Fest 2011 Issue 1

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SAM

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COMEDY, THEATRE, MUSIC AND MORE: YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE FESTIVALS

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Welcome to

Fest

FEST IS YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE EDINBURGH FESTIVALS Pick us up from venues across Edinburgh.

PUBLISHER SAM FRIEDMAN EDITORIAL Editor Evan Beswick Deputy Editor Joe Spurgeon Comedy Editor Lyle Brennan Theatre Editor Yasmin Sulaiman Music Editor Marcus Kernohan Books Editor Dan Heap Kids Editor Ruth Dawkins

festcontents

Exhibit: A ly—that there are We've been told—somewhat dubious se parts. To test quite a few creative types round the e suspects and this theory, we're hauling in some prim as they see fit. giving them free rein to fill this page sing her mastery Sara Pascoe kicks things off, showca gloriously naff pun. of both the felt-tip medium and the SARA PASCOE VS THE APOCALYPSE PLEASANCE DOME 7:00PM – 8:00PM, 3–29 AUG, NOT 16,

PRODUCTION Creative Director Matthew MacLeod Photography Editor Claudine Quinn Copy Editors Hannah Van Den Bergh, Sydney Tichenor Web Editor Marcus Kernohan Production Deputy Dan Heap SALES TEAM Sophie Kyle, Lara Moloney, Jan Webster CONTACT FEST hello@festmag.co.uk PUBLISHED BY FEST MEDIA LIMITED Registered in Scotland number SC344852 REGISTERED ADDRESS 30-38 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh EH6 8RG In our preview guide, the cover shots of Tom Green should have been credited to Neil Visel Every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the information in this magazine, but the publisher cannot accept liability for information which is inaccurate.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the printer or the publisher. © Fest Media Limited 2011

4 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011

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festcontents 6 FEATURES 8 Sam Simmons

The outlandish Aussie absurdist and former zookeeper finally finds his fanbase

12 Junction 25

Glasgow's miniature army of teenage performance-makers take aim. Their target? That crazy little thing called love

16 3Run

Britain's fearless free running troupe bring the outside in for an explosive display of freewheeling physical prowess

19 COMEDY 20 James Acaster

An accomplished and animated hour from one of the country's most exciting emerging acts

22 Imran Yusuf

Having stormed the Free Festival, one of the hardest-working comics in town steps up to the top flight

27 Diane Spencer

Stomach-churning but expertly crafted true-life stories from a girl who looks like butter wouldn't melt

29 Hannibal Buress

The ice-cool US export goes down easy, pulling off an impressive Fringe debut without breaking a sweat

41 THEATRE 42 Spent

The Dora Award-winner that provides a physical, clownish, slickly performed look at the Lehman Brothers fiasco

43 Belt Up's The Boy James

A captivating piece from the lords of Fringe theatre, now in its second consecutive Edinburgh run

44 The Monster in the Hall

David Greig hits the right notes again with this joyful, wrong-footing gem

48 The Caroline Carter Show

The director of Kim Noble Must Die returns to Edinburgh with a joyously silly musical comedy

58 KIDS

58 Dear John

Poet, musician, artist, tea-drinker; John Hegley invites us in

60 Press gang

Our crack team of kid critics give their verdicts

61 MUSIC

61 Camille O'Sullivan

Queen of cabaret: the mighty Fringe favourite returns for her seventh outing

67 BOOKS 67 Art trail

A mysterious series of literature-themed sculpture is spreading through Edinburgh

68 LISTINGS

Your essential what's on guide to the world's biggest arts festival

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 5

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Lunch out at Peter’s Yard 27 SIMPSONS LOAN

Grab a sandwich, coffee and cake from über cool Swedish bakery ) Peter’s Yard and eat in the (ahem sun on the Meadows.

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Emerge shellshocked and weak-kneed after this wonderfully anarchic character comic hauls you into the action.

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perfectday er the First Time?

Elis James: Do You Rememb PLEASANCE COURTYARD

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s you’ll meet this The first of two boys called Jame after hit with this evening, the Welshman lands hit youth. stunning array of stories from his

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et Ultra-glam Finnish a cappella quart s offer hilariously camp pop cover . from The Beatles to Katy Perry

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Belt Up’s The Boy James C SOCO See this heart-rending JM Barrie-esque piece from Fringe darlings Belt Up, and discover why the innovative theatre company has so many devotees.

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 7

Sam Simmons:

Champion of the Photos: Claudine Quinn

Weird Treading the fine line between genius and idiocy, Sam Simmons has found his audiences are finally getting the joke. Lyle Brennan journeys into the absurd with the off-the-wall Australian

W

HEN SOMEONE storms out of your show, it’s not often a mark of success. One gag beyond the pale, the failure to tame a restless crowd, a backfired exchange with the front row – fall into such traps and you could clear the room faster than a noxious fart. Most comics would find the experience hard to swallow. Not Sam Simmons.

“That makes for a fucking great show,” says the Australian absurdist. “There’s an electricity in a show like that.”

In his case, walkouts don’t always mean he’s missed the mark. More often they are a byproduct of his extreme and divisive style, a sign that everything’s in order with his prop-based idiocy, nonsequiturs and hyperactive song-anddance. Delivered at breakneck pace, his comedy makes so little sense that it tends to antagonise those with less adventurous palates.

“The reaction? I think—I hope—I must elicit some sort of fear inside them,” he says, switching into a whingeing impersonation: “‘Let’s just get out of here.

I don’t want to even engage with him.

He’s weird’.”

There have been times when this fight-or-flight response has turned nasty, and the former zookeeper casually recounts being punched and wrestled off stage. Men, he says, are the least receptive to his shenanigans.

“I think it’s a threat to sexuality and stuff like that, because people say, ‘Look at him dancing

onstage, he must be a faggot, mate’. It’s the general Australian rural consensus, and some nights in Edinburgh as well.”

Simmons speaks to Fest from the West Australian desert town of Carnarvon— “the middle of nowhere, quite literally”— where he is featuring in the Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow following his nomination for the coveted Barry Award.

Over the course of the nationwide tour he has seen the tide begin to turn, and even what he calls the “bogans” of Australia’s backwaters are warming to his new offering, Meanwhile. Here, for the first time, 34-year-old Simmons has writ-

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ten a show where nobody is walking out.

Could it be that the mainstream is now ready for the uncompromising maniac behind last year’s exhilarating Fail?

Something of a sleeper hit, 2010’s nightmare game show was, in Simmons’ words, “a fantasy show about wanting to top yourself”. The tone was manic, claustrophobic and jarring even in its daftest moments, capturing the sense of a mind in chaotic decline. And, as it turns out, there was a pretty good reason for that.

“I was addicted to prescription drugs, like Elizabeth Taylor or some grand dame,” he says. “I never went into it in the show because I guess I was kind of in denial about it until after I finished the run, and then I went off and kind of got some help.

“It chemically fucked me up, so I think that’s where all the really dark thoughts were coming from. But then at the same time it means I wrote a really excellent show, stoned.”

His drugs of choice were Valium and Stilnox, a sleeping pill known elsewhere as Ambien. The latter inspired panic in Simmons’ current hometown of Sydney, after it was blamed for the death of a student who plunged from the city’s Harbour Bridge in 2008. Since then, the drug has carried warnings of side effects such as “sleep-walking, sleep-driving and other bizarre behaviours”.

But while lesser comics might need a skullfull of something similarly potent to reach Simmons’ level of lunacy, “bizarre behaviours” 

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 9

 come naturally to him. Don’t expect Meanwhile to be anything less than preposterous.

“I’ve now written a show that’s not been affected by anything,” he says. “I hope it makes sense.”

Based on past form, you can guarantee it won’t. Even in a lucid state, Simmons has always had a taste for the ridiculous, which owes less to his comedy forebears than it does to his childhood friends in Adelaide.

“We used to have this little collective.

We would just be weird around the school to each other—we called it ‘being weak’—and I just grabbed it and took it onstage.”

Adulthood has done little to mellow Simmons and friends – even the bona fide grown-up now working at the South Australia Water Commission.

“Basically he’s so high up in government he allocates who goes through drought and who doesn’t, so you’ve got an idiot playing God,” Simmons laughs.

“I’ve seen that man drag himself round hotel rooms pretending he has no legs for half the night!”

With a BBC project in the pipeline and his work on Australian radio going

“I know people fucking passionately hate me and I know why, but I reckon it needs to be done“ from strength to strength, Simmons doesn’t see himself on the stage for many more years. He’s nearing the end of a zoology degree and, as a man who recently had a goat tattooed on his buttock, he’s keen to find an outlet for his love of animals. It may not be long before he packs up his googlyeyed cabbage props and returns to the animal kingdom, through comedy or otherwise.

“I think I’m just going to do this really fucking crazy stuff while I’m young and then chill out,” he says. “You can’t be a punk forever.”

That word, "punk", could indeed describe whatever it is Simmons does.

Political comedy­—which Simmons says bores him to tears—might be more obviously anti-establishment, but his is a rebellion of form rather than content.

He commits to silliness with defiant

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abandon. He doesn’t care that, although he’s made fans of many a fellow comedian, “prop” is a dirty word within industry circles. And although he’s enjoying his recent shift in fortunes, he is more than happy to alienate those who scowl through his sets.

“I know people fucking passionately hate me and I know why, but I reckon it needs to be done. I don’t know if it’s gone out of fashion, but there’s not enough silly out there.”

Simmons says he almost dropped out of Edinburgh this year, confident it would do little for his career’s already healthy trajectory. But with a mission statement like this, it’s clear his work is far from done. f Gilded Balloon Teviot 9:15pm – 10:15pm, 6–28 Aug, not 15 £10.50 – £11.50

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YOUNG

LOVE

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Photos: Claudine Quinn

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Having secured a spot in the sought-after Made in Scotland showcase, Junction 25 are clearly no ordinary teenage drama group. Yasmin Sulaiman chats to its co-founder and young stars about their success and the challenges of "playing yourself"

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“S

OMETIMES I think ‘How did we go to Norway?’ I still can’t believe it,” says 14-year-old Adam Low. A member of Junction 25, a Glasgow-based contemporary performance group for young people, Adam is, like his peers, incredulous at the extraordinary success they have achieved in recent years. In addition to lavish praise from critics, their work has travelled to London’s BAC and the Rogaland Teater in Stavanger, Norway.

They even appeared at the lauded Forest Fringe in 2009 – an impressive achievement for what is, at its most basic level, an after-school drama group for 12 to 17 year olds.

This year marks their first extended run at the Edinburgh Fringe, where they will be performing I Hope My Heart Goes First, a meditation on love, loss and the physical mechanics of the heart. It’s a mark of Junction 25’s quality that they have been included in the prestigious Made in Scotland showcase, a Scottish Government funded exercise now in its third year, that aims to present exciting work from across the country at the Fringe. For co-founders Jess Thorpe and Tashi Gore, this fulfils the original goal of the project when it began in 2005.

“In the beginning,” Thorpe explains, “our main aim was that we didn’t want anyone to ever say our work is ‘good for kids’. There’s such a culture of patronising young people in the arts. I don’t understand why just because someone is young, they are less interesting or have less of an important thing to say about the world.

So we began by talking about how can we put their voice on the same platform as everyone else. And being included in Made in Scotland seems like the pinnacle of that.”

I Hope My Heart Goes First certainly isn’t just “good for kids”. Since it’s a devised work, there’s no real script or narrative, and its captivating honesty is underlined by the fact that the performers are basically playing a version of themselves.

This candour is combined with inventive staging, engaging humour and compelling performances that make every story, joke and opinion expressed resonate strongly with audience members of any age. And, like every Junction 25 show, its material comes directly from its members’ own experiences.

Thorpe explains: “People sometimes ask us how we’ve managed to get such good performances out of them, but 

edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 13

festfeature  actually they’re just being themselves and we’ve created a safe space for that to happen. When creating a new show, we all come up with a theme together. In this case, Nathan, one of our members, suggested making a work called ‘I Hope My Heart Goes First’ because he’d just lost someone in his family who’d had a heart attack. And we were talking about different experiences of love, heartbreak and loss and how sometimes as a young person you don’t always get to experience that fully because people try to protect you. So we had a big debate about it and when we have a big debate, then we feel we should make a show about that issue.”

Once the group have decided on a line of enquiry, Thorpe and Gore—both contemporary performance practitioners who also set up the devised theatre group Glas(s) Performance—build a structure around it: “We try to create a theatrical framework around the issue they want to explore but the performances come from their personalities. For example, one of our members, Scott, was interested in the actual mechanics of the heart, because that’s how he thinks. So we asked him to create a mini lecture to give the audience an overview of what the heart is. But we’ve we’ve tried not be really hetero-normative about it – like, love isn’t just about a boy and a girl and that’s it. So there’s deliberate attempts to represent different combinations that make love in young people’s experiences, and all of our experiences.”

There’s also a strong emphasis on making work that’s authentic. She adds, “I think one of the reasons it has been so successful is that people find it exciting to watch young people talk clearly and confidently about themselves. As a group, we always talk about not wanting to make Skins, because things are just not that sexy in real life. We have to remember that this is about the group understanding the work they’re making and the importance of having a voice when you’re a young person.”

I Hope My Heart Goes First was first performed in Glasgow in 2009, and revisiting it this year—now its performers are two years older—has meant that many elements of the original show have had to be altered or “aged-up”. “Adam is on stage the whole time,” Thorpe explains, “and he’s writing a list on the back wall of everything that he loves. He does that continuously throughout the whole show.

When we first performed it, he was 11 so he loved things like Power Rangers. Now

"We always talk about not wanting to make Skins, because things are just not that sexy in real life" it’s the band Foals. So he just writes things that he loves at that point in time and that changes in every performance. Another member, Fern, hadn’t been in a relationship when we first performed this show and she originally asked a list of questions about love. Now, she’s with someone and feels weird about those questions, so we’ve had to age those up.”

This constant re-invention of work is a challenge that the teens of Junction 25 seem to relish. Claire Morris, 15, says “I love coming back to work we’ve done in the past because all you can do is improve it. You get to know the shows really well because you have so much more of a dynamic.”

However, their non-conventional approach to drama does make it difficult to explain to their peers what their shows are about. “My friends are like, ‘what do you mean you’re playing yourself?’” says Adam. Christie Bissett, 17, adds: “People ask if you’ve got a big part, but it’s not really like that. At first, Junction 25 seems

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so strange because you’re not sure how to react. It takes a while to sink into but once you get used to it, it seems like the most natural way to make a performance.

Now, I wouldn’t think of making one any other way.”

With their current Fringe run, dedicated funding from Glasgow’s Tramway and a recent collaboration with acclaimed artist Nic Green, Junction 25’s future looks rosy.

And it’s a project that Thorpe hopes will continue long after she and Gore has departed: “There’s a couple of young people in the group who are studying drama and contemporary performance practice, and the hope is that in a few year’s time, when they’re more confident, they’ll take it over.

I feel like you’ve got to set up projects that can sustain themselves without you.

Otherwise it becomes a kind of empire and that’s not what we’re interested in.”

St George’s West, times vary, various dates between 7 Aug and 24 Aug, £7.00 – £10.00

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COOL RUNNING festfeature

F

REE RUNNING, as anyone who practices it will tell you, is much more than an acrobatic way to get from A to B. It is a philosophy, a way of life, a mindset that defies obstacles both physical and mental. However, unlike most all-encompassing life theories, it is rather weather dependent.

Which is why I find myself with 3Run, Britain’s top free runners, in an Edinburgh flat on a rainy Tuesday afternoon wondering if a bit of drizzle ever stopped Plato.

Cain Armitage is busy hitting the walls. He slaps one after the other.

“Nope,” he says, shaking his head. “Nope.”

This is what happens when a free runner is trapped indoors. It’s not a sign of madness, like a sad-eyed elephant swaying in a tiny zoo cage, but of determination.

“Here it is,” he says, as the sound changes from flimsy plaster to confident brick. “I won’t put my foot through this one.”

For the next five minutes, Armitage and several other members of 3Run proceed to run up the wall, deftly backflipping off it. They land like cats on the carpet behind them. It’s the kind of breakdancing on the ceiling that would make Lionel Richie giddy.

This is 3Run’s first visit to Edinburgh.

We meet a few days before their show, Free Run, is due to open at the Udderbelly, the inverted purple cow that lolls about Bristo Square every August. The plan was for the crew to teach me a few moves.

Being able to vault, leap and flip your way through Edinburgh’s cityscape would certainly be handy for negotiating the festival crowds.

But the inevitable late July rain has prevented that. Running up slippery wet walls is not good for keeping bones intact, let alone the soul. Undeterred, 3Run has invited us back to their flat, determined to prove the discipline’s versatility.

For the uninitiated, free running involves using the urban landscape as a giant gym. In the same way skateboarders will see rails, walls, ramps and drops as opportunities, free runners use such features to perform astounding feats of gymnastics, acrobatics, martial arts – and lunacy. At its best, it is like a mayfly version of graffiti, a work of art writ large on the cityscape for a split second.

The term “free running” was first coined by the Frenchmen Sebastian Foucan and David Belle. According to 3Run however, like Adam and the animals, they only named it. The God of free running is Jackie Chan.

“He was just too humble to give it a name,” says Scott Young, 3Run’s chief trainer. “Look at the first film he made. He was vaulting over things, doing wall flips.

He was doing it all. I see him as the father.”

Were we to do a paternity test on free

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They leap off buildings and run up walls like real life superheroes. So won’t Britain’s top free runners 3Run feel restricted in a conventional theatre space? Edd McCracken joins them in their Edinburgh flat to find out Photos: Claudine Quinn

running, I would also venture that Dick Van Dyke has a decent claim too, thanks to his chimney-top antics in Mary Poppins.

But since I am new to free running—not to mention the fact that everyone else’s biceps in the room are triple the size of mine—I decide to keep my counsel.

Watch 3Run’s selection of impressive videos on YouTube and it is clear that they know what they are talking about. This

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is a bunch of 20-somethings who took the phrase “don’t try this at home” as an invitation. They leap, bound and flip their way through a series of glamorous locations with their tops off. They do stunts in films with their tops off. They break world records. With their tops off.

But given that so much of their work is centred around space, and lots of it, is performing within the eight by 15 metre

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stage of the Udderbelly not the equivalent of shackling themselves?

“When we first pitched the idea there was concern about how we would fit a whole show into a small stage,” says Armitage. “But you would be surprised how much you can do with the smallest objects. It’s not the biggest but we use the whole arena. We go around the sides, over the audience. It’s a 360 degree stage.”

“We surprised ourselves actually,” says Michael Wilson, who previously represented England at gymnastics. “We looked at the stage and thought, how are we going to fit an hour in. But we had to deal with it. We’ve been doing the show in London for a while and it has got better and better. We’ve added more moves, got more creative. It’s wicked.”

Proving this creativity is what leads us to their flat on that rainy Tuesday. If they can perform in a tenement room, they can perform anywhere. Nine members of the 15-strong crew cram into the bedroom of Fabio Santos, the Brazilian member of the team. They do backflips off the wall, corkscrew through the air, leap from the flimsy desk.

And then it is my turn. Back in his hometown Basingstoke, Young works with kids from tough backgrounds, teaching them the basics of free running and the underlying philosophy of respect and cooperation. Today, he attempts to tame the flailing limbs of a rangy journalist. In the process, he gives me a glimpse of free running’s second sight.

“Over the years, you develop an eye,” says Young. “We look at things differently from the average person. We can’t just walk down the street. You see things and think what you can do off them. You cannot turn it off. You are always analysing buildings and architecture.

“Edinburgh is quite similar to London.

It’s great for free running. There are lots of old buildings with ledges and table tops. A lot of modern structures aren’t that good.”

And sure enough, after 15 minutes of excellent tuition, that desk is no longer something to write on. It is there to vault over. That mattress is not something to sleep on, but to acrobatically roll on to. I leap, I vault, I roll. With my top most definitely on.

For most people in Edinburgh during August, all the world is a stage. For 3Run, it is a playground.

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 6:20pm – 7:20pm, 7–29 Aug, not 16, 22, £15.00 – £17.00

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HHHHH

Presiding brilliantly over utter anarchy Page 21 Photo: Claudine Quinn

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festcomedy

ADAM RICHES

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festcomedy Rich Hall’s Hoedown

HHHHH “By God there’s gonna be some fuckin’ dancin’ by the end of this night!” threatens Rich Hall grumpily in his buzz-saw growl, after sidling onstage beer in hand. “Forget the last two nights.” Get the impression things haven’t quite been going to plan at his hoedown?

The grouchy Virginian comic has left his country music felon alter-ego Otis Lee Crenshaw at home this year, but he’s brought his guitar, his piano and a fivepiece band for a 90-minute, Crenshaw-style comic song knees-up.

Hall will well know the double-edged sword of latenight musical comedy – on a good night you’ve got a half-cut crowd merrily bawling along, on a bad one, you’re faced with an audience restlessly filtering in and out to the bogs or nodding off into their pints. This show goes the way of the latter more than the former. To speculate as to why, it’s a very uninhibited or very drunk person who wanders down the front to shake their thing in the (tonight two-thirds empty) vastness of the Pleasance Grand. A more compact, clubby venue would surely have been wiser.

There’s plenty of reminders of why Hall is one of the best musical comedians in the business. ‘Big Bad John’, a seat-of-his-pants improvised number about an Australian architect in the front row rescuing a drowning child by redesigning the well he’s stuck in is gut-bustingly funny stuff, and you have to salute the simple genius of reading Dr Dre’s ‘Bitches Ain’t Shit’ in a sorrowful country style. But alas, there’s no “fuckin’ dancin’”. Make that three nights to forget, Rich.

[Malcolm Jack] Pleasance Courtyard, 11:15pm – 12:45am, 7–28 Aug, not 15, £15.00 – £17.00

Seminar

HHHHH Pretty soon there might be a section within the Fringe programme entirely devoted to spoof lectures, seminars and self-help groups. You can’t really blame anyone for trying to crack this comedy nut, it’s an easy target – in fact a sitting one. Ex-Umbrella Bird and Mark Watson’s missus, Emily Watson Howes’s take on the format involves having a fairly full-on breakdown in front of the audience, proving that she’s the one most in need of the happiness and phobiafighting therapy that she’s offering.

Howes’ character Kimberly lets slip she has suffered various trials in her life that could explain the meltdown: her partner ran off with an estate agent, she’s been through a

James Acaster: Amongst Other Things

HHHHH

With his fresh face, fluffy hair and a clean style almost completely devoid of swearing, you’d be forgiven for underestimating James Acaster. This would be a mistake, for despite his sweetly awkward opening gambit, Acaster has almost perfected a persona that should be coming from a comedian much older than his 26 years.

From lightly teasing audience members to energetically demonstrating metaphors for relationships, he switches from deadpan to zeal and glee to withering sarcasm with little warning. One minute he’s the awkward

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work tribunal and her son is a burglar. No wonder her fear is of failure. This proves rather too apt by the end of the show, sadly. All told it’s an unedifying spectacle on both levels and it has been done before.

Worse still the show, even though it runs just short of 50 minutes, proceeds at an interminably slow pace, with Howes coaxing a warm yet still reluctant audience to join in her happiness and de-stressing exercises. One man reads from

a joke book, another buries his face in a pot plant because greenery is relaxing, and a woman writes down everything that has ever happened to her in the past. In the hands of Jonny Sweet or Nick Mohammed this would be inspired lunacy but Howes doesn’t have the same charisma to carry it off. [Julian Hall]

geeky teen, all arms, legs and sharp angles. The next he’s flirting outrageously with the audience, with saucy winks and eyebrow waggles reminiscent of a camp, slightly mad uncle. All it takes is the slightest gesture to render even the most mundane anecdote painfully funny.

Rarely has a gag so seemingly one-dimensional as his piece about doughnuts been drawn out quite so successfully and with such conviction,

elevated thanks to his malleable face and immaculate timing. His interaction with the audience reveals an intelligence made all the more interesting by the fact that his arms often appear unattached to his shoulders. This doesn’t mask a lack of material, but strengthens a clever and confident—if sometimes bemusing—hour.

There are moments of bewilderment, where you’re not quite sure he’s going to pull it off. But Acaster never falters, riding towards a payoff that, when delivered, almost always hits the mark. It’s a method that works only if you’re funny enough – which, thankfully, he is. Regardless of his age, Acaster is an undeniable and wickedly original talent. [Stevie Martin]

Pleasance Courtyard, 2:10pm – 3:10pm, 8–28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Pleasance Courtyard, 9:45pm – 10:45pm, 7–29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12.00

www.festmag.co.uk

festcomedy Bring Me the Head of Adam Riches

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There’s very few ways of putting this politely: Adam Riches’ show is frankly dangerous.

Dangerous not just because you are liable to find yourself selected for any manner of bizarre activities (I’m fairly sure I left the show having agreed to some form of common law marriage to him). Nor is it just because there’s a genuine chance that you’ll over-exert an intercostal muscle through 60 solid minutes of laughing – which is the fundamental point to which these 250 words attest, however indirectly.

Mostly, it’s because Riches appears to take an audience to the very boundaries of what Pleasance health and safety could possibly deem acceptable.

That anyone gets out alive is testament to his spectacular control of a form he has truly mastered.

To all appearances, Bring

me the Head of Adam Riches is never more than a whisker away from absolute chaos.

Organised around a series of characters, Riches combines richly scripted scene-setting with a style of audience interaction limited only by the comic’s frantic imagination. But beneath this veneer of anarchism, a strong sense of control is clearly at work, without which this show would crash and burn.

Sometimes participants do as they are told. More often than not they don’t, yet Riches is sharp and skilled enough to make a virtue of the unexpected. Instantly likable and hugely energetic, Riches cajoles, berates and charms every scrap of comedy from his characters, his assistants and his audience.

Never less than brilliant, Bring me the Head of Adam Riches is an absolute riot. [Evan Beswick] Pleasance Courtyard, 4:45pm – 5:45pm, 7–29 Aug, £10.00 – £11.00

Puppetry of the Penis: 3D

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There is a palpable excitement among the young crowd as our puppeteers bound on stage, dressed in full length colourful capes.

But these don’t stay on for long. A swish and a swirl later, Rich and Fitchy—self-styled experts in genital origami— are wearing only socks and trainers, tugging away with gay abandon.

And so it begins: they stretch one bit, they squish another, they contrive a penis pun. They do another. And another. Squish, stretch, cock joke. Meanwhile, projected behind them onto a massive screen is a poke-your-eye-out 3D model of a squished and stretched wang, just in case you missed the point.

For a while, the boys ride a

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wave of anarchic excitement, but this doesn’t last. Unfortunately, and perhaps inevitably, Puppetry of the Penis: 3D becomes very repetitive very quickly. I first check my watch after 20 minutes. After 30, I’m ready for the lights to come up.

Some squishing, some stretching, then a cock joke.

About forty minutes in, the first walk-outs start. These people aren’t storming out in

furious indignation, shocked and appalled at this flagrant abuse of taste and dignity.

They’re bored and they want to do something else.

Some squishing, some stretching, then a cock joke.

Now, let’s be clear, no one is going to come along to Pupptery of the Penis : 3D expecting cultural enlightenment. This makes no claim to be anything other than two men playing with their willies.

But the very least one can expect is to be entertained and, in fairness, for 15 minutes it’s funny. But this isn’t a 15-minute show. It’s squishing, stretching, cock joke.

Squishing, stretching, cock joke. Squishing, stretching, cock joke.

For an hour. [Ben Judge] Assembly George Square, 10:30pm – 11:30pm, 7–29 Aug, not 15, £15.00 – £17.50

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 21

festcomedy Matthew Crosby: Adventureparty

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It’s more or less guaranteed that you’ll leave this show feeling hungry. If not because a significant amount of Matthew Crosby’s show revolves around the culinary delight that is Nandos, then because this debut lacks bite.

Diminutive and charming Crosby, or ‘Crozzers’ as he occasionally labels himself, has winsome wiles a plenty, like a more studenty and male version of Lucy Porter. Despite his personable nature, however, this debut solo show offers little more than some hit-and-miss, self-indulgent riffs on his propensity for all that makes him either a geek or a nerd, or both.

The 31-year-old begins his skittish journey with

Imran Yusuf: Bring the Thunder

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Imran Yusuf is by no means short of confidence. It’s perhaps not surprising: the Kenyan-born, Hackney-raised ex-computer games tester played 101 shows in 25 days at the 2010 Fringe. It’s an experience which, clearly, has left its mark. Here Yusuf breezes through a set of strong, clever material which builds to a thoroughly uplifting finale.

a sketchy portrayal of his early life, complete with the inevitable embarrassing childhood photos, and by way of contrived references

to Darwin, who also hailed from Crosby’s home borough of Bromley.

The audience are tickled and bemused in equal mea-

It is identity—specifically it’s malleability and ambiguity— which provides Yusuf with his comedic fodder. Undoubtedly, he speaks from a fascinating place on the topic, his mixed heritage providing him with unique angles on Britishness, Islam and Asia. This is a cultural no man’s land he works to his advantage, allowing him to exercise his knack for taking topics to the bounds of acceptability, digging deeper into uncomfortable territory on race and religion before drop-

ping, erm, the comedic bomb.

This ebb and flow also allows him room to be, for want of a better word, preachy.

But Yusuf steers well clear of boorishness, instead crafting a well rounded show whose central message—that it’s totally right-on to be yourself and to let others do the same—comes through gleefully, stripping away our various affiliations rather than asserting a political one of his own.

There’s the odd weak point – Yusuf can do much better

sure, and their involvement proves to be both kill and cure. On the downside Crosby has to negotiate his way past a woman who rightly points out that Crosby’s–albeit slight–frame hides the words and images on the large screen behind him.

Later Crosby admonishes some ladies on the back row for chatting, coaxing one to explain the disturbance: “We’re just amazed you’ve got a girlfriend.”

It’s not all about barracking the new boy. On the plus side, a Torchwood fanatic nicely illustrates the extent to which geekery can go, but this effusive gentleman was a fortunate find in a show already riding its luck. [Julian Hall] Pleasance Courtyard, 4:45pm – 5:45pm, 7–29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12.00

than jokes about boobs and Back to the Future, and a recurring theme of being “gangster” never looks close to sprouting wings. But these are moments of timidity among otherwise braver material. There are few comedians willing to recite the Qur’an as part of their finale – and still fewer of them who could make it work. [Evan Beswick] Pleasance Courtyard, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, 7–29 Aug, £11.00 – £12.00

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22 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

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festcomedy Pete Firman: Jiggery Pokery

Roisin Conaty: Destiny’s Dickhead

Where once a hand quicker than the eye was all a magician needed to wow a crowd, the modern conjurer requires a sharp tongue and speedy wit in an age when rabbits in hats and sawn-in-half assistants have become passé.

Middlesbrough lad Pete Firman is the dry-witted, good-looking young face of 21st-century British magiccomedy. But he’s rather locked himself into a box with Jiggery Pokery—a show that starts, appropriately enough, with him locked in a box—by striving to breathe amusing new life into some well-worn tricks of the trade, with only limited success.

No amount of ribald humour can disguise the tedious predictability of magic that’s fundamentally all about the same fast fingers and nifty

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Elis James: Do You Remember the First Time?

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There’s a moment surprisingly early in Elis James' set where the shrieks from the audience’s

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props that it was 50 or 100 years ago. Of course the guillotine was never going to chop the man’s head off, and the marked fiver was always going to be in the box. Is that the woman in the front row’s card?

It is! Who’d have thought it?

Firman’s actually at his funniest when things go wrong.

He’s forced to slickly ad-lib his way out of spilling the deck on the floor during a failed fancy card shuffle—“I’ll just leave those there a minute”—and forges comedy gold when he snatches his patented psychic device (a hand whisk) from

dawdling assistant Tom to nurse a lady in the crowd through a mind-reading routine gone awry.

Some of Firman’s tricks have a timeless elegance to them – the table dance for instance, a classic levitation piece dug out of an old magic book. But strip away the shiny fitted suit and the roughish one-liners, and aren’t we just left with Paul bloody Daniels?

[Malcolm Jack]

youthful female contingent reach such a pitch that you (a) worry about your own auditory well-being and (b) begin to wonder just how successful James could become.

The Courtyard Attic is a small and famously stuffy room, but that just helps to highlight the impressive hold this genial Welshman exerts over a crowd who might otherwise be clamouring for the exits at around the midway point. James is a mesmerising storyteller, developing what begin as fairly unpromising set-ups about his formative experiences—first kiss, first boiled sweet, first encounter with a veteran ITV sports presenter—into full-blown, almost theatrical epics.

One frequently overheard complaint about Fringe shows is that, while admirably witty and well-meaning, they don’t actually make people laugh

– really laugh, so the lungs hurt.

No such problems here, as James rings every last drop of comedy from his tales of adolescent lowjinks. He’ll be down on all fours frantically banging the stage floor several minutes into an anecdote about sweet-related asphyxiation; meanwhile much of his audience is doubled over, crimson-cheeked and unable to breathe. Impressively, he re-inflicts this exquisite form of torture several times within the hour.

Some of these stories have clearly been in the set for some time, and that well of youthful anecdotes must eventually run dry. But then you can imagine James with a team of writers and his own TV vehicle in the not-too-distant future. Those formative disasters may well be his fortune. [Si Hawkins]

Despite her burgeoning profile, proper TV exposure and a nice long Australian tour over the last 12 months, 2010’s Best Newcomer is still pondering the path her life should take. She has at least moved out of her grandma’s house now, which is a shame in some respects as the old girl was great for material. Conaty remains very much single though, and thus something of a failure in the eyes of her peers. It’s prime comedy fodder.

