Edinburgh Fringe Cast

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 22.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:50:46 -0400

Newsrevue 2006 C Venue 21.45 (1hr) Until 28 August £9.50 (£8.50) ***** Review to follow...

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 21.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:47:06 -0400

The American High School Theatre Festival has brought some great shows across the pond to the Fringe. The entusiasm of the participants for what they are doing never ceases to amaze me, especially when I see them fliering in the rain on the Royal Mile. I spoke to the cast of Yearbook: The High School Musical and one of the festival's organisers about why they keep coming back to Edinburgh and why they are doing it.

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 20.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:38:14 -0400

Ewan was the first person to podcast from the Fringe and was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA for his troubles. It was listening to his coverage of the event which inspired me to pick up the microphone this year. It was both liberating an daunting to listen to a normal human being talking to performers at the world's biggest arts festival with little or no support network, completely off his own back. Although taking a slightly different approach to his Fringe podcast this year, including a team of 6, Ewan is still the biggest and most prolific podcaster at this year's Fringe and it was great to talk to him.

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 19.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:31:42 -0400

Peter decided to make the unique selling point of his show the fact that you didn't have to pay to get in - going completely against the system in an ever more comercialised Fringe city. He also stood to be a member of the Fringe Society Board of Directors hours before I did this interview, making for some interesting evaluation of where the Fringe is now and where PBH would like to see it going.

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 18.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:26:54 -0400

Festival Previews is a site packed full of two minute previews of Fringe show, giving you a chance to try before you buy. In my opinion anything which can stop you wasting as much as £10 on a ticket for something not worth watching has to be a good thing. These guys have big plans to travel the world, previewing festivals across the globe so I thought I'd better have a chat whilst they still had a spare 10 minutes to do the interview.

Festival Previews

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 14.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 08:53:15 -0400

Review to follow... How to Explain the History of Communism to Mental Patients Zoo Southside 14.15 (1hr 30mins) Until 27 August (not tuesdays) £10.00 (£8.00)

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 11.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 08:46:46 -0400

Review to follow... Sister Mary McArthur: Celebrity Nun Gilded Balloon Teviot 14.30 (1hr) Until 28 August (not 16 August) £9.00 (£8.00) weekends £10.00 (£9.00)

Gilded Balloon

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 10.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 22:17:28 -0400

If this show was any sharper it would probably cut itself. Seven nights into the run these guys have every move calculated. The cues are as quick fire as a tommy gun, which I think is probably one of the props used in this mindbogglingly slick production. The show takes us through the last 51 minutes of Steven Tooley's life, probably not something that Thomas Nelstrop has experienced himself, but he makes ever second of those 51 minutes count. It was only when the cast found themselves transported back to the middle ages that there was a fleeting chance of pace dropping and even then the performance was still cruising at breakneck speed. Andy Spiers and Thomas Nelstrop make a formidable comedy duo bringing some great touches of physical comedy to the piece. From a technical point of view this show is great, a must for a fast paced comedy such as this. Comically speaking the cast never let the ball drop. They successfully pull off 3 elaborate musical numbers and even manage to pull new laughs from the often performed, rarely funny, man before God scenario. If you want to see a well written, well executed comedy which doesn't bother stopping to draw breath this is the one for you. The Plan B Show C Central, Venue 54 15.05 (1hr) £7.50 (£6.50)

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 09.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 22:12:22 -0400

Fi Hunter has come alone to the Fringe this year after turning down the other parts she was offered because she didn't want to be the token female, she is by no means a token female. The Dark Show is pure tragicomedy with everyone of her characters being in some way connected to death. Each of the poor sods Hunter present us with is a funny as the last and the performance flows well between from beginning to end including a video segment and a disembodied second character. The more technical interludes simply add a different layer to the performance and allows Hunter to stretch herself. I'm not entirely sure what sort of person you have to be to think up characters as comically absurd as Hunter has. What I am sure about is that the entire audience found them hilarious. This bold female comic deserves a bigger audience, well worth the walk from your comfortable pub in the middle of town. The Dark Show Sweet at ECA, Venue 186 18.40 (50mins) £7.50 (£6.50)

Sweet Venues

Edinburgh Fringe Cast 08.08.06

Andrew Girvan — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 05:40:46 -0400

Walking down the Royal Mile you will find a number of buskers who could be classed as physical performers and a number find themselves quite funny. It was very refreshing to see what four walls, a roof, some lighting and great music can make. The physical theatre was in itself amusing with the painting theme a great excuse for the inclusion of props such as ladders, scaffolding and paint tins. The actors made the best of the space they had with a number of their stunts leaving them just inches away from the lighting rig and the audience. Add some audience participation and you find a performance which will attract and entertain a wide age range. It seemed a little strange then that the subject matter turned to sex half way through however did not seem to phase the wide eyed child I was sitting near or her parents. The cast set out to blend physical theatre with comedy whilst encapsulating West End dance and they pull it off remarkably well. Painters makes a great change from the standard Fringe comedy fair and blends well the comic and the physical for a great evening's entertainment. Painters Smirnoff Underbelly, Big Belly, Venue 61 18.25 (45mins) Until 27 August £8.50, weekends £9.50