When I bought my last car it had 24,000 miles on the clock, 30 months later it has approaching 124, 000. Now I am sure there will be someone out there who claims to drive further but even so it’s not bad by any standards.
I only mention it because one of my favourite drives is up the A1 to Scotland, one passes through some magnificent countryside and if time is on one’s side there are some fantastic views. As one draws into the ‘Inspiring Capital’ the view changes, on the right Princess Street on the left towering over the City is the famous Castle – in this instance being dwarfed by the grandstands specially erected for the tattoo.
On this particular night the last week in August the City buzzing more than normal – its Festival time! Amongst the crowds walking along one can recognise performers if not from their dress, from instruments being carried. In the writers case its ‘Fringe’ time, 2751 performances in a four week period. The book giving details of all going on itself runs to 360 pages and looks more like a telephone directory than a performance brochure.
And so our week begins training courses by day, performances by night – but who, where and when – the timetable begins about 11am and runs till 2 or 3 in the morning. The average performance lasting about an hour but sometimes a little longer. The venues range from luxuriant Gothic buildings to what in the cold light of day is nothing more than a big shed. The seating ranges from just plain uncomfortable to bum numbing- sometimes one is grateful that the performance is only an hour.
Does one go straight for the big names – ‘er off the telly; ‘im off the radio or does one look for something different? Our first taste was ‘The Pink Sinatra’ real name Scott Free – a great singer in the Sinatra style – but with a slight twist, our man wore a pink leather suit, pink trilby and walked with a wiggle. Worth every penny. It was then a quick taxi ride along Princess Street and up the Mount to see headliner Andy Parsons (the bald one off Mock the Week). He is a bit like Marmite – an hour was enough – then out into the night air to try and find a restaurant open, if all else fails look for an Indian! And then to bed.
8.00am the next morning bright as a button (not!) back in the training room. The hotel is busy so spotting my people as they arrive in the hotel lobby is not easy, but eventually we round them all up and we are off!
A 4:45 finish and it’s a quick wash & brush up down into the hotel restaurant and dinner before going back on the fringe trail. Tonight is exciting – its them magicians off the telly. Barry & Stuart – two young guys who are very good with tonight’s performance having a twist. The theatre is packed and we are each handed a pair of 3D type glasses. The magic starts before our stars appear (I’m not telling!). Their act is very audience participatory and has does not stop for breath, the hour passes quickly and we finally spill out into the bar area to kill some time before queuing for the second performance – The Tell! Yep it’s just as it says on the can. They take the now smaller audience step by step through their routine, but with a difference – they show how the tricks are done. If I told you, you would not believe me, so I am not going to. All I can say is ‘its magic – really’.
Our third day was a little easier, no delivery so on the morning catch up on Emails etc. With lunchtime treat – lunch with The Hamiltons – that’s Christine & Neil. She is a living Ray O’Sunshine, never stops talking, interrupts and calls everyone ‘dahling’ I think Neil deserves a medal living with her!
Whilst we qued to get in we were joined by Julian Fellowes (the writer of Downton Abbey) and his very glamorous wife. In order to fill the hour the Hamiltons had various guests from the ‘Fringe’ world each punting their own show. Apparently they are really popular and have been coming for some years but stopped in 2009 only to be dragged back for 2011.
Lunch was outdoors in a large quadrangle area of the University which itself serves as a campus for fringe performances. With an hour or so to kill before our next performance, we took a walk down the Royal Mile to have a look at the buskers, street performers and generally take in the atmosphere. You name it and they were there ‘glee’ groups from the USA, musicals from Australia, performers from all corners of the globe.
Our next port of call was a ’Night Out with Tommy Cooper’ well an hour and half actually. All the old tricks with gags that are even older. A brilliant night out – laugh, if not at the act then at the audience – isn’t laughter infectious?
A quick meal and then to the highlight of the trip, not the fringe but the tattoo. We’ve all seen it on the telly, but one has to see it once in reality. Lots of soldiers, lots of marching (some dancing) and lots of bands. An audience from around the world – hanging on every action and movement. As I say one has to see it just once in the flesh – now I have.
Regrets, we were not there long enough, we didn’t see ‘er of the radio or ‘im of the telly, but there is always next year!
