Fringe benefits

Published on 09/08/2007 18:59

Thursday August 9, 8.45pm

I LOVE how all the different venues carve themselves up into as many rooms as possible so they can squeeze every last penny out of any productions desperate to get here who are happy to perform in a shoe box if it means they're in the Fringe. One show that certainly doesn't have a space issue is Phaedre, being performed at Craigmillar Castle.

I arrived at C Venues for the show at 6 o'clock, having run from Sweet just in time to catch the bus that would whisk me and the 35 other audience members off to the castle for this 90-minute extravaganza.

The castle is spectacular, with stunning views of Arthur's Seat, the city and Firth of Forth. The fresh air that filled my lungs was extremely welcome and reminded me there is life outside of the hustle and bustle of the city centre during this time when pavement space is a privilege, the smell of car fumes is extensive and generators hum endlessly.

Numerous audiences will come out of shows saying how well the space was used, but Phaedre brought this sentiment to a whole new level as the performance moved throughout the castle, from the outer walls to the highest walkways, led around by Panope, perfectly cast as Lisa and Alana MacFarlane, who ran around and encouaged the crowd around like little pixies. However, because they are identical twins I can't tell you which one did a better job because I couldn't tell the difference!

The chorus of women clad in black throughout the castle added eerie sound effects when necessary, again a nice change to the cackling that comes from those oversized speakers crammed into venues the size of my stairwell.

As I left, my own sense of tranquillity was perfect. I felt relaxed, peaceful, happy and content. Just a shame I now have to go do my own show in half an hour. Now where's that coffee?

Thursday August 9, 5.38pm

JUST stepped out of Twins SS, a new piece of writing by Ali Blackwell which I must say was amusing but not mind blowing. Think 'Spring Time For Hitler' but without the wit of Mel Brookes and you're hovering in the right area. The show was certainly quirky in its farcical state, however, because of the relatively small space and a large cast on stage it sometimes became a little chaotic. Despite this, the cast all performed strongly, especially the overtly camp Fritz Acchengrubber, played with continual stage presence by Mike Edwards, although this may also have been because he was wearing electric pink fishnets.

Thursday August 9, 1.11pm

MY humblest apologies to the Early Edition team, whom I was meant to see this morning but felt the comfort of remaining horizontal was just too much to give up.

However, last night I was supposed to see Mitch Benn's show in the Purple Slaughtered Cow but it was cancelled, so I guess that makes me and the Underbelly equal; they cancel a show - I miss a show.

I'll go along to the press office a bit later and plead with them to give me another ticket, hopefully they'll be nice.

The show that replaced Mitch Benn in the Udderbelly was Tony Lee, the hypnotist, who I decided against going to, but heard numerous sordid tales of sexual acts, uncontrollable anger and various other incidences that would no doubt cause you to be arrested, had it not been done in the name of "Entertainment".