Monday 15 August 2011

A day at the Festival

It is August, which means that Edinburgh is a crazy town. The fringe festival is here for the month. There are pros and cons to festival time. The obvious pros being amazing shows in a small space in a short amount of time. The cons being the huge amount of people trying to get between venues, or get you into their venue and filling every restaurant and cafe.
Last Saturday we headed through to Edinburgh. We went to see some great shows and despite getting soaked to the skin we had a really good day.


Live at the Gilded Balloon Podcast
The podcast is an introduction to different comics/shows that are on at the festival. So this was a great way to see a lot. We got to see Hal Sparks, Tom Green, Dave Eastgate, Jason Cook, Kerry Godliman and Michael Winslow. It was interesting listening to the podcast once it was published. They cut out so much good stuff from the live show. Each day the acts are different so it can be a bit of a lottery. 
It was here that I had my celebrity spot of the day. David Bradley otherwise known as Argus Filch from Harry Potter sat behind me for the recording. He has a really loud laugh. (I'm 99% sure it was him however if he was reported to be else where last Saturday I might concede that he has a doppelganger).


Eric's Tales of the Sea - A Submariner's Yarn
This was my least favourite show of the day. Not because it was bad simply because all the other shows were really good. Eric stands on the stage and tells you stories of life beneath the sea. 


Lady Garden
This was a last minute decision. So last minute and given the queue at the box office they actually had to hold the start of the show for us. We went rushing into the venue and the lady at the door told me there were seats at the front or we could sit separately, so I headed for the front. Please note this is a bad idea when seeing any show at the Festival. The show was great, a series of sketches performed by 5 female comedians.


(SPOILER: the final sketch of the show required audience participation. O was pulled from his seat and forced to slow dance with one of the comedians. My husband is a very shy man, he was mortified! He wasn't the only one, 5 men were made to get on stage. I'm convinced he was targeted because he was the best looking man there. They had to go several rows back to find enough men so I'm not convinced he'd have been safe wherever we sat. I do feel bad though, I think he is still traumatised.)


David O'Doherty
This was my favourite show of the day. David O'Doherty is hilarious with his little piano, songs and educational highlights.


Jimeoin
Jimeoin inside the Spiegeltent was our last show of a long and wet day. We have seen Jimeoin on TV several times and thought he was great. His show was good but he had a lot to try and live up to after David O'Doherty. I also don't think he was on top form as he complained about being jet lagged. 
The spiegeltent is a stunning venue - if a little cold.


All in all a brilliant day!


If you're in Edinburgh I'd love to hear what you'd recommend. We're thinking of seeing more.

4 comments:

  1. David O'Doherty was the highlight of the Melbourne Comedy Festival a few years ago for me. He just cracks me up. Hilarious :)

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  2. Poor O!!! I suppose that's what happens when you are handsome though.

    We are going to the Fringe on the last day, which is crazy but will be fun!

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  3. Aw poor O, we always stay away from the front!

    This year we have already been to see Jason Byrne and tonight we are off to see Sarah Millican. Edinburgh does get so busy though, I tend to avoid those areas if Im not at a show!

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  4. Poor O - can't imagine that he was too keen on that! I always feel terrible for the poor people who get dragged on stage.

    I have never been to the Festival - ridiculous, I know.

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