to Do What? at C venue at ECA
18. Peeling PVA Happier Mache at Just the Tonic

Other must do things at the Fringe are:
Sushi at Bonsai
Sausage and Mash at Mums
Bagel at Elephants and Bagel
Drink at the Udderbelly Pasture
and of course catch-up with all my friends that are still lucky enough to live up there...

Hope you enjoy what's left of the Fringe and I'm looking forward to next year...

Oops the shows I forgot and the ones I don't really recommend...

I'm definitely starting to think that I saw too many shows as I logged on to my Edinburgh Fringe page to check out what I saw and realised I had missed half the shows... So below are a few of my higher ranking shows and then the last ones are those that I didn't get or just weren't for me.

To those I forgot, I'm so sorry you were all great!

Forgotten four star shows
Fresher the Musical at Pleasance Dome
I laughed a lot during this show as everything they said / sang reminded me of how I felt to be a fresher. I left the performance wishing I could go back to those days, perhaps more so as I was watching in my former student union. Sometimes it felt a bit American, but maybe that was the head mikes, it was strange feeling as I almost thought I knew the words and could sing along when that was very much not the case. A great mix up of all the stereotypes and Rupert's rap was genius, Basil I hope you get lucky by the end of uni :-) My one note of caution is to try and avoid sitting in the sets on stage left as the drum kit was deafening and sometimes I couldn't hear the words.

The Horne Section at Assembly George Square
This was our first evening show of 2011 and I hadn't realised it was Alex Horne until we arrived and the guys whose table we hijacked told us. On reflection it was a good thing I didn't know as I had previously seen a very early preview of Alex's stand-up show Birdwatching (about 4 years ago in the basement of Fopp, Tottenham Court Road), I didn't enjoy it... But this was a different kettle of fish altogether, the Horn band with drummer and piano added a little sparkle and the giant wheel of fortune gave it an edge. I was super excited that we got Mark Watson one of my favourite 'big comedians', it was nice to see Tim Vine though I'm not sure I could site through an hour of his one-liners and the tumble act did not float my boat. But the highlight of the evening was Alex and his band doing Morris dancing to Beyonce's Single Ladies, it has to be seen to be believed...

I didn't have a three and half stars before but feel that I need one now...
Improverts at the Bedlam Theatre
Again I always go see the Edinburgh Improverts, they remind of many a Friday evening laughing at the antics of Humphrey Ker, Thom Tuck, David Reed and many more... Somehow even though they have moved on to their solo shows (see my previous two posts) the Edinburgh Imps have kept their magic and somehow the other other Improverts companies I've seen at the Fringe before do not match up. Of course you are taking a risk on the audience attending and the night we went they let the team down but probably due to a lack of alcohol. But all my favourite games were there and I laughed the night away before heading to Underbelly for a dance.

Translunar Paradise at the Pleasance Dome
Another addition to my final quiet and downbeat day, this show raising money for cancer research was heart warming. The incredible silent story of an elderly couple and when the wife dies her husband relives their life, the highs and the lows. I loved the use of masks and again these masks seemed to have expressions I also loved the seamless transitions and the clarity of the looking back scenes. My mind did wonder at times and perhaps a funny show in between would have put me in the right frame of mind for this performance.

Three star shows that didn't make it into the last post
Dead Cat Bounce: Caged Heat at the Pleasance Courtyard
This group we picked up last year through Spank! and saw their show in the Gilded Balloon Basement. This year they have upgraded to the Pleasance theatre and feel like a real Rock Band! It was particularly good to be able to hear all the lyrics this time. However I regretfully put this as a three star show thanks to their request to allow latecomers and the way the venue handled this. The theatre was full and then at about 20minutes in around 30 latecomers were let in. The venue staff spent ages trying to find seats and squishing us all up which knocked me and my friend out of the spirit. Additionally children are allowed in and if you are uncomfortable sitting next to a nine year old with some pretty heavy double entendres then perhaps best to buy the CD and not risk it.

Three star show, but I think just the night I went...
ShowStopper! the Improvised Musical at the Gilded Balloon
Another show relying on it's audience was let down by the audience and the late running venue, meaning we once again had to leave early. That said I hadn't really bought into the Viking theme, the performance felt a bit prescriptive and the venue too large for real improvisation. I have heard great things about this group but I felt let down, although I was in real awe of the teams ability to sing on demand...