This show continues last year’s I’m-a-bit-of-a-goofball theme, which may suggest a lack of a plan B but is also testament to the wayward functionality of Conaty’s brain and the constant stream of awkward situations it throws up. There’s the utterly deficient sense of direction, for example, which makes storming off after an argument a bit difficult in unfamiliar surroundings, and thus leads to more of the toecurlingly creepy behaviour that helped make last year’s show such a hit.

Conaty’s real appeal lies in the masochistic relish with which she rattles through these self-deprecating stories.

Some soar, others fizzle out mid-flight, but she rambles on regardless, barely pausing for breath and clearly confident that her charisma will mask a multitude of structural sins. It does. Watching her perform is like getting nicely drunk with an old friend who’ll both make you laugh and feel a bit better about your own shortcomings along the way.

Destiny’s Dickhead won’t win any awards, but if its star manages to reach the venue on time each night, consider that a small victory. [Si Hawkins]

Pleasance Courtyard, times vary, 7–29 Aug, not 18, £9.50 – £12.00

Pleasance Courtyard, 5:45pm – 6:45pm, 7–28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Pleasance Dome, 8:30pm – 9:30pm, 7–28 Aug, £12.00 – £14.00

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 23

THE STAND COMEDY CLUB

0131 558 7272 | thestand.co.uk

AUGUST5-292011

THE STAND COMEDY CLUB

comedy at the heart of the fringe T: 0131 558 7272 www.thestand.co.uk Alun Cochrane // Andy Zaltzman Ava Vidal // Bob Doolally Bridget Christie // Bruce Devlin Craig Campbell // Dave Fulton Damien Crow // Francesca Martinez Fred MacAulay // Gavin Webster James Dowdeswell // Joanna Neary Josh Howie // Lee Camp // Lloyd Langford Markus Birdman // Martin Mor Michael Legge // Mick Sergeant Mitch Benn // Omid Djalili // Paul Sinha Phil Nichol // Phill Jupitus Raymond Mearns // Richard Herring Ro Campbell // Robin Ince Sally-Anne Hayward // Seymour Mace Simon Donald // Simon Munnery Singing' I'm No a Billy, he's a Tim Stephen Carlin // Steve Day // Stewart Lee Steve Gribbin // Susan Murray The Stand Late Club // Tiffany Stevenson Todd Barry // Tony Law // Vladimir McTavish Wendy Wason // Wil Hodgson

festcomedy Stuart Goldsmith: Another Lovely Crisis

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Pathologically competent, inoffensive and charming, Stuart Goldsmith may be the Kate Middleton of comedy.

Another Lovely Crisis is only his second solo show at the Fringe but it’s on a par with this year’s royal ceremony in terms of flawless execution.

Sure, you can’t help but like it, admire it—heck, preserve it on a mug—but who can ever truly love this sort of perfection?

At no point in this 55-minute quick-fire set does the audience feel a quiver of doubt in Goldsmith’s ability.

No story outstays its welcome or takes a disquieting turn.

He is adept at assessing the crowd, seemingly armed with an appropriate comeback to Ssc EdinburghGinAd 297x210:Layout 1

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any cadence of snicker or groan a line may receive.

A performing machine, yet Goldsmith seems so lovely and ordinary at once. Is there

some sense, as with Middleton, that perhaps underneath the sprightly surface lurks a power-hungry sociopath?

You’ll want to believe it just

to give him a more human dimension. “I’m dirty, but in a nice way,” we’re informed with an endearing lack of conviction. “You can take me home to meet your mum, just don’t leave me alone with her.”

Another Lovely Crisis centres on Goldsmith’s anxiety, frankly admitted as his single debilitating flaw.

Well, debilitating to the extent that he bones up on CPR procedure and heroically navigates crises – it’s hardly an eating disorder or a botched marriage. Until we see something with a little more depth and danger, he’ll remain at a tasteful and composed distance from being a true people’s comedian. [Catherine Sylvain] Pleasance Courtyard, 7:00pm – 7:55pm, 7–28 Aug, not 17, £9.00 – £10.00

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26 fest edinburgh festival guide 2010 | August 9-11

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festcomedy Diane Spencer: AllPervading Madness

Gentlemen of Leisure Present: The Death of the Novel

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Sporting a gingham shirt, meticulously combed long ginger hair, cut-glass accent and an infectiously jolly hockey sticks demeanour, Diane Spencer looks and sounds every inch the pleasant, respectable middle-class girl. Until, that is, she starts telling jokes. The set starts innocently enough with an endearing story about her mother being “carjacked” by a ferret but then delves into fantastically overstated vulgarity, never coming up for air for the rest of the hour.

Ostensibly, she is telling the story of a long and difficult journey back from an unsuccessful gig. Like a hyperactive child, however, she can’t seem to focus on anything for more than a few minutes and so before she gets a mile nearer home, she treats the audience to a series of hilarious tangents, among them the story of a particularly uncomfortable

Jim Smallman: Tattooligan

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Never judge a book by its heavily tattooed cover. Inked and aware of how this appears to small children and mothers, Jim Smallman wants to explain himself.

Having cleaned up the Best Comedy Performance and Best International Show awards at the Hollywood Fringe 2010, and returning to Edinburgh after last year’s acclaimed The Boy Next Door Gone Wrong, the stories come as naturally as if you were mates with the Leicester-born former alcoholic.

He commands the room with infectious enthusiasm— this likeability factor allowing him to get away with, for example, fairly intimate details that may otherwise be un-

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manoeuvre with a cooked sausage. Spencer is enormously skilled at turning the complete strangers she meets into a delightfully grotesque cast: a woman with eight boobs and four mobiles; a vagrant policeman called Sherlock Homeless; the railway stripper, Miss Carriage.

In the hands of a less talented performer, all these individual stories could result in a fractured, confused performance, but in a remarkable last 10 minutes Spencer—in the

manner of a magician showing a stunned audience how the trick was done—weaves each of the separate tales into a single brilliant, disgusting whole. The show is so comprehensive, squeezing out every last drop of humour and plumbing every possible depth, that when the hour is up, it feels like you have spent a whole day immersed in her madness. [Dan Heap]

savoury. It also allows him to carry material that is patchy in places. Boy Next Door worked only when it was real and, while humour doesn’t always equal truth, with Smallman it really, really does.

He’s at his best when at his most honest, and the misfires come as the line between reality and embellishment is blurred for humour’s sake. His occasional tendency to rely on buildup can also soften the impact of a punchline that would be a lot more effective if delivered with less fanfare. This is, however, often overshadowed by

sharp confessions from an undeniably talented comedian and gifted storyteller.

His ability to draw laughs from the darkest places is admirable, and Smallman on the whole delivers a tightly structured, self-deprecating hour tinged with an undercurrent of sadness. As everything comes together in the final, and murkiest, moments of the show, the lasting effect is that of genuine poignancy. Why? Because it’s real.

[Stevie Martin]

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 5:45pm – 6:45pm, 7–28 Aug, not 16, £9.00

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 7:45pm – 8:45pm, 7–28 Aug, not 17, £10.00

Nish Kumar and Tom Neenan, aka the Gentlemen of Leisure, are bookish and proud. The sketch duo know their Don Quixote from their Frankenstein, can play Top Trumps with Catch-22 and War of the Worlds and perform an abridged version Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol faster than you can say Bob Crochet. Which is just as well, as they are on a literary mission – to prove that the novel isn’t dead, just resting its eyes.

Organised into chapters, Death of the Novel traces the history of fiction from Cervantes to Lady Chatterley’s Lover, with a few digressions in between. More often than not Neenan, the spit of a young Louis Theroux, plays the screwball to Kumar’s straight man as the pair run through a loose collection of routines that showcases their lively, cerebral, if at times undercooked offerings.

The highlight of the hour is undoubtedly ‘How to Write a Novel’, a riotous pastiche of a creative writing class presented by a couple of Australian pseudo intellectuals. And if there’s a better speed-Dickens urban combo than the hoodie-wearing What the Dickens this critic hasn’t seen them.

Not all the material is as strong, though, and at times the show relies too heavily on a rather dull overhead projection. But Kumar and Neenan have an easy rapport and more literary one-liners than an episode of The Book Group. Who said the novel is dead? [Peter Geoghegan] Just The Tonic at the Caves, 3:20pm – 4:20pm, 7–28 Aug, not 17, £7.00 – £8.00

edinburgh festival guide 2010 fest 27

festcomedy Margaret Cho: Cho Dependent

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This year marks the AsianAmerican comic’s second appearance at the Fringe and a decade since her last, when she “spent a lot of time in CC Blooms”. Judging by the numbers of same-sex couples in Assembly—and the whoops that accompany her calls for gay marriage—Cho still has plenty of friends among Edinburgh’s gay community.

In the intervening years, Cho has built up a following as one of the most controversial, iconoclastic standups on the US circuit. She’s also appeared on Dancing with the Stars—the US version of our own Bruce Forsyth-fronted travesty—at the same time as a certain Miss Bristol Palin.

Tough, sassy Cho doesn’t pull any punches. If anyone didn’t know what a gay spit roast was before they arrived at George Square they certainly did after a few minutes in the diminutive comic’s company. Nothing, it seems, is out of bounds, whether it’s the comic’s own sexual peccadilloes or the joy of sexting.

However, as consummate a performer as Cho undoubtedly is, it’s hard to escape the sense that there isn’t really a show here, just a collection of welltold, often very funny routines about sex or right-wing American nutjobs (as well as a brief but badly misjudged musical interlude).

At one point Cho rather sheepishly confesses that she’s trying for a baby. It’s a surprisingly sensitive moment that begs further interrogation but is lost all too quickly under yet another barrage of cock jokes. Sometimes you really can have too much of a good thing. [Peter Geoghegan] Assembly George Square, 9:00pm – 10:00pm, 7–29 Aug, not 10, 17, £15.00 – £16.00

James Sherwood: I Fed My Best Friend Her Favourite Cow

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To quote the big man—Socrates that is, not Paul Daniels—”the unexamined life is not worth living.” James Sherwood takes the central tenet of ancient Greek philosophy to heart in this enjoyable, if rather uneven, show about the difference between good people and bad, played out in the cramped setting of the Gilded Balloon’s aptly named Wee Room.

Sherwood’s description of himself as “like Clement Freud after a decaf Horlicks” isn’t far off the mark: hirsute, prolix, a little too, er, big-boned for his natty suit, the English comic cuts an affable character from the off.

Andi Osho: All the Single Ladies

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Often overshadowed on the TV panel shows through which she is familiar to millions, Andi Osho shines when she has the stage to herself.

Not having had a date for three years, Osho takes us through the rare highs and the many lows of internet dating and paints in intricate and hilarious detail the various stages of a relationship. She holds her audience rapt in admiration with her energetic, effervescent style and often seems to enjoy the experience as much as anyone else in the room.

As well as a number of intelligent, thoughtful observations about being in love, she can do the other end of the scale just as well. References to her vagina as the “executive box” has the audience and fits of laughter, and she even manages a Madeleine McCann joke without the gasp that attempts at such humour usualy elicit. As with her previous shows, she ends with a characteristically

28 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Which is just as well, as his hour doesn’t exactly begin at lightning speed. There are a few too many unpolished one-liners, while a more complex gag about a semaphoring table tennis player is markedly less interesting than it sounds.

Luckily Sherwood, a Fringe veteran, wants for neither nous nor charm and the show quickly gets back on track. There’s a selection of keyboard-backed interrogations on the good life as well as some audience-assisted riffs on what supposedly makes him an awful person: a dislike of Bob Dylan, protest marchers and bicycles (no prizes for guessing Sherwood’s day job – a Radio 4 writer).

The central conceit is a little thin but Sherwood has an easy conversational style and enough well-crafted gags to keep the laughs ticking over right up to the wonderfully overblown bombastic musical finale. [Peter Geoghegan] Gilded Balloon Teviot, 3:15pm – 4:15pm, 7–28 Aug, not 16, 23, £8.00

clever and creative performance poem—alternately hilarious and thought-provoking—about what makes a good partner, leaving her audience both satisfied and more than a little moved.

Given what she achieved with her exploration of race and national identity in her Fringe debut, Afroblighty, she has sold her self short by choosing such a well-worn topic as the theme of her show. She does a better job than most of covering this very old ground, but in doing so leaves you thinking that you might have seen so much more if only she had been as brave has she has been in the past.

[Dan Heap] Pleasance Courtyard, 6:40pm – 7:40pm, 7–29 Aug, not 16, £12.00 – £14.00

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festcomedy My Name is Hannibal: The Hannibal Montanabal Experience

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If there’s a lesson to be learned from Buress’ Fringe debut it’s that sticking it to the Man needn’t be taxing.

Door staff, police and even former presidents – none of them can touch him so long as he’s armed with his trademark sleepy irreverence and penchant for petty acts of rebellion.

Having just woken up before sauntering onstage at 9.45pm, the 28-year-old Chicagoan announces early on: “The one theme is that I’ll be saying all the shit that you’re hearing.”

And from there on in his set does indeed feel cobbled together. But that’s the beauty

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of it, the looseness of form complementing a plodding, conversational style which often sees his routines wind down to just a croak and a shrug. Next to Buress, everyone else tries too hard. His is a winning formula for observational material, relying on the vantage point of the unflappable slacker to deflate self-importance, undermine

authority and defuse tension.

He’s most at home with subjects of little importance, and so even when discussing the stigma of being a black man dating a white woman, he does so as a footnote to a bit on his love of apple juice. With his sly grin, proud immaturity and easy charisma, it’s impossible not to share in the pleasure he derives from calmly antagonis-

ing those who bring him down.

He says he’s “kind of a medium deal” back in the USA, and this remarkably natural performance suggests he’s got what it takes to become a bigger deal at the Fringe. [Lyle Brennan] Pleasance Courtyard, 9:45pm – 10:45pm, 7–29 Aug, not 15, £10.00 – £11.50

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 29

festcomedy Chris McCausland: Big Time

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It is, with very good reason, generally regarded as somewhat unreasonable to write about technical glitches on a preview night. Generally, but not always: when the power cuts out and both audience and comedian find themselves in the dark, it is the first time in 58 minutes that McCausland’s blindness becomes at all relevant. The Liverpudlian delivers a killer line which not only brings the house down, but puts the seal on a performance which showcases McCausland’s strong sense of timing and comic delivery.

Much less an off-the-cuff

improviser than a crafter of monologues, McCausland’s strength is in the way he spins well-wrought narratives.

They’re hewn from lyrical word choice and mellifluous delivery.

They’re nicely paced, ebbing and flowing towards well-worked crescendos. Some don’t come off quite right, but it’s a spotty lack of polish which, no doubt, will buff to a shine after a couple of performances.

Sadly, though, the material is pretty flimsy. McCausland gives it his best shot, but there’s only so much left in stories about fridges, flights and food that hasn’t already been picked over by countless other comedians.

Being kind, one might call it gentle humour; at times though,

Funny for nothing Horse and Louis: Top Trumpin’!

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it’s plain bland. This certainly isn’t a show full of big ideas, despite a lacklustre attempt to weave in a theme based around Einstein’s theory of relativity. The Fringe isn’t short on comics purporting to solve the riddles of the universe.

Less common are those who can carry a performance even in a blackout. [Evan Beswick] Pleasance Courtyard, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, 7–28 Aug, not 17, £11.00 – £12.00

take a few risks – Save a few pounds and y on offer for free there's plenty of comed

Kevin Shepherd: Caronicle

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Nik Coppin

Künt and the Gang From the opening ‘Chips or Tits?’ to ‘Let’s Send Nan to Dignitas’ and right through to the closer ‘I Sucked Off a Bloke’, Künt starts off in the gutter and stays there throughout. His loyal following show their appreciation, but many others sit in stony-faced silence through the tide of feeble knob jokes.

There are some genuinely funny and clever lines, on the detumescent effect of seeing Jade Goody’s mum on TV in ‘My Erection’, for example— but these are few and far between. If puerile is what you’re after, Künt does it as well as can be expected. But given what else the Fringe has to offer, even then it would seem a waste of time.

[Dan Heap] Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9:15pm – 10:15pm, 8–28 Aug, free

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Musical duo Horse and Louis produce a soothing brand of radio-friendly comedy that you can imagine dissipating a tense teatime atmosphere at your parents’ house. Their gently amusing guitar ditties play nicely on prosaic realities.

With the occasional profanity or knob gag dropping rather jarringly into the mix, the pair mostly play it pre-watershed safe. A particular crowdpleaser is a customer hotline parody that earned them Radio 2 airtime. Bouncing off one another with psychic timing, Horse and Louis create an easy intimacy. Still, the ill-judged audience participation element in a round of Top Trumps feels as awkward as forced family time. [Catherine Sylvain]

You might not expect to warm to a self-confessed former criminal, but this is what happens after an hour in the company of Kevin Shepherd.

He guides the audience through his life via a series of vignettes on the different cars he has owned, his tale of sharing a bottle of water with his overheating car while high on ecstasy exemplifying his warm, endearing and gently amusing storytelling.

His nervousness serves only to underline the fact that this is someone plucking up the courage to bear their raw feelings to complete strangers. You might not laugh all that much, but you’ll leave with a smile on your face and maybe a tear in your eye. [Dan Heap]

The premise is pleasant – Nik Coppin’s new show discusses a lifetime’s worth of awards won, from Easter Bonnet contests to Butlins breakdancing trophies.

Coppin himself is pleasant – always the everyman, he chattily explores his topic, occasionally waltzing barely-connected tangents. But despite likeability aplenty, Coppin’s act falls flat.

Its core content is to blame: there is a noticeable paucity of actual jokes, and laughs often feel like a courtesy for an ill-prepared performer. This he acknowledges and he promises his act will, throughout the run, be “bulked up”. Perhaps, but being on the Free Festival does not excuse half-bakedness. Coppin is misguided: he must learn that mere garrulous affability does not a show make. [Joe Bunce]

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 2:45pm – 3:45pm, 7–28 Aug, not 13, 22, free

Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 8:05pm – 9:05pm, 7–28 Aug, free

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 5:30pm – 6:30pm, 7–27 Aug, free

30 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 31

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festcomedy Who are the Jocks?

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Woe betide any Fringe punter who wanders into Who are the Jocks? anticipating a breezy exposition on Scotland and its characters. The jocks in Scott Capurro’s latest show aren’t the Krankies, Billy Connolly or Clare Grogan – they’re the American football players who topped the Columbine killers’ hitlist.

And Capurro hasn’t come to mourn their passing.

“Controversial” has been an epithet attached to Capurro’s comedy ever since the stickthin, nasally voiced Californian won best newcomer at the 1994 Fringe. Now living in East London, if the one-time Mrs Doubtfire star (“I played a gay.

I know, hard to picture”) has mellowed with age it doesn’t show. There are riffs on Islamic fundamentalism, Madeleine McCann, nuking Japan and the Holocaust – and that’s just the

opening salvo (by the end of which a couple of folk, perhaps expecting quips about sporrans and Nessie, have made for the exit).

Capurro might make Frankie Boyle look like Michael McIntyre but, unlike many supposedly transgressive comics, he knows his way around a gag, even if the routine in question involves simulating oral sex with Christ.

The show hinges on two events—the death of his mother and a disastrous show in Cardiff—which are woven through the gleeful tirade of offense and filth with much aplomb.

But Capurro is at his best when ripping into the audience about their looks, ethnicity and preferred sexual positions. Bawdy, edged, thrillingly quick witted: slaying sacred cows is seldom this funny. [Peter Geoghegan] Pleasance Dome, 8:00pm – 9:00pm, 7–29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £10.50

Tom Stade: What year was that?

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Tom Stade does the drunk, stupid and well-meaning Canadian stoner schtick very well. So well, in fact, that for the first 15 minutes it’s possible to take his opening diatribe on the hells of marriage at face value – ignoring his casual mention of having been married for 16 years.

Stade knows exactly what he’s doing. He is the naive, sparkly-eyed idiot, holding two beer glasses and believing sending toys will help save Africa. Every time a routine pushes too far, provoking a slap-your-hand-over-yourmouth reaction, it’s tempered by sharp, throwaway lines highlighting his actual intentions, making the whole thing pretty bloody funny. Occasionally he laughs and apologises.

Sometimes he is more explicit, at one point going as far as

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to let the audience know it’s not real.

Though ostensibly littered with racism and the odd splash of wife-beating sexism, this is not an offensive show.

He sidesteps such issues with cleverly constructed, astutely observed jokes acting as social commentary. Most of his material stems from fabricated tales of his travels with an old, equally fabricated friend—a clever device that doesn’t tire—and he is, without a doubt, a gifted and highly enjoyable storyteller. That said, there are some moments in which he oversteps the mark where, despite his charm and likeability, it’s not fully justified. These instances are, thankfully, few and far between and do not detract from what is, essentially, a lot of fun. [Stevie Martin] Pleasance Courtyard, 9:00pm – 9:55pm, 7–28 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £12.00

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 33

festcomedy Bridget Christie: Housewife Surrealist

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Right from the off, it’s clear Bridget Christie isn’t worried about looking like an idiot. This is generally what happens when one bounces onto the stage dressed in papal regalia and proceeds to do a Dalek impression with a plunger. What follows is a very rough-aroundthe-edges set permeated by eye rolls, girlish giggles and her trademark grin. It’s clear, and made explicit by Christie, that this isn’t going to be the most polished of shows.

“I’m probably just going to say things as they come into my head,” she grins apologetically, rolling her eyes and fiddling with the microphone stand for a moment before launching into a rambling hour that doesn’t quite hit the mark. An audience

Laurence Clark: Health Hazard!

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The main thrust of this show—the varying merits of the British and US healthcare systems—has already been covered extensively elsewhere, from highbrow journalism to campaigning satire. It hasn’t previously been explored by a sit-down comedian with cerebral palsy, however, who boasts an intimate knowledge of the NHS and can find out exactly how welcoming US providers are to those in need of a little extra help (take a wild guess).

Clark has forged a campaigning TV career of his own in recent years, after several successful Fringe shows, but remains an entertainer first.

His tension-diffusing opening gambit—insisting that his speech difficulties aren’t due to drunkenness—is rather hackneyed, but from there the gags are sharp and his targets eminently pokeable.

Clark has reason to feel deeply embittered about our own health service—avoidable birth complications led to his condition—and his run-ins with health professionals over the years range from the comical to the horrific. But at least he actually got to see someone; one of several excellent filmed inserts features the comic attempting to buy healthcare insurance from those profit-hungry US brokers. He refers to those calls as “pranks” but in fact asks perfectly reasonable questions.

Only the answers are laughable.

Further film of the wheelchair-bound comic hawking the NHS concept to US passers-by is of less interest, and the prospect of free US healthcare now seems a distant dream given the nation’s near bankruptcy. But you can’t fault Clark for getting out there and trying to change a few perceptions. All power to his joystick [Si Hawkins] Udderbelly, 6:40pm – 7:35, 7–28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11

34 fest edinburgh festival guide 2010 | August 9-11

participation piece is a nice concept, but falls flat due to lack of preparation and, although chaos is her thing, some of the gags feel more than a little hurried.

She takes us through her Catholic upbringing, peppering hit-and-miss anecdotes with a hefty dose of irony, although unfortunately some of these tales do tend to peter out. Perhaps it’s nerves, though—there are flashes of ingenuity when she visibly relaxes, relying less on affectation and more on solid material. Recalling a brush with gang members in New York, introducing the audience to some of her favourite games and a delightfully silly piece on Jesus’s ascension reveal the potential Christie could have with a bit more rehearsal and a bit less mania. [Stevie Martin] The Stand Comedy Club II, 4:40pm – 5:40pm, 7–28 Aug, not 15, £8.00

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 35

festcomedy Dave Eastgate: I Wish I Had A Band

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What ramshackle vulnerability does to rock and roll is bring out the painful-towatch likes of Pete Doherty.

Add comedy to the equation, though, and you get something strangely special.

Dave Eastgate’s endearingly clumsy and seeming largely ad-libbed I Wish I Had A Band wanders hazily into weird “anti”-musical-comedy. He is Edward Aczel with eyeliner and a guitar.

The Australian’s debut Fringe solo bracingly demystifies musical comedy to the point that Flight of the Conchords appear corporate scum next to him. “Empty chairs are my biggest fans,” he quips distractedly early in the gig. “They follow me everywhere”. Strings slip out

Scott Capurro’s Position

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Veteran Fringe standup Scott Capurro and newcomer David Mills join forces in a chat show that invites famous names at the Fringe along for an hour of banter about their life and work. The two work in effective, bitchy harmony, catty remarks being batted between the two throughout, working to give it momentum that they

of tune, awkward silences fall, Eastgate is an edgily unpredictable performer – but that’s why you see live gigs anyway.

Choreography is overrated.

Eastgate’s weakest moments are when he sinks into some of the more obviously preprepared segments. Clearly an

fail to generate through the interviews themselves.

Despite a six-week run in London, Capurro is still shaky in his interview style; he seems to want to hear certain answers and won’t stop till he’s got them.

He lets the need to get his own laughs interfere, interrupting the flow with a series of unfunny asides and alienating some of the audience with a few inappropriate comments – chief among them a patronising remark about South Africa not

being developed enough for comedy.

At times Capurro and Mills seem to forget that they’re not doing late-night standup – for a PG-rated afternoon show, Mills’ opening reference to his talent for autofellatio and the pair’s subsequent crudeness throughout are ill-judged and leave the parents in the audience looking uncomfortable next to their bewildered children.

Today’s show picks up only with the arrival of cabaret act

accomplished musician and physical comedian, Eastgate fares best as the spontaneous loser.

In his climactic title track, Eastgate mimes a blistering and extensive solo in an ingenious deconstruction of rock posturing. Limbs creaking, his voice hoarsely conjures a slew of fantasy backing dancers and production effects while echoing bathetically round the dismally small room. “I’ve got access all areas! All of this!” Eastgate motions to the drab black curtains and reveals a prosaic backstage made up of crates and duct tape. Then he crowdsurfs the empty chairs. Perhaps if Doherty borrowed some of Eastgate’s understated japes fewer people would call him a wanker. [Catherine Sylvain] Gilded Balloon Teviot, 11:15pm – 12:15am, 7–28 Aug, not 15, £9.00 – £10.00

Le Gateau Chocolat. Though dressed in a huge day-glo orange tutu, he moves the audience with a candid soliloquy on his sexuality and difficulty in reconciling a strict Nigerian upbringing with his career as a drag artist. Hardly requiring prompting by his hosts, Mills and Capurro need not have been there at all. [Dan Heap] Gilded Balloon Teviot, 4:15pm – 5:15pm, 8–28 Aug, £10.00 – £11.00

“ ”

The Scotsman

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36 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

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festcomedy Tom Price: Say When

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Andrew O’Neill: Alternative

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It’s no coincidence that Andrew O’Neill bounds on stage to the sound of The Kinks’ ‘Lola’: the energetic, abrasive Englishman is hot on Eddie Izzard’s heels for the title of most successful cross-dresser on the circuit.

Tonight, O’Neill appears in a fetching combo of pink tights, size 9 Docs and a short black skirt – but it’s his anarchic wit, surreal tales and idiosyncratic delivery that are the real talking points.

Having paid his dues at the Five Pound Fringe, O’Neill has graduated to the big leagues – or, more accurately, the big top on George Square. Where previous shows delved into his penchant for wearing ladies’ clothes and love of all things heavy metal, this latest effort sees the avowedly leftfield comic coming to terms with the modicum of success he now enjoys.

Between hilarious, rapid-fire interludes about satanic milkmen, Michael Jackson singles and vegan butchers, O’Neill looks back with refreshing frankness at his own attempts to lead an alternative lifestyle. There’s a series of well-crafted stories about hitchhiking in the north of England, squatting in London and the k-hole ethical debates of veganism.

O’Neill is becoming more domesticated but he’s not lost his edge yet. The gags are as good as anything on the Fringe and behind the gothic persona lies a comic of rare verbal inventiveness. He’s also got the best merchandise at the festival: what’s not to love about a T-shirt that reads “Tranny Metal Bastard”?

Ray Davies would surely approve. [Peter Geoghegan] Assembly George Square, 10:30pm – 11:30pm, 7–28 Aug, not 15, 22, £12.00

GILDED BALLOON TEVIOT 0131 622 6552 gildedballoon.co.uk

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Tom Price has a face you’ll recognise, even if you can’t put a name to it. This year, the Torchwood actor talks about wanting to stop embarrassing situations before they get too excruciating.

Price is too warm a personality to let his childhood memories and showbiz anecdotes become truly cringeworthy.

Similarly, his self-consciously “shocking” gags, usually about dated celebrities, ring hollow.

His initial material about being an old-before-his-time middle-class boy is far from promising.

It’s that face that’s the real star. Open and boyish, Price is able to radically shift modes with small, precise changes to the curve of his lip, or the twinkle of his eye. It betrays his skill as an actor, and possibly explains why he’s most animated during stories about his career. The strongest punchline is simply a close-up photograph of his eyes.

The show is exceptionally tightly structured: clever in a way that only becomes apparent at the end. The slickness is almost off-putting and despite the confessional tone, you’re always aware this is a performance. When Price announces “I’ve never told anyone this before,” you simply don’t believe him.

Indeed, the show is ultimately hampered by Price’s desire to remain in total control. As such, it doesn’t quite earn its humorous and emotional pay-offs. Price may want to “say when” before things go too far, but the Fringe is not a time for moderation. [Jonathan Holmes] Pleasance Courtyard, 9:45pm – 10:45pm, 7–28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12.00

8:30PM

3 - 28 AUG (not 15)

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 37

festcomedy Sara Pascoe vs the Apocalypse

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Judgment Day is imminent, or so we’ve been told. The Rapture, pencilled in for this May, never happened. Nostradamus was so vague he’s bound to nail it someday. The Mayans’ prediction? That’s a matter for 2012, but Sara Pascoe was at least sufficiently convinced to build her second solo effort around it.

What begins with a bastardised cover of REM’s ‘It’s the End of the World…’ and a purposely shoddy PowerPoint presentation soon meanders away from doom-mongering to become a manifesto for Pascoe’s ideal world. Unfortunately, the writing often sinks into aimless, laugh-light tangents that sap the show’s momentum and do little justice to intermittent moments of brilliance.

Whether shambling her

way through politically correct porn or the origins of misogyny, her fertile and ridiculous imagination removes trite observation from the equation. And a knack for sideways thinking means the conclusions she reaches are rarely anything but fresh – even if the pay-offs are relatively low-impact.

It’s all wrapped up in a pe-

38 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

culiar, fey persona that borders on a character act. Distracted and half-arsed in the face of a notional apocalypse, she deadpans flights of fancy and slips in Nietzsche references with the air of a dim-witted adolescent.

Her arrogance is deliberately unconvincing and on this first night of the run it’s even more so – though she’s clearly well

aware of the room for improvement. With some tighter writing and quality control Pascoe could yet live up to the low-level hype she enjoyed last year., though if we really are headed for oblivion in 2012, she doesn’t have long. [Lyle Brennan] Pleasance Dome, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, 7–29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12.00

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 39 www.boundandgaggedcomedy.com

wordonthestreet Charlie

Steven

Alex

From: Edinburgh, born and bred

From: Just outside Edinburgh, near the Borders

From: Lovely, lovely Bruntsfield

First fest?

Nope What are you most excited about this festival?

I really want to see the guy from Beverley Hills Cop and I love the ballet and the Chinese ballet’s in town, also the circus.

What’s your most bizarre fringe experience to date? None that I’d go public about! I’ve had over 10 years’ experience of this.

Top Fringe survival tip: Berocca Bomb aka Berocca Obama: A Berocca tablet, a shot of vodka and a tonic. Rumour has it that that’s what most of the festival staff are running on!

First fest: I’ve worked it before but this is the first year I’ve been in charge of the dedicated police team for it.

What are you most excited about this festival? I just love the fact that you can have so many people in Edinburgh not causing any trouble just coming here to have fun. I love that.

What’s your most bizarre fringe experience to date? We’ve started a competition to see what the silliest questions are that we get asked and the winner at the moment is a lady who, at about 10 o’clock last night, asked us if we knew where there was a cobblers open!

40 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

First fest?

No, I’ve been to many before.

What are you most excited about this festival? Seeing Withered Hand at Queens Hall and seeing a lot more comedy and being here at the Pasture with friends.

What’s your most bizarre fringe experience to date? I loved Phil Kay last year. There were only about 10 people there but it was awesome. He was brilliant!

Top fest survival tip: Have a coffee or a gin at Bramble [Queen Street], a place miles away from most of the festival stuff!

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HHHHH A tense and beautifullyrendered show from Belt Up Page 43 Photo: Claudine Quinn

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festtheatre

THE BOY JAMES

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 41

festtheatre Shylock

Spent

Guy Masterson has made his name presenting high-quality one-man shows internationally and on the Fringe, and this production is nothing less than you would expect from a performer of his experience and expertise.

The play sees Masterson take on the role of Tubal, friend to Shylock in The Merchant of Venice and the only other Jew in the Shakespearean canon.

This set-up, which enables Masterson to comment on the play from the fringes of the action, works very neatly, and the actor builds up a real personality for a character who has only eight lines in the original drama.

Alongside the textual analysis and dramatic set pieces runs some absorbing material relating to the persecution of the Jews throughout history and the logistics of Shakespeare’s company at the Globe. Some of these stories might come across as dry in less capable hands, but Masterson keeps the audience engaged and weaves the show’s several strands together to make a persuasive and theatrical piece of work that also offers plenty of laughs.

Shylock is not without its flaws. Writer and director Gareth Armstrong’s script repeats itself in places, and the show could do with losing 10 minutes in the middle where Masterson spends too long describing notable Shylock performances through history. The actor’s boundless energy could also do with being reined in at times, his passionate characterisations sometimes edging into overacting. That said, this is a hugely likeable performance from an accomplished actor and an excellent example of that Fringe favourite: the one-person play.

