Last day! And I find a late burst of energy. Perhaps because we had a lazy morning and didn’t leave the flat until after 11am.
Simon Callow: De Profundis
Simon Callow is an awe-inspiring actor. This is the second time we have seen him perform and both times he has delivered lengthy solo monologues. This man must have a superb memory. This show was an hour and 20 minutes long, and he talked continuously throughout, no interval. (No water, even!) De Profundis is a letter written by Oscar Wilde while in jail to his lover, Bosie. Bosie was the reason Wilde ended up in jail and bankrupt. As Simon Callow recounts this letter, he brings out all the emotions it contains – tenderness, despair, rage, pain, confusion. A truly amazing performance.
Des Kapital: Mao That’s What I Call Music!
I picked this show just on its funny title. It sounded funny: pop songa with a communist twist. It didn’t quite deliver on the funny but I did learn a lot about Chinese history under Mao. And it was the only fringe show I went to that involved the throwing of dead sparrows (they were stuffed toy sparrows not actual dead sparrows, don’t worry. And if you don’t know why there are dead sparrows in a show about Chairman Mao, you can read more here.)
Alex Kealy: A Kealy’s Heel
We only just made it to this show and had to sit way at the back. We saw Alex do a short set as part of Comedy Tapas on Sunday (remember Sunday?!) and decided to try and catch his full set. It took us a few days but here we are.
A comedian who is also a maths teacher (I guess comedy doesn’t pay all the bills), and whose girlfriend is also a comedian but she pretends she’s single for her act.
Paul Foot: Image Conscious
This show was the husband’s pick. I asked what made him pick it, and its because he remembered him from TV ten years ago. I would guess it could be more like 20 years ago, but still, the only comedy show at the Fringe to convey useful information about how to stage a suburban orgy. (And you will never think about Steve Davis the same way again).
Janeane Garofalo: Put a Pin in That
Very excited for this show. For one, it’s our last show, and two, it’s JANEANE GAROFALO! #fangirlmoment
Janeane’s style of comedy is more stream of consciousness than structured comedy. (“I’m not good at writing jokes,” she admits.) From people who don’t break down their recycling to Nick Knowles on DIY SOS, to the problems with eyebrows to that egg sandwich only available until 2pm, Janeane takes us through a series of things that infuriate, delight and perplex her. A fabulous end to our week at the Fringe.
Health: I no longer care about eating well. Today we had a heavy, greasy meaty, carby lunch, but as a result, we ate no dinner. I don’t think a can of cider counts as dinner but it was a fruit based beverage so maybe it counts as healthy in some small way.
Observations: I observe that I am tired, despite spending a lot of time sitting down over the past week. I observe I am losing interest in food (even the greasy bad-for-you stuff). I observe I have not been drinking enough water due to the uncertainty around availability and queues for facilities at Fringe venues (actually, most facilities were in pretty good condition considering the volume of use). I observe I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed and not going out at night.
And lastly I observe that I will put my overall recommendations and tips for those attending the Fringe in a separate post.
Tales from Tobhamhor 