Two and a half star show
Pollyanna meets Piaf at The Space, Surgeon's Hall
What really let this show down was the promise of Piaf and there just wasn't enough for me. I liked a couple of the songs but I felt that the performance lacked a bit of oomph, particularly on the happy songs. It was a nice way to spend an hour and I didn't want my money back but I also didn't really feel like I'd gained anything.

You want me to do what? at C at ECA
Another show that just didn't deliver on the promise of the advert. The advert implied it was going to be amusing but it really wasn't. In a frustrating venue that you couldn't get into because it wasn't signed and the fire door wasn't activated from the outside. Once in the small stuffy room, I didn't feel like the show had the energy it needed to pull it through. It was a bit disjointed and for me the emotion didn't carry through to the audience as the actress told the story of her time as a leukaemia nurse. I think perhaps as a medical biologist I just wanted more reality, I'm never keen on looking back dream like shows and this was a prime example but maybe you'll love it and the Fringe is about taking a chance sometimes.

One star show
Peeling PVA's, Happier mache at Just the Tonic
This was the first time I've ever been given a comp ticket for the Fringe and I'm glad I didn't pay to see this show. The only sketch that I genuinely loved was the Duke of York sketch, incredibly clever and funny. However the rest lacked conviction, the set was too patchy and rickety and distracted from the performance. I did also enjoy the self checkout sketch but felt that it didn't follow through on the joke in the right way. The comedy was very young and perhaps with time it might improve? I think perhaps give them a miss year and take a peek next year to see what's changed...

In my last Edinburgh post I'll rank the shows in order of what to see as I seem to have got a bit mixed up in my reviews...

Edinburgh Fringe festival review, part two

I'm sure everyone will pleased to know that the birthday cake turned out great and my grandfather almost recognised it as his old bowling club...

So I'm back now with some more reviews from my time in Edinburgh.

Four and a half star show that I forgot in the previous post...
Rock the Ballet at Assembly on the Mound
I saw so many shows that I forgot about this one which was one of the first I saw. I can't sum this up much better than my original tweet, this is some really hot men and a seemingly token hot girl, doing some of the hottest and freshest choreography I've seen to some rocking tunes. I loved their Argentinian tango with an unusual choice of partner... I switched between laughing, jealousy and drooling in this show and recommend it for anybody who likes dance, it's not just for ballet fanatics. My only point to note is you need to get there early to ensure that you get a good seat and if you're up by the turn on the mound in the queue then head straight upstairs for a clear view.

Four star shows that I enjoyed but not as much as the five and four and a half star shows
Street Dreams at the Underbelly
This was actually the start of my serious day at the Fringe and I went to see it on my brother's text recommendation (which I miraculously received in the Underbelly!). this show documents the life of a little old man living on a rubbish dump, there are no words and the show is accompanied by some lovely haunting tunes from a harmonica, ukele? and flute. What I loved about this show was the fact that although the little old man puppet didn't have a moveable face he somehow changed his expression in line with his mood. I also loved the way the two puppeteers working the puppet were almost part of him but also looking down on him and reacting as an external onlooker a strangely moving facility. I loved the inventive use of rubbish particularly the plastic bag birds and the cheeky banana skins. The one downside was that at 40 minutes I'd kind of got over my wonder a bit but not enough to make me regret seeing this and I would recommend for a quiet morning in Edinburgh.

NewsRevue at the Pleasance Courtyard
Another old favourite this was the last show I saw at the Fringe and was a great way to finish my four days. If you like Have I Got News For you and a bit of Broadway then this is the show for you. You don't even need to follow the news as this summarises all the key stories from the last year so you probably know them all as I'd be surprised if you missed the wedding of the year and Osama Bin Laden's death. I laughed my way through the show although at times I just didn't get it or felt they cut a bit too close to the bone. But a fab way to spend an evening if you've got one spare.