[Jo Caird]

If ever there were a need for confirmation of humankind’s collective capacity for utter madness, Ravi Jain and Adam Paolozza’s satire on the 2008 financial crash provides it amply. Spent tells the story of two men caught up in the Lehman Brothers debacle and of the modern, connected world’s stunning ability to whitewash their personal tragedy. Funny, pacey and utterly mad, it shows just how well theatre can shed light on our bonkers world.

What’s most obviously impressive about Spent is the virtuoso performances from Jain and Paolozza. Smashing their way through dozens of characters—from spare-a-dime jobseekers to adenoidal Eastern European sociologists—the pair show themselves off as accomplished physical performers. It’s an extraordinarily well choreographed piece and entirely fitting that a strong sense of clowning pervades this send up of the ex-”masters of the universe” whose egos broke the world.

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Assembly Hall, 3:45pm – 5:00pm, 9–29 Aug, not 15, £12.50 – £14.00

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Kafka and Son

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The veneer of tragedy that surrounds Franz Kafka, venerated after death when much of his work was published, also permeates this openly symbolic one-hander performed by Canadian actor Alon Nashman.

Modulating his voice betwixt father and son, Nashman paints a grim portrait of the notoriously destabilising, dysfunctional relationship Kafka endured with his father Hermann: a brash, muscular, arrogant and overbearing man to whom Kafka eventually confessed in a letter: “All my writing is about you.”

That 50-page letter was never delivered, but offers a

42 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

There are a couple of occasions where the pair get a little carried away, spending too long on scenes that they clearly enjoy doing, rather than driving the tale along.

Those, however, are rare slips in a performance with real momentum. Special mention must go to the skewering they deliver of the tropes, personalities and idiocies of 24-hour news – as hilarious as it is frighteningly accurate.

Spent is slick, polished and fundamentally human the-

atre. Ostensibly, though, this isn’t a play about mortgage bonds, sloppy reportage or the staggering unfairness of Dick Fuld’s half billion dollar remuneration package. It’s about the relationship between two people set against a collective and institutional lunacy that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

[Evan Beswick]

telling insight into the timidity and introspective nature of a Jewish genius with acute dad issues and provides some rich material for the evening’s performance.

Roughly wrought wire mesh furniture, redolent of his literal and figurative imprisonment, lies strewn about the stage. Nashman uses these to vent Kafka’s frustrations and feelings of hopelessness, as Hermann lambasts his son’s eating habits, religious conviction, intellectual rigour and inclinations to marry. The pattern is established, and repeated, early. Familiar Kafka themes then emerge from the debris: the absurdity of the mundane, a satirisation of bureaucracy, a peppering

of surrealist humour and a final feathery flight from his familial predicament.

It’s appropriately nightmarish stuff that relies on at least a working knowledge of Kafka’s work, but having shone a light on this pivotal, destructive relationship, there seems little to conclude save that which is already widely known. Instead, we’re left with Nashman’s own love letter to the great existentialist writer, which—despite his wholly convincing duel performance—isn’t quite as revelatory as might be hoped.

[Joe Spurgeon]

Pleasance Dome, 2:55pm – 4:00pm, 8–29 Aug, not 17, 23, £9.00 – £9.50

Assembly George Square, 5:05pm – 6:10pm, 7–28 Aug, not 17, £10.00 – £11.00

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festtheatre Belt Up’s The Boy James

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Now in its second year at the Fringe, Belt Up’s The Boy James begins in joyously unorthodox form. A fey figure in pyjamas ushers viewers into a dimly-lit study, arranging them on chairs, sofas and cushions. He holds court among his new friends as if it were his birthday party: playing games and telling tales of his adventures with James.

But much like the childhood innocence it uses as a thematic totem, The Boy James can’t stay in one place for long. Belt Up’s JM Barrie-esque production hones in on the bruising that occurs where childhood first meets adolescence. The cruelty of a child’s guileless naivete brushing up against forces it cannot rationalise is deeply unsettling to witness, but the tension in the room— by turns emotional, physical

and sexual—is so palpable and chilling precisely because it is seen through this prism of complete incomprehension.

Belt Up’s acting is flawless and, having worked on the show since last year’s run, the cast have developed an intimate connection with the text. The effortless believability of the performances are mesmerising: the love and loss felt between the male leads is touchingly fraternal, while the antagonistic presence of a young girl in the shadows creates a claustrophobic unease in the viewer. But it is the familiarity of the emotional conflict explored, and the beautiful melancholy with which it is rendered, that make The Boy James such a magnificent and uniquely affecting piece of theatre.

[Marcus Kernohan] C venues - C soco, 10:50pm – 11:50pm, 7–29 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50

The Tour Guide

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This evening’s Edinburgh tour guide has had enough.

He’s just lost his father, he’s crippled with debt, and most of all he’s fed up with 20 years of showcasing Edinburgh’s stage-managed sights to hoards of faceless tourists. So today, for his farewell tour, he’s going off-piste, taking his hapless audience on a darkly comic journey around the Edinburgh that only the locals know. Indeed, it is Edinburgh itself which provides the stage for this engaging site-specific production, which all takes place aboard one of the city’s famous cream and claret tour buses.

Tour guide Ian Hanmore is a charming host and his backstreet tour provides the perfect visual context to explain his character’s chequered past: the gym where he boxed with his

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dad, the park where he first made love to his wife, the bowling club where his friends tried to stop him quitting his job. But his despair stretches far beyond his personal life to a more general malaise with the state of modern Edinburgh – a city where banking has replaced shipbuilding and brewing as the primary industry–where, the tour guide lyrically pro-

claims, a once proud workingclass identity has been eroded by creeping gentrification and consumerism.

Such is the strength of this storytelling that it is all the more confusing when the script takes a sudden U-turn, introducing the guide’s concerned children and unconvincingly veering the story towards a happy

ending. It’s a disappointing end to an otherwise fascinating production, one that at the very least continues to carry the baton for innovative sitespecific Fringe theatre. [Sam Friedman] The Tour Guide Departing from Market Street, times vary, 7–28 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, free

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 43

festtheatre The Lounge Room Confabulators

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One needn’t be a maven of the arts to have noticed that Edinburgh isn’t short of a theatre or two right now. There’s an undeniable oddity, then, to find yourself sat on a hastily arranged chair in a living room, an Xbox directly ahead, a shelved copy of The Car Bodywork Repair Manual to the right, waiting for a show to begin. There’s a knock on the door, a message is delivered and theatre unfolds in this living room in Edinburgh’s Old Town.

It’s this sense of mismatch that drives the greatest successes of The Lounge Room Confabulators, winners of the Udderbelly Edinburgh Award at this year’s Adelaide Fringe.

The setting is as homely as the tales are macabre and alienating, and bloody narratives are delivered with childlike naïvete.

Often, their suitcase of stories delivers deadpan tragedy (‘The Bat and the Dove’, for instance), followed hotly by toilet humour wrought into high melodrama (‘The Burp and the Fart’). From this manipulation of tone and subject spring exciting leaps of imagination and fresh perspectives on repeated narratives.

But there’s a sense throughout that this is a production which works faster than an audience possibly can. With impressive energy, the Australian duo rip through story after story, feinting the odd hook of a developing image or character before slamming it back into their prop box sooner than the audience can hang more than a passing thought on it. As exciting as this rapid rifling is, there’s not a huge amount of room left in these symbolistic narratives for much more than a sense of atmosphere. [Evan Beswick] Your Lounge, times vary, 7–29 Aug, not 15, £12-14

The Monster in the Hall

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As a widowed former Hells Angel struggles to raise his daughter whilst simultaneously coping with multiple sclerosis, a social worker approaches their squalid, pizza box-littered home.

The premise for The Monster in the Hall might sound like another dreary slab of kitchen sink social miserablism, but in the hands of prolific Edinburgh playwright David Greig, it becomes a fizzing, genre-subverting comedy musical. It merrily whips along, arming its cast with handheld microphones and leveraging the bubblegum

glitz of ‘60s harmony groups to provide a smokescreen for its weightier subtexts.

At various points during the performance, and at breakneck speed, four actors sing, soundtrack, narrate and soliloquise. They create human props, computer game avatars, motorbike races and conjure a variety of fully-fleshed characters including a light-footed, fashion conscious schoolboy and, most memorably, a brilliantly rendered heavy metal loving Norwegian anarchist on a mission of romance.

But the play’s huge heart is provided by Gemma McElhinney’s luckless Duck (named after her dead mother’s favourite Ducati bike). She’s a painfully

vulnerable, uncomplaining carer selflessly brushing her own fears under the carpet in a desperate bid to stave off social services and look after dad.

Greig isn’t flippant about the larger issues at stake here, nor does he take a sledgehammer to them, relying instead on an effortlessly charming cast and Guy Hollands’ snappy, resourceful direction to gently lead us home with a tapping toe and a laugh on our lips. And when the dramatic, life-threatening denouement does arrive, a rare moment of quiet descends and the audience lurch forward with a protective paw, pining in unison for Duck’s elusive happy ending.

It’s thrillingly beautiful and, like the rest of this joyfully wrong-footing gem, never quite as you might expect. [Joe Spurgeon] Traverse Theatre, times vary, 9–28 Aug, not 15, 22, £15.00 – £17.00

2401 Objects

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Is Analogue’s name a riff on how their productions are anything but? In past years, the acclaimed young company have shrouded difficult topics in digital wizardry, with puppetry and murder in Mile End, and 3D suicide at Beachy Head. Yet, in 2401 Objects, on the topic of the human brain, their vivid innovations serve to rather over complicate the mix.

When a botched lobotomy left the real life Henry Molaison unable to form memories after 1953, scientists were fascinated by the implications of exploring his brain after his death. But what these implications actually are is kept vexingly vague, much like the food-mulch and fork projected as a backdrop while the surgery is described.

Instead, the play focuses on the human cost of neuropsychology. And while Analogue’s

44 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

set-piece sorcery might do no favours for scientific clarification, it ingeniously imitates the butchered memory of Molaison.

Scenes collide, characters overlap and switch roles, and the backdrop slides back and forward, sweeping up props and actors just like pins cleared away and replaced at a bowling alley.

Molaison’s unpleasant life is given the foreground, played as a convincingly gawky youth

by Sebastian Lawson and then with tender post-surgery

stiltedness by Pieter Lawman.

Marooned forever between his parents’ teatime bickering and his inability to woo the peachy girl across the picket fence, Molaison never comprehends his own disorder or its scientific gravitas. Poignantly compelling, the final note of 2401 Objects is still a disorienting and dispiriting one. [Catherine Sylvain] Pleasance Courtyard, 4:40pm – 5:55pm, 7–28 Aug, not 9, 16, 23, £10.00 – £12.00

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 45

festtheatre Man of Valour

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Michael West’s daring, innovative new play Man of Valour has already won plaudits in his native Ireland – and with good reason.

This is theatre at its starkest and most thrilling: Farrell Blinks, in a virtuoso one-man performance from Paul Reid, is an office worker trapped in a monochrome world, sifting through his memory—and his self—in a cold, dystopian Dublin.

Man of Valour is simultaneously a triumph of method and so much more than that. In an almost totally bare space, with Aedin Cosgrove’s blue-gray video projections and Denis Clohessy’s sound compositions the only anchorage, the audience follows Reid’s clicks and hisses as he moves through his life: stepping on and off trains, interacting with his aging neighbour, learning from an obsequious

colleague that his unit is to be decentralised to rural Roscommon.

Shards of memory impale Reid at every turn as he escapes into the echo chamber of his own mind. Meanwhile, between radio hisses, the city’s grim decay is revealed.

Following proceedings with Reid’s ventriloquism as the only guide is a tall order. But the difficulty of uniting the play’s disparate, partially revealed narrative threads brilliantly mimics the character’s own travails.

Dublin-based The Corn Exchange are fast earning a reputation for some of the most inventive, exciting theatre on the Fringe. Powerful, thought-provoking and superbly produced, Man of Valour is the company’s most accomplished Edinburgh production yet. [Peter Geoghegan] Traverse Theatre, times vary, 7–14 Aug, not 8, £15 – £17

46 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

www.festmag.co.uk

festtheatre Dance Marathon

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It’s not hard to see why Canadian outfit bluemouth inc’s participatory party piece Dance Marathon has courted so many column inches. Its inspiration­— the gruelling American Depression-era dance contests, where exhausted performers would go for days in the hope of bagging precious prize money—is fascinating source material. But cross-pollinate a nervous audience, cast them as the dancers, throw in a live band, MC, video, poetry and link up with a bunch of local musicians and dancers, and you’re sitting on a hotbed of Fringe fireworks. Except somehow, it never quite manages to ignite.

There’s plenty of fun to be had peeling back the inhibitions, throwing YMCA disco shapes, learning various dance steps and getting up close and sweaty with a bunch of

Now That She’s Gone

HHHHH

Set beside her mother’s deathbed, American writer and actress Ellen Snortland’s onewoman comic drama gazes back over her wild youth as a flower-child feminist activist, sexual libertarian and drug addict. It’s an uninhibited life lived in stark contrast to that of her stoic Norwegian mother Barbro who, despite being an Eleanor Roosevelt-loving progressive that always did right by her kids, could never bring herself to admit she loved her youngest child. Heck – why waste good money working these things out in therapy when you turn them into a Fringe show?

“This is not a motherbashing piece,” she assures us at the start, and it’s not. You can feel the affection Snortland has for her parent-of-fewwords, as she recounts a string of awkward moments they

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strangers. But it’s hardly shifting the theatrical paradigm and occasionally feels like a family hoofing session at a holiday camp.

The “contest”, essentially a series of uncomplicated, un-

shared. These range from her mother walking in on her using a hand vibrator as a teenager to having to ring home from college and confess to being caught dry-humping gym apparatus while tripping on acid. They’re all stages on a journey towards some kind of mutual understanding, if not quite resolution.

It’s a tale so strange it could only be true, but it’s clumsily and disjointedly conveyed, playing out like a jumble of half-remembered anecdotes from a hastily-written memoir.

It doesn’t help that Snortland is a slightly manic performer often guilty of garbling her punch lines. While it’s always pleasing to see someone use theatre as a means of coming to terms with genuine experiences and emotions, more skilfully acted than this would let you fully share in them too. [Malcolm Jack] Assembly Hall, 5:30 – 6:30, 7–28 Aug, £9 – £10

threatening dance-offs where the rhythmically challenged are slowly weeded out and eliminated, is broken up with a variety of interludes, usually consisting of understandably under-rehearsed routines

Emergence

HHHHH Agnes rushes home to Colombia following the death of her mother. It has been a long time since her last visit, and a long time since she and her mother have seen eye-to-eye. A series of slow, controlled somersaults evoke the tumultuous physical and emotional journey the young woman is undertaking – the first of several moments in Emergence where movement is used as an effective and affecting tool for storytelling.

The show flips between past and present, from Agnes’ happy childhood to the moment her mother sends her away to school in England, to the painful days after her return to Bogota.

The company captures beautifully the emotional tug of war of mother-daughter relationships and the pain

performed by local dancers recruited by bluemouth inc just a week before. It’s hardly Rambert, but is at least in keeping with the mood of the evening, unlike the occasional, often inaudible bursts of poetic contemplations from the embedded performers (sample musing: “why do they put feta cheese in water?”).

It feels vaguely disingenuous and alienating, especially when the covert “actors” (a) seem to be having more fun than us and (b) keep winning the contest. So what Dance Marathon admirably achieves in its joyous physicality and tearing down of the fourth wall, it loses in these oddly misplaced moments of vanity.

[Joe Spurgeon] Traverse @ Lyceum Rehearsal Room, Departure Point Traverse Theatre, 7:15pm – 11:15pm, 7–14 Aug, not 8, 11, £17.00 – £19.00

of separation. Plaintive songs—performed by the narrator, the undertaker helping to arrange Agnes’ mother’s funeral—punctuate and underscore the narrative. Where the company’s excessive fondness for the clichéd motifs of physical theatre sometimes distract from the impact of what the show is trying to achieve, the music is flawlessly integrated throughout.

The undertaker has her own family sadnesses to share. The show’s distinct stories brush up against each other but never fully connect beyond the formal funereal dealings Agnes has with this sweet, lonely woman. We all have our troubles, Emergence seems to say: no one is quite as happy as they should be. [Jo Caird] Underbelly, Cowgate, 11:20am – 12:20pm, 8–28 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 47

festtheatre The Caroline Carter Show

HHHHH

Country singer Caroline Carter—aka Flick Ferdinando, director of 2009’s Fringe hit Kim Noble Must Die—is making her Edinburgh Fringe debut, and she’s very pleased to be here. She has picked up a dour guitarist from the back room of an Edinburgh boozer (the brilliantly laconic Barn Strachan) to accompany her, covered her song book with wrapping paper so it matches her set design and bought herself a natty tasselled jacket.

Carter is a terribly awkward but strangely likeable character, utterly self-obsessed but vulnerable at the same time. All of her songs, each of them allegedly written following conversations with melancholy souls after her not-so-glamorous gigs, are actually about her. Whether she’s singing about a Greek girl waiting naked for her lover on

a mountain top, or a graphic designer refusing to follow his father into the family business, Carter’s disastrous relationship track record somehow comes through.

Ferdinando’s joyously silly material keeps the audience giggling like children throughout. The mood reaches near hysteria halfway through the show when the singer exits for a particularly elaborate costume change and a member of the audience is brought on stage to act as barman during her absence, handing around plastic beakers of whisky and wine from a drinks trolley gloriously done up to resemble a covered wagon. This is pure Fringe theatre but The Caroline Carter Show never loses its dramatic integrity due to Ferdinando’s unerring commitment to this very real, very human character. A treat from beginning to end. [Jo Caird] Zoo, 9:15pm – 10:15pm, 7–29 Aug, not 15, £10.00

This Twisted Tale

HHHHH

Combining theatre and circus is a tricky business: even the most impressive of acrobatic displays tend to detract from, rather than add to, the thrust of a show’s narrative. Some tales lend themselves better to physical storytelling than others, of course, and the Paper Doll Militia, the company behind This Twisted Tale, have borne this in mind, opting for a piece about the power of play and imagination with a little girl as the central character.

The show uses puppetry and aerial circus performance to tell the story of Chloe, a lonely child who finds herself visited by a bizarre incarnation of the devil. The idea, although odd, is not a bad one: there is a real playfulness in the use of acrobatics that suits the subject matter. The problem

48 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

is with the execution of the piece, which feels forced throughout and is full of unnecessary and inappropriately vulgar moments. It’s as if the company, having chosen to put the experiences of a child at the heart of the show, panicked that the end result would not be “adult” enough, and peppered it with swear words and sexual references to balance things out. This ploy ultimately fails, resulting in a show that is genuinely embarrassing to watch at points.

With too little commitment to the story to succeed as theatre and too little circus to distract from the lack of plot, This Twisted Tale falls between two stools, leaving the audience dissatisfied and perplexed. [Jo Caird] Leith on the Fringe @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 4:00pm – 4:55pm, 8–29 Aug, £12.00

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 51 th Sou

festtheatre Dr Apple’s Last Lecture

HHHHH

Inspired by the life of American psychologist and LSD enthusiast Dr Timothy Leary, New York theatre company Hole in the Sky have set themselves a lofty aim with Dr Apple’s Last Lecture: to explore “the expansion of consciousness” and to ask whether you can “expand your mind without losing it.”

Mark Junek plays Dr Apple, a psychology professor experiencing a career lull who eats some of his students’ drugged biscuits in order to explore the far recesses of his mind.

A dull first 20 minutes spent laying out the premise seems a waste given that the show degenerates into such an unstructured mess thereafter. As the drug takes effect, Apple’s students— dressed now in brightlycoloured Morph suits—swarm onto the stage gibbering away manically, looking and sounding like demented Muppets. Confusing to the point of being impenetrable, the show gets bogged down in a mire of its own making.

Towards the end though, things become clearer as Apple comes out of his trip and the cast does start to explore some of the themes the show claims to deal with.

A few profound sound bites stand out starkly and memorably against the blur of the rest of the show. There are also some cute sketches from the obviously talented young cast—a mystic steals Apple’s glasses, to find that he has an endless supply of them in his seemingly bottomless pockets—but ultimately they raise only a wry smile, rather than a laugh. [Dan Heap] Gilded Balloon Teviot, 2:30pm – 3:30pm, 8–28 Aug, £9.00 – £10.00

Doris Day Can F**k Off

HHHHH

Greg McLaren’s charmingly titled show is billed as a oneman opera, and it’s worth remembering exactly what this is before deciding to see it. Typically, every line in an opera—no matter how mundane—is sung, and McLaren adheres to this set up throughout his performance, including when he invites the odd contribution from the audience. This experimental form can be alienating and, on this first night, there are a handful of walkouts. But the ideas expressed by McLaren are engrossing and would likely

Cul-De-Sac

HHHHH Tim Peterson may be a new arrival in the cul-de-sac, but it’s not long before his new home starts to seem a little strange – not least because of the mysterious Tony across the road, a man whose influence seems to run very, very deep.

There’s something rotten in the cul-de-sac, something very rotten indeed.

Blending George Orwell’s magnum opus Nineteen EightyFour with a hint of The Stepford Wives and set in the heart of Middle England, Cul-De-Sac is the first production to come

52 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

lose their piquancy in any other format.

McLaren, a sometime Forest Fringe collaborator, decided to sing rather than speak all his conversations for three weeks. This is his effort to put that slightly sadistic mission—sometimes euphoric, often deeply depressing—into a live performance and this show similarly careers up and down like Prince’s vocal range.

Performed in Zoo Southside’s Cabaret Bar, it incorporates covert recordings made by McLaren when conducting daily conversations and musical musings about why “when we don’t sing, we forget”.

The sociable venue doesn’t

quite match the non-conventional arrangement of the show but there are several funny moments and genuine warmth when it’s revealed that occasionally during those three weeks, strangers responded to McLaren’s warblings with sung speech of their own. But, despite its engaging concept, Doris Day... still feels under-developed and ends too abruptly. With a little more focus and a better conclusion, this sociological experiment could make much more alluring theatre. [Yasmin Sulaiman]

out of the Comedians’ Theatre Company’s new writing unit, Itch: A Scratch Event.

What begins as an examination of the petty-mindedness of the suburban bourgeoisie quickly becomes darker and darker.

As we watch Tim’s tormentor, Tony revealed to be an increasingly omnipotent force, Toby Longworth’s sinister doctor— Tony’s head spy and, it turns out, torturer-in-chief—comes to the fore. Indeed, as Tim’s raging against the machine lands him in the cul-de-sac’s equivalent of Room 101, it is Longworth who is brought in to break his spirit.

Certainly there are echoes here of Winston Smith giving up the

ghost amid cries of “I love Big Brother!”

This is a play executed with great humour, intelligence and a lightness of touch that belies the very dark undercurrent running beneath the surface. Exploring such an ambitious topic as the corrupting effect of totalitarianism in such a small setting is achieved effortlessly in this portrait of suburban dystopia.

Cul-De-Sac is yet another rock solid production from the increasingly bankable Comedians’ Theatre Company. [Ben Judge]

Zoo Southside, 6:15pm – 7:15pm, 7–29 Aug, not 16, £9.00

Pleasance Courtyard, 3:15pm – 4:15pm, 8–28 Aug, not 15, 22, £10.00

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festtheatre 

‘A genuinely new musical every time.

Has to be seen to be believed.’ TIME OUT

THE AWARD-WINNING WEST END HIT AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO FOUR Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square 5-28 Aug 10.50pm (not 17) + Tuesdays 3.20pm  0131 622 6552 ShowstopperMusical.com

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 53

CaLARTS Festival Theater - 8th Season on the Fringe!

CalArts

19:00

16:00 Center for New

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5-20 August - not 8,15,16 Aug

54 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

On Lochend Close Just off the Royal Mile 100m past Cannongate Kirk www.festmag.co.uk

£8 General - £5 Concessions | tix: 07074 20 13 13 | www.venue13.com

festtheatre Waterproof

Rock the Ballet

A one-woman show—well, a two-hander if you count the goldfish—Waterproof is set in the crumbling remains of AquaTown! which, until its closure, was Luton’s only aquarium. There, wooly tank top sporting 20-something Laura, a former employee of the business, laments to her finned friend Toby the sadness of life in a humdrum town, one where her place of work was her only joy – even if her job mostly involved mopping-up sick.

Laura, played by Eva Sampson, is a lonely soul. The closest she gets to a romance is an imaginary relationship with a tall dark stranger. She lives with her chain-smoking nan, a consequence, we learn, of a rift in her family when she was young, which also gave rise to a slightly morbid obsession with the sea.

Teresa Burns’ story is carried by a panoply of cutely whimsical methods and means: shadow and sock puppetry, crackling vinyl records, flickering classic movie clips and one bonkers dance routine. The props are all lovingly selected too: a thrift-store table lamp glows in one corner while a vintage bike laden with brown paper packages rests in another.

Magic and bitter-sweetness are both promised and duly delivered, if in rather too short supplies to make your heart glow quite as intended. But with a larger budget, you could imagine the team behind Waterproof delivering something special, and Sampson is a very likeable actress who will flourish in bigger productions than this. The fish isn’t bad either.

[Malcolm Jack]

Seven dancers—six male and one female—high kick, pirouette and back flip their way around the stage at Assembly Hall, accompanied by the booming basslines of ‘Billy Jean’, ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘I’m Too Sexy’ and a handful of other high energy pop hits. Rock the Ballet, featuring New York dance troupe the Bad Boys of Dance, is a slick and sexy show, and one that feels carefully tailored to meet the desires of its overexcited (and mostly female) audience.

The jukebox soundtrack, which relies heavily on Michael Jackson medleys, makes for a mood reminiscent of the early pop-video era. But the lack of live music feels like a missed trick; even a small band would have added some

HHHHH

Pleasance Dome, 1:30pm – 2:30pm, 8–29 Aug, not 16, £8.00 – £9.00

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HHHHH

much-needed depth to this glitter ball of a show. There are some witty moments on offer—its only classical number, which sees the company partnered by blow-up dolls, is a highlight—but this is largely a one-dimensional show.

The company are a talented bunch and it’s a pleasure to watch professionals of this calibre in action, but ultimately Rock the Ballet feels

like a cynical exercise in sexing up ballet and contemporary dance. The glistening torsos, wide smiles and sultry glances are pretty to look at, but behind the pumping bass and flashing lights, there’s little real substance to this show.

[Jo Caird]

But the only criticism to be made of Federer Versus Murray is quite a significant one: it is exactly one scene too long. As the play builds to a crescendo in its penultimate scene, the audience is barraged by a tidal wave of pain, suffering, anger and remorse moments before it closes with a brief glimpse of reconciliation.

The rawness of emotion is so strong as to evoke tears, though the power of this moment is somewhat dulled by the final scene—more epilogue

than denouement—set not in the Stewart’s flat, as is the rest of the play, but at the foot of the Matterhorn mountain in the Swiss Alps and at odds with the general tenor of the production. The affecting atmosphere is quickly, and disappointingly, dissipated. It’s a minor blight on an otherwise exceptional piece, but a blight nonetheless. [Ben Judge]

Assembly Hall, 6:00pm – 6:55pm, 7–28 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £16.00 – £20.00

Federer Versus Murray

HHHHH

Jimmy Stewart has just been laid off. He now spends his days on the couch watching Wimbledon and pompously potificating about the world.

Meanwhile his wife Flo is struggling to come to terms with his now-constant presence. It quickly becomes clear that not all is well in this marriage, but we don’t yet fully appreciate just how bad life for the Stewarts has become.

Federer Versus Murray is a brilliantly powerful, evocative, humane and funny exploration of loss, grief and isolation within the confines of domestic family life. It’s a beautiful study of both human fragility and strength, told through the lives two very unextraordinary people and featuring great performances from leads Gerda Stevenson (also the playwright) and Dave Anderson.

Indeed, it’s almost perfect.

Assembly Hall, 12:30pm – 1:30pm, 8–29 Aug, not 15, £13.00 – £14.00

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 55

festtheatre The One Man Show

Teechers

From the creators of the much lauded Shunt Lounge, Nigel Barrett and Louise Mari, comes this intriguing piece of theatre about theatre – or, more specifically, about the various networks and relationships theatre sets up, uses and abuses.

“This is an actor,” we are told by what must be the snarkiest, most playful powerpoint presentation you’re likely to come across. “You can tell by his face.”

For unashamedly experimental theatre, it’s amusingly and refreshingly direct, and it’s this commitment to working from first principles rather than—with the odd exception— striving for the esoteric which marks The One Man Show’s greatest success.

Performed as a sort of double act between Barrett and the aforementioned slideshow, the audience is led through a series of episodes exploring, one by one, the relationship between the actor and character, or the actor and audience, or between audience members themselves. While not all the sketches are equally successful, the line between asking serious questions about the nature of performance, and asking them in an entertaining and accessible way is very well managed.

Clearly, a great deal of effort has been expended on ensuring this technically complex show actually works, and the technology used enhances rather than hinders the many ideas it explores. It’s a real shame, then, that less effort has been placed into sourcing images large enough to be projected on the big screen. There’s grungy and then there’s indecipherable and, too often, interesting visuals err on the side of the latter. [Evan Beswick]

For their 15th year, Young Pleasance may have erred on the safe side in choosing John Godber’s Teechers as their Fringe offering. The script—which is substantially older than any of the cast—is a particularly well-travelled piece of youth theatre and, to their credit, the company have done their best to stretch it in this new staging.

It’s a sparse, intensely physical adaptation of Godber’s 1987 script. With no props or set to speak of, the 30-strong cast employ a surprisingly effective collective narration device to construct their backdrop—the failing comprehensive school Whitewall—while carefullychoreographed set pieces are used to navigate space and story. The company have an outstanding group dynamic and these interludes are immaculately well-drilled, though some—most notably a slow-motion fight scene oddly reminiscent of Braveheart—are overdone.

The major roles rotate deftly between several actors,

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C venues - C, 12:00am – 12:50am, 8–30 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

HHHHH

Snap.Catch.Slam

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Five actors take a seat in a small dark room. Three stories, inspired by real life events, unfold.

In Snap, a young female teacher is pushed to breaking point by a mouthy, cocksure male pupil. A passer-by intervenes at a house fire to save a baby’s life in Catch. And in Slam, a vicious attack leaves its permanent mark upon a doting mother.

Emma “Analogue” Jowett’s trio of shorts are so loaded with The Big Events that little is required in terms of a set (a chair each and two overhead lights) or flashy choreography.

56 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

while the rest of the cast form a Greek chorus re-worked as a jeering gaggle of swaggering teens. But even in a larger-than-life production like this one, some of the key characters are overplayed.

However, the real problem with Teechers is that the writing shows its age, with a dense ‘80s sensibility that the young cast struggle to truly embrace. Things are made

worse by an extravagantly kitsch soundtrack (Dire Straits, Queen, Ultravox) that serves more as clutter than zeitgeist.

The dialogue tends towards pastiche too, building up an outdated impression of a teenage archetype. [Marcus Kernohan]

The difficulty with such an incident-laden hour, of course, is that as one high-strung tragedy treads upon the heels of another, the mood of worldaltering intensity feels a little one-note. Drama can lurk in the unremarkable, too.

That said, there’s plentiful excitement throughout and the performances are universally engaging: Gareth Kieran Jones, a consummate storyteller with a welcome lightness of touch, is uncomfortably endearing as the casually racist London everyman and his act of instinctive heroism provides the play’s apex. Shian Denovan, despite some unnecessary signposting (she’s on edge, so talks

about—and drinks—coffee a lot, geddit?), throws herself into Miss Jenkins’ breakdown with wild-eyed fervour and Teresa Jennings’ Karen beams with maternal warmth before a slow degradation into pitiable, childlike helplessness.

The show benefits from its ballsy, pared back, directto-the-audience style which, with a little light to occasionally illuminate the dark, might just unleash the full force residing in this fizzing little firecracker lurking beneath the Pleasance Courtyard. [Joe Spurgeon]

Pleasance Courtyard, 1:00pm – 2:05pm, 8–13 Aug, £9.00

Pleasance Courtyard, 1:50pm – 2:50pm, 8–28 Aug, not 23, £9.50 – £10.50

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festkids

DEAR

JOHN Photo: Jackie di Stefano

Pleasance-bound poetic polymath John Hegley talks funding cuts and technology with Ruth Dawkins

I

T SEEMS that everyone has a John Hegley story to share and those who don’t have an opinion of him instead. Seemingly a regular recipient of backhanded compliments, he has been described in the press as “occupying the hinterlands of sexiness” and “awesomely mundane”.

The man himself is currently in Edinburgh for a two-week run at The Pleasance with John Hegley’s Family Word Ship. He’s also fitting in a performance with Shooglenifty, at a benefit show for an autism charity, at Falkland Village Hall on 13 August. The day after his first show at the Pleasance, he agrees to meet.

I’ve been warned that Hegley can be an intense interviewee, who likes to turn the tables on journalists—and it’s probably true that he asks as many questions as he answers—but he invites me in to his slightly shambolic flat, makes me a lovely cup of Earl Grey, and settles down to chat without any awkwardness.

“I’m very excited about what sort of show I’ll have by the end of the run,” he says.

“My girlfriend just rang for a chat and can’t believe I don’t have it all sorted yet, but the pieces are all there. It’s just a

question of getting them in the right order.”

It seems that the Family Word Ship will be a show that continues to evolve.

When Hegley turned up at The Pleasance for his first performance, he discovered they didn’t have a screen for his projector. “We ended up projecting onto the wall, and it looked great. It’s very fitting for such a rough and ready show, especially since there’s a big hole in the wall. I’m going to turn that hole into a cave and make it part of the show, but there needs to be something in it. I lay awake last night wondering who my cave dwellers are going to be.”

