Theres quite a lot of queueing goes on in Edinburgh... the day started unqueueingly enough, brought some coffees and fruit back to the room and looked the listings guides and the websites to try and figure out what else we could see.We had tickets already for Richard Herring's podcast and BBC Radio 4's Just a Minute. Unfortunately these clashed a bit. Could we get between the two venues in fifteen minutes? No chance, so we picked Just a Minute, as it was a bit of a one off opportunity and I could see Richard Herring again the next day. Twenty quid down the drain though, don't buy too many tickets in advance next time...
The morning ticked by in a bit of a panic, every five minutes I realise we're probably missing another show. We had another stroll around and decided to try a free show that looked alright Austerity Pleasures at Finnegan's Wake on Victoria Street. Concerned there was NO-ONE there when we got there, but this was fifteen mins before the show. Bang on queue the room filled up and we saw three comedians Alex Chapman, Ben Morgan, and one other who was doing a five minute intro slot at the last minute. Was OK for free, not laugh out loud though.
Next lunch at Mariachi on the same street, nice Mexican set menu, I had soft tacos and Clare predictably chicken fajitas.
On to the BBC bit of the fringe, big queue for Just a Minute just to get our tickets validated. While we took turns to queue the other tried to get tickets for Fascinating Aida that night - all sold out, it's one of the hot shows of the fest, but there might be returns an hour before the show. Tickets validated and we're hanging out in the BBC enclosure waiting to be called in. It's like a freely open backstage area, really good, bars and food and live broadcasting from the BBC. Shame it was Radio One this week and not 6Music like the week before but we saw a live performance by beatboxer Shlomo for Scott Mills, whose show was going out live. Also more radio one type comings and goings, no Dave Lee Travis or Mike Read (I have not listened to Radio One for a while) but pop type Example and Vernon Kaye and probably more just hanging out.
Quite a wait still to get in to the tent for the the recording, and when we got in there it was roasting. Didn't expect this heat from Edinburgh, a very pleasant surprise. The Just A Minute panel were regulars Paul Merton, and Giles Brandreth and guests Janey Godley and American Hanibal Buress - not sure I have every seen anyone so out of their depth as him. Don't think he had heard the show before, and despite the regulars massive generosity (host Nicholas Parsons was trying to buzz in before they were). This was a good show, but HOT HOT HOT. Nice to be at something HOT as in sold out and everyone wants in (people must have been turned away as they do overbook these things) but it was a bit uncomfortably sweaty. After the regular panel show they recorded a special bit just for Hannibal Buress as he was recording a show Edinburgh Nights, I think it was a bit scripted as he looked a lot better in this section. Maybe he's doing a feature contrasting American and British styles of humour?
We got out of there in time to try again for Fascinating Aida tickets, bit too early though they're only available EXACTLY an hour before.There was a bit of a scrum around the box office, eventually we formed a queue with us at the front though, very civilised. Being at a comedy fest everyone thinks they're funny so I'm sure everyone laughed when I asked for twenty tickets for the show. There was panic, there were only six available and a big queue, we took our two and ran. Apparently an actual fight broke out on the previous day.
The show was very good, far filthier than we'd expected. Best thing so far though. I never would have thought of seeing them if it wasn't for the gala, too mumsy I would have guessed but they are great. You will struggle to get a ticket. They seem to have been around for ages, though I think they are not as old as they make out. See them on the youtube:
Next thing we had lined up was a play, see it's not all comedy and I'm not completely uncultured. Shakespeare no less!
First though an hour or so to fill, so I went to see Richard Herring's Talking Cock (the name of the show). This is the first thing we've seen so far that wasn't full, maybe 3/4 full. Good show, I thought I hadn't seen it but a lot of it was really familiar. he first did it ten years ago or more so I guess I must have done. Was good.
OK turns out I am fairly uncultured. We next went to Shit Faced Shakespeare, the idea of which being they do the play (Midsummer Nights Dream in this case) but one of the cast is smashed out of their mind. This was the story anyway, I do not believe a word of it. If I was very young, or stupid, or drunk I might have enjoyed this, the rest of the crowd were and did.
Paul Clarke's blog - I live in Hythe near Folkestone. Wed to Clare + dad to two, I am a full-stack web developr, + I do js / nodejs, some ruby, python, php ect ect. I like pubs, running, eating, home automation and other diy stuff, history, family tree stuff, TV, squirrels, pirates, lego, + TIME TRAVEL.