Saturday, September 01, 2007

Edinburgh Fringe (Performances and Pickets)


Spent a week doing the “fringe” in Edinburgh. More my better half’s idea of fun than mine. As I use to live in Edinburgh I feel entitled to be a little sniffy about the “fringe”. However, Edinburgh is a smashing place to spend a holiday anytime of the year. Apart from the weather… one comedian compared Scotland with having a “stunningly beautiful girlfriend… who dribbles all the time”.

While I was there on Thursday (23 August) there was even a 24 hour strike by Edinburgh Council workers over proposed cuts to staff and services. I went to the main picket held outside the Council Offices in the High Street (Royal Mile) to offer support. It was the strangest picket line I have ever been to since it was held only a 100m or so from the main fringe ticket office, the area was full of performers touting for business and tourists. The pickets (UNISON) themselves were articulate, well motivated and confident that they will be able to reverse the cuts. Good luck!

The fringe is now over - my top tips for 2008:-

Don’t believe any reviews
Try out the Free Fringe events first (sampler events) then if you like what you see then you can pay for a ticket to see that show.
Don’t bother to go and see acts in Edinburgh who are well established and who you can see in your home area anyway.
Remember the art exhibitions and musical shows as well as the comedy acts.
Walk up Arthur Seat regardless of the weather.
Have a “Haggis supper” from a local fish and chip shop

The last show we saw was a late night alternative comedy venue off London Road which ended with the comedian telling a roomful of about 40 people that he was going to recreate the “Battle of Madrid” 1939 from the Spanish Civil War. He divided the room into two groups and made everyone stand up and move. The right hand group he called the Fascists or nationalists and the left hand group the Republicans or communists. He called on the Fascists to stand up and advance towards the republicans while the republicans had to remain sitting and argue amongst themselves. The Fascists won.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

you forgot to mention to take a bottle of wine for when you reach the top of Arthur's Seat :)

John Gray said...

Only "a" bottle!