This spontaneity is a large part of Hegley’s appeal, along with embracing music and art to accompany his spoken word. “It’s nice if you have images. If something is above kids’ heads, they get something out of an image.

Music serves the same function; it takes you in, without you having to understand the meaning of every word.”

Hegley is also one of those rare performers who can entertain children and adults simultaneously, without patronising either. He credits this to his time as a street performer, when audiences

58 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

encompassed a broad age range. He’s also spent time doing workshops in schools, encouraging young people to loosen up their creativity through whatever medium feels comfortable.

Many of those school ses-

sions have been in Scotland, where he recently went on a tour of Aberdeen and Clackmannanshire with the Scottish Book Trust. “I really hope the Scottish Book Trust isn’t lost, with all the arts cuts taking place. It was amazing

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festkids

to visit places like Alloa, where it might be years before they get another poet visiting again. The kids came up with some wonderful stuff. We did an acrostic poem, and one of them used L to say ‘Love is here and there in Alloa’. That’s

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just beautiful. What a line.”

I notice, at this point, that Hegley keeps eyeballing my iPad, which I’m using to record the interview. He doesn’t look entirely comfortable with it. “Doesn’t it get covered in smudgy fingerprints?” he asks.

“You used to know when an interview had started because the tape started rolling, but you just can’t tell anymore.”

This is a man who, rather endearingly, still does pencil drawings to illustrate his shows, before tracing them onto old-fashioned acetates.

Perhaps uniquely among established Fringe acts he has no press team or personal assistant; he hands out his mobile number and email address to anyone who asks.

We start to wrap up, and Hegley says that he’ll walk me to the end of the street; he’s going to pop into the nearby public library to make sure there are no more interview requests sitting in his inbox.

We return to the subject of funding cuts. “I’d much rather an arts centre was cut than a library,” he says. “I know it sounds a bit tough to say that, but if there are going to be cuts, they shouldn’t touch the joy and comfort you see people getting from libraries.

It’s a psychological thing, a library. An arts centre can be great, as can a theatre, but people with mental health problems, people suffering from severe ill-at-easeness can go into a library and feel comfortable.”

With that, John Hegley skips across the street, and heads into the library, where he will check his email and think about the cave dwellers that are about to become part of his show. I walk slowly home, happy in the knowledge that I have a John Hegley story to share now too.

Pleasance Courtyard, 4:10pm – 5:10pm, 7–18 Aug, £12.00

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 59

festkids kid

As seen by our^critics Reviews of kids' shows by the peopl e who Ben Salters (10) know best

The Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business

HHHHH Anna Morrison (5)

for 7+ year-olds The Chronicles of Bitter and Twisted

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for 5-7 year-olds

William is a storytelling show, and a lady who has a suitcase full of stories tells the stories to us. The story is about a boy called William and a girl called Polly. The lady asked us lots of questions, which was fun. The show was fun for both children and adults, and everyone in the audience looked happy and got involved.

It would have been better if the lady had things in the suitcase to put on the floor or for people to hold. I liked the room as it was dark and we sat on the floor to listen, but it wasn’t very comfortable after a while. I did get a little bored as it was a bit too long, but I thought that children over four years old would enjoy it.

I did enjoy it, and especially liked the start and the end.

[Anna Morrison]

This is a puppet show describing a modern version of The Ugly Duckling, and it’s a funny act for all ages. The setting had movable parts, so a screen at the back could be seen with a projector behind it.

The actors used silhouettes to make shapes. Bitter the Duck was wearing a hoody, which I think made it that extra bit for kids. They were very talented comedians, switching voices from ducks to geese to swans. The puppets were very convincing and their actions matched with the actors’ expressions.

The thing I probably liked the most was how it changed from puppets to the actors, who were bird watchers. The things I noticed that weren’t so good were that one of the puppets fell apart during the show, and one of the actors sometimes forgot his lines. I recommend it for boys and girls of all ages who are interested in a comedy act.

[Ben Salters]

C Venues - C eca, 11:30am – 12:25pm, 8–29 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

Assembly George Square, 11:50am – 12:50pm, 8–29 Aug, not 15, £7.00 – £8.00

William

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Step one: take an adaptation of a popular children’s book. Step two: give all your audience members a sticker on the way in. Step three: entertain them for an hour with a cast than includes a yoga-loving goat, a pair of mouthy Cockney flies, and an endearing mole who is unfortunate enough to have a poo stuck on his head. Other theatre companies take note – with The Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business, Kipper Tie have found the recipe for success.

The excellent Sally Lofthouse (Mole) and her two

Mirazozo

HHHHH At two years old, my son Tom is too young to be an official reviewer, but he’s still keen to have his thoughts on Mirazozo recorded. “It’s too big,” he says. “And I didn’t like taking my shoes off. My feet got wet.”

So there you have it. 1200 square metres of colour, light, and sound, brought down to size by one opinionated toddler. In fairness to the Architects of Air, Tom did say that he “liked the purple bits.”

Mirazozo is a beautiful walk-through sculpture, which fully engages all the senses. The mistake that

supporting cast members strike that rare and difficult balance; throwing in enough popular culture references to keep parents entertained, without ever veering into the cringey double-entendre territory that many children’s shows occupy.

An hour is a long time for fidgety young bums to keep still, and a couple of the less likable characters (the Spanish bird and Opera singing pig) could probably be dropped without losing the essence of the story, but on the whole this is a fun show for all the family. [Ruth Dawkins] C venues - C, 10:00am – 11:00am, 8–29 Aug, not 15, £6.50 – £8.50

has been made is trying to appeal to everyone. You can’t put something that looks like a giant bouncy castle in the Children’s section of the programme, and then tell kids that they can’t run around in it. Nor can you sell it as a quiet, meditative, experience and then encourage chatterboxes like my son to come in.

I sincerely hope that Mirazozo becomes a permanent Fringe feature, but in future it would benefit hugely from dedicated family and non-family time slots. [Ruth Dawkins] Assembly George Square, times vary, 7–29 Aug, £5.00

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PERFORMANCE

ANXIETY Photos: Claudine Quinn Words: Malcolm Jack

Franco-Irish chanteuse Camille O’Sullivan discusses choosing cabaret over architecture, and her ongoing battle with stage fright

O

N A drab, rainy Edinburgh morning, Camille O’Sullivan lights up the ornate main auditorium of the Cameo Cinema by turning a photo-shoot into what feels like an impromptu performance. The camera is the French-Irish chanteuse’s audience; dressed in leopard-print coat and red stockings she’s treating it to a rum old show, perching playfully on the lip of a velvet seat or draping herself lazily across a row quipping “all I need is a joint” in her

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West Cork brogue. For an encore she dons a severe black-bobbed wig—“my hair’s shit today,” she grumbles—clambers up in front of the screen and pulls its huge gold curtains around her, framing a face all seductive scarlet lippy pout and deep brown eyes with a mischievous glint.

She’s the kind of naturally fun and easy company you could imagine spending a lost evening with, sharing red wine and dirty jokes. And yet it masks a personality O’Sullivan describes as

“schizophrenic”; even after a decade-long career as a performer and seven trips to the Fringe—to sing for sell-out crowds at steadily larger venues—she’s still troubled by a fear of performing.

“I know I’m friendly,” she says, after we sit down for coffee in the Cameo’s cafe. “I know I’m chatty,”—an understatement— “but anything I’ve done that I was good at it, I’m a scaredy cat about it. Even when I was an architect [she was an award-winner in the profession before becoming a singer] I had to push myself.” She thought she was bringing her stage-fright under control until earlier this summer, when O’Sullivan suffered a new string of panic attacks before shows. “I was like ‘oh my god, I thought you were gone,’ and it all came back.”

It’s hard to square with the ever-more commanding and dramatic stage presence of an eccentric, smouldering and sometimes painfully vulnerable singer who doesn’t so much inhabit the songs 

August August 9-11 | edinburgh edinburghfestival festivalguide guide2010 2011 fest fest 61 61

festmusic&cabaret "Every performer has a different way to handle the Fringe. When I first came I was so blown away – I was doing my flyers and my posters with a gin and tonic in hand"

 of all from Kurt Weill to Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Radiohead as move in and put up new curtains. “I love to sing,” she admits coyly, “I’m not too sure about the whole going in front of people. I know that sounds weird… I’m delighted when it’s over.”

With that in mind you’d expect to find O’Sullivan taking a cautious approach to the Fringe this year, but not so. Last night was the debut for Feel, her brand new show inspired by the “pure, bitter sweet darkness” of fairytales and incorporating everything from an Arcade Fire song to Tom Waits’ voice trapped in a suitcase. It was the first time she’d ever premièred a production in Edinburgh; it went well, but she’s anticipating an unpredictable ride through the coming three weeks. “I feel like an asteroid just heading towards my destination,” she says. “There’s nothing I can do now – it’s just going for it.”

The Fringe has played a key role in breaking O’Sullivan as a singer – a career she took-up after a near-fatal car crash in 1999 provoked a reordering of her priorities. The daughter of an Irish racing driver and a French artist, she first ap-

peared in Edinburgh in the cast of risqué cabaret/variety show La Clique in 2003; in the years since she’s become a familiar presence at the festival. “Every performer has a different way to handle the Fringe,” says O’Sullivan. “When I first came I was so blown away – I was doing my flyers and my posters with a gin and tonic in hand. Now it’s more about protecting yourself to get up on stage and do your show.”

She’s glad to see cabaret has been given its own section in the Fringe brochure this year, though it’s a label she shies away from. “It can bracket you – not to people who understand cabaret, but to people who think it’s all fishnets and feather boas, and then they mistake you for burlesque. My mother said ‘don’t wear fishnets anymore Camille, people are going think you’re stripping!’”

Lately she’s been branching out into new territory. Together with her longtime musical director Feargal Murray, O’Sullivan has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company on music for their new production of The Rape of Lucrece, which she’ll tour internationally. She’s

62 fest edinburgh festival guide 2010 | August 9-11

also recorded an album which includes a song penned especially for her by Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody. Bigger audiences, bigger expectations and bigger nerves may await, but O’Sullivan takes strength from the knowledge that she’s not alone in being intimidated by her profession. “I felt when I was by myself going through it ‘oh, you’re a weirdo,’” she reveals. “But then I’ve worked with people I really admired and discovered they really suffer from it too.

“My guitarist said it must be a good ego boost to get up and do what I do. I was like ‘Jesus no!’ For me it’s almost like a necessity to perform – it’s not a love of it, it’s a real necessity.

“Sometimes you do feel like saying ‘that’s it, I’m moving to West Cork, I’m growing vegetables, I’ve had it!’ But I think that’s the same for everybody. You have to keep on have a love for it and keep dreaming about it. I say that now,” O’Sullivan laughs, “give me 30 days.”

Pleasance Courtyard, 8:00pm – 9:10pm, various dates between 7 Aug and 29 Aug, £16.50 – £18.50

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The Scandinavian Rock Show That Reinvents A Cappella

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 63

64 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

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festmusic&cabaret How I Invented Hip-Hop...And Other Faux-Pas

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Some time, presumably, in the fairly recent past, Mr B had an idea. “Hip-hop,” he thought, “and speaking in a posh English accent, are very dissimilar.

If combined, the contrast could be quite amusing.” Indeed, it’s an amusing image, that of a jolly old chap with a banjolele rapping about tea and cricket to some heavy old school beats. But a droll juxtaposition is all that it is. It certainly isn’t an hour-long show.

Perhaps more egregious is that Mr B doesn’t even manage to deliver decent rap, reeling off turgid rhyming couplets with as much variation and flow as a damp teabag. (As an adendum to this, note that tea-based jokes aren’t a limitless fountain of mirth, as the “gentleman rhymer” amply demonstrates).

MOVIN’

Bojangles Ray Charles Sam Cooke Jackie Wilson James Brown Chuck Berry and more !!!

It’s frustrating, as Mr B clearly has a solid knowledge of and fondness for the themes, form and tropes of hip-hop, and has more than enough charisma as a performer to satirise its affectations and accoutrements.

But he has made his bed as the inventor of “chap hop”, and it’s a small bed to lie in.

By far the best of Mr B’s ditties is a lampoon of Tim Westwood – a figure whose astounding failure to grasp the inauthenticity of his own gangsta schtick makes him a deserving figure of fun. But it’s hard not to see a certain irony at work here: where Westwood undermines everything

that makes hip hop a living, breathing, relevant form of poetry, Mr B does rough justice to comedy’s startling ability to satirise the ridiculous. [Evan Beswick] The Voodoo Rooms, 11:00pm – 12:00am, 6–28 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £10.00

MELVIN BROWN “Exceptional, sheer brilliance...

Brown is a one-man concert!”  Scotsman C venues vibrant vivacious variety 3 – 29 Aug (not 15, 22) 7.50pm (1hr15) Tickets £11.50 – £13.50 Concessions £9.50 – £11.50 Children £7.50 – £9.50 recommended PG

MMB Edin 43 x 64.indd 1

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fringe box office 0131 226 0000 online sales www.edfringe.com

05/08/2011 16:10

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2010 fest 65

festmusic&cabaret Joe Stilgoe: One Hour!

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“This is choose-your-own entertainment,” Joe Stilgoe tells a small-ish crowd from a small-ish stage in the catacombs underneath Cowgate, as the singer solicits audience suggestions for one of his piano-led jazz medleys. He cuts a dapper figure in a three-piece suit, with a smooth schtick heavy on sardonic wit, and at the audience’s urging launches into a spirited mashup of The Beatles, Scott Joplin and George Gershwin. A skilled pianist, Stilgoe comes across as an eminently likeable gent, but One Hour! generally fails to hold the viewer’s interest.

Part of the problem is a fundamentally flimsy premise: the uneven mix of balladry and banter plods along nicely enough, but it’s a meandering experience without much by way of pace or direction. When left to his own devices away from the piano, the show quickly starts to lose its rhythm. Stilgoe can be both funny and engaging, but he’s not a comic, and the anecdote-heavy conversational sections tend to feel aimless.

Stilgoe is undoubtedly at his most arresting when he sings; a decent voice fitting neatly in the inoffensive popjazz milieu he has chosen. The finale—a particularly creative medley of Beethoven’s 5th, Take That’s ‘Greatest Day’ and the theme-tune to The Littlest Hobo—is an obvious highlight, but it’s also a frustrating nod to Stilgoe’s obvious potential. One Hour! is a fun diversion, but it just feels like it could have been so much more. [Marcus Kernohan] Underbelly, Cowgate, 6:40pm – 7:40pm, 7–28 Aug, not 21, 26, £9.00 – £10.50

Pink Noise by FORK

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To be clear: Pink Noise is not a show to be taken overly seriously. The new production from Finland’s prodigious “rock a cappella” covers group is an orgy of sly-winking self-parody and a garish tribute to the spirit of glam – but despite its camp, or perhaps because of it, it’s also immensely entertaining.

In their choice of songs to cover, FORK flit back and forth across the decades with abandon: Roxette’s ‘She’s Got the Look’ is pressed up against ‘Hey Jude’ in a medley that shouldn’t work but does, while Katy Perry’s ‘I Kissed A Girl’ receives an even more raunchy reworking at the hands of a riding crop-wielding Mia Hafren.

Moreover, the band themselves are so hilariously overblown in their stage personas

Lili La Scala: Songs to Make You Smile

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Bringing a touch of old-school glamour to the Fringe, Lili La Scala presents Songs to Make You Smile: an hour of upbeat vintage music-hall and show-tunes from the likes of Gracie Fields, Irving Berlin and Ivor Novello. La Scala serves up wholesome, good-time music with a healthy dollop of nostalgia and a great big voice.

It should however be said that, as perfectly executed as this show undoubtedly is, on the whole it’s a little bland.

Indeed, with her cut-glass accent and sickly sweet manner, La Scala is a little too Julie Andrews and not enough Camille O’Sullivan.

What’s missing is a sense of worldliness and sass; without it, La Scala comes across a bit twee and insincere. For example, her description of Cole Porter’s ‘Satin and Silk’ as “a bit naughty,” rings hollow in an age where pre-teen

66 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

that it’s hard not to be drawn in: “When we ask you if you are doing good, the answer is yes,” commands the sultry Hafren.

“If you don’t feel good – lie.”

The only real problem with Pink Noise is that FORK hit perhaps a little too close to the mark. It’s actually quite easy to forget that their performance is entirely vocal: the aural fidelity to the original songs is so close that the viewer must consciously remind themselves of the technical feat they are witnessing in order to properly appreciate it. But by the time the almost inevitable and completely electrifying rendition of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ rolls around, you’re having too much fun to care. [Marcus Kernohan] Assembly George Square, 6:05pm – 7:15pm, 7–28 Aug, not 10, 17, £14.00 – £15.00

girls habitually sing along to Rihanna’s ‘S&M.’ Whilst clearly aiming to recapture the innocence of pop-culture in the days before the great sexual liberation of the 1960s, failing to engage with it at all perhaps betrays a lack of ambition. Much has been said of the burgeoning popularity of cabaret acts in recent years and, in the context of this wide and vibrant scene, Songs to Make You Smile seems a little flat.

Nevertheless, for the music-hall or show tune enthusiast, there is undoubtedly something on offer here. La Scala is obviously a keen and learned aficionado who graciously shares her enthusiasm for keeping this genre alive.

But for a broader audience, Songs to Make You Smile might be a little too one-note to capture the imagination.

[Ben Judge] Assembly George Square, 5:00pm – 6:00pm, 7–28 Aug, not 8, 15, 22, £8.50 – £9.50

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festbooks A MODERN

EDINBURGH Hot Tickets MYSTERY Very few tickets for the EIBF remain come August. Every issue, we’ll bring you a pick of the tickets that you can still get – if you hurry

Alasdair Gray

11:30AM – 12:30PM, 13 AUG

The venerable old man of the Scottish arts, Gray flanks the festival with an event both on the first and last days; the star-studded premiere of Fleck sold out within hours, but there are still tickets left to hear him talk about his extraordinary life as a painter and novelist and his book Life in Pictures—forty years in the making—up for the James Tait Black prize.

Alexei Sayle

8:00PM – 9:00PM, 13 AUG

From having Fatwah issued against him to winning an Emmy for one of his acclaimed sketch shows, comedian, screenwriter, novelist and rabidly anti-Thatcherite political activist Alexei Sayle has lived a life eventful enough for more than one memoir. Here, Sayle shares extracts from his comic autobiography Stalin Ate My Homework.

Ali Smith

11:30AM – 12:30PM, 14 AUG

Described as “a genius” and “modern in the heroic, glorious sense”, Inverness-born novelist Ali Smith, author of Whitbread award winningThe Accidental, is one of Scotland’s best known contemporary literary exports.

Her latest work, There But For The, is another skilful exploration of the disruptive effect strangers can have on our lives. Smith’s description of her favourite word—”‘But’... takes you off to the side, and where it takes you is always interesting”—could equally apply to the woman herself.

[Dan Heap]

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Dan Heap delves into a mystery perplexing the Edinburgh literary scene

T

HE SHADOWY wynds of Edinburgh—the scene of the Burke and Hare murders and the setting for thriller stories created by writers such as crime master Ian Rankin—are no stranger to mystery. The newest Rankin enigma, though, is not one of his grisly bestsellers, but a series of elaborate sculptures made by a hitherto unknown artist.

Back in March, staff at the National Poetry Library—which features in Rankin’s book, Exit Music—found an incredibly intricate paper tree left on a table, hundreds of circles cut from books piled on one another to form the trunk, with shreds of pages twisted into leaves and a tiny paper bird’s nest in the branches. Referring to the title of the Patrick Geddes poem that forms the library’s Twitter name, a cryptic note left beside the sculpture reads, “It started with your name, @ByLeavesWeLive, and became a tree. We know that a library is so much more than a building full of books; a book is so much more than pages full of words. In support of libraries, books, words, ideas: a gesture - poetic, maybe.”

The library’s Lillias Hughes told The Guardian, “It’s just a joy. It’s such a beautiful and magical thing to find. I cannot believe someone’s made it and left it to be discovered - that’s the most magical thing. This is like when you stumble across a poem you’ve never read before and it takes you out at the knee caps because there’s something about it that means a lot to you. I just can’t get over what a beautiful symbol it is.”

Just as the buzz started to die down, a further three sculptures appeared. The National Library received a coffin and a gramophone cut from the pages of Exit Music, apparently a reference to Rankin’s work and the threat faced by library closures. The Filmhouse cinema received a scale model of a cinema with paper knights on horseback leaping spectacularly out of the screen at the audience—amongst whom was a miniature Rankin—and the Scottish Storytelling Centre found a large egg, out of which emerged a dragon rampant, carved from pages of Rankin’s Knots and Crosses. Each comes with a similar message of thanks for the recipients’ work in supporting books and learning.

Rankin admits to being baffled as to who is behind the project and rejects claims that it is a part of a marketing campaign for a future book, but admits that whoever it is, he or she has an intimate knowledge of his books.

This is one Rankin mystery that, for the time being at least, remains unsolved.

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 67

comedylistings

FESTIVAL

LISTINGS When it's this time...

...this show is on...

20:15 ❤ Elis James HHHH

... at this place...

Pleasance Courtyard 9-29 Aug, not 18, £9.50-£12

...for this price

...on these dates...

00:00 This Show Left Intentionally Blank Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 28-29 Aug, £free

Car Crash Comedy / Fooling Around for Free! With Julia Sutherland and Sarah-May Philo

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 10-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Adult Pantomime: Jack and the Beanstalk

Zoo Roxy, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, £10

Comedy in the Dark

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 1030 Aug, £10 – £11.50

Disco in a Dungeon

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 12-29 Aug, not 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, £8

Last Orders

C Venues - C eca, 10-30 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Comedy Countdown

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 10-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, £5

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Definitely The Ffloccinaucinihilipilification word show!

Fantabulicous!

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 13-14 Aug, £free

Cowboys and Indians: Black Man in the White House

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 10-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Gemma Goggin’s Celebrity Sleepover

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 1229 Aug, not 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, £8 – £9

Just the Tonic Comedy Club’s Midnight Show Just The Tonic at the Caves, 12-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, £10

Spank!

Underbelly, Cowgate, 1029 Aug, £10 – £15

00:05 Best of Whyteleafe Comedy Club - Free Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 26 Aug, £free

Going Nowhere

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 28-29 Aug, £free

As Drawn on FaceTube - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 22-25 Aug, £free

Mostly Comedy Club - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-21 Aug, £free

00:15 Late Night Irish Pick and Mick’s - Free Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-29 Aug, £free

The New Conway Experience

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-30 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

Late ‘n’ Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-29 Aug, £free

Fest is the only place you can get daily listings for all of the Comedy and Theatre shows at the Fringe.

The listings are arranged by type - Comedy or Theatre - and then by time. We've listed the dates that each show is running, but remember that it might be on at different times too - check our website for more information.

Dates and times can sometimes change, so check with the venue before planning ahead. Listings for other festivals can be found at festmag.co.uk or on the Festival websites.

00:20 Midnight Laughzzz

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-29 Aug, £free

00:30 Briefs

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-30 Aug, not 17, 26, £10 – £12

The Improverts

Bedlam Theatre, 9-28 Aug, £7.50

How to Be Patient With Arseholes

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-29 Aug, £free

00:35 Sanity Valve: Get Old or Die Tryin’ - Free Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

The Late Show

Underbelly, Cowgate, 12-29 Aug, not 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, £10.50 – £14.50

Spanktacular!

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, £14

00:40 Bruce Devlin: Devlin After Dark

The Stand Comedy Club V, 11-29 Aug, not 16, 17, 23, 24, £8

After Hours Comedy Pleasance Dome, 12-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, £10.50 – £11.50

Comic Strip

Assembly George Square, 20 Aug, 21 Aug, 27 Aug, 28 Aug, £15

68 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

00:45

11:00

Dr Ettrick-Hogg’s Late Night Manly Stand-Ups - Free

BBC: Loose Ends

Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 9-29 Aug, £free

01:00 Late ‘n’ Live

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-30 Aug, £13 – £15

Hurt and Anderson: A Bit Sketchy Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-17 Aug, not 11, £free

Dave Baucutt - Good Guy Gone Bad Ass Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 18-27 Aug, £free

01:15 The Smiley Show - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 20-29 Aug, £free

Adventures in Comedy: Murder, Madness and Mayhem! - Free Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 15-19 Aug, £free

09:00 BBC: Broadcasting House BBC @ Potterrow, 21 Aug, £free

10:30 BBC: MacAulay & Co

BBC @ Potterrow, 15-26 Aug, weekdays only, £free

Alison Thea-Skot: The Human Tuning Fork

BBC @ Potterrow, 20 Aug, £free

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £6.50 – £7.50

11:30

Quoth the Raven Free Sketch Comedy

Let Them Eat Cake!

Quaker Meeting House, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

Mind Reading for Breakfast

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-29 Aug, £9

Paul Merton’s Impro Chums

Pleasance Courtyard, 19 Aug, 20 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, 27 Aug, £14.50

11:55 Croft and Pearce - Funnier Than It Sounds

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

12:00 Eric Mutch: Schizophrene - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Lauren and Marc’s Comedy Snack - Free Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 9-18 Aug, not 14, £free

Live at the Gilded Balloon Podcast

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 10-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, £5

Tony Law: Go Mr Tony Go!

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 21, £8

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 20-27 Aug, £free

BBC: Off the Ball

BBC @ Potterrow, 27 Aug, £free

I am Google

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £free

The Improveteers

Cabaret Voltaire, 21-28 Aug, £3

Martin Semple ‘I Don’t Do Jokes’

Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 19-27 Aug, £free

Office Girls Go Crazy: Lazy Lunch - Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-20 Aug, £free

Making Life Taste Funny - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

Him and Me TV - Free Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-19 Aug, £free

12:05 As Drawn on FaceTube - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 24-25 Aug, £free

Finger Mice

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-13 Aug, £5

Best of Whyteleafe Comedy Club - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 26-28 Aug, £free

www.festmag.co.uk

comedylistings Rom Com Con - Free

Medina, 10-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Sally-Anne Hayward: Don’t Judge Me The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

12:10 Cheese-Badger presents... The Epic of Hairy Dave - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

Carl Sagan is My God, Oh and Richard Feynman Too The Canons’ Gait, 9-28 Aug, not 18, £free

12:15 Aaaand Now For Something Completely Improvised! - Free

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Tourists - A Free Festival Sketch Show Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-20 Aug, £free

About Comedy: Stand-up Comedy Courses

Laughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 9-28 Aug, not 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, £99

The ‘Agent, Stylist and PA Wanted’ Show - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-14 Aug, £free

Desperately Sikhing Fusion - Free Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 21-28 Aug, £free

BBC: The Unbelievable Truth BBC @ Potterrow, 13 Aug, £free

Shakespeare’s Monkeys

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 13, 20, 27, £free

We Need to Talk

Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £free

12:20 Happiness - Free

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

The Durham Revue’s 33rd Annual Surprise Party!

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

www.festmag.co.uk

12:30

12:55

13:10

Barely Legal Corn - Free

Which One’s Fergal?

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7.50

Mythbunking

The Bob Blackman Appreciation Society

Run, Deaf Boy, Run!

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 12-18 Aug, £free

Fisting a Nun

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 19-29 Aug, £free

Talking to You is Cheaper Than Therapy - Free Festival

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 11 Aug, £free

Those Bloody Teenagers - Free

Southsider, 22-27 Aug, £free

Devlin and Pulsford Are Spitting Dummies

Fred Cooke: Comfort in Chaos

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 21-28 Aug, £free

The Gherkin Fantasies

12:35 Come Hell Or High Water This Sick World Will Know I Was Here

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 13-28 Aug, £free

Roman Around - Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-12 Aug, £free

12:40 Please Hold, You’re Being Transferred to a UK Based Asian Representative

Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

12:45 Milo McCabe: Get Brown

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £8.50

The Hamiltons: High Jinks with the Hamiltons!

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £11.50

How Do I Get Up There?

Ciao Roma, 9-27 Aug, £free

Scott Agnew’s Scottish Breakfast Chat Show Cabaret Voltaire, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £7

Card Ninja

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £8

The Thinking Drinker’s Guide to Alcohol Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £9 – £11

Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 23, £9 – £10

Just the Tonic’s Afternoon Delight

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £5

13:05 Biscuit and Brawn Make a Meal of It

Paradise in The Vault, 9-29 Aug, not 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, £5

Adventures in Comedy: Murder, Madness and Mayhem! - Free Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 20-28 Aug, £free

Give Me The Funnies!

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-19 Aug, £free

Punching Mice

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 25-29 Aug, £8

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 13, 14, £free

12:50

The Right Dishonourable Dickie Daventry

Those Two - Free

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, not 15, £free

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Eric Gudmunsen - Ryanair Lost My Baby (God Bless Them) - Free

The Malcolm Muggeridge Memorial Hour - Free

Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £7

The Showcase Show

13:15

13:00

The Lunchtime Club 2011

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Southsider, 9-13 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 22-28 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-21 Aug, £free

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £10

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £8.50

This is Soap

C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £6.50 – £8.50

BBC: Festival Café

BBC @ Potterrow, 15-26 Aug, weekdays only, £free

Attention Deficit Let’s Go Ride Bikes!

- Free Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £free

Big Dave’s Gay-B-C of Life - Free Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, not 16, 21, £free

Laughing Penguin Showcase

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Four Sad Faces, Suddenly

The Canons’ Gait, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 22, £free

13:20 Schoolbooks in Wallpaper - Ian Perth - Free

Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

Joe Fairbrother: Characters

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £8

Meditation Ruined My Life

Medina, 9-27 Aug, £free

Kieran and The Joes: Teampowered

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8.50

Lunch With Quattro Formaggio Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £9.50

13:25 Peeling PVA in Happier Maché

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-27 Aug, not 17, £5 – £7

Steve Pretty’s Perfect Mixtape

13:45

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 12, £9 – £9.50

The Great Brain Robbery

13:30

Jollyboat

Three Blokes Tell Jokes

Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 21-28 Aug, £5 The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, not 17, £free

Ben Target in Discover Ben Target Bannermans, 17-27 Aug, £free

After Lunch Laugh Lounge* - Free

Nathan Cassidy: Fantastica!

Gagtanamo Bay

Huggers - Free Festival Family Fun

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-29 Aug, £free The Royal Mile Tavern, 9-27 Aug, £free

Tomorrow’s Stand-Up Today - Free Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 13, 20, 27, £free

BBC: Just a Minute BBC @ Potterrow, 14 Aug, £free

Beckett and Smith

Whistlebinkies, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Chat Masala with Hardeep Singh Kohli Gilded Balloon Teviot, 26 Aug, £12

Mugging Chickens

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

Sophie Alderson is Running for President

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

13:35 Pockets of Suspense - Free Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-27 Aug, £free

Catriona Knox: Packed Lunch

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Roland Rides the Rails!

Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 9-13 Aug, £free

13:40 Dicking a Great Big Hole

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7

This Next One is About Putting Salt in Your Tea The Banshee Labyrinth, 15-27 Aug, £free

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-20 Aug, not 17, £5 – £6

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Man Who Was Nearly There - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

Tiernan Douieb vs the World

Assembly Hall, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8 – £10

Gadd, Kirk and Winning: Well, This is Awkward...

Bannermans, 9-16 Aug, £free

13:50 Marbles Presents...

Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-12 Aug, £free

14:00 People I Tried to Like Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £8.50 – £9.50

Chat Masala with Hardeep Singh Kohli Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 26, £11 – £12

The Earl and the InstruMentalist

Dragonfly, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Faulty Towers the Dining Experience

B’est Restaurant, 9-30 Aug, not 13, 20, 27, £38

It’s Two O’Clock Live at Two O’Clock

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £free

Shinoxcy Presents: There’s No ‘I’ in Shinoxcy - Free

Fingers Piano Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Hannah Gadsby Mary. Contrary.

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Various dates from 17 Aug to 26 Aug, £5 – £12

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 69

comedylistings 14:05

14:20

Amused Moose Laughter Awards Top Ten Semi-Final

Richard Herring’s Edinburgh Fringe Podcast

The Bongo Club, 19 Aug, £10

Amused Moose Comedy Awards Final The Bongo Club, 21 Aug, £12

Big School

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-20 Aug, £6.50

Cab Fare for the Common Man

theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8

14:10 Seminar HH

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Everything But an Astronaut

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-13 Aug, £7

14:15 Best of the Fest Daytime

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, 26, £12 – £13

Shmozle

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-20 Aug, £free

Gagging For Attention

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £3

Arguments and Nosebleeds - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 21-25 Aug, £free

BBC: The Unbelievable Truth BBC @ Potterrow, 13 Aug, £free

BBC: Comic Fringes BBC @ Potterrow, 20 Aug, £free

Do Not Take Advice From This Man - Jim Smallman and Friends - Free Globe, 9-27 Aug, not 17, £free

Jackson Voorhaar Can’t Play Guitar - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, £free

The End of the World Show Bar 50, 15-27 Aug, not 22, £free

Sink or Spin

Bannatyne’s Health Club, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £9.50

The Stand Comedy Club, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10

Fresh Bread Presents Johnny’s Favourite Show The Banshee Labyrinth, 10-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

The World of Shrimpology

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-19 Aug, not 16, £6.50

Seymour Mace: Happypotamus

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £7

David Morgan: Triple Threat

Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £6

Tom Toal and Joe Wells Rom-Coms and Revolutions

The Seven Deadly Sings (Remastered) - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 13-28 Aug, £free

Taking the Piff

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 21-28 Aug, £free

ComedySportz@ Laughing Horse Free Festival Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-12 Aug, £free

Cheshire Liberation Front’s Political Indoctrination Rally Buffs Club (RAOB), 9-27 Aug, £free

Chris Coxen’s Space Clone Audition

Cabaret Voltaire, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £5 – £7

Jay Foreman: We’re Living in the Future Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 10-28 Aug, £free

Jon Richardson: It’s Not Me, It’s You

14:25

Peeling PVA Stands Up

Free Tea and Biscuit Hour

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, £free

Richard Sandling Performs Music and Comedy as Pot Pourri and Does Some Poetry as Spak Whitman The Canons’ Gait, 9-28 Aug, not 18, £free

Tiffany Stevenson: Cavewoman

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 25, £8

T Time - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9 Aug, £free

14:30 Monkhouse and Me

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 2227 Aug, £8 – £9

Jody Kamali’s Business Coaching for Idiots - Free Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £free

Stitches: Stand-up.