Three star shows that I enjoyed but probably wouldn't see again
David Reed: Shamblehouse at Pleasance Courtyard
The third of the Penny Dreadfuls up at the Fringe with a debut solo show, David's set includes an amazing array of chairs which was incredible but a bit confusing. I saw the preview of this show and it was very much a ramble through the back alleys of David's mind, which I'm not sure was a place I wanted to be... I didn't really get the ghost at the end, it all felt a bit too surreal for me. That said I did laugh at most points through out the sketch and my friend that I was with loved this show. I ran into one of David's team a couple of days later who said they'd been working on it and it was much improved so I'd give it a go and see whether you are compatible with David's sense of humour.

I'm slowly getting through all my reviews and hope to get some more up later in the week. Enjoy your Fringe...

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

A change from the norm, but the Edinburgh fringe festival is one of my other favourite things. Here's a slightly more than 140 character run down of the shows I went to see for anyone reading this that's heading to Edinburgh this year.

My five star must see shows
Humphrey Kerr is Dymock Watson Nazi Smasher at the Pleasance Courtyard.
I always loved Humphrey as an Improvert at Edinburgh and then as one of the Penny Dreadfuls so I was excited to see his first solo show at Edinburgh. On top of all this I grew up on a diet of black and white war movies selected by my father, so the title of the show sounded right up my street... The small dark room that houses Humphrey's show adds to the atmosphere and you feel like you are hiding out in a resistance hut in the woods listening to a tale of great achievements. I recognised every character from at least one movie of my childhood and laughed all the way. If Humphrey brings this show down to London I will definitely be finding a way to take my dad, he'll love it and so did I!

Thom Tuck goes straight to DVD at the Pleasance Dome.
Another Improvert and Penny Dreadful it was surprising to see Thom with all his features in the correct place. For this show I think a basic knowledge of the classic Disney movies is helpful as it helps you to recognise the characters in discussion. Thom has watched all the straight to DVD Disney animated movies and spends a hilarious hour discussing them interspersed with tales of his love life cleverly interwoven. A couple of things I heard before I went didn't ring true for me, I disagree with the Broadway Baby reviewer who felt the romantic interludes didn't fit, I loved the way the subtly connected with the Disney material. I also disagreed with the person who told me Thom was doing more downbeat material, I laughed so hard during the show that I couldn't breathe and room began to spin. Sitting in the front row I was concerned that I might put Thom off as I nearly fell off my chair laughing but if I did it didn't show. What is perhaps slightly concerning about this show is I know want to watch the straight to DVD Disney movies with Thom's insight as I'm sure they will be a great laugh!

On the serious note I went to see Minute after midday, an incredible performance from three young Irish performers. A series of interweaved monologues put together the story of the 1998 Omagh bombings. Told from the perspective of a little girl who survived, the wife of a man who died saving the girl's life and one of the bombers, I was crying by the end. I loved the way they introduced the back stories so you really felt like you knew the characters. I tend to watch exclusively comedy in Edinburgh but this has got to be seen, I've seen anything that I walked out of feeling like I had just watched the real event I was shell shocked and pretty speechless for at least an hour afterwards.

My four and a half star shows that I loved and think you probably will too!
Frisky and Mannish at the Udderbelly.
My friend loved this more than me and I think perhaps because she listens to more music than me. That said most of the Brit pop was pretty old skool and I recognised a lot. Frisky and Mannish will help you work out which boy band member you are - I turned out to be a Razor light, thanks to my 'cool' hair. They are both incredibly talented and I live in awe at people who can sing songs to a different but equally favourite tune. I think perhaps the funniest thing about this show was the audience member who was nearly crying at the prospect of being part of a new 'boy band'. The most annoying thing getting their version of 'The Wheels on the Bus' stuck in my head for the rest of the Fringe. But at the end of the show, I felt upbeat, ready to go out partying and well versed in the skills I need to become a pop star, the charts had better look out!

Spank! at the Underbelly.
A perennial favourite, my Fringe wouldn't be complete without at least one trip to Spank. My favourite late night 'compilation' show, James and Leon the ever bubbly hosts do a sterling job and bring the audience along for the ride. Not a show for the easily offended, especially the promo spot, see how quickly confident acts lose their confidence when the undies hit the floor... The night we went I particularly enjoyed Chris Martin, no not that one... He was really funny and dealt with a very drunk heckler admirably. I wish I had been able to go see his show as he was funny and despite his claims, as good looking as Jenssen Button.

Now I have to go bake an eightieth birthday cake so I'll post some more reviews later...