Being a slacker, it has taken me until the closing days of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to start writing up my 2014 shows and events. To save everyone some time it's probably best if I just list them and keep the comments to a minimum. I've left out the venue preview shows that I attended, which are covered elsewhere. Fringe Week 0 (which was #10wos 06):
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe: The Fringe Central opening lecture
- EFF: The Cut Tuk Show / Wonders of the Universe
- EFF: The Object Lesson
- EFF: Hot Dub Time Machine
Fringe Week 1
- EFF: Holly Walsh
- EFF: David Trent
- EFF: Bridget Christie
- EFF: Spoiling
- EFF: Daniel Kitson
- EFF: Robert Newman
- Foodies Festival Edinburgh: er... 'Foodies'!
- Edinburgh International Festival: Holst's The Planets
- Edinburgh International Book Festival: opening party
No duds in there and plenty of highlights. The Planets was excellent and a full house – as you can see I had a good spot from which to see pretty much everyone in the room. Holly Walsh and David Trent were both very good: relaxed, engaging, funny and seemed to be having a good time themselves. Daniel Kitson... normally a banker, though it made me think that I've mostly seen his theatre pieces in recent years and this was more of a mix; still excellent in many places, somewhere between midnight and 2am. Spoiling at the Traverse Theatre had an explicit link to the independence referendum and was one of the few shows which has done that; many stand-ups are steering clear, it seems to me. Wonders of the Universe was the most uplifting and joyous thing I've seen, really good fun and very well performed. The Object Lesson had lots going on as a guy sorted through a lifetime of memories, with some excellent touches and moments of very innovative creativity. And Foodies in the sunshine was ace!Sunday of this week was a little different: up to Aberfoyle in Stirlingshire for some Go Ape! fun. Some slight rain, but not enough to dampen the spirits.