Slightly Strangely - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-12 Aug, £free

Instant Sunshine

Pleasance Dome, 9-13 Aug, £9

Pleasance Dome, 20-28 Aug, £12

Base Nightclub, 9-27 Aug, £free

The Squiffy Journals Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8 – £9.50

Ray Time in the Daytime: An Audience With Ray Green and Friends

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Rrrantin’ Free at the Pear Tree Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree, 21-28 Aug, £free

Ze Hoff Und Friends - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, £free

Ian Fox Exposes Himself - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Quotidian Revue The Bongo Club, Various dates from 14 Aug to 20 Aug, £6

14:35

Pointless Anger, Righteous Ire 2: Back in the Habit

Making Faces: Introspectacles - Free

14:40

Music Box

The Stand Comedy Club V, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Funny Women

Assembly George Square, 10-21 Aug, not 15, 16, £10 – £12

Jollygoodlarks - How to Make it Huge

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £6 – £7.50

A Slightly Dangerous Comedy Occasion - Free The Royal Mile Tavern, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

Zeus’ Pamphlet

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9.50

Funny Women Comedy Workshop

Assembly George Square, 15 Aug, £45

Eric Hutton and Ben Ellwood - The Best of the Sh*ttest - Free Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 18, £free

Mike Newall’s ‘Get Better Box’

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £5 – £8

Moonshine and Trumpery

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, £free

14:45 The Improlympians - Free Rabbie Burns Cafe and Bar, 9-16 Aug, £free

Wedding Band: A Comedy by Charlie Baker

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £10.50 – £12.50

AAA Batteries (Not Included) - Free

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Edinburgh Revue Show

Opium, 9-29 Aug, £free

Catherine Semark: The Truth About Lions

Meryl O’Rourke - Bad Mother...

Three Man Roast - Free

Free Cuddles With 007

Medina, 9-27 Aug, not 10, 17, £free

Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 21, £free

70 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 22-28 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 9-28 Aug, £free C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Gemma Goggin: Double G

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 22, £7 – £8

Itch: A Scratch Event Pleasance Courtyard, 16 Aug, £8

Rory and Tim Are Free at Last

Rabbie Burns Cafe and Bar, 17-23 Aug, £free

Horse and Louis: Top Trumpin’! - Free HHH

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 13, 22, £free

14:55 Matt Forde: Dishonourable Member

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

15:00 Lorcan McGrath is ...

Not in Love - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-27 Aug, not 18, £free

BBC: Just a Minute BBC @ Potterrow, 14 Aug, £free

Alex Horne: Taskmaster II

This Arthurs Seat Belongs to Lionel Richie

Arthur’s Seat, 20 Aug, £free

Worbey and Farrell: Well Strung!

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £12

BBC: Ricky Gervais and Warwick Davis discuss the making of Life’s Too Short BBC @ Potterrow, 26 Aug, £free

Fran Moulds Curtains - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 13, 20, 27, £free

15:05 A Brief History of Time - Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Philosophical Investigations

Rush Bar, 9-27 Aug, £free

Channel Hopping!

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £7

Writer’s Block - Free Laughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 22-28 Aug, £free

Nobody’s Darling

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £5

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 26 Aug, £10

15:10

Funny as Muck

Dragonfly, 10-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Bannermans, 9-27 Aug, £free

Mabbs & Justice: Love Machine

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7 – £8

Adam Larter: The Legend of Bob Geldof (and Other Short Stories) - Free Comedy

A Kind Of Surprise

Eric’s Tales of the Sea - A Submariner’s Yarn Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, 22, £8.50 – £9.50

You For Coffee?

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-28 Aug, £free

15:15

The 90’s in Half an Hour - Free

BBC: Richard Herring’s Objective

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £free

Todd Barry: American Hot The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 16-28 Aug, £10

Merv’s 20th Year Gala Show

Pleasance Courtyard, 17 Aug, £12.50

Mitch Benn

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-14 Aug, £10

BBC @ Potterrow, 15 Aug, £free

Bloke

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-12 Aug, £free

Hanks and Conran: Scruples? - Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 13-19 Aug, £free

BBC Comedy Writers’ Workshop BBC @ Potterrow, 16 Aug, £free

www.festmag.co.uk

comedylistings James Sherwood - I Fed My Best Friend Her Favourite Cow HHH

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £8

BBC: Front Row

BBC @ Potterrow, 17 Aug, £free

Playtime - Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 20-28 Aug, £free

Samurai Grandma

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £8

Tom Allen’s Afternoon Tea

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £9 – £10

Mission Suggestible

Paradise in The Vault, 9-21 Aug, not 15, £7.50

BBC: What’s So Funny?

BBC @ Potterrow, 18 Aug, £free

15:20 Present...

Ciao Roma, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £free

Hit Comet

Bedlam Theatre, 14-27 Aug, £7

David O’Doherty Presents: Rory Sheridan’s Tales of The Antarctica Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10

The Gentlemen of Leisure Present: The Death of the Novel HHH Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £8

15:25 Ben Brailsford - My Fortnum and Mason Hell Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 22, £9 – £10

15:30 Ben Verth: Not With That Attitude The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £free

Max and Ivan Are Holmes and Watson Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £10 – £11

Morgan & West: Crime Solving Magicians

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £9.50 – £10.50

www.festmag.co.uk

Wendy Wason’s Flashbacks

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Phill Jupitus Quartet - ‘Made Up’

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, 26, £12 – £14

Parris and Dowler: Special Delivery

Bar 50, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 23, £free

Slap & Giggle: Revealed

Globe, 9-16 Aug, £free

Enjoy Yourself - It’s Later Than You Think! - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Ford and Akram: Humdinger

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9.50

Ivor’s Other Show

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Apocalypse Meow – Doomsday for Dummies Ciao Roma, 18 Aug, £free

Patsy Blades’ Mid-Life Crisis

Sweet Grassmarket, 1521 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

15:35 Olver: Portrait of a Serial Killer

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 10-28 Aug, not 17, 21, 22, £7

Deemed Unsafe

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £5

Wil Hodgson

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Flyerman

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-20 Aug, £7

Super Crazy Fun Fun - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

15:40 Simon Munnery: Hats Off for the 101ers, and Other Material The Stand Comedy Club, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10

Bristol Revunions: National Friends

15:45

16:00

Tom Goodliffe: The Good Liffe

Amused Moose Comedy Awards Showcase

Cabaret Voltaire, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Just Havin’ a Fiddle

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 16, £free

Yorkshire Comedy Cabaret - Free

Base Nightclub, 9-27 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

The Tim Vine Chat Show

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £12.50 – £13.50

Comedy Manifesto

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £free

The Oxford Imps

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, £8 – £10

Totally Tom

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £10

Jo and Brydie Play Doctor

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £6.50 – £7.50

Movin’ On Up! With Politically Erect - Free Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Return of O’Farahan and Keith - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £free

15:50 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards Show

Pleasance Dome, 10-27 Aug, not 15, 16, 19, 21, 22, 23, £7.50 – £8.50

Mary Mary Quite Contrary

The Street, 9-29 Aug, £free

The Dog-Eared Collective: You’re Better Than This

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

The Fitzrovia Radio Hour

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £10 – £11

John Kearns’ Dinner Party Whistlebinkies, 9-29 Aug, £free

Nick Helm - Dare to Dream

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £11 – £12

Me, Myself and Iona Rabbie Burns Cafe and Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 17, £free

Billy Kirkwood: Show Me Your Tattoo - Free Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 9-27 Aug, £free

Can You Dig It?

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - John Hope Gateway, 10-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £12

Colm O’Regan: Dislike! A Facebook Guide to Crisis

Pleasance Courtyard, 28 Aug, £14

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £9.50

Hatty Ashdown: Nan-Child

Don’t Trust Salmon: Fin

Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 21, £free

Kevin Cruise

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £10 – £12

Uncle Ivan Pest Controller - Free

Tom Bell Begins

Joanna Neary: Youth Club

Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 21, £7 – £8.50

Cariad Lloyd: Lady Cariad’s Characters

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, not 17, £free

Richard Dawkins Does Not Exist, and We Can Prove It

The Canons’ Gait, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

15:55

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £8.50

Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

The Stand Comedy Club V, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8

The Baby Diary

Conor O’Toole’s Manual of Style

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7.50

Damion Larkin: Cuddly Dreamer

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £9

Paul Merton’s Impro Chums

Pleasance Courtyard, 1927 Aug, £13 – £14.50

Sally Outen: Non-Bio?

The Bongo Club, 20-29 Aug, not 21, £7 – £8

Rrrantin’ Free at the Pear Tree Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree, 21-28 Aug, £free

This Next One is About Putting Salt in Your Tea The Banshee Labyrinth, 15-26 Aug, £free

The Three Englishmen: Optimists

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8 – £9

Chortle Student Comedy Awards Final

Assembly George Square, 28 Aug, £8.50

Down and Out Comedy With Mike Belgrave

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 22, £free

A Girl, a Ghost and the Little Yellow Man - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 21-28 Aug, £free

Manos the Greek: The Tale Of An Immigrant - Free

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-28 Aug, £free

16:05 Endemic

Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £free

Flyerman

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, £7

Al Murray’s Compete for the Meat

I Didn’t Mean to be a Virgin in the 80s

Barry Fox – Poems, Pamphlets, Props and Pissing About

16:10

Assembly George Square, 12-27 Aug, £10

Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 13-20 Aug, £free

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-29 Aug, £8

John Hegley Family Word Ship Pleasance Courtyard, 9-18 Aug, £12

Ruby Wax: Losing It Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £15 – £17.50

Nathan Penlington: Uri and Me Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

16:15 The Truth (Explained in Doodles!)

Sin Club and Lounge, 9-27 Aug, £free

Four Screws Loose Present ‘ScrewedOver-Again!’

Bannermans, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £free

Jingo and Butterfield’s Tales of Empire/Sophie Buchan’s Broadmoor Karaoke

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-13 Aug, £free

Yianni: Things That Make You Go ‘Oooooh!’ - Free

Sin Club and Lounge, 9-27 Aug, not 14, £free

Scott Capurro’s Position

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, £10 – £11

Fat Kitten vs the World The Voodoo Rooms, 14-27 Aug, £free

Luke Wright’s Cynical Ballads Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £10.50

The Quest for Human Happiness - Free

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-28 Aug, £free

16:20 Rory O’Hanlon: Is it Just Me That’s Mental?

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, 22, £7.50

Fin Taylor and Jared Hardy - With Full Orchestra Dragonfly, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Tweeting Beauty (and Other Stories)

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, £free

Leila’s Ladies

Fingers Piano Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Eric Gudmunsen - Ryanair Lost My Baby (God Bless Them) - Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, £free

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 71

comedylistings The Beta Males: The Train Job Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £10 – £11

16:25 Andy Zaltzman: Armchair Revolutionary The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

The Oxford Revue: But Seriously

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10.50

An Englishwoman, a Scotswoman and an Irishwoman

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 15 Aug, £8

16:30 Holden and Revill: The North South Divide - Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Noise Next Door – Their Finest Hour Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £11 – £12

The Unexpected Items Are On It, In the Zone, Off the Hook and Down With the Kids Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £9 – £10

Pam Ford Curl Up and Dye Salon Secrets Southsider, 9-27 Aug, £free

Ronnie Golden - First a Fender Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

Tony Bournemouth: Bournemouth’s All Time Second Greatest Comedian Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, £free

Apocalypse Meow – Doomsday for Dummies

Ciao Roma, 17 Aug, £free

The Real MacGuffins: Skitsophrenic Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 12, £9 – £11

They Came With Outer Script - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 14-19 Aug, £free

Morningside Malcolm Meets the Weegies

The Royal Oak, Various dates from 9 Aug to 18 Aug, £free

Toby - Lucky

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9 – £9.50

The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek - All New Show Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9.50 – £12

Molly and Fuffkin

Princes Mall, 9-14 Aug, £free

So On and So Forth present ‘Human Era’ Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-27 Aug, not 17, £7.50

❤ Bring Me the Head of Adam Riches HHHHH

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £10 – £11

Matthew Crosby: AdventureParty HH

Dr Ettrick-Hogg Presents Manly Stand-Ups - Free

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12

16:35

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-12 Aug, £free

Vinegar Knickers: Sketchy Beast

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Alistair Green: Outpatient

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 23, £7 – £8

16:40 Little Howard’s Big Show

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £10

Bridget Christie: Housewife Surrealist HH The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

James Dowdeswell: Doofus

Lewis Schaffer is Free Until Famous in a Smaller Room at an Earlier Time Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, £free

Sheeps: A Sketch Show

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £9.50

Stuff and Nonsense

Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 15-26 Aug, not 21, £free

John-Luke Roberts and Nadia Kamil: The Behemoth

Who is Jean? Go the Distance

RadioHead Redux - Free!

Isy Suttie: Pearl and Dave

Hannah Gadsby - Mrs Chuckles

Alzheimer’s the Musical: A Night to Remember!

Luke McQueen - Your Love is Mine

16:50

Eddie Naessens: Butter People

Phil Mann’s Full Mind and Michael Keane: Intelligent Shuffle - Free

Smut - Free

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, not 17, 24, £free

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

Parents Evening The Voodoo Rooms, 17-27 Aug, £free

Brit-Hot Comedy

Laughing Horse @ Cafe Renroc, 15-28 Aug, £free

Edinburgh Tonight with Joe Simmons and Lorraine Chase

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £10

Dropkick Murphy’s, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £free Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

Aberdeen vs Glasgow vs the World! - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 18-28 Aug, £free

And The Award Goes To...

Base Nightclub, 21-27 Aug, £free

Baker and Thompson: Never Made it to the RSC - Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, 24, £7

Dave Gibson and Charlie Talbot - Battle of Britain: North vs South Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £10.50

The Great Big Comedy Picnic - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

John Scott: Totally Made Up - Totally Free

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

17:05 Laugh Or Your Money Back - Free Medina, 9-27 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

16:55 Christmas For Two: Friends With You

How to be Awesome: An Introduction

The Stand Comedy Club V, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

The Leeds Tealights: Animals with Jobs

Channel Hopping!

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £6.50

17:00 Totally Ninja

Belushi’s, 27 Aug, £free

The Inflatables - Free Ryan’s Cellar Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

Joe Bor: In Search of the Six Pack

16:45

Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7 – £8

The Antics - Premature Ejokeulation

Jem Brookes: Pintification - Free

Moon Horse vs the Mars Men of Jupiter

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £10.50 – £11.50

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11.50

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-17 Aug, not 15, £free

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9 – £11

C venues - C, 9-13 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Buffs Club (RAOB), 9-20 Aug, £free

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, £8 – £9

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7 – £8

Paul Daniels: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, £14 – £15

The Warm Up Show

Ava Vidal: The Hardest Word

Big Noise

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, not 16, £free theSpaces on the Mile , 15-27 Aug, not 21, £7

17:10 Jack Whitehall and his father Michael Back Chat

Pleasance Courtyard, 2428 Aug, £11 – £12.50

Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 9-28 Aug, £free

Doctors Do Little

BBC Comedy Presents - Early and Late

Jessica Ransom: Unsung Heroes

BBC @ Potterrow, 13-27 Aug, £10

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £6

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

3:45PM (4:45PM) 04-28 AUGUST 2011 (NOT 15)

72 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

tallyTom_EdinburghFringe2011_A5PreviewGuideAdvert (W64mm x01/07/2011 H43mm).indd19:26 1

www.festmag.co.uk

comedylistings Mogic

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

Nicholas Parsons’ Happy Hour Pleasance Courtyard, 10-20 Aug, not 14, £11 – £12

17:15 Stewart Lee – Flickwerk 2011.

Work In Progress The Stand Comedy Club, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10

The Good, the Bad and the Cuddlier ‘Ride Again’ VI - Free

Lewis Gray and Friend

Rabbie Burns Cafe and Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Singles Collection

Opium, 9-27 Aug, £free

Down to the Bone

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, £free

Maff Brown - Pacman Is Actually Allergic to Ghosts Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Guy Pratt - Wake up Call

Danny Pensive’s Map of Britain Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £6 – £7

Clare Plested: Vegas, Jesus and Me Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

17:25 Apocalypse Later?

C Venues - C eca, 9-13 Aug, £7.50 – £8.50

Ahir Shah: Astrology

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Jason Cook - The Search for Happiness Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £12 – £13

Out - But Not on Good Behaviour

The Jazz Bar, 13-26 Aug, £5

Fresh Faces at the Free Fringe Rush Bar, 9-27 Aug, £free

So Much Potential Sin Club and Lounge, 10-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

We Love Comedy

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 19-29 Aug, £10

17:30

Sin Club and Lounge, 9-27 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 13-28 Aug, £free

Rik ‘n’ Mix - Free

Monsters: A History of Villainy

Tom Webb Fixes 2012

Love, Hate and Other Hobbies - Free

17:20

Fingers Piano Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Dragonfly, 9-27 Aug, £free

Award-winning Comedian Nik Coppin - Free HH

The Broken Windows Policy

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-12 Aug, £free

SomeNews - The Free Topical Show Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 9-28 Aug, £free

www.festmag.co.uk

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Neil Dougan - Rough Rared

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £6 – £7

Footlights in ‘Pretty Little Panic’ Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-27 Aug, £free

Brett Goldstein Grew Up in a Strip Club Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

The Stand Comedy Club, 15 Aug, £7

Tokyo Game: The Body Tights Man Show

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 11, 17, 25, £8 – £9

17:31 Harpurs Bizarre!

Immortal Combat The Rat Pack, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

17:35 James Loveridge ... and Other Losers!

- Free Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

Rita Trump and Julie Jones: Screw Loose Women - Free Laughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 9-27 Aug, £free

17:40 Juliet Meyers: I’m Not Spartacus!

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7 – £8

McNeil and Pamphilon: Which One Are You? Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £9.50

17:45 Rowena Haley: Nothing to Write Home About

Southsider, 9-27 Aug, £free

Dan Antopolski, Tom Craine & Nat Luurtsema: Jigsaw

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Joe Wilkinson: My Mum’s Called Stella and My Dad’s Called Brian

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £8.50 – £9.50

Roisin Conaty: Destiny’s Dickhead HHH Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

A Free Pro-Zach: An Antidepressant Guaranteed to Lift Your Spirits but With the Side-Effect of Nullifying Your Libido

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, £free

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 73

comedylistings Bad Bread: TV Times Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

Olivia Lee Chats Them Up

Assembly George Square, 16-29 Aug, £12.50 – £14.50

Itch: A Scratch Event Pleasance Courtyard, 15 Aug, £8

Diane Spencer: All-Pervading Madness

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9

A Betrayal of Penguins: Endangered for a Reason

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 19, 20, £8.50 – £9.50

17:50 Oklahomaphobia!

Ciao Roma, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £free

Gavin Webster: All Young People Are C**ts

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

17:55 Susan Murray’s Photo Booth

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Edinburgh Bloody Edinburgh

The Wee Windaes , 9-29 Aug, £12

Lady Garden

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £9.50

Laughing Horse Free Pick of the Fringe Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Sammy J and Randy: Ricketts Lane Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £12.50 – £14

Transformer

Bedlam Theatre, 9-27 Aug, £8

Hitch and Mitch Genisis

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, £free

Dying to Help - Free Jenny Ha’s, 9-27 Aug, not 15, £free

The Brandreth Papers

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, £10 – £12

Holly Walsh - The Hollycopter

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

4 Poofs and a Piano Business as Usual

Patsy Blades’ Mid-Life Crisis

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £14 – £15

18:00

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £10

Sweet Grassmarket, 2228 Aug, £9.50

Brave New Irish Showcase - Free

Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 21, £free

Chris Mayo’s Panic Attack

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £8

The Big Value Comedy Show - Early

Beer and Loathing and Lost Wages - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, £free

Eric Lampaert

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12

Kerry Godliman Wonder Woman

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £11 – £12

5-Step Guide to Being German - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 13, 20, 27, £free

Original

Globe, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

18:05 Absolute Improv

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-27 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Chronic

Laughing Horse @ Cafe Renroc, 20-28 Aug, £free

Thirty-seven ways of deceiving you, the audience, into believing I have written a new one-man show for 2011 even though I probably haven’t, or something The Canons’ Gait, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

OCD: The Singing Obsessive - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Sarah Archer - Bumfluff and Brimstone

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £7

Best of Irish Comedy

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, £10

18:10 Michael J Dolan Dress to Depress

Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £free

James W Smith: Living in Syntax

The Royal Mile Tavern, 9-27 Aug, not 16, £free

74 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

18:15 Bob Slayer’s Marmite Gameshow - Free Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 24-28 Aug, £free

Foil, Arms and Hog: Comedy Doesn’t Pay Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £10

Thomas Hardie & Co Ryan’s Cellar Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

WitTank

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £9.50

Free Jewish Comedy Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Caroline Mabey’s One Minute Silence Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

Frank Sanazi’s Comedy Blitzkrieg - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-21 Aug, £free

Aaaaaaaaaaaaarghh! It’s the Malcolm Hardee Spaghetti-Juggling Contest - Year One

Outside the Beehive Inn, 24-25 Aug, £free

Aaaaaaa-aaaaaarghh!

It’s the Malcolm Hardee Comedy Punch-Up Debates And They’re Free!

Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 22-23 Aug, £free

Neil By Mouth

Cabaret Voltaire, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 24, £5 – £8

A Mixed Bag - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

Bog Standard Britain Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 22 Aug, £9

Ian D Montfort - Spirit Comedium Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, £10 – £11

Asian Provocateurs: Rule Britannia! - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Dan Willis: Inspired - Free!

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

18:20 New Art Club: Quiet Act of Destruction

Assembly George Square, 10-28 Aug, not 16, £12 – £14

Delete the Banjax: Pigs and Ponies Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Keith Farnan: Money, Money, Money Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10.50

NewsRevue

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £12.50 – £15

Paul McCaffrey: Saying Something Stupid Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Andrew Doyle’s Crash Course in Depravity

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £6.50 – £7.50

Josh Howie: I Am A Dick

The Stand Comedy Club V, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

18:30 An Evening With David Sedaris

Venue150 @ EICC, 16-20 Aug, £15

Quiz in my Pants

Opium, 9-27 Aug, not 16, £free

An Austrian, an Italian and Someone from Slough Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Silky Pair: Jealous People - Free Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Dana McCoy: ‘Cube Rat’ Rabbie Burns Cafe and Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 16, £free

The Top Secret Comedy Club

Rosie’s Pop Diary

Whistlebinkies, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 20, £free

Fraser Millward’s Little Men

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9.50

Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 16, £8 – £9

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, not 15, £free

John Robertson: Dragon Punch! - Free Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, £free

You’re Being Lied To - 2011 / PBH’s Free Fringe

Medina, 9-27 Aug, not 16, £free

Danny Bevins: Infectious Waste

Dave Callan Presents ?

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Henning Wehn / Otto Kuhnle: Das Very Best Of German Humour Assembly George Square, 16 Aug, £12.50

www.festmag.co.uk

comedylistings 18:40 Mae Day: I’m Not Waving, I’m Drowning

The Rat Pack, 9-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Andi Osho: All the Single Ladies Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £12 – £14

Piff the Magic Dragon: Last of the Magic Dragons

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

Chortle Presents: Fast Fringe

Pleasance Dome, 9-27 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Rayguns Look Real Enough: Balls Deep

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

The Phoenix: A Failure On a Mission Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £9

Joel Sanders - Jokes That Got Me Kicked Out Of Tennessee Dragonfly, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £free

Laurence Clark: Health Hazard! HHH

Applied_Optimism

Sin Club and Lounge, 9-27 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

Ridiculous - Free

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12

Barry Cryer - Innit

The Edge Festival @ The Liquid Room, 15-17 Aug, £17.50

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-19 Aug, not 15, £free Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-18 Aug, £12

Shirley and Shirley: The Wonder Years

Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

Festival of the Spoken Nerd

Sin Club and Lounge, 16 Aug, £free

The Naked Busker: Seeing More of Me - Free

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 20-28 Aug, £free

18:50 Best of Whyteleafe Comedy Club - Free

Laughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 21-28 Aug, £free

Alun Cochrane: Moments of Alun

The Stand Comedy Club, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10

The Infinite Delusions of Victor Pope - Free

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

Charmian Hughes: The Ten Charmandments

Reshape While Damp

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

18:45 Richard Sandling’s Perfect Movie

The Cameo Cinema, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £9

The Artisan

Sin Club and Lounge, 9-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

www.festmag.co.uk

Sara Pascoe vs the Apocalypse HHH

Laughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 9-12 Aug, £free

Joel Dommett: Neon Hero Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12

19:00 Jessica Fostekew: Luxury Tramp

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9.50

Steve-O

Henry Rollins

The Queen’s Hall, 18-19 Aug, £15

The Fringe Comedy Academy: Class of 2011

Alistair Greaves Mixed Grill - Free

❤ Imran Yusuf Bring the Thunder HHHH

Devious Minds

Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher!

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £11 – £12

Amateur Transplants: Adam Kay’s Smutty Songs

Josie Long: The Future Is Another Place

Chris McCausland Big Time HHH

Jarlath Regan - Shock and Ahhh!

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11.50

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £11 – £12

Dr Phil’s Rude Health Show theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £9 – £10

Mark Dolan - Sharing Too Much Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-26 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £9.50

The Maybe Pile

Southsider, 9-27 Aug, £free

Stuart Goldsmith: Another Lovely Crisis HHH Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

Pearse James Presents Freesome

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Frimston and Rowett

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8

John Robins: Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8 – £9

Steve Gribbin: Laugh at First Sight

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £10 – £12

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £9.50

The Stand Comedy Club, 15 Aug, £6 Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 14-22 Aug, £9

Mark Nelson - Guilty Pleasure Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £10 – £11

19:15 Bob Slayer’s Marmite Gameshow - Free

The Quotidian Revue

Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-22 Aug, £free

19:05

C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11.50

The Bongo Club, 21-28 Aug, £9

Vladimir McTavish: A Scotsman’s Guide to Betting The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £8

Aslan - The Lockdown theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8

Colin Hoult’s Inferno Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £12 – £14

Kev Orkian The Guilty Pianist – The Closed Venues Tour

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 9-27 Aug, £12

An Evening in With Henry the Hoover and Friends Ciao Roma, 9-27 Aug, not 15, £free

19:10 Chris Cox: Fatal Distraction

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £12 – £14

Lights! Camera!

Improvise!

Matt Rudge - We Could Be Heroes

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £11 – £12

The Social Anxiety Network

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

JEWELSH

The Canons’ Gait, 18-28 Aug, £free

Josh Widdicombe: If This Show Saves One Life Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

Robin Ince - Star Corpse Apple Child

The Canons’ Gait, 9-17 Aug, £free

Edinburgh Bloody Edinburgh

The Wee Windaes , 9-29 Aug, £12

Fear of a Brown Planet

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £8.50 – £9.50

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 22, £free

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £10 – £12.50

Mickey Anderson Unlocks the Key to Human Happiness

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £free

Morris & Vyse: Daylords Return

Jenny Ha’s, 20-27 Aug, £free

AAA Stand-Up

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £9 – £10

19:20 Spaghetti Lolognaise - Free Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Age of Treason - Free Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 13-20 Aug, £free

David O’Doherty is Looking Up Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £14 – £15

One Handed Show: A History of Pornography The Royal Mile Tavern, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Recovering Catholics Anonymous and Other Crosses I’ve Had to Bear - Free Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 21-28 Aug, £free

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 75

comedylistings Edward Aczel Doesn’t Exist

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

Shane Matheson and His Fabulous Singing Bucket of Gravel Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-12 Aug, £free

19:25 Brown and Corley: Born in the 80s

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7.50

Spring Day: Sushi Souffle - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, £free

19:30 Indoor Fox Hunting

C venues - C aquila, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

The Lastminute Comedy Club

Buffs Club (RAOB), 9-27 Aug, £free

Zoe Lyons Clownbusting

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, £10 – £12

God Bless, God Speed, God Damn You All

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 28 Aug, £free

Lewis Schaffer is Free Until Famous 18th Year

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Many Mental Minds of Dr Jackson

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-26 Aug, £free

Pete Bennett’s Tourette’s and Stuff Cabaret Voltaire, 9-29 Aug, £8 – £9

Dave Nelder and Vague Acquaintances - Free Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-18 Aug, not 12, 13, £free

Milton Jones: Lion Whisperer Assembly Hall, 9-11 Aug, £15

Sitting on a Cornflake - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Ad-Libertines

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 21-25 Aug, £free

The Big Value Comedy Show - Middle Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £10

Free Agent - A Free Show by James Hazelden Base Nightclub, 18-27 Aug, £free

Up to the Eyeballs

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 16, £free

Sarah MillicanThoroughly Modern Millican Assembly Hall, 12-28 Aug, £14 – £16

Tim FitzHigham: Gambler

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £10 – £12

Andrew Bird’s Village Fete Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-27 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Comedy Gala 2011: In Aid of Waverley Care Festival Theatre Edinburgh, 16 Aug, £25

Craig Hill - Blown By a Fan...!

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 14, 21, £12.50 – £14.50

Gangsters of Laugh - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Walking On Broken Das City Edinburgh, 12-20 Aug, £10

Mark Thomas: Extreme Rambling (Walking the Wall) The Bongo Club, 9-20 Aug, not 16, £14.50

19:35 Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen

Assembly George Square, 12-27 Aug, £15 – £16

Chris Martin: No. Not That One Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

Matt Tiller: Just Du-et Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £8

Francesca Martinez: What the **** is Normal?!

The Stand Comedy Club V, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, 23, £9

The World According to Damien Crow

The Stand Comedy Club V, 22 Aug, £8

Daniel Sloss - The Joker

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £11.50 – £13.50

19:40 Iain Stirling and Sean McLoughlin

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7 – £8

Joey Page - Sparklehorse Superbrain

Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8

76 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Neil Delamere: Divilment

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £11 – £12

Ed Byrne: Crowd Pleaser

Venue150 @ EICC, 9-27 Aug, not 10, £16.50 – £18.50

Paul Foot: Still Life Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £6.50 – £11

Dave Gorman’s Power Point Presentation

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, £15

Improvised Plays from Austin, Texas theSpaces on the Mile , 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

19:45 Martha McBrier - I’m Eric Barthram

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Cloud Girls and Ryan Withers - Free Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 11, 24, 25, £free

ACME Stand-Up - Free Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek - Best of 09/10 Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9.50 – £12

19:50 Giants of Comedy

Fingers Piano Bar, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Omid Djalili: Work in Progress

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 18-28 Aug, £10

Carl Donnelly 3: Carl Donnelier!

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £12

Jim Smallman: Tattooligan HHH

Don’t Mess

Mark Watson’s 2012 Preview

Chastity Butterworth and the Spanish Hamster

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £10

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 19-27 Aug, £15

Trevor Browne Greaterness

Rabbie Burns Cafe and Bar, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £free

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, not 17, 25, £free

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-28 Aug, £free

Fingers on Buzzards: The Improvised Pub-Quiz

The Lalorpalooza Show

Dragonfly, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse: The End is Nigh

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-17 Aug, £10

Opium, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Zoo Southside, 9-27 Aug, £8

Anil Desai...

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 1018 Aug, £10 – £12

Fred MacAulay: Legally Bald

Shappi Khorsandi: Me and My Brother in Our Pants, Holding Hands Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, £13 – £14

19:55 Squirrel Party

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

20:00 Bob Downe: 20 Golden Greats

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 25, £12 – £14

So You Think You’re Funny? Final

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 25 Aug, £15

Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit

Pleasance Courtyard, 15 Aug, £12

❤ Who Are the Jocks? HHHH

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £10.50

About Tam O’Shanter Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £7

Golden Showers of Love

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Jen Brister is British(ish)

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

Catie Wilkins: A Chip Off the Odd Block Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

Nathan Dean Williams presents...

‘The Buffet’

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £6.50 – £7.50

Patrick Monahan: Hug Me I Feel Good

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, 24, 25, £10.50 – £12.50

www.festmag.co.uk

comedylistings Chat Masala with Hardeep Singh Kohli Gilded Balloon Teviot, 16 Aug, £11

Dana Alexander: New Arrival

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Javier Jarquin: Bullets Before Bedtime Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £9 – £10

Stephens and Thomas

20:05 Kevin Shepherd: Caronicle - Free

Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 9-28 Aug, £free

Sharron Matthews Superstar: Jesus Thinks I’m Funny

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 9-27 Aug, not 21, £12.50

The Michael Farcical Show - Free

Sin Club and Lounge, 9-27 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 9-13 Aug, £free

Andrew Lawrence The Best Kept Secret in Comedy Tour

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, £free

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, £11 – £12.50

Michael Winslow

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £12 – £14

Psycho Big Top Comedy Club

Ocean Terminal Big Top, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, £10

Roughhausers Comedy Sideshow

Leith on the Fringe @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 26-27 Aug, £10

The Queen’s Speech

Nothing to Show

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

20:10 High Ape - Free Show Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, not 14, 15, 22, £free

The Life Doctor

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10.50

Thom Tuck Goes Straight to DVD

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 21, £9 – £10

Martin Mor: The Call of the Golden Frog

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

20:15 Baby Wants Candy

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 22, £13 – £15

❤ Elis James: Do You Remember the First Time? HHHH Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 18, £9.50 – £12

Seann Walsh: Ying and Young Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

Shazia Mirza: Busybody

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50

Nathan Caton: Get Rich or Die Cryin’ Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12

Raymond Mearns: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Stress But Were Afraid to Ask The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Aaaaaaaaargh! It’s the Monster Stand Up Show

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, £free

Des Clarke - Des Comedy Jam

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £12 – £13

DeAnne Smith: The Best DeAnne Smith DeAnne Smith Can Be

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £8.50 – £9.50

The Wee Man

Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 9-28 Aug, not 14, £free

20:20 Michael Legge: Curse Sir Walter Raleigh

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-11 Aug, £8

The Chris and Paul Show

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 12-28 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9

The News at Kate 2011

Ciao Roma, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £free

Alex Horne: Seven Years in the Bathroom

Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

Helen Keen’s Spacetacular! - Free The Canons’ Gait, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, £free

Phill Jupitus: Stand Down

The Stand Comedy Club, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £12

20:30 Fabulous Abs

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-29 Aug, not 14, £free

Peacock and Gamble Podcast Live

Faulty Towers the Dining Experience

Tom Deacon: Can I Be Honest?

