Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Touch Down
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Day 2: 16th August
Yesterday's show recieved the most wonderful comment on twitter.
This was thrilling to read. Though my performance wasn't perfect, I think I might have a show I can become very proud of.
So, I forgot to pack socks. I also managed to lose one of the ones I had been wearing the day before. I don’t know how, these things happen to me. Still, I can nip into a shop and buy some in Edinburgh, right?
The day before I had been offered a bed by a stranger who had taken pitty on a waif in need who had been contacted by someone who heard I was looking for a place to crash closer than the next city away. Thank you *so much* to everyone who helped me by spreading the word I was looking for that, epically Wendy (follow her on twitter, she’s an amazing writer) and Anna.
I’ve got to say that so far the trains seem really nice. The train person (conductor, ticket inspector, carriage elf..?) even locked the doors open and told people to let me off with my excessive amounts of flyers and luggage. And thus I was picked up by a stranger who drove me to her home and instantly made me feel welcome. After a breakfast of porridge it was back in the car as we drove off for day two in Edinburgh. Thank goodness I hadn’t forgotten anything vital to my act, that would mean heading back with her and having to get a train back into town again.
Two thirty and I’m on a train back to Edinburgh. At this point I finally get some socks for my now worn and bloodied feet and it’s on to a solid two hours of flyering.
Lorna and Josh
Yeah, I give someone some cash and my flyers after ten minuets. I just can’t be having with it. Maybe I’m not hungry for success, maybe I scared of approaching strangers, or maybe I have no intention spending my time doing something I don’t want to do when I can pay someone else to do it, but it just seemed like a smart thing to do. Plus, it freed me up to actually see a show. I decided on ‘Changing Horses Mid Scream’ mostly because, despite only having bumped into the guy once before, Josh Elton, one of the performers, gave me a hug of greeting and a genuine tooth filled smile when he saw me. I have no idea why, but it was lovely, so off I popped. Both Josh and Lorna Prichard are very funny, with contrasting styles that also complement each other. I often wince when I see a comedian packing a guitar, but Josh pitched it just right, and didn’t hit his audience with too much self-indulgent strumming. It wasn't just Lorna’s comedy, but her grand inale grime barrage (yes, you read that right) that won me over.
There is NO way I'm missing this!
And then it was time to set up for today’s show. Which I did. I wasn’t quite as happy with it, but mostly because I had been flustered just before I started and it badly affected what I was doing. Still, the audience – small as it was – seemed to appreciate it, with each of them leaving the suggested donation. Chatting to one of them just after also put an idea into my head that I’ll talk about tomorrow.
At ten I met up with a friend who’s in Edinburgh with her sister at a restaurant where I trusted the waitress to choose my food for me. When will people learn that a Greek salad without the pitta bread isn’t actually a real meal!? Still, it’ll tide me over. I’m now sat typing this, waiting for my second show of the fringe. Professor Novak Presents Cabinet A Victorian Séance. It’s a quarter to midnight and I can’t wait!
TFT
Paul's Edinburgh Fringe show “Illusions of Depression” will be showing at Tollbooth Market, Gladstone’s Court, EH8 8BN from the 15th August to the 25th August.