Karen Koren: Training for the Festival

Got back to Edinburgh after a few days in France to find snow. Why is it snowing in March? Not good, especially as I’m off to Aberfeldy this weekend to be put through three days of purgatory, being put through my paces at boot camp.

I’ll be given a sensible diet that, of course, does not include wine or good old carbohydrates. I’m hoping there will at least be a swimming pool and hot tub in which to recover.

Actually, I was all ready to pack my bags to go to Barbados with the cast of Casablanca – The Gin Joint Cut, which I’m producing, but there was no need for my presence. Knew it was too good to be true.

The cast, a technical person and a dresser were all the Festival organisers offered to fly over - as I write this, they are probably lying in the sun and enjoying a Pina Colada.

I don’t really have the time to be away at the moment, to be honest, as the ‘early-bird’ deadline is upon us – the date by which the Fringe ask all entries for their brochure to be submitted in return for a substantial reduction in the fee.

We have more than 50 shows to process under this offer, which is maybe not what I would prefer to do, as the programme at this stage, could be a movable feast.

These shows also want to go on sale early, which means we have to have confirmed and contracted the performers before hand. I would prefer to take my time and let them go on sale in June when we launch the Fringe programme. So I will get some energy from my boot camp and find the best shows, wait and see.