Gareth Richards: It’s Not the End of the World

Pleasance Dome, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, 28 Aug, £9.50

Pleasance Dome, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8.50 – £9.50

20:25 Bob Doolally Live and Half-Cut

The Stand Comedy Club, 22 Aug, £9

Norman Lovett - Free The Canons’ Gait, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

B’est Restaurant, 9-30 Aug, not 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27, £43

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 18, £8.50 – £9.50

Sammy J: Potentially Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £12.50

Matt Green: Too Much Information

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £9 – £11

Jonathan Prager August 4th -­ 27th, 2011 23:00

THE COUNTING HOUSE

38 WEST NICOLSON STREET EH8 9DD VENUE 170 0131 667 7533

www.festmag.co.uk

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 77

comedylistings Playing Politics

Acoustic Music Centre @ St Brides, 19 Aug, £10

Steve Hall’s Very Still Life

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

The Best of Boyd & Metcalfe The Royal Mile Tavern, 9-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

David Reed: Shamblehouse

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £10 – £12

Henry Paker - Cabin Fever Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Laughing Horse Free Pick of the Fringe Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

The Songs I’ll Never Sing - Free Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 14-28 Aug, £free

Alfie Joey Monopolise!

Pleasance Courtyard, 22 Aug, £9

Idiots of Ants

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £10 – £11

Pete Firman: Jiggery Pokery HHH Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, £12 – £14

Rich Fulcher: Tiny Acts of Rebellion

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £11 – £12

The Moonfish Rhumba: The Chronicles of Moonfish

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £6.50 – £8.50

20:35 Nonsense Duet - Free

20:40

20:50

Kelly Kingham and Guy Manners: Infectious - Free

Alfie Brown - The Love You Take

The Voodoo Rooms, 10-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Mud Wrestling With Words The Banshee Labyrinth, 18-27 Aug, £free

Asher Treleaven: Matador

Pleasance Courtyard, 10-28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £10.50

20:45 BBC: Great Unanswered Questions BBC @ Potterrow, 16 Aug, £free

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £12

Pleasance Courtyard, 12-26 Aug, not 22, £17.50

Dawn of the Dawn

Medina, 27 Aug, £free

Richard Herring: What is Love Anyway?

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, £12.50 – £14.50

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 9-13 Aug, £12

Claudia O’Doherty What Is Soil Erosion?

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

Tim Clare: How to Be a Leader

Piff the Magic Dragon: Last of the Magic Dragons

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 12 Aug, £10

Keeping the Captain Warm

Base Nightclub, 9-27 Aug, £free

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 11, 12, 17, £7 – £8

A Sketchy Idea - Free

Slim In Wonderland

Funt

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 21-28 Aug, £free

10 Films With my Dad / PBH’s Free Fringe

Ryan’s Cellar Bar, 9-27 Aug, £free

The Fudge Shop

The Fudge Kitchen, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £7

Hiroshi Shimizu: From Japan With ‘Rub’ - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 14-28 Aug, £free

It’s The End of the World As We Know It - Free

Matt Kirshen: Wide-eyed

Russell Kane: Manscaping

Robert Taylor is ‘So Inappropriate’

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-27 Aug, £free

Jenneke Wonders - Free

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 14-20 Aug, £10

The Stand Comedy Club V, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10

20:55

Loose Men

Please Retain For Your Records

Phil Nichol: The Simple Hour

The Book of Quincy - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-27 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ Cafe Renroc, 21-28 Aug, £free

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £8

Kiwi Bar @ Walkabout, 21-27 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-20 Aug, £free

Lach, the Waitress, the Walls & the Weirdos Cabaret Voltaire, 9-29 Aug, £free

Pope Benedict: Bond Villain Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £9.50

The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £11.50 – £12.50

21:00 Jimeoin - Lovely!

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £12.50 – £14.50

Playing Politics

Acoustic Music Centre @ St Brides, 20 Aug, £10

Sex You (I’m Gonna)

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-14 Aug, £7 – £9

Alan Anderson: Whisky Fir Dummies

Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £10 – £11

Aidan Bishop Misspelled

David Kelly is Shameless - Free

Henning Wehn No Surrender

Andrew Maxwell: The Lights Are On

21:05

21:20

When I’m King

Markus Birdman: Dreaming

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £13 – £15

Fiona O’Loughlin: Spirited (Tales from an Angel in a Bottle) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, £10 – £11

The Pajama Men: In the Middle of No One Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £13 – £14

BBC: Life: An Idiot’s Guide with Stephen K Amos BBC @ Potterrow, 13 Aug, £free

Fosters Comedy Live @ highlight

highlight, Various dates from 12 Aug to 27 Aug, £10

Tom Stade: What Year Was That?

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £12

Andy Parsons: Gruntled

Assembly Hall, 20-28 Aug, £16

Asli and Ashley: Audacious and Angry The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

The Big Value Comedy Show - Late Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £10

Jerry Sadowitz Comedian, Magician, Psychopath

Assembly Hall, 9-14 Aug, £16.50 – £19.50

What a Palaver!

- Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 21-28 Aug, £free

Adventures in Comedy: Murder, Madness and Mayhem! - Free

James Christopher: Triangle Man - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

Margaret Cho - Cho Dependent HH

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 15-28 Aug, not 16, £5 – £6

Dragonfly, 10-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £15 – £16

The TinaMarinas Being Gorgeous - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-20 Aug, £free

78 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Chaps on Legs

Found Objects Present Live Low Budget Comedy Adventures - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 9-28 Aug, not 14, £free

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £6

Flood

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-13 Aug, £8 – £9

Shawn Hitchins: Survival of the Fiercest

theSpaces on North Bridge, 22-27 Aug, £12

The Artists Currently Known As Magpie & Stump theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £6

21:10 The Boy With Tape On His Face Pleasance Courtyard, 15-28 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50

Randy is Sober

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £12

Jack Mink: Making Light theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

Des Bishop - My Dad Was Nearly James Bond Pleasance Courtyard, 9-14 Aug, £14

21:15 Künt and the Gang - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Hive, 9-28 Aug, £free

Sam Simmons Meanwhile

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 17, £6.50 – £10.50

The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 23, £8

Terry Alderton

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £12

Marcel Lucont Etc: A Chat Show Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Pistol & Jack – Smash.

Glam.Sex.Music.

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £10 – £12

Christophe Davidson: No Less of a Man - Free Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Jason Byrne: Cirque Du Byrne

Venue150 @ EICC, 9 Aug, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, £16.50 – £19.50

Shane and Eddie: Picking up the Pieces Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £8.50

Craig Campbell

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10

Sanderson Jones - ComedySale.com/ Fringe Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £11.50

21:21

Warning: May Contain Jokes

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, £free

Sin Club and Lounge, 9-27 Aug, £free

Take the Red Pill - Free

21:25

Adam Crow - Ashton Kutcher’s Dead Girlfriends

Stephen Carlin: Guilty Bystander

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-29 Aug, £free

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

M. Croser - Unpleasant Man

An Evening with Helen Lederer

Naz Osmanoglu: 1000% Awesome

Eric Davidson Verses the World

Sin Club and Lounge, 9-27 Aug, £free

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £9.50

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 21 Aug, £15

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 15, 21, 22, £10

www.festmag.co.uk

comedylistings 21:30 Sketchatron: Nano

Bedlam Theatre, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, £9

Tom Rosenthal: Child of Privilege Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12

Stand Up For Freedom

Venue150 @ EICC, 17-18 Aug, £18

The Comedy Reserve

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £8 – £9

Mick Ferry: Sod It!

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

Robin Ince’s Struggle for Existence Buffs Club (RAOB), 9-16 Aug, £free

All the Fun of the Unfair

Southsider, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

2 Comedians, 1 Bucket - Free

Bar 50, 9-27 Aug, not 11, 18, 25, £free

The Axis of Awesome

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 25, £12 – £14

Glenn Wool: No Lands Man

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £12 – £14

The W. Kamau Bell Curve – Ending Racism In About An Hour

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £11 – £12

John Lynn: Social Notworking

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Bruce Fummey - My Afro Celtic Angst

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Ali Cook - Principles and Deceptions

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £12 – £13

The Big Comedy Gala in Aid of Macmillan Cancer Support Venue150 @ EICC, 15 Aug, £20

Dregs

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10.50

Fly Me to Baboon - Free!

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 19-28 Aug, £free

21:35 Off the Top of Our Heads

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £6.50

Sarah Archer - Bumfluff and Brimstone

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £7

London Is Funny Presents...

Ciao Roma, 9-27 Aug, £free

Peter Buckley Hill and Some Comedians XV The Canons’ Gait, 9-27 Aug, £free

Abacus Danger Present... ‘The Search for Blank’

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £6.50

21:40 Harmon Leon/Bush Monologues: Comedy Double Feature Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, £7 – £9

Bob Doolally: Live and Half-Cut

Jimmy McGhie: Artificial Intelligence

Frisky and Mannish: Pop Centre Plus

Rich Hall

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 15 Aug, £10

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £12 – £14

Jack Whitehall- Let’s Not Speak Of This Again

Venue150 @ EICC, 18-27 Aug, not 22, 23, £15

The Rob Deering Experience

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50

www.festmag.co.uk

Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9.50 Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £15 – £17

Arthur Smith’s Pissed-Up Chat Show Pleasance Dome, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 18, £10 – £11.50

The Ultimate Quiz Show featuring Silly Milly Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, not 15, 16, £free

21:45 Agonise, the Comedy Problem Page - Free Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, not 26, £free

Prepare to Be Tuned Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50

Tim Key - Masterslut Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £12 – £14

❤ James Acaster: Amongst Other Things HHHH

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12

Benny Boot: Set-Up, Punchline... Pause for Laughter Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £8.50 – £9.50

Alan Sharp: Hate It With Me

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, £free

Tom Price: Say When Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £12

My Name Is Hannibal: The Hannibal Montanabal Experience Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11.50

Auntie Netta and the Trouble With Asian Men Underbelly, Cowgate, 1528 Aug, £10 – £12

Cowboys and Indians: Black Man in the White House Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Good

Jenny Ha’s, 14-27 Aug, not 17, 24, £free

21:50 Musical Comedy Awards Showcase

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-14 Aug, £11 – £12.50

Conway’s ‘Time of the Month’

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, £free

Chris Ramsey: Offermation

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Doctor Brown: Becaves

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

One Threw Up in the Cuckoo’s Nest - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

21:55 The Best of Scottish Comedy The Stand Comedy Club, 9-28 Aug, £12

To Be ... Or Not to Be ... Or Whatever It Will Be? theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £5

22:00 Aisle16 R Kool!

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, not 16, £free

Couch Impro

Buffs Club (RAOB), 18-27 Aug, £free

BBC: The Radio 2 Arts Show

BBC @ Potterrow, 12-13 Aug, £free

Damian Clark: Stand UP Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9

Naked in a Fishbowl Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 22-27 Aug, £10

Armageddapocalypse: The Explosioning

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £9.50

Get Up, Stand Up! Gala

Venue150 @ EICC, 16-17 Aug, £14

R U Smarter Than an Irishman? - Free

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-27 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

Robert Taylor is ‘So Inappropriate’

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 14-29 Aug, not 27, £12

Storytellers’ Club

Pleasance Courtyard, 11-27 Aug, not 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, £10

The Kingsley and I (Free Stand Up Compilation Show)

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Alive and Breathing...

Almost Sweet Grassmarket, 9-28 Aug, £7

Aaaaaaaaaaaaarghh!

It’s the Malcolm Hardee Comedy Awards Show - And It’s Free!

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 26-27 Aug, £free

22:05 Five Alive! The Musical

The Segue Sisters in ... Jailbirds Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8 – £10

22:20 Papa CJ: One in a Billion

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-14 Aug, £8 – £9

theSpaces on the Mile , 15-27 Aug, not 21, £5

The Germans Are Coming

Lloyd Langford: The Cold Hard Facts of Life

Drags Aloud

The Stand Comedy Club V, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

22:10 Mary Christ - The Unmusical!

theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7 – £8.50

Chimprovisations!

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 14-29 Aug, £6.50

Bob and Jim - Modern Urges Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

Cooking Granny

theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 25-26 Aug, £10

22:15 Matthew Highton’s Shadowed Vagary Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £6.50

Barry and Stuart Show and Tell: The Show Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, £12 – £14

Carey Marx: Laziness and Stuff Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9.50

Jocks and Geordies - Free!

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-28 Aug, £free

Simply the Jest - Free The Banshee Labyrinth, 17-27 Aug, £free

BattleActs!

Improvised Comedy - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

Guilt & Shame

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7 – £8

The Improlympians: Three’s Company - Free The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-16 Aug, £free

Underbelly, Cowgate, 16-17 Aug, £11 Underbelly, Cowgate, 1828 Aug, £10 – £12

Get Happy in Edinburgh

Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9

22:25 Charlie Chuck’s Laughter Lounge

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 1521 Aug, £8

Matt and Ian Don’t Know

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-21 Aug, £9

Jason John Whitehead: Letters from Mindy Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £10 – £12

Monkhouse and Me

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 9-14 Aug, £8 – £9

22:30 So You Think You’re Funny?

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9 Aug, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, £10

Strong and Wrong get Funked Up - Free Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £free

❤ Andrew O’Neill: Alternative HHHH

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £12

Best of So You Think You’re Funny?

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 10-29 Aug, not 14, 15, 16, 17, 25, £10.50

Al Murray the Pub Landlord’s Compete for the Meat - Late Night

Assembly George Square, Various dates from 18 Aug to 27 Aug, £15

Chimprovisations!

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 9-13 Aug, £6.50

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 79

comedylistings Late Night Gimp Fight!

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 20, £9.50 – £12

Robert Taylor is ‘So Inappropriate’

22:35

Spotlites @ The Mer-

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

North vs South

chants’ Hall, 27 Aug, £12

Obsession - A Life With Magic

Zoo, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £10

Puppetry of the Penis: 3D HH

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £15 – £17.50

BUG Hosted By Adam Buxton Pleasance Courtyard, 25-29 Aug, £15

Simon Donald’s Dirty Great Fringepiece

Wade McElwain - The Littlest Hobo

Neil Hamburger: Discounted Entertainer

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8 – £9

£11 – £12

Lifestyles of the Weird and Aimless

The Calpol Flashbacks - Free

Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 9-28 Aug, £free

burgh City Football Club,

John Robertson - Blood & Charm: Disturbing Stories for Disturbing Bedtimes

Assembly George Square,

Kai Humphries - BareFaced Cheek Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £9.50 – £10.50

Ro Campbell: Uttering Bad Shillings

9-28 Aug, £free

The Two Wrongies 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22,

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

£9 – £10

22:40

Deborah Frances White- How to Get Almost Anyone to Want to Sleep with You

Tom Lenk: Nerdgasm

Assembly Hall, 18-27 Aug, £12.50 – £14.50

w w w. al zh

Pleasance Courtyard, 12 Aug, £12.50

Jeff Mirza’s Jihad: Heresy Or Hearsay Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

Assembly George Square, 15-28 Aug, £12

Paul Sinha: Looking at the Stars The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

Angelos Epithemiou and Friends Pleasance Courtyard, 16-20 Aug, £14

22:45 The Comedy Zone Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

The Hermitude of Angus, Ecstatic

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10.50

Kitty Cointreau’s BraHaHa

ei merst he m

us ic al .c om

Alzheimer’s the Musical Award g Winnin y Comed

Laughing Horse Free Late Night Comedy Selection

Dead Cat Bounce: Caged Heat 9-28 Aug, not 15,

A night to remember!

‘Hilarious!’ The Age

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

Michael Workman - Humans Are Beautiful

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Geoff Cotton - Light Relief - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 14-28 Aug, £free

The Boom Jennies: Blowout

August 3–29 @ 5pm Don’t forget to book!

0131 622 6552 www.gildedballoon.co.uk

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10.50

Robin and Partridge: Worlds Collide Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £8.50 – £9

BBC Comedy Presents Radio 1 Live @ Edinburgh

BBC @ Potterrow, 15-18 Aug, £free

Brady, Brush and French: A Triple Action Stand-Up Show Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square

80 fest edinburgh festival guide 2010 | August 9-11

Southsider, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

Hal Sparks - Evolution Overdrive

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £6

Pleasance Courtyard,

Nick Gibb: Crumpled Antipodean Dandy

Casual Violence: Choose Death

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8

Assembly George Square, Various dates from 11 Aug to 28 Aug, £15

Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, £9

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7.50

9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

The Stand Comedy Club II,

Laughing Horse @ Edin-

Comic Strip

Rom Com Wrong

No Pants Thursday

Bar 50, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £free

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

3 Comics to Midnight Globe, 9-27 Aug, £free

Just for Laughs Showcase

Pleasance Dome, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, 23 Aug, 24 Aug, £7

Rob Deering: Beat This

Pleasance Courtyard, Various dates from 12 Aug to 27 Aug, £9.50

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, £free

Dan Hoy’s Stag Do

Kaos Theory (Dangerous Science) - Free

Hypnotist,Titan Knight

Rubber Chicken Disorder - Free

Laughing Horse Free Pick of the Fringe

22:50

The Special Reserve Comedy Benefit

Peacock and Gamble Emergency Broadcast

Pleasance Courtyard, 23-24 Aug, £10

The Wrestling

The Silly Beggar Comedy Affair

Jeff Leach: A Leach On Society

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-13 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 21-28 Aug, £free

Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-27 Aug, £free

Writing Blanks Greenside, 26-27 Aug, £4

Dirty Word - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-11 Aug, £free

Flood

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £8 – £9

22:55 Tom Green: World Comedy Tour Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-14 Aug, £13 – £15

Katherine Ryan: Little Miss Conception Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9.50

23:00 Jonathan Prager: Live From New York! - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-27 Aug, £free

BBC Comedy Presents - Early and Late

BBC @ Potterrow, 13-27 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 18, £10

Men Of War

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, £free

City Edinburgh, Various dates from 9 Aug to 21 Aug, £13

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Pleasance Courtyard, 15-16 Aug, £10

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 19, 20, 21, £8 – £9.50

Jo Wharmby - Dick & Gina

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 9-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 22, £6

Late Night Comedy Revolution

Revolution Bar, 9-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, £5

Maxwell’s Fullmooners

Assembly George Square, 14-15 Aug, £16

Vikki Stone & The Flashbacks: Big Neon Letters

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

AAA Stand-Up Late Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £9 – £10

The Horne Section

Assembly George Square, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £12 – £14

23:05 Stand Up, Fall Down

The Voodoo Rooms, 9-20 Aug, £free

Urban Shaman - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Brian and Queen Tallulah’s Glamorous Intergalactic Magic!

The Voodoo Rooms, 2127 Aug, £free

www.festmag.co.uk

comedylistings 23:10

23:20

The Suitcase Royale in Zombatland

Dave Fulton ‘...Based on a True Story’

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £10

Best of Scottish Comedian of the Year Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

The Stand Comedy Club V, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

23:25 Charlie Chuck’s Laughter Lounge

Interpretive Dances to My Diary! (72% Non-Fiction) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 13-27 Aug, not 17, £8 – £9

Wilfredo: Erecto!

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9

23:15

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, £8

Rich Hall’s Hoedown HHH

Monkhouse and Me

The Playhouse at Hawke

SpaceCabaret @ 54, 1521 Aug, £8 – £9

28-29 Aug, £12.50

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £15 – £17

Gags, Songs and Bombs – Free!

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

PLAY LATE

The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room, 9-29 Aug, not 28, £10.50 – £12.50

❤ Dave Eastgate: I Wish I Had a Band HHHH

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

www.festmag.co.uk

23:30 Hypnotist,Titan Knight

– £10.50

PLAY LATE and Hunter Green Room,

COMX Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8 – £10

City Edinburgh, 22 Aug, 23 Aug, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, 28 Aug, £13

You Shoulda Been Here Last Week

Shaggers - Free

Newsroom, 9-28 Aug,

Laughing Horse @ The

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 9-28 Aug, £free

not 15, £free

All Over Your Face

Political Collective Gone Mad

Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 9-27 Aug, £free

23:40 The Stand Comedy Club II, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Set List: Standup Without a Net Just the Tonic at The Tron, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8 – £10

88MPH

23:50

23:59

Laughing Horse’s Funny Fillies - Free

Barry and Stuart - Show and Tell: The Tell

Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 9-28 Aug, £free

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, £10 – £12

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £7.50

Jamie Griffin’s War on Fear - Free

23:45

23:55

The Stand Comedy Club, 12-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, £15

Rockstar of the Mind

Pokermen

TakeOut Comedy Presents Paul Ogata - USAhole! – Free Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 21-28 Aug, £free

The Great Big Sketch Off! Pleasance Courtyard, 12 Aug, 19 Aug, 26 Aug, £6

Lee Camp Is: Yet Another American Mistake The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

Snippets - Late Night Comedy Feast Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 9-20 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 18-28 Aug, £free

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 14-15 Aug, £free

Tony Littler the Middle Age Punk Rides Again

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 16-28 Aug, £free

An Immoral Evening with Dave Flynn - Free Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-12 Aug, £free

Lorcan McGrath is ...

A ‘Smart’ Wrestling Fan - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 13-14 Aug, £free

The Stand Late Show

Assembly George Square, 10-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, £12

Political Animal The Stand Comedy Club, 9-25 Aug, not 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, £10

The Room Assembly George Square, 14 Aug, 18 Aug, 21 Aug, £8

Best of the Fest

Assembly Hall, 11-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, £14 – £15

The Midnight Hour

The Canons’ Gait, 9-29 Aug, not 14, 21, 28, £free

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 81

theatrelistings Standing On My Knees

00:00 (g)Host City

www.virtualfestival.org, 10 Aug - 5 Sep, £free

The One Man Show HHH

C venues - C, 10-30 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

C venues - C soco, 17-29 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

Futureproof

War at Home

Church Hill Theatre, 12 Aug, £5

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, 19 Aug, 24 Aug, 28 Aug, £17 – £19

09:25

Mission Drift

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £17

The Rivals

01:00

Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5

Lullabies of Broadmoor - Wilderness

09:30

C venues - C, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, £7.50

Alice in Wonderland

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 10 Aug, £5

10:05

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 10 Aug, 13 Aug, £5

09:15 Love’s Wild Desire

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 11 Aug, £5

‘New York’ by David Rimmer Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

Far

Suddenly Shakespeare

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

09:40

Haroun and the Sea of Stories

Rumors

Church Hill Theatre, 12 Aug, £5

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

10:00

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 12 Aug, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

The Dark Philosophers

Spring Fever

Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, 27 Aug, £12 – £19

Triangle

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, £5

Us and Them

Quaker Meeting House, 23-24 Aug, £free

The Trek Electric

The Illiad, the Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less Pilrig Studio, 9 Aug, £5

10:20 The Women of Lockerbie

09:20

C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £6.50 – £8.50

Uncle Tom: Deconstructed

The Wheel

Travelers: A Comedy with Music

theSpace @ Venue45, 11 Aug, £5

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, 17 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £17 – £19

The Tin Can People

Timothy

theSpace @ Venue45, 10 Aug, £5

Bedlam Theatre, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £6.50

Henderson’s Vegetarian Restaurant and Arts Venue, 11-13 Aug, £6.50

10:30 The Big Bite Size Breakfast

Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £10

Pilrig Studio, 11 Aug, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

E.A. Poe: Into the Mind of Madness

Church Hill Theatre, 13 Aug, £5

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH

We See Fireworks

Museum of Edinburgh, 22 Aug, £free

Concerto for

MAHLER -

arr.

Schoenberg/Riehn: 3 Songs for Tenor from ʻSong of the Earthʼ

LISZT Rhapsody No. 2

arr. J West: Hungarian

!

First

Blood and Roses

10:40

St George’s West, 9-27 Aug, £12 – £15

Unanswered, We Ride

Bedlam Theatre, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

Mary Blandy’s Gallows Tree Sweet Grassmarket, 9-21 Aug, £7

Allotment

Assembly Inverleith Allotments, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, £10

Tales From the Vienna Woods

theSpace on Niddry St, 23 Aug, 25 Aug, 27 Aug, £5

The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £9

theSpace on Niddry St, 22 Aug, 24 Aug, 26 Aug, £5

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson

10:45

101

Hotel Methuselah

Church Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

Traverse Theatre, 23 Aug, £11

Summerhall, 22-26 Aug, £12

Medea’s Children

St George’s West, 13-29 Aug, not 16, 17, 23, 24, £8

The Torture Show

Romeo and Juliet

Creditors

The Simple Things in Life

Odd Man Out

theSpaces on North Bridge, 26 Aug, £6 theSpaces on North Bridge, 25 Aug, £6

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - The Simple Things in Life sheds, 19-27 Aug, £11.50 – £12.50

I, Malvolio

Traverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, 28 Aug, £11 – £17

of the Gulda Cello Concerto in Scotland Soloists: Johannes Oesterlee (Cello) Edward Hughes (Tenor)

www.scwe.vpweb.co.uk

82 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Meadows Theatre Big Top, 13-14 Aug, £free

Empty Page, Empty Stage

Canongate Kirk (Venue 60) 15 and 16 August 2011 – 5pm

Wondrous Flitting

Traverse Theatre, 13 Aug, 19 Aug, 24 Aug, £15 – £17

Lauriston Hall, 22-28 Aug, £15

Performance

Tickets £ 10/ £7 0131 226 0000, online or on the door

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 17 Aug, 27 Aug, £15 – £17

Tearoom

St Clements Wind Ensemble

GULDA -

Belleville Rendezvous

Greenside, 22-27 Aug, £7

AIRY DELIGHTS 2011

Violoncello and wind band

A Slow Air

Death of a Salesman

❤ Man of Valour HHHH

C venues - C soco, 14-20 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

Circus of the Orient

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, 18 Aug, £15 – £17

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, 25 Aug, £15 – £17

11:00 Dinner with the Dinner Ladies

Two by Jim Cartwright theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-19 Aug, £7.50

theSpace @ Venue45, 26-27 Aug, £free

Shakespeare for Breakfast

Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, £15

Pilrig Studio, 12 Aug, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 13 Aug, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

10:15 The Crucible

Hide and Seek

Just Before Sleep

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-13 Aug, £7.50

Check, Please!

Church Hill Theatre, 21 Aug, £5

Much Ado About Nothing - The Dogberry Diaries

2 Be?

The Golden Dragon

Two by Jim Cartwright

Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind

10:25

!

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £9

10:50 The Moon Under the Water theSpace on Niddry St, 15-18 Aug, £5

C venues - C soco, 9-21 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Alice in Cha

theSpaces on North Bridge, 27 Aug, £5

Kitty Litter

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

11:05 Story Shakespeare: Love’s Labour’s Lost C venues - C too, 15-20 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

Malfi

Bedlam Theatre, 22-27 Aug, £8

theatrelistings 11:10 Wish You Were Here Greenside, 9-12 Aug, £free

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Sold

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £8 – £9

11:15 Funny as a Crutch

Paradise in Augustine’s, 9-13 Aug, £6

The Trek Electric

Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

Fusion Theater Company Presents Polaroid Stories by Naomi Iizuka

theSpace @ Venue45, 11 Aug, £5

The Ice Fishing Play Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5

‘New York’ by David Rimmer Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

Just Before Sleep

Church Hill Theatre, 21 Aug, £5

Rumors

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 13 Aug, £5

Triangle

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 12 Aug, £5

11:20 Standing On My Knees

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, £5

12 Incompetent Men (and Women!) theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 10 Aug, £5

www.festmag.co.uk

Emergence HHH

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £9

Oh, Bologna!

Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Do Not Go Gentle

Church Hill Theatre, 12 Aug, £5

11:25 The End

Pleasance Courtyard, 2227 Aug, £9 – £10

Under the Influence theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, £5

Agamemnon by Steven Berkoff

theSpaces on North Bridge, 22-27 Aug, £8

11:30 Nostalgia for Reality theSpaces on the Mile , 15-20 Aug, £7

Please Patricia

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 25-26 Aug, £7

Masterclass - The Edinburgh Sessions Pleasance Courtyard, 15-19 Aug, £5

Alice in Wonderland and Other Adventures With Lewis Carroll New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £free – £8

Blood and Roses

St George’s West, 9-27 Aug, £12 – £15

Fool’s Gold

C Venues - C eca, 14-20 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 11 Aug, £5

The Trial: an Original Adaptation of the Novel by Franz Kafka of the Same Name

Broken Wing

theSpace on Niddry St, 9-13 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

Llwyth (Tribe)

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Andrea’s Got Two Boyfriends

Lost in Mozart

Invisible Show II

Much Ado About Nothing

Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, 23 Aug, £5

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Greenside, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7 Pleasance Courtyard, 2227 Aug, £7.50

Even in Edinburgh/ Glasgow

Under the Departure Boards at Waverley Station, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £free

Far

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 11 Aug, £5

11:35 Poor Caroline

Paradise in Augustine’s, 9-20 Aug, not 14, 15, £7.50

11:40 Street Dreams

11:45 Venue 13, 9-20 Aug, not 15, 16, £8 St George’s West, 20-28 Aug, £10 theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £7.50

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £9

Alphonse by Wajdi Mouawad

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

The Diaries of Adam and Eve

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £12 – £13

11:50 First Light

The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room, 23-29 Aug, £9.50

Educate

Ethometric Museum

Alma Mater

Youth and Will: A Portrait of Shakespeare’s Young Characters... and Us

12:00 Allotment

Hill Street Theatre, 19-28 Aug, £9

C venues - C soco, 9-10 Aug, £7.50 – £8.50

Assembly Inverleith Allotments, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, £10

Alma Mater

Pleasance Bytes

The Unforgettable Tale of an Insignificant Circumstance

Pleasance Courtyard, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, £5

Three Sisters by Anton Chekov

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9 Aug, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, £10 – £12

Show Me the World

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9

101

C venues - C soco, 9-21 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

The One Hour Plays Underbelly, Cowgate, 15-28 Aug, £8 – £9

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 9-13 Aug, £7

Masses Man

C venues - C aquila, 9-16 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Phillipa and Will Are Now in a Relationship

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £7 – £8

Somewhere Beneath It All, A Small Fire Burns Still

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £9

Aladdin

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-20 Aug, £6

Hide and Seek

Church Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

After Miss Julie

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-20 Aug, £7.50

Lie Back and Think of America theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-20 Aug, £8

The Star Child

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 83

theatrelistings Who Killed the Counsellor?

Just the Tonic at The Store (formerly GRV), 15-27 Aug, not 16, 21, 26, £6 – £7

Exsomnia

C venues - C soco, 14-27 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

Mr Darwin’s Tree

The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room, 9-21 Aug, not 15, £9.50

Pool (No Water)

Zoo Roxy, 21-29 Aug, £7

12:05 World Stories From Los Angeles

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-13 Aug, £6

The Historians

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £10

The Questionnaire

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £8 – £9

The Undoing of Man theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £6

12:10 The Adventures of Wound Man and Shirley

Pleasance Courtyard, 2029 Aug, £10

The Simple Things in Life

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - The Simple Things in Life sheds, 19-27 Aug, £11.50 – £12.50

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Magicians Do Exist

Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £9

12:15 The Crucible

Pilrig Studio, 10 Aug, £5

Secret Window, Secret Garden C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

Suddenly Shakespeare

Church Hill Theatre, 21 Aug, £5

Metamorphoses

Pilrig Studio, 12 Aug, £5

Replaying Macbeth Paradise in The Vault, 23-27 Aug, £6

The Distant Near (Shakespeare and Bengal’s Bard)

theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £5

If Walls Could Talk

C venues - C aquila, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Matilda and the Tales She Told

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9

White Rabbit Red Rabbit

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, £12

Your Last Breath

Pleasance Dome, 9-18 Aug, £9 – £10

Bette and Joan - The Final Curtain

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 22, £12 – £13

The Ballad of the Unbeatable Hearts

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, £9 – £10

The Illiad, the Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less

Pilrig Studio, 13 Aug, £5

Me, Myself and Miss Gibbs

Hill Street Theatre, 19-29 Aug, £8

12:20 Travelers: A Comedy with Music Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

E.A. Poe: Into the Mind of Madness

Church Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

The Realm of Love or Folding Laundry

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-14 Aug, £9

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

How to Catch a Rabbit theSpaces on the Mile , 9-20 Aug, not 14, £7

12:25 The Dreamcatchers

The Crucible

Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, 23 Aug, £5

Julius Caesar - Free

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5 Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 15-28 Aug, £free

The Overcoat

Futureproof

Traverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 20 Aug, 25 Aug, £17 – £19

The Oh F**k Moment

St George’s West, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, 21 Aug, 27 Aug, £10

Paper Tom

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £8.50

Remember This

Bedlam Theatre, 9-27 Aug, £6

Nostalgia for Reality theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £7

The Games

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £10

Now is the Winter

Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, £9 – £10

A Rotten Little Story Greenside, 9-13 Aug, £5

Rock ‘n’ Soul

C venues - C soco, 9-20 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Tales From the Vienna Woods theSpace on Niddry St, 22 Aug, 24 Aug, 26 Aug, £5

You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

Blood and Roses

12:30

St George’s West, 9-27 Aug, £12 – £15

Ovid’s Metamorphoses

❤ Federer Versus Murray HHHH

Empty Page, Empty Stage

Pleasance Dome, 19-29 Aug, £10 – £11

Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £13 – £14

Church Hill Theatre, 13 Aug, £5

Rules for Drowning

Waiting For Alice

Alma Mater

Hill Street Theatre, 9-18 Aug, not 10, £8

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7 – £9

The Frequency D’ici & New Wolsey Theatre

Pleasance Courtyard 3 -‐ 28 Aug, 13.10 www.pleasance.co.uk thefrequencydici.co.uk

84 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

12:35 The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol

theSpace on Niddry St, 23 Aug, 25 Aug, 27 Aug, £5

I am the Dead - Free

Laughing Horse @ Edinburgh City Football Club, 13-28 Aug, not 14, 21, £free

12:40

The Girl Who Thought She Was Irish

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-24 Aug, not 15, 22, £7 – £9

Hotel Methuselah Summerhall, 19-26 Aug, £12

Wondrous Flitting Traverse Theatre, 28 Aug, £15

12:50

The Observatory

The False Corpse

Fetch

The Truth About Black Suburban Girls

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £10 Greenside, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

Unanswered, We Ride theSpaces on the Mile , 15-20 Aug, £9

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-10 Aug, £7

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £9

You Once Said Yes

The Little Mermaid

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

You Once Said Yes

Definitely-NotEveryman

Zoo, 9-20 Aug, £9

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

theSpace on Niddry St, 9-13 Aug, £5

The Proceedings of That Night

‘Tis I, Shakespeare the Brit

Alma Mater

Educate

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-21 Aug, not 19, £6 St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

12:45 Fit for Purpose

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9

The Golden Dragon

Traverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £15 – £17

Life’s a Game

theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 12 Aug, £5

One Under

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 23, £7.50 – £8.50

Chips on Shoulders

Zoo Roxy, 9-20 Aug, £7

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

theSpace on Niddry St, 15-18 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

12:55 The Bald Prima Donna C Venues - C eca, 15 Aug, 17 Aug, 19 Aug, £7.50

The Dead!

