General Blog

What a day.

I have actually, as the cliché goes, laughed and cried.

It began with meeting Duncan Speakman and Melanie Wilson to talk about FM transmission technology and audio tour work and is ending with a rare snatched moment of solitude, sneaking off for some food alone in what seems to be a rather promising North Indian restaurant.

So – highlights of the last 48 hours:

Daniel Kitson is a bona fide genius. I saw a work in progress of his most recent show Its Alright Now Until Its Later at Latitude about a month ago and it moved me to tears then as it did again this morning. He has an extraordinary way of creating the most beautiful tender poignant and personal work without slipping into sentimentalism.

Reykjavic (also this morning) was plagued by technical difficulties. It was the first time they had even been able to run through the piece in the space and it is technically extremely ambitious. It is one of those shows which has to fight against all the odds to work in the Edinburgh environment, it’s a completely imersive experience in a bleached out white space, the walls are white, the floor is white and the audience are dressed in white decorators suits and is completely incompatible with the average Edinburgh 15 minute turn around between shows. I take my hat off to them!

Tom Marchman’s surreal dream piece Pedestrian in which he is chased through a shopping centre by a man size crick necked late drinking goldfish is well worth catching, as is Australian company Suitcase Royale’s Ballad of Backbone Joe.

Northern Stage / Company of Angels’ Apples at The Traverse is a whirlwind of adolescent excess, a coming of age story in which no one really grows up, sex, drugs and violence. The first half made me mourn my not miss spent enough youth, the second half reminded me that being an adult is infinitely preferable.

Kieran Hurley’s brilliant one man show about hitch hiking to the G8 summit in Italy last year was an elegantly crafted and charmingly performed piece. As with most of the Forest Fringe programme its only on for a very short run – I believe its only on for one more night. If you’re travelling up to Edinburgh today (Friday the 13th) it’s a must.

The restaurant has turned out to be rather excellent. I have been typing most of this one handed whilst eating a Goan Chicken Curry. But I have now finished and must get off. Swiftly whilst I wait for the bill – Poland 3, Iran 1 was thoroughly enjoyable. It’s a slide show format show by 30 Bird. A two hander by the company’s director (Iranian) and a fine artist from Essex (of Polish descent) who tell us the stories of their families and childhoods through the prism of the 1978 World Cup.

And lastly with my producing hat on, over the last 2 day’s You’re Not Like The Other Girl’s Chrissy has had The Guardian, The Evening Standard, The Stage, Three Weeks, Fringe Review and Fringe Report in… Fingers crossed!

Three shows I’m really looking forward to tomorrow, Frantic Assembly’s Beautiful Burnout, Melanie Wilson and Abi Morgan’s Every Minute Always and Nonzreoone (who’s graduation show was picked up by The Barbican last year).

One week left in Edinburgh…