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 13-20 Aug, £free

A Resounding Tinkle

C Venues - C eca, 16 Aug, 18 Aug, 20 Aug, £7.50

Singing ‘I’m No a Billy, He’s a Tim’ The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10

theatrelistings Lol

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £8

13:00 A Funny Valentine

Valvona & Crolla, Various dates from 11 Aug to 29 Aug, £12

I, Malvolio

Traverse Theatre, 17 Aug, £15

In Confidence

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-13 Aug, £9

The Scotsman Best of the Fest Assembly George Square, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, £12

Teechers HHH

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-13 Aug, £9

The Translator’s Dilemma

Princes Mall, 9-27 Aug, not 16, 17, 18, £free

The Wheel

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, 27 Aug, £17 – £19

Laundry Boy

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

Drift

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £17

Ships of Sand

Venue 13, Various dates from 13 Aug to 20 Aug, £6

Still Life Dreaming Pleasance Courtyard, 15-19 Aug, £5

A Visit From Miss Prothero

Pleasance Courtyard, 2328 Aug, £8 – £9

...In for a Pound

Sweet Grassmarket, 15-29 Aug, £8

Allotment

Proper Night

Princes Mall, 9-12 Aug, £free

101

Assembly George Square, 10-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £10

Little Matter

Miss Julie

Bedlam Chambers, Various dates from 13 Aug to 28 Aug, £9

Hammerpuzzle’s Measure for Measure Princes Mall, 15-25 Aug, £free

You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

Belarus Free Theatre Pleasance Courtyard, 2229 Aug, £10

Hill Street Theatre, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, 28 Aug, £15

www.festmag.co.uk

Pleasance Courtyard, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £10 – £12

Rituals

New Town Theatre, 9-15 Aug, £free – £8

The Yellow Wallpaper theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

You Once Said Yes

Venue 13, 9-12 Aug, £8

Standing Count

Bond, James Bond

C Venues - C eca, 9-13 Aug, £7.50 – £8.50

Black Slap

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

Kafka’s Metamorphosis as Performed by the Actors of the Nowy Teatr Kameralny Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

Rumors

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 10 Aug, £5

Those Magnificent Men

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £11 – £12

Triangle

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 13 Aug, £5

Anyone For A Witch Hunt? - Free Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 13-20 Aug, £free

I, Malvolio

Traverse Theatre, 27 Aug, £17

How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the FA Cup Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Did You Used to Be R. D. Laing?

13:15

Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

Eunuchs in My Wardrobe

Paradise in Augustine’s, 16-20 Aug, £4.50

Valvona & Crolla, 9 Aug, 16 Aug, 22 Aug, £12

Italia ‘n’ Caledonia

Valvona & Crolla, 23-24 Aug, £12

The Magical Faraway Tree

Just The Tonic at the Caves, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £4

Macbeth

New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £10 – £12

Vivaldi and the Number 3

Valvona & Crolla, 21 Aug, £10

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

13:05 PoeZest

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

One Million Tiny Plays About Britain

Free Time Radical

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

The Dark Philosophers

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £15

New Town Theatre, 17-28 Aug, £free – £12

Fragments of Ash

theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 15-20 Aug, £6

❤ Man of Valour HHHH

One Thousand Paper Cranes

C venues - C soco, 9-21 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Assembly Inverleith Allotments, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, £10

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, 19 Aug, 24 Aug, 28 Aug, £17 – £19

13:10

Chasing Dragons

The Extraordinary Revelations of Orca the Goldfish theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £7

Generation 9/11: So Far / So Close theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £7

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

The Golden Dragon Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, £15

Nobody’s Home: A Modern Odyssey

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £9 – £10

Richard Parker

C venues - C soco, 21-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

The Ice Fishing Play Church Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

Love’s Wild Desire

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, £5

Outside

C venues - C soco, 9-20 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Commencement

C venues - C, 9-20 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Cusp

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 21-28 Aug, £free

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson Traverse Theatre, 24 Aug, £15

Just Before Sleep

Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

The Trek Electric Look / Alive A Slow Air

Traverse Theatre, 13 Aug, 19 Aug, £17

Futureproof

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £17

A Midlife Crisis: Live!

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH

Traverse Theatre, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, £15

Mission Drift

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £19

Riot

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9

Wondrous Flitting

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, 25 Aug, £15 – £17

13:20 The Dante Sisters and the Dare Club Paradise in Augustine’s, 23-27 Aug, £7

War at Home

Alma Mater

You Once Said Yes

In Confidence

Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5 Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

12 Incompetent Men (and Women!) theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 11 Aug, £5

Life’s a Game

theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 11 Aug, £5

Oedipus by Steven Berkoff (After Sophocles) Pleasance Courtyard, 11-29 Aug, not 17, 24, £16 – £17.50

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

13:25 Orpheus

C venues - C, 9-13 Aug, £9.50 – £10.50

The Rivals

Church Hill Theatre, 13 Aug, £5

Under the Influence theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 12 Aug, £5

13:30

The Wright Brothers Pleasance Courtyard, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 21, £10 – £11

Waterproof HHH

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9

Check, Please!

Church Hill Theatre, 23 Aug, £5

Al Bowlly’s Croon Manifesto

The Bongo Club, 22-27 Aug, £10

Coffin Up

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £8.50 – £9.50

Far

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 10 Aug, £5

Minute After Midday

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £9.50

13:35 Voices

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-20 Aug, £8

The Girl With the Iron Claws

The Trial by Steven Berkoff

Breathing Water

C venues - C soco, 9-20 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Paradise in Augustine’s, 9-13 Aug, £5

You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

Pip Utton is Charles Dickens St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £9 – £10

Ethometric Museum

Hill Street Theatre, 19-28 Aug, not 22, £9

Musical Much Ado

theSpaces on North Bridge, 15-20 Aug, £7

Blood and Roses

St George’s West, 9-27 Aug, £12 – £15

The Dick and the Rose Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8

Standing On My Knees

The Trial: an Original Adaptation of the Novel by Franz Kafka of the Same Name

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 11 Aug, £5

theSpaces on North Bridge, 15-27 Aug, £9

Love Song

Heyokah/Hokahey Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 21 Aug, £5

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, £8.50 – £10 theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £10

AGM

Greenside, 22-27 Aug, £7

The Cagebirds

Greenside, 9-13 Aug, £7

13:40 Eyes Wide Open

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 24-25 Aug, £5

Mark Twain Abroad Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 10-13 Aug, £8

Terezin: Children of the Holocaust theSpaces on the Mile , 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

Happiness

The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £9.50

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 85

theatrelistings

Pleasance Courtyard, 18-28 Aug, not 22, £7.50 – £9

Somewhere Between Heaven, Hell and Happiness Church Hill Theatre, 12 Aug, £5

The Watchers

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-20 Aug, £6.50

Aladdin

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £6

Unanswered, We Ride theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £9

13:45 Whistle

Zoo, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 25, £7.50

Leave Hitler to Me Lad Paradise in Augustine’s, 16-21 Aug, £7

The Pretender

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10

A Preoccupation With Romance

Zoo Southside, 9-29 Aug, not 14, 21, 28, £8

From My Sleep with Horror

Paradise in The Vault, 1627 Aug, not 22, £8

Lost in Mozart

theSpaces on North Bridge, 22-27 Aug, £8.50

13:50 After the End

Definitely-NotEveryman

theSpace on Niddry St, 15-18 Aug, £5

I Hope My Heart Goes First St George’s West, 9-16 Aug, £10

The Moscow State Circus - Babushkins Sekret

Chaos

Ocean Terminal Big Top, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, £free

Alma Mater

MonologueSlam - The Ultimate Actors’ Showcase!

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11 St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Banter Into Bed

theSpace on Niddry St, 9-13 Aug, £5

Grim(m) Tales of the Woods - Free

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 20-28 Aug, £free

Snap.Catch.Slam HHH Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 23, £9.50 – £10.50

Partially Mouse - Free Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 13-19 Aug, £free

13:55 Real Men Dream in Black and White

theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 12 Aug, 26 Aug, £10

One Million Tiny Plays About Britain

You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

Anton’s Uncles

Bedlam Theatre, 9-27 Aug, £9

Aunt Dan and Lemon

14:00

Howling Moon

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Various dates from 21 Aug to 3 Sep, £10

Fleeto

Pleasance Courtyard, Various dates from 9 Aug to 29 Aug, £9 – £10

The Firebird

Fairmilehead Parish Church Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £6

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-13 Aug, £8 C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £7.50 – £9.50

Release

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 17, 24, £10 – £11

Sailing On

New Town Theatre, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £8 – £9

Two Johnnies Live Upstairs

Institut français d’Ecosse, 9-26 Aug, weekdays only, £10

Skittles

Invisible Show II

Pleasance Courtyard, 21-27 Aug, £7.50

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

86 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Penny Dreadful’s Etherdome

Splendid Isolation

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £12 – £14

The Spectacular Tales of Grinburrell

Teddy and Topsy Isadora Duncan’s Love Letters to Gordon Craig

C venues - C too, 9-20 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

‘Tis in My Memory Locked: an adaptation of Hamlet

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 17, 24, £11

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Circus of the Orient

Meadows Theatre Big Top, 9-14 Aug, £free

Principal Parts

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Rachael’s Cafe

Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde, 9-28 Aug, £free

14:10

Posthumous Works

You Once Said Yes

Danish Institute, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, £10

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

Dusk Rings a Bell

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £11 – £12

Click

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £7

King of Scotland

Assembly Hall, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £12

Eight

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-13 Aug, £8

Lights, Camera, Walkies

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 18, £9 – £10

The Split Second

C venues - C aquila, 22-27 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

Romance with a Double Bass

The Extraordinary Revelations of Orca the Goldfish

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £7

Swamp Juice

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 26-27 Aug, £6

Generation 9/11: So Far / So Close

Simon Callow in Tuesday at Tescos

Alma Mater

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

theSpaces on the Mile , 15-20 Aug, £7

A Machine To See With

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £12

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £6

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8 – £9

Wee Andy

I, the Dictator

Last Petal Falling

Grisly Tales From Tumblewater

Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £17.50 – £20

Greenside, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £5

One Thousand and One Nights Part 1

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Hill Street Theatre, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 26 Aug, 27 Aug, £15

Pleasance Courtyard, Various dates from 10 Aug to 28 Aug, £9 – £10

14:05

Alma Mater

Heartbreak

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 24-25 Aug, £6

The Secret of Monkey Island theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-23 Aug, £6

A3 OPTION 1

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, £9 – £10

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £12 – £14

14:15 The Box - Free!

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 27-28 Aug, £free

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Pathos, Wholesale

Princes Mall, 9-20 Aug, £free

Suddenly Shakespeare

Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

Metamorphoses

Pilrig Studio, 10 Aug, £5

Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £8

Three of Hearts

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Haroun and the Sea of Stories Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

A Midsummer Night’s Dream theSpace on Niddry St, 22-27 Aug, £8

The Screwtape Letters

Palmerston Place Church, 24 Aug, 26 Aug, 27 Aug, £10 www.thespaceuk.com

3rd Ring Out: The Emergency

You Once Said Yes

on North Bridge (V36)

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-20 Aug, £10

VISIBLE AREA 297mm (w) x 373mm (h)

Gaksi, Mago

theatrelistings The Unbearable Sh*teness of Being

Paradise in The Vault, 9-14 Aug, £5

Cry of the Mountain

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £7 – £8

The Crucible

Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

Voices

Quaker Meeting House, 22-27 Aug, £6

Another Macbeth

Quaker Meeting House, 15-20 Aug, £8

Almost, Maine

Pilrig Studio, 12 Aug, £5

Oedipus: a Love Story C venues - C soco, 9-16 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

rogerandtom

C venues - C too, 21-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

14:20 The Women of Lockerbie

Pilrig Studio, 9 Aug, £5

Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones Udderbelly’s Pasture, 15 Aug, £11

www.festmag.co.uk

You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

Bashir Lazhar

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £11 – £12

Travelers: A Comedy with Music

14:30

M House

Glasgow GirlsPachamama Productions

Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

Sweet Grassmarket, 2426 Aug, £7

Mad About the Boy

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

The Simple Things in Life

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - The Simple Things in Life sheds, 19-27 Aug, £11.50 – £12.50

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £11 – £12

14:25 The Dreamcatchers Church Hill Theatre, 21 Aug, £5

The Hub, 25-26 Aug, £6

Meow Meow

The Hub, 17-18 Aug, £6

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

Are You Happy Now? - Free

Kiwi Bar @ Walkabout, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

BAC at Summerhall

Summerhall, 22-27 Aug, £free

Bouncers Remix

Zoo Roxy, Various dates from 10 Aug to 28 Aug, £10

Fragments of Ash

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, 21 Aug, £10

Venue 13, 21-27 Aug, £8

The Continental Quilt

The Bongo Club, 9-12 Aug, £6

Saughtonhall United Reformed Church, 13 Aug, £7

HR’d Day’s Night - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 13-20 Aug, £free

Zambezi Express

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £12 – £14

You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

A Grimm Tale

Motortown

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £7.50

Bawbees and Ducats or A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Piazza by Alan Richardson

St Serf’s Church Hall, 20 Aug, £9

Blood and Roses

St George’s West, 9-27 Aug, £12 – £15

Jamie Blake

Zoo Roxy, Various dates from 9 Aug to 29 Aug, £9.50

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Frankenstein

Paradise in The Vault, 9-14 Aug, £8.50

It Takes Four to Tango with Panto St Peter’s, 27 Aug, £10

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Moll Flanders

St Ninian’s Hall, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £10

The Attic

Columcille Centre, 13-14 Aug, £10

The Chippit Chantie St Peter’s, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £10

Dr Apple’s Last Lecture HH

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-28 Aug, £9 – £10

Gogol’s ‘The Portrait’ Quaker Meeting House, 9-13 Aug, £8

Hannah Ringham’s Free Show (Bring Money)

Summerhall, 22-27 Aug, £free

14:35 The Infant

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 16, £10 – £11

Noh No Noh

C venues - C soco, 17-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

The Long Road

theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £8

Nuclear Family

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £10

14:40 You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

The Dumb Waiter

Paradise in The Vault, 16-29 Aug, not 22, £7.50 – £9.50

Go to Your God Like a Soldier

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 87

theatrelistings Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Playing Cards and Cigarettes

Frozen Stills

theSpace on Niddry St, 9-13 Aug, £5

Letting Go

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

theSpaces on North Bridge, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £5

Alma Mater

Assembly George Square, 22-27 Aug, £9 – £10

Banter Into Bed

14:45

Batman! Holy Spoof Musical Batstravaganza!

Hotel Methuselah Summerhall, 19-26 Aug, £12

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Opposition

Zoo Southside, 14-28 Aug, not 22, £5 – £8

The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £8.50 – £9.50

Hotel De L’avenir

Venue 13, 9-20 Aug, not 15, 16, £8

Four For Jericho

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £10 – £11

Be My Baby

Greenside, 15-20 Aug, £7.50

14:50 Politically Incorrect - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £free

Time for the Good Looking Boy

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, £9 – £10

You Once Said Yes

Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £15

theSpace on Niddry St, 15-18 Aug, £5

Paradise in Augustine’s, 23-29 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

3rd Ring Out: The Emergency

Pleasance Courtyard, 18-28 Aug, not 22, £7.50 – £9

The Last Days of Gilda New Town Theatre, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £free – £11

14:55 ❤ Spent HHHH

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 17, 23, £9 – £9.50

The Duchess of Malfi

theSpaces on North Bridge, 15-20 Aug, £7

Inbetween

C venues - C aquila, 14-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

The World Holds Everyone Apart, Apart From Us Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

15:00 Debris

Zoo Roxy, Various dates from 9 Aug to 29 Aug, £8

Encounters: Theatre Uncut Traverse Theatre, 22 Aug, £10

The Moscow State Circus - Babushkins Sekret

Ocean Terminal Big Top, Various dates from 11 Aug to 20 Aug, £free

Untouchable Voices

Leith on the Fringe @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 20-21 Aug, £7.50

Gutter Junky

Assembly Hall, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9

Julian Sands in a Celebration of Harold Pinter

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-21 Aug, £12.50 – £15

May I Have the Pleasure...?

Traverse @ The Point Hotel Conference Centre, 18 Aug, £17

The Station: Fourstones

Zoo, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 23, £9

Tearoom

Lauriston Hall, 22-28 Aug, £15

Ethometric Museum

Turandot

Fameless

Vivaldi and the Number 3

To Have and to Hold

New Town Theatre, 9-27 Aug, not 17, £12 – £13

Valvona & Crolla, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 23 Aug, 26 Aug, £10

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

The Matchmaker

Scottish Storytelling Centre, 22-29 Aug, £9

Little Sparrow

Greenside, 15-20 Aug, £free

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Ruskin Live!

Scottish National Gallery, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 18 Aug, 19 Aug, £10

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Traverse @ Ghillie Dhu, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £15

Stacy

Hill Street Theatre, 19-28 Aug, £9

Zoo Roxy, Various dates from 10 Aug to 28 Aug, £8

4.3 Miles From Nowhere

Zanzibar Cats by Heathcote Williams

Constantinople

15:05

Zoo, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8 – £10 Electric Circus, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, £free

Did You Used to Be R. D. Laing?

Valvona & Crolla, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £12

If That’s All There Is?

Pleasance Courtyard, Various dates from 23 Aug to 29 Aug, £12

Singapore

Summerhall, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £5

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £11 – £12

Remembering Annabel

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-13 Aug, £7.50

The Extraordinary Revelations of Orca the Goldfish theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £7

Cigarettes and Chocolate

theSpaces on the Mile , 15-20 Aug, £6.50

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £8 Paradise in Augustine’s, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £7

15:10 The Curse of Miss Fortune

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-13 Aug, £4.50 – £6

The Tiger’s Bones

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

To Hold an Apple

theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8

Eight

theSpaces on the Mile , 15-20 Aug, £8

15:15 Babbling Comedy 2

C venues - C, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11.50

❤ Cul-De-Sac HHHH

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £10

The Flight into Egypt

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-14 Aug, £8

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

PCUK - A Midsummer Night’s Remix theSpace @ Venue45, 15-20 Aug, £7

Lord of the Flies

Paradise in Augustine’s, 9-13 Aug, £8

Taketh Me Away

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

LULLABIES OF BROADMOOR A Broadmoor Quartet

FOUR PLAYS BY STEVE HENNESSY DIRECTED BY CHRIS LOVELESS

88 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Fusion Theater Company Presents Polaroid Stories by Naomi Iizuka

theSpace @ Venue45, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, £5

The Golden Dragon Traverse Theatre, 17 Aug, £15

Caligula

C venues - C, 14-20 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

Love’s Wild Desire

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 12 Aug, £5

‘New York’ by David Rimmer Church Hill Theatre, 23 Aug, £5

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £10 – £12

Fear and Misery of the Third Reich

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £10.50

Kafka’s Metamorphosis as Performed by the Actors of the Nowy Teatr Kameralny Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, 21 Aug, £5

Rumors

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9 Aug, £5

Spring Fever

Church Hill Theatre, 13 Aug, £5

Triangle

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 10 Aug, £5

15:20 12 Incompetent Men (and Women!) theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 13 Aug, £5

theatrelistings Thirty Two Teeth

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Life’s a Game

theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 9 Aug, 10 Aug, 13 Aug, £5

Oh, Bologna!

Church Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Lullabies of Broadmoor - Venus at Broadmoor C venues - C, 27 Aug, £10.50

Sideshow

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

The Tempest

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 15-27 Aug, £7.50

Uncle Tom: Deconstructed

theSpace @ Venue45, 10 Aug, £5

[Del]

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 9-13 Aug, £6

The Tin Can People

theSpace @ Venue45, 12 Aug, £5

15:25 Myrtle Chops

Paradise in The Vault, 23-29 Aug, £5

The Rivals

Church Hill Theatre, 12 Aug, £5

Body of Water

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £9 – £10

Under the Influence theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 11 Aug, £5

Vertigo

Bedlam Theatre, 9-13 Aug, £7

The Ducks

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £9 – £10

15:30 Blonde Compassion

Princes Mall, 13-27 Aug, not 17, 22, £free

The Golden Dragon Traverse Theatre, 27 Aug, £17

❤ Man of Valour HHHH

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £17

Tea with Queenie

Greenside, 9-27 Aug, not 10, 14, 15, 21, 22, £6.50

Check, Please!

Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

Dust

New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £11 – £13

Darkness

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £10

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH

Traverse Theatre, 13 Aug, 19 Aug, £17

Ten Plagues

Traverse Theatre, Various dates from 16 Aug to 26 Aug, £17 – £19

Wireless Mystery Theatre Presents...

Globe, 17-27 Aug, not 23, £free

Lethal Injection

15:35

Blood and Roses

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £7

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50 St George’s West, 9-27 Aug, £12 – £15

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson Traverse Theatre, 28 Aug, £15

The Game of Roles - Free

Princes Mall, 11-12 Aug, £free

The Trial: an Original Adaptation of the Novel by Franz Kafka of the Same Name Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Welcome to the Kerryman

Princes Mall, 9-27 Aug, not 16, 17, £free

1745 174 45

Black Mirrors

15:40 Translunar Paradise

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £9.50 – £10

Of Sound Mind

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10 – £12

Silken Veils

Wives of War

theSpace @ Venue45, 22-27 Aug, £8

Fantasmagoriana

C venues - C aquila, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £10.50

15:45 Adolf

St George’s West, 17 Aug, 24 Aug, £12.50

David Lee Nelson...

Status Update

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 22, £free

I, Malvolio

Traverse Theatre, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, £15

A Machine To See With

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10

Somewhere Between Heaven, Hell and Happiness Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

Fire and the Rose

A Machine To See With

The Little Prince

Nine Suitcases

Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 9-28 Aug, £free

Ink

Kiwi Bar @ Walkabout, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 22, £free

15:50 Playing Cards and Cigarettes

theSpace on Niddry St, 15-18 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12 Venue 13, 21-27 Aug, £8

Orlando

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £9 – £12

This Twisted Tale HH Leith on the Fringe @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 9-29 Aug, £12

3rd Ring Out: The Emergency

Pleasance Courtyard, 18-28 Aug, not 22, £7.50 – £9

Circus of the Orient

Meadows Theatre Big Top, 9-12 Aug, £free

Beef

My Filthy Hunt

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

A Slow Air

Samira

Beowulf - A Thousand Years of Baggage

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH Traverse Theatre, 24 Aug, £15

Ten Plagues

Life Still

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, 10-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 22, 23, £free

15:55

Macbeth

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Killing Bill Gates - Free

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Shylock HHH

Alma Mater

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £9 – £11

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9 – £10 Paradise in Augustine’s, 16-21 Aug, £8

Caruso and the Monkey House Trial

Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £12.50 – £14 Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, £17

Wondrous Flitting

Traverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £15 – £17

The Golden Dragon Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £15

One Night Stan

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, £11 – £12

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £10.50

Jack’s Story: Ripper or Not?

Paradise in The Vault, 9-13 Aug, £7.50

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, £15 – £17

Assembly George Square, 10-29 Aug, not 15, £14

Ten Plagues

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, 19 Aug, 24 Aug, 28 Aug, £17 – £19

Wondrous Flitting

16:00 The Dipper - Free

Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, 9-12 Aug, £free

Daughter of a Cuban Revolutionary

Venue 13, 9-14 Aug, £8

The Curse of Macbeth The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10.50

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, £15

God’s Fool

theSpace on Niddry St, 9-13 Aug, £7 – £9

Allotment

Assembly Inverleith Allotments, Various dates from 13 Aug to 28 Aug, £10

Chekhov Shorts

Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden, 9-20 Aug, not 14, 15, £8

FRINGE FIRST WINNERS 2009 IRON SHOES in association with the National Theatre Studio & ScenePool

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MAD ABOUT THE BOY

by Gbolahan Obisesan

Underbelly Dairy Room 2:20pm

6.05 p.m. – 6.55 p.m.

www.festmag.co.uk

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 89

theatrelistings Force Quit

Henna Night

The Bongo Club, 9-16 Aug, £7

Just Good Friends

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, £8

Love

St John’s Church, 19 Aug, £10

Request Programme Inlingua Edinburgh, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, 21 Aug, 27 Aug, £12

Tin Girl Story

Zoo Southside, 9-15 Aug, £8

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson Traverse Theatre, 25 Aug, £15

Ed Reardon: A Writer’s Burden Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, £10 – £12

The Simple Things in Life

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - The Simple Things in Life sheds, 19-27 Aug, £11.50 – £12.50

Two Johnnies Live Upstairs

Institut français d’Ecosse, 9-26 Aug, weekdays only, £10

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

16:05 Dream Pill

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £8 – £9

Be Prepared

Greenside, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7.50

Pulse

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8.50

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7.50

The Illiad, the Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less

Invisible Show II

Alma Mater

16:10

16:40

Sailing On

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Sleeping Beauty

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7.50

Bones

Zoo, 9-28 Aug, not 22, £9

The Captain of Köpenick

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £10

Cautionary Tales

Paradise in The Vault, 1629 Aug, not 22, £7

The Animals and Children Took to the Streets

Pleasance Courtyard, 1928 Aug, £12

An Instinct for Kindness

Pleasance Dome, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £9 – £10

Celebration

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £7

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Pilrig Studio, 12 Aug, £5 New Town Theatre, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £8 – £9

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Ten Plagues

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, 27 Aug, £17 – £19

Phys Ed

Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10

16:20 Slavery to Star Trek C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

16:25

The Crucible

Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

Almost, Maine

Pilrig Studio, 10 Aug, £5

Othello?

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 9-13 Aug, £12

What It Feels Like

C venues - C too, 9-21 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Ten Plagues

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £19

To Avoid Precipice Cling to Rock

Bedlam Theatre, 9-13 Aug, £8

Yours, Isabel

Paradise in The Vault, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £5

Act Before You Think

Clockheart Boy

Bedlam Theatre, 15-27 Aug, £8

Church Hill Theatre, 13 Aug, £5 C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11.50

Attempts On Her Life

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Summerhall, 9-20 Aug, £9

New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £free – £10

Acoustic Music Centre @ St Brides, 14-19 Aug, £8

16:15

Traumatikon

Waterloo

2 Be?

Greenside, 9-12 Aug, £6.50

Church Hill Theatre, 21 Aug, 23 Aug, £5

Pleasance Courtyard, 21-27 Aug, £7.50

The Alchemystorium

Recursion

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

The F Word

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £10

2401 Objects HHH

Pleasance Courtyard, 10-28 Aug, not 16, 23, £10 – £12

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Young Pretender

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9.50 – £10.50

16:45 A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

The Mourning Party

C venues - C soco, 14-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

The Curse of the Devil’s Verse

Hill Street Theatre, 19-28 Aug, £9

16:30

(Between Brackets)

/++ 38 $ produced by

THE EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE Home to the biggest names in comedy

5-29 Aug, 11.15pm ‘til late Hawke & Hunter Green Room: 12 Picardy Place www.edinburghplayhouse.org.uk for details & daily line-up

90 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5

C venues - C too, 22-29 Aug, £6.50 – £8.50

17:00 Uglies Do Edinburgh Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 9-29 Aug, not 14, 21, £10

A Day in November

Zoo Southside, 9-29 Aug, £8.50

Like a Virgin

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 16 Aug, £12

Posthumous Works

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

Zoo Roxy, 15-29 Aug, £7

Empty Page, Empty Stage

17 Things

Haverfordwest

Ethometric Museum

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £11 – £15

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

I See Simon

Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut

The First Day of My Life

A Machine To See With

The Dreamcatchers

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-11 Aug, £7

C venues - C aquila, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Paradise in Augustine’s, 11-13 Aug, £7.50

C venues - C soco, 9-13 Aug, £7.50 – £8.50

Paradise in Augustine’s, 16-27 Aug, not 22, £6

An Imaginary History of Tango

Find Me

Stand Up and Be Counted

Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

16:55

Danish Institute, 16-28 Aug, not 22, £8 – £10

Brotherly Love - Free Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £free

The Fall of the House of Usher

Shopping and F***ing

theSpace @ Venue45, 23-27 Aug, £8

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £10

Black Shorts - Free

Allotment

Laughing Horse @ Finnegan’s Wake, 9-12 Aug, £free

16:50 Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Assembly Inverleith Allotments, Various dates from 13 Aug to 28 Aug, £10

LodeSTAR

St George’s West, 9-18 Aug, not 10, £9

theatrelistings The Moscow State Circus - Babushkins Sekret

Ocean Terminal Big Top, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, 18 Aug, 19 Aug, 21 Aug, £free

One Million Tiny Plays About Britain Hill Street Theatre, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, 21 Aug, 22 Aug, 28 Aug, £15

Repent / Words

Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 20-28 Aug, £free

Soldier and Death

Princes Mall, 21-27 Aug, £free

Bepo & Co

C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

Heavy Like the Weight of a Flame

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £10 – £12

The Prodigals

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, £12.50 – £15

The Gospel of Matthew

Venue150 @ EICC, 22 Aug, £11.50

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

17:05 A Mid-Semester Night’s Dream (For Puck’s Sake)

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £5

Deep Waters

theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 9-13 Aug, £6

Kafka and Son HHH

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £10 – £11

Multiple Choice

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £8

www.festmag.co.uk

Ophelia

theSpaces on the Mile , 1527 Aug, not 21, £5 – £8

17:10 Application for Life theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 22-27 Aug, £7

Dial H! for Hitchcock: Three Actors, Three Mysteries, Thirty Minutes theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 12-13 Aug, £7.50

Snow White: The Way Through the Woods

Paradise in Augustine’s, 16-21 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

3rd Ring Out: The Emergency

Fusion Theater Company Presents Polaroid Stories by Naomi Iizuka

theSpace @ Venue45, 10 Aug, £5

Lost Orders

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-20 Aug, £9

Perffection

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, £8

Tempus Incognit

theSpaces on North Bridge, 22-27 Aug, £10

‘New York’ by David Rimmer Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

Pleasance Courtyard, 18-28 Aug, not 22, £7.50 – £9

Just Before Sleep

Colour Me Happy

Kafka’s Metamorphosis as Performed by the Actors of the Nowy Teatr Kameralny

Zoo, 9-27 Aug, not 15, 22, £7 – £8

Excess Baggage

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £6 – £8

What Are Little Boys Made of? theSpace @ Venue45, 15-20 Aug, £5

Eric Hermannson’s Soul

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £9

Mildred McManus for World Minister

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

The Red Dress

theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 15-20 Aug, £6

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

Church Hill Theatre, 23 Aug, £5

Helmsman Pete: Postcards From The Edge Of The World!

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £10.50

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

The Trek Electric

Church Hill Theatre, 21 Aug, £5

The Rape of Lucrece

Zoo Southside, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £9

Rain

17:15

C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £10.50

Donna Disco

The School of Night

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £9

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-18 Aug, £10 – £11

17:20 Do Not Go Gentle

Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, £5

Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down

Greenside, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

Heyokah/Hokahey Church Hill Theatre, 12 Aug, £5

Uncle Tom: Deconstructed

theSpace @ Venue45, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, £5

The Tin Can People

Trog and Clay (an imagined history of the electric chair) C Venues - C eca, 14-29 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

17:30 John Peel’s Shed by John Osborne

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10.50

Bosom Buddies

St George’s West, 19-29 Aug, £8.50

A Machine To See With

theSpace @ Venue45, 11 Aug, £5

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Midnight Your Time performed by Diana Quick

Church Hill Theatre, 20 Aug, £5

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £12 – £15

Bane 1, 2 and 3

Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

17:25 Counting Syllables

Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 9-19 Aug, £free

The Rivals

Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

Kalagora

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £7.50

Are There More of You?

C venues - C aquila, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £10.50

Rose (starring Keira and Art Malik)

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £13.50 – £14.50

Check, Please!

The Oh F**k Moment

St George’s West, 9-27 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, 25, 26, £10

Ships of Sand

Venue 13, 9-27 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, £6

The Moment I Saw You I Knew I Could Love You Summerhall, 22-27 Aug, £12

Agnes of God

Paradise in The Vault, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £6

Bosom Buddies

Hill Street Theatre, 9-16 Aug, £8.50

Fragments of Ash

Venue 13, Various dates from 13 Aug to 20 Aug, £8

A Hero Of Our Time Zoo, 14-29 Aug, £8

Roll Out the Beryl

Hill Street Theatre, 17-28 Aug, £9

Woyzeck

Zoo, 9-13 Aug, £7

Hamlet House of Horror

The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10.50

Now That She’s Gone HH

Assembly Hall, 9-28 Aug, £9 – £10

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Jus’ Like That!

Assembly Hall, 9-29 Aug, £14 – £15

17:35 Superbard and the Sexy Quantum Stories C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

17:40 Somewhere Between Heaven, Hell and Happiness Church Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

17:45 The Billie Holiday Story

Assembly George Square, 9-14 Aug, £14

The Dark Philosophers

Traverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 20 Aug, 25 Aug, £17 – £19

The Man Who Was Hamlet

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 27 Aug, £11.50

Thirsty

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 91

theatrelistings Berkoff’s Graft – Tales of an Actor

Allotment

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 23 Aug, 25 Aug, £11.50

Assembly Inverleith Allotments, Various dates from 13 Aug to 28 Aug, £10

Berkoff’s Hell

The Golden Dragon

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 24 Aug, £9

Traverse Theatre, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, 28 Aug, £15

You Wouldn’t Know Him, He Lives in Texas Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, Various dates from 13 Aug to 28 Aug, £15

18:05

Did You Used to Be R. D. Laing?

❤ Man of Valour HHHH

The Great Goddess Bazaar

Dostoevsky’s ‘Dream of a Ridiculous Man’

One Million Tiny Plays About Britain

1745 - The Last Hopeful Epistle of Bonnie Prince Charlie

Valvona & Crolla, 26-27 Aug, £12

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 26 Aug, £10

Italia ‘n’ Caledonia Valvona & Crolla, 9 Aug, £12

The Toll

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Vivaldi and the Number 3

Valvona & Crolla, 15 Aug, 19 Aug, £10

Kaddish for Pinter

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 22, £12

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Belt Up’s Twenty Minutes to Nine

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50

Futureproof

Traverse Theatre, 17 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £17 – £19

17:50 The Questionnaire

theSpace on Niddry St, 22-27 Aug, £8 – £9

The Moon Under the Water theSpace on Niddry St, 9-13 Aug, £5

The Tragedy of Titus theSpace on Niddry St, 15-20 Aug, £7

Wrens

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

17:55 Blood Brothers

C venues - C too, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11.50

18:00 The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £10 – £12.50

Traverse Theatre, 13 Aug, £17

Hill Street Theatre, 10-27 Aug, not 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, £12.50 – £15

Conference of Strange Princes Mall, 13-27 Aug, not 16, 23, £free

David Leddy’s ‘Untitled Love Story’ St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £15 – £17

Love

St John’s Church, Various dates from 10 Aug to 18 Aug, £6 – £10

Request Programme Inlingua Edinburgh, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, 20 Aug, 21 Aug, 27 Aug, £12

Ethometric Museum

Hill Street Theatre, 19-28 Aug, £9

Two Johnnies Live Upstairs

Institut français d’Ecosse, 9-26 Aug, weekdays only, £10

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

The 2 Sides of Eddie Ramone theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £5

Devil in the Detail

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, £12

I, Malvolio

Traverse Theatre, 19 Aug, £17

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

The Attic

Columcille Centre, 13-14 Aug, £10

The Lounge Room Confabulators HHH

Your Lounge, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £free – £12

Pip Utton is the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Paradise in The Vault, 1628 Aug, not 22, £8

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

The Life and Times of Albert Lymes - Free Laughing Horse @ Cafe Renroc, 9-19 Aug, £free

18:10 Criminy

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-20 Aug, £2.50 – £5

Satellites

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

Double Act

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

18:15 The Crucible

Pilrig Studio, 9 Aug, £5

I, Malvolio

Traverse Theatre, 24 Aug, £15

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Suddenly Shakespeare

Church Hill Theatre, 22 Aug, £5

The Tour Guide HHH

The Tour Guide Departing from Market Street, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

The Wheel

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, £17

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH Traverse Theatre, 20 Aug, £17

Theseus is Dead

New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £free – £10

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £10.50

Wondrous Flitting

Wondrous Flitting

Traverse Theatre, 17 Aug, £15

Traverse Theatre, 27 Aug, £17

92 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

The 39 Steps

The Royal Scots Club, 15-20 Aug, £10

The Dark Philosophers

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £17

The Golden Dragon Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £17

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Church Hill Theatre, 19 Aug, £5

Peep Show

Greenside, 22-27 Aug, £7

The Crucible

Church Hill Theatre, 23 Aug, £5

The Wheel

Traverse Theatre, 19 Aug, 24 Aug, 28 Aug, £17 – £19

About Gilbert (Without Sullivan)

Mayfield Salisbury Church, 9-13 Aug, £10

A Slow Air

Traverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 21 Aug, £15

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 14 Aug, 25 Aug, £15

Mission Drift

Traverse Theatre, 13 Aug, £19

Wondrous Flitting

Almost, Maine

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £15

Doris Day Can F**k Off HHH

Be My Baby by Amanda Whittington

Pilrig Studio, 13 Aug, £5

Zoo Southside, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9

Kitty Litter

theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £8

18:20 The Women of Lockerbie

Pilrig Studio, 12 Aug, £5

Travelers: A Comedy with Music Church Hill Theatre, 21 Aug, £5

Free Run

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 22, £15 – £17

Rathmore’s Whippet C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

3rd Ring Out: The Emergency

Pleasance Courtyard, 18-28 Aug, not 22, £7.50 – £9

18:25 Liberace: Live From Heaven

Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, £13 – £14

18:30 A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Tomboy Blues – The Theory of Disappointment Zoo Southside, 14-28 Aug, not 22, £5 – £8

Viewless

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £9

Zoo Roxy, 9-13 Aug, £8

What Remains

Traverse @ University of Edinburgh Medical School Anatomy Department, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £17 – £19

The Voyage of St Brendan: A Postmodern Retelling Through a Mosaic of Mediums St John’s Church, 20 Aug, £5

Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones Udderbelly’s Pasture, 16 Aug, £11

BAC at Summerhall Summerhall, 21 Aug, £free

Blackwood

Zoo Southside, 9-13 Aug, £8 – £9

Dostoevsky’s ‘Dream of a Ridiculous Man’

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 24 Aug, £10

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson Traverse Theatre, 26 Aug, £17

Medea

Assembly George Square, 9-29 Aug, £12 – £13

One Fine Day

Zoo Roxy, 9-28 Aug, not 14, 21, £8.50

Totty Galore and the Expanding Suitcase

Quaker Meeting House, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

18:35 Death Song

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

The Man of Mode

C Venues - C eca, 9-13 Aug, £8.50 – £9.50

Shakespeare Bingo: Titus! theSpace @ Venue45, 15-20 Aug, £7

Like a Virgin

Udderbelly’s Pasture, 15 Aug, £12

18:40 Mr Kolpert

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £10.50

How Desperate Can it Get?

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 26-27 Aug, £7.50

Scottish Sperm

theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £4

Stockholm

Whitespace, 10-20 Aug, not 16, £9

Wonder Bread

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 17, £5

18:45 Third Person: Bonnie and Clyde Redux Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 22-27 Aug, £9

Cutting the Cord

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-27 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Chamber Music

theSpaces on North Bridge, 22-27 Aug, £7.50

Othello

Zoo Roxy, 9-20 Aug, £8

A Slow Air

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, £15

Futureproof

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £19

Mission Drift

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, £17

Love Songs for a Timewaster

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 1929 Aug, not 22, £9 – £10

18:50 Naive Dance Masterclass

C Venues - C eca, 14-29 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

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August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 93

theatrelistings The Trials of Galileo

C venues - C aquila, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £8.50 – £10.50

Berkoff’s Hell

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 26 Aug, £9

Alma Mater

St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £5

18:55 Bluebeard: A Fairy Tale for Adults

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £10.50

The Room of Unlimited Possibilities

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

19:00

Jane Austen invites...

Royal Over-Seas League, 26-27 Aug, £10

Petrol Jesus Nightmare No.5 (In the Time of the Messiah)

Metropolitain Bar, 10-17 Aug, £7

The Tempest

theSpace on Niddry St, 9-13 Aug, £8

Abbi Patrix and Linda Edsjö: A Concert of Stories Scottish Storytelling Centre, 12-28 Aug, not 22, £6 – £8

Flesh Eating Tiger

Venue 13, 9-20 Aug, not 15, 16, £8

One Thousand and One Nights Part 1 Royal Lyceum Theatre, 23 Aug, 25 Aug, 30 Aug, £10

A Machine To See With

St George’s West, 24-28 Aug, £12

Nae Airs ‘n’ Graces St Mark’s artSpace, 11 Aug, £6

One Thousand and One Nights Part 2

Royal Lyceum Theatre, 21 Aug - 3 Sep, not 22 Aug, 23 Aug, 25 Aug, 29 Aug, 30 Aug, £10

Encounters: Theatre Uncut

Imaginarium

Traverse Theatre, 22 Aug, £10

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 28-29 Aug, £7

Faust/us

Subsist

Sweet Grassmarket, 22-28 Aug, £9

Mystery and Murder on the Menu at The Scottish Cafe The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant , 9 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 22 Aug, 23 Aug, £39

A View from the Fridge

Fredericks Coffee House, 11-12 Aug, £10

Little Matter

Bedlam Chambers, 9-28 Aug, £9

The Kidnapper’s Guide

Zoo, 9-16 Aug, £7.50

Robert Burns: Not in My Name

National Library of Scotland, Various dates from 9 Aug to 28 Aug, £8

En Route to the Enormous Room

The Jazz Bar, 9-11 Aug, £8

Sweet Grassmarket, 9-21 Aug, £9

Yellow Moon: The Ballad of Leila and Lee C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £8.50 – £10.50

19:05 The Infection Monologues

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-13 Aug, £7

The Nose

theSpaces on North Bridge, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £7

The Questionnaire

theSpaces on the Mile , 15-20 Aug, £8 – £9

Dead Dad Dog

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £6

Shakespeare Bingo: Titus! theSpace @ Venue45, 9-13 Aug, £7

Woof! A Werepunk

19:15

Zoo, 9-29 Aug, £7.50

The Screwtape Letters

19:10

Palmerston Place Church, 22-26 Aug, £10

The Carroll Myth Sweet Grassmarket, 9-28 Aug, £10

The Ice Fishing Play Church Hill Theatre, 12 Aug, £5

An Audience With Shurl

A Clockwork Orange

theSpaces on the Mile , 22-27 Aug, £6

C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11.50

Livewire Theatre’s Peter Pan

Spring Fever

Church Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, £5

VOICES

Look Back in Anger

New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £11 – £13

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £11.50

Handling Bach

Rosslyn Chapel, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, £30

Sex, Lies and Eurovision

Pushing Up Poppies

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 9-13 Aug, £10

Hill Street Theatre, 12-29 Aug, £10

Take Two Every Four Hours

19:20

Paradise in The Vault, 9-14 Aug, £5

At the Sans Hotel

Assembly Hall, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £10 – £11

lloon, Next to Gilded Ba re ua Bristo Sq

Savour delicious crêpes from

Wines, Ales & Spirits

A Feast for all the Family

The Best Medieval Pub in Edinburgh

Spicy Fayre from

Succulent Meat, Burgers and Wraps from

The Sims Experience

Half_FestMag02_08.indd 1

94 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

and win prizes

02/08/2011 12:25:48

theatrelistings eXclusion

Paradise in Augustine’s, 16-28 Aug, not 22, £8 – £9.50

Heyokah/Hokahey

Bawbees and Ducats or A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Piazza by Alan Richardson

Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

St Serf’s Church Hall, 9-19 Aug, not 14, £9

War at Home

Diamond Dick

Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, £5

The World According to Bertie C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £12.50

Devotion

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £10

19:30 The Tempest

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, 13-16 Aug, £10

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, 20-24 Aug, £10

The Continental Quilt Saughtonhall United Reformed Church, 9-13 Aug, £7

The Moscow State Circus - Babushkins Sekret

Ocean Terminal Big Top, 9 Aug, £free

Unnatural Selection

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8.50

The Cherry Orchard

Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden, 10-28 Aug, not 15, 16, 22, 23, £10

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour

Outside the Beehive Inn, 9 Aug - 4 Sep, £10

The Perils of Love and Gravity Bedlam Theatre, 9-27 Aug, £8

The Secretary Bird

Murrayfield Parish Church Centre, 10-20 Aug, not 14, £10.50

It Takes Four to Tango with Panto St Peter’s, 24-27 Aug, £10

Dinner

C venues - C, 9-25 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

Antigone

Greenside, 22-27 Aug, £5

Doors Close, They Never Lock

The Tom Fleming Centre, 15 Aug, 17 Aug, £8

3rd Ring Out: The Emergency

Pleasance Courtyard, 18-28 Aug, not 22, £7.50 – £9

Handling Bach

Hydronomicon

The Banshee Labyrinth, 9-27 Aug, £free

The Chippit Chantie

St Peter’s, 9-19 Aug, not 14, 15, £10

Hannah Ringham’s Free Show (Bring Money)

Summerhall, 22-27 Aug, £free

19:35 When Abel Met Cain

Paradise in The Vault, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £5

Golden Aged

theSpace @ Venue45, Various dates from 16 Aug to 27 Aug, £5

Sii Me

theSpace @ Venue45, Various dates from 15 Aug to 26 Aug, £5

19:40 Perfectly Public

Zoo Southside, 21-27 Aug, £7

What Remains

We Draupadi’s and Sitas C Venues - C eca, 9-16 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

The Tempest

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £11.50

Tonight Sandy Grierson Will Lecture, Dance and Box Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £12 – £13

20:00 Assembly George Square, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £12

C venues - C, 27 Aug, £10.50

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £9 – £10

Moll Flanders

The Arrangement

No Holes and the Bard Zoo Southside, 9-13 Aug, £9

Cutting the Cord

Nae Airs ‘n’ Graces

The Tom Fleming Centre, 16 Aug, 18 Aug, £7

St Mark’s artSpace, 12 Aug, £6

Man to Man

Request Programme

Cock and Bull Story

www.festmag.co.uk

19:50

Paradise in Augustine’s, 9-14 Aug, £8

Jawbone Of An Ass

St Ninian’s Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £10

Leith on the Fringe @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £10

2011: A Space Oddity Zoo Roxy, 21-29 Aug, £6 – £12

New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £free – £12.50

The Moscow State Circus - Babushkins Sekret

Lullabies of Broadmoor - The Demon Box

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 9-29 Aug, £9.50

Silence in Court

Lizzy Strata

7 Day Drunk

19:45

New Town Theatre, 9-28 Aug, not 16, £free – £12.50

Traverse @ The Point Hotel Conference Centre, 15-28 Aug, not 20, 25, 26, £12 – £19

Radio Deluxembourg

Rosslyn Chapel, 9-19 Aug, not 11, 13, £12

Inlingua Edinburgh, 9-26 Aug, not 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, £10 – £12

May I Have the Pleasure...?

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £15

You Wouldn’t Know Him, He Lives in Texas Meet at Underbelly, Cowgate, Various dates from 13 Aug to 28 Aug, £15

King Lear

Ocean Terminal Big Top, 11-20 Aug, not 14, 17, £free Traverse @ University of Edinburgh Medical School Anatomy Department, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £17 – £19

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, £5

Bash

theSpaces on North Bridge, 22-27 Aug, £8

One Man and His Masks - Arthur: Britain’s Making

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, Various dates from 9 Aug to 27 Aug, £7

Blue Beard Babes

Le Cochon Entier

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-13 Aug, £5

Love

One Man and His Masks - Boudicca: Britain’s Dreaming

Zoo Roxy, 9-20 Aug, £7.50 St John’s Church, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, £10

The Man Who Was Hamlet

Assembly George Square, 22 Aug, £11.50

Random

Greenside, 22-27 Aug, £7

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, Various dates from 10 Aug to 26 Aug, £7

You Will Be Rare Zoo, 9-29 Aug, £9

20:15

Two Johnnies Live Upstairs

The Golden Dragon

20:05

Haroun and the Sea of Stories

The Zanniskinheads and the Quest for the Holy Balls

Thugz N Tearz

Institut français d’Ecosse, 9-26 Aug, weekdays only, £10

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £10.50

How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found

theSpaces on North Bridge, 15-20 Aug, £7

Samantha’s Hotline

theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £7

Royal Lyceum Theatre, 13-16 Aug, £10

20:10

End of the Line

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Greenside, 9-13 Aug, £8

Livewire Theatre’s Frankenstein

The Lift

Traverse Theatre, 19 Aug, £17

Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, 13 Aug, £5

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, £10

John Hurts (From Idiot)

Paradise in The Vault, 9-14 Aug, £6

The Tour Guide HHH

The Tour Guide Departing from Market Street, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £free

Metamorphoses

Pilrig Studio, 9 Aug, £5

Antony and Cleopatra Quaker Meeting House, 15-20 Aug, £10

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 95

theatrelistings 20:20

Trainspotting

Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 15-20 Aug, £8.50

Wretch Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel, 22-29 Aug, £8

Did You Used to Be R. D. Laing?

Valvona & Crolla, 23 Aug, £12

Decadence Sweet Grassmarket, 9-21 Aug, £8

20:25

G.I. Joe Jared... Based on One Really Bad Date

2 Be?

Laughing Horse @ The Beehive Inn , 9-14 Aug, £free

Church Hill Theatre, 11

Italia ‘n’ Caledonia

Aug, £5

20:30

Valvona & Crolla, 11 Aug, 16 Aug, 18 Aug, 20 Aug, £12

The House of Yes

Coal Head, Toadstool Mouth and Other Stories theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £2 – £7

The Golden Dragon Traverse Theatre, 24 Aug, £15

I Hope My Heart Goes First St George’s West, 24 Aug, £10

Leo St George’s West, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £11 – £13.50

Belt Up’s Outland C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50

The Royal Scots Club, 15-20 Aug, £10

On the Bench

C venues - C aquila, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

A Funny Valentine

Valvona & Crolla, 10 Aug, 12 Aug, 17 Aug, 24 Aug, £12

My Big Gay Italian Wedding

C venues - C, 9-22 Aug, £9.50 – £11.50

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH Traverse Theatre, 28 Aug, £15

20:35 Manipulators

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 10-27 Aug, not 15, 16, 22, 23, £12

Phantasmagoria

Elegy

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 18-29 Aug, £7

Whitespace, 10-28 Aug,

From the Dark Hills

not 16, 23, £10

Little Eyolf Venue 13, 9-20 Aug, not

Give the Fig a Roll

theSpace @ Venue45, Various dates from 16 Aug to 27 Aug, £5

20:40 3D Hamlet: A Lost Generation

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £10

The Gospel Of Matthew

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £7.50

‘Master Harold’ ... and the Boys Sweet Grassmarket, 9 Aug, £9

20:55 Ink

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 27 Aug, £11.50

20:45

Rosie Thorn, Butter Would Not Melt

Female Hitchhiker: The Truth About Getting Around - Free Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £free

Roar

C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11.50

The Wheel

Traverse Theatre, 16 Aug, 20 Aug, 25 Aug, £17 – £19

Futureproof

Traverse Theatre, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, 27 Aug, £17 – £19

The Dark Philosophers

Traverse Theatre, 17 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £17 – £19

The Golden Dragon Traverse Theatre, 13 Aug, £17

Emblem: Spontaneous Thoughts on Perception

theSpace @ Venue45, Various dates from 15 Aug to 26 Aug, £5

Kiwi Bar @ Walkabout, 14-20 Aug, £free

Put a Sock in It

Paradise in The Vault, 23-28 Aug, £5

Greenside, 22-27 Aug, £8

Rockertinkler

Foursome

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Nourish

Bashir Lazhar 15, 16, £8

20:50

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £7 – £9

21:00

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

I, Malvolio

theSpaces on North Bridge, 22-27 Aug, £7 – £8

Zoo Southside, 9-29 Aug, not 14, 21, £7.50 Traverse Theatre, 20 Aug, 25 Aug, £15 – £17

Lullabies of Broadmoor - Venus at Broadmoor C venues - C, 9-25 Aug, not 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, £8.50 – £10.50

Scary Gorgeous

Bedlam Theatre, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £10

The Lounge Room Confabulators HHH

Bluebird

Bedlam Theatre, 22-27 Aug, £8

Confessions of a Mormon Boy

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £8 – £10

Festive Season

Quaker Meeting House, 22-27 Aug, £5

❤ Man of Valour HHHH

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, 14 Aug, £15

The World According to Bertie C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10.50 – £12.50

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson Traverse Theatre, 27 Aug, £17

Lullabies of Broadmoor - The Murder Club

C venues - C, Various dates from 10 Aug to 27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

Dirt

The Investigation

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £8

Your Lounge, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £free – £12

A Slow Air

Traverse Theatre, 17 Aug, £15

Entitled

Summerhall, 23-26 Aug, £10

❤ The Monster in the Hall HHHH

Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 16 Aug, 21 Aug, 26 Aug, £15 – £17

The Oh F**k Moment St George’s West, 25-26 Aug, £10

Wondrous Flitting

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, 18 Aug, 23 Aug, £15 – £17

21:05 Devil in the Deck

How the Money Goes

Strip Search

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £10

21:10 Bash

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

Livewire Theatre’s Salem

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, £5

21:15 A Slow Air

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £15

❤ The Caroline Carter Show HHHH Zoo, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £10

Sherica

Paradise in The Vault, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £10

21:20 Oh, Bologna!

Church Hill Theatre, 9 Aug, £5

Do Not Go Gentle

Church Hill Theatre, 11 Aug, £5

21:25 Hex

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £8

Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 16, 23, £10

21:30

The Presentment

The Dark Philosophers

Paradise in Augustine’s, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £12

Traverse Theatre, 12 Aug, £19

“Critic’s Pick” - Time Out

LLWYTH [TRIBE]

(VUE magazine, Canada)

In Welsh with English surtitles

BY DAFYDD JAMES

“Passionate .... Chilling...”

August 6-28th, ALL SHOWS @14:25

96 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

20—28 August / 11.45am St George’s West - Venue 157 0131 226 0000 **** The Guardian

www.edfringe.com

theatrelistings Grim(m) Tales of the Woods - Free Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix, 20 Aug, 21 Aug, 25 Aug, 26 Aug, 27 Aug, £free

Hitler Alone

Inlingua Edinburgh, 11-25 Aug, £12

What Remains

Traverse @ University of Edinburgh Medical School Anatomy Department, 9-28 Aug, not 15, 22, £17 – £19

Dances for Wolves

C venues - C aquila, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £7.50 – £9.50

Und

C venues - C soco, 16-29 Aug, not 22, £9.50 – £11.50

The Gospel of Matthew by Candlelight

St John’s Church, 24 Aug, 26 Aug, £10

Good Death: Created in Collaboration with Tectonic Theater Project theSpace @ Venue45, 9-13 Aug, £5

Dry Ice Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 17, £9 – £10.50

21:45 Twelve Men Good and True theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £6

Tonight Sandy Grierson Will Lecture, Dance and Box Assembly George Square, 22 Aug, £12

Hood! theSpace @ Venue45, 22-27 Aug, £8

The Illiad, the Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less

To Do List

Laughing Horse @ Cafe Renroc, 12-29 Aug, not 21, £free

Pilrig Studio, 10 Aug, £5

22:35

The Crucible

Murder at Warrabah House

The Table

22:20

22:00 Drinking in America - Free

Pleasance Dome, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £12 – £14

Futureproof

Traverse Theatre, 9 Aug, £17

22:05 Museum of Horror

theSpaces on the Mile , 9-27 Aug, not 14, 21, £8

Peep Show

Greenside, 15-20 Aug, £7

22:10 Flirt Fiction

theSpaces on North Bridge, 22-27 Aug, £10

Last Train to Wigan

Futureproof

C venues - C soco, 14-20 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Traverse Theatre, 11 Aug, £17

Traverse Theatre, 13 Aug, £19

22:15

Mojo

In Your Dreams

The American Family

Mission Drift

Greenside, 22-27 Aug, £6 – £8

Witzelsucht and Moria

My Best Friend Drowned in a Swimming Pool

The Wheel

Zoo, 9-25 Aug, £10 Traverse Theatre, 10 Aug, 14 Aug, £17 Zoo Roxy, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10

21:35 Single, Mother of Two C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

21:40 Babushka

C venues - C aquila, 9-26 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Hide and Seek

Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

www.festmag.co.uk

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

21:50 Anything to Declare?

- Free Laughing Horse @ Cafe Renroc, 9-11 Aug, £free

21:55 Rosie Thorn, Butter Would Not Melt theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, £7 – £9

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-12 Aug, £5

Philosophy in the Bedroom

theSpaces on North Bridge, 15-27 Aug, not 21, £8 – £10

Pilrig Studio, 11 Aug, £5

Lysistrata the Musical theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-13 Aug, £7

Lullabies of Broadmoor - Wilderness

C venues - C, Various dates from 10 Aug to 27 Aug, £8.50 – £10.50

E.A. Poe: Into the Mind of Madness

Church Hill Theatre, 10 Aug, £5

Lullabies of Broadmoor - The Demon Box

C venues - C, 9-25 Aug, not 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, £8.50 – £10.50

22:25 The Laramie Project Paradise in Augustine’s, 9-13 Aug, £6

22:30 Nostalgia for Reality theSpaces on the Mile , 9-13 Aug, £7

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 22-27 Aug, £5

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £8

22:40 Flirt Fiction

theSpaces on North Bridge, 9-20 Aug, not 14, £10

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10.50

Around the World on 80 Quid

23:10

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 16, 17, 22, £9 – £10

Spielpalast Cabaret

The Judge of Harbor County theSpaces on the Mile , 12-13 Aug, £7

Hill Street Theatre, 9-18 Aug, not 10, £8

23:15

What Goes Up

Sodom

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £7.50 – £9.50

Looser Women

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 9-29 Aug, not 17, £10 – £11

Zoo, 14-29 Aug, £9

The Forum

Underbelly, Cowgate, 9-28 Aug, not 15, £9 – £10.50

Und

Tales from Edgar Allan Poe

C venues - C soco, 14-15 Aug, £8.50

Lullabies of Broadmoor - The Murder Club

C Venues - C eca, 9-29 Aug, not 15, £9.50 – £11.50

The Bus

Paradise in The Vault, 23-29 Aug, £8

Pleasance Courtyard, 9-29 Aug, not 15, 22, £12

22:50

Bouncers

52 Man Pickup

❤ Belt Up’s The Boy James HHHHH

Paradise in The Vault, 1728 Aug, not 22, £7

23:00 Debbie Does My Dad

When Women Wee

Vive le Cabaret

Blood Moon

St George’s West, 9-28 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £10 – £12

Paradise in The Vault, 9-14 Aug, £7

Electric Circus, 9-29 Aug, not 13, 20, 27, £free

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 15-27 Aug, not 21, 22, £10

Audience – Ontroerend Goed

Cautionary Tales

Constantinople

Get Carter

C Venues - C eca, 17-29 Aug, £7.50 – £9.50

Bedlam Theatre, 9-27 Aug, £8

C venues - C, 9-29 Aug, not 16, £9.50 – £11.50

Hill Street Theatre, 9-29 Aug, not 10, 17, 24, £8 – £10

Love’s Labour’s Lost and Found

22:45

Titus Andronicus

theSpace on Niddry St, 15-20 Aug, £10

22:55

C venues - C soco, 9-29 Aug, £10.50 – £12.50

Reservoir Dogs

theSpace @ Venue45, 15-20 Aug, £10

23:40

C venues - C, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, £7.50

23:45 Hotel Medea

Summerhall, Various dates from 12 Aug to 27 Aug, £29.50

August 9-11 | edinburgh festival guide 2011 fest 97

festafriend

Show mates

s iend—the handy website that help Fest has teamed up with festafr d sen —to with s show see ds or dates to Edinburgh festivalgoers find frien ght… thou they t wha ’s Here two lucky pups on a free night out.

Who

Holly Goodfellow & Sharizal Hamid What did they see?

Best of Irish Comedy, Stand Comedy Club, 6:05PM, 5–28 AUG

HOLLY How was the show?

The show was exactly what it said on the tin—Irish comedians—some good, some not, some bad!

Did you like Sharizal?

Shar was great; funny and willing to take part in the show.

Do you think he enjoyed the show?

It was probably not something he would have picked, and I think he found some of the humour strange as he is from Singapore.

Did you enjoy the show?

Again, not something I would have picked. But it was very funny.

What would be the best type of person to take to this show?

I would take more of a blokey bloke or my brother to this if I went again.

Your best (or worst!) ever festival experience?

My worst experience was seeing a small uni show with four audience members in the back of nowhere. Just not funny!

Seen any other shows you’d recommend at the Fringe?

It’s Uniformation Day at the Zoo Roxy.

98 fest edinburgh festival guide 2011 | August 9-11

Photos: Nina Marvin

SHARIZAL How was the show?

A comical night starting with a witty compere. The next three comedians (I forget the names) were very distinct but I would have enjoyed it more if I had actually understood the colloquial terms and stereotypes.

Did you like Holly?

We both agreed our worst fears weren’t realised in this blind date! She feared a boring bloke and I feared someone crazy. She’s quite easy to talk to. Although a little tired from work and soaked after a neverending downpour, she still kept her spirits high. She even introduced me to yummy deep fried Yorkie!

Do you think she enjoyed the show?

The compere and the first comedian tickled her fancy while the next two only managed to squeeze a few laughs from her.

It was almost the same for me.

But we agreed it wasn’t high on our “to watch again” list.

Did you enjoy the show?

It would have suited me perfectly if I was able to pause the show, Google what they were talking about and resume everything after I had understood.

Your best (or worst!) ever festival experience?

This is my first festival and it’s already my favourite festival.

Seen any other shows you’d recUP FOR IT? IF YOU FANCY ommend at the SEEING A SHOW WITH SOME Fringe?

OR APPEARING ONE, IN THE I would recommend NEXT ISSUE, SIGN UP AT Skitch Tease. And ClockFESTAFRIEND .COM. heart Boy for teenagers.

www.festmag.co.uk

Making ideas happen w IdeasTap Nell Frizzell explains ho g artists un yo is helping dozens of e ng Fri at this year's or Nell IdeasTap’s theatre edit ning Frizzell is packing, plan still fit and hoping that she can Wars into her 13-year-old Star sible costumes…Knickers, sen O suit: shoes, toothbrush, C3P can be a packing for Edinburgh I’ve left funny old fish. At least Hits my Proclaimers Greatest e (look, cassette at home this tim I was nine). and This year, IdeasTap – the kind e about foolish people who let me writ – are bringtheatre for cash each week h Fringe ing more TLC to the Edinburg IdeasTap is than a ’90s R&B megamix. that helps an arts charity and website big bad young people break into the and this year world of professional arts, al money we’ve given money – yes, actu get up to – to 12 shows to help them 0 (Ideas the Fringe, ranging from £50 (Ideas Fund Marketing) to £10,000 Fund Edinburgh). we’ll be From now until 23 August, heaven running a daily little slice of lly Mem(11am-2pm) at the Underbe ’s right. bers Bar on Bristo Square. That hard cash Not content with giving cold also to creative all and sundry, we’ll ewhere to be giving you Fringers som ful profescheck your mail, chat to help a bacon sionals, have a coffee and eat Priory, sarnie on the house. Like The bands but with fewer hopeless indie ce. and more practical career advi ard to I’m particularly looking forw ce sesThursday’s drop-in career advi National sions with Stage One and the 0am to Student Drama Festival (11.3 ld call it a 1.30pm). A marketeer wou and directors must for actors, producers great leap wondering how to make the it group to success. But instead, I’ll call playmakers. therapy for panic-stricken ed den I might even set up a little padd all hug it in the corner where we can waxed out and weep gently into our

jackets. d-greet If you’re more of a meat-an down for person, then make your way

Friday’s free breakfast bacon bonanza.

You will also be able to chat to the lovely Steve Winter, head of Old Vic New Voices, about applying for The 24 Hour Plays.

Whether you’re hungover, hungunder or just hanging, it’d be nice to see you. And by ”see you” I obviously mean ”steal food from you”.

Now, I wouldn’t be much of a theatre critic if I didn’t mention the shows I’ll be watching. Call me a lady-loving old romantic but I am very much looking forward to watching RashDash’s Scary Gorgeous – two Leeds lasses (and Ideas Fund Edinburgh winners) who combine music, movement and LMFAOs with their rather splendid brand of physical theatre.

Catch them at the Bedlam Theatre until 20 August.

Also worth a watch will be highfliers Dumbshow with Clockwork Boy at CVenues C until 29 August. And finally, as a woman who looks like a hairy egg with a beak, I cannot help but love the sound of Fat-Git Theatre’s probing new play,

RashDash's Scary Gor geous

The Nose at theSpaces on North Bridge until 27 August.

Oh, and the C3PO suit? Well, you’ll just have to follow @IdeasTap on Twitter to find out what that’s all about.

For more information about IdeasTap’s Edinburgh schedule, our courses and the shows we’re funding, visit www.ideastap.com/Edinburgh

Underbelly Productions in association with World Dance Management present

Best Fringe Performance 2010

3-­29 AUGUST productions