9 good things about '10: #1 - The Edinburgh Fringe Festival
I won’t tell the long and tedious story of why Fringe 2010 was my first Fringe. My Fringe fail-ingness has been one of the most consistent things in my life for the last 15 years and I had started to think that this would never change. Right up until the moment this August when I was standing in the Fringe press office and someone gave me a press pass with my name written in smudged biro.
Yes, in 2010 I finally made it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and although the more experienced festival-goers didn’t feel it was a vintage one, this was definitely the highlight of my year. What could possibly top something that started with Norman Lovett shaking my hand and ended with watching Kevin Eldon jamming with a band?
It’s a hell of an experience. Probably the bit I enjoyed the most was just ambling around, getting body checked by flyer-pimps and wandering into pubs to catch the opening 15 minutes of crap free shows (I quickly became adept at the “I’m not leaving, I’m just nipping to the toilet” dance).
The quality of the comedy was pretty superb too. I only had two shows which were terrible, at least a dozen which I really enjoyed and a few acts who elevated themselves into my list of comedy heroes, including:
* Ivor Dembina: whose show wasn’t really a show but more of a workshop. Fascinating for comedy nerds.
* Showstopper!: a giddy, visceral thrill made possibly by an enormously talented group of performers
* The Boy With Tape on His Face: One of the most original things I’ve ever seen and performed to perfection
* Paul Sinha: Everyone does “a bit of politics” in their show, but Paul delivered a complete and coherent political essay which was also incredibly funny.
* It Is Rocket Science: Probably my favourite show of the lot. Hilarious science evangalism from Helen Keen which had grinning for about three days after. Also, I actually learned some stuff. A similar show was Alex Horne’s Odds, which turned mathematics into jaunty, charming comedy and featured the first live demonstration of the Birthday Paradox I’ve ever seen
One of the nicest moments was seeing an old comedy hero there. Back in 2000, I went to The International in Dublin on a Monday afternoon to see David O’Doherty preview his first Edinburgh show, The Boy Who Saved Christmas. He won the big comedy award at the Fringe in 2008 and this year I got to see him again, sitting comfortably in front of a huge crowd at The Pleasance. It’s so lovely to see nice, talented people do well. (On the flipside, this year was slightly marred by the continued rise of He Who Shall Not Be Named, but that’s showbiz).
As a sidenote, Fringe 2010 was also the thing that helped me figure out Twitter. It was indispensible during the Fringe and provided some pretty unexpected interactions: the whole Alex Horne thing that I’ve mentioned previously; getting inside gossip on the prize-giving from one of the judges; and, er, accidentally making Daniel Kitson sad.
This was a month well-spent. Hat-tip to Lizzie Cass-Maran and Ariadne Cass-Maran for making it happen. The only bad thing about the Fringe was the same problem you have at Christmas when you're a kid and you've finished playing with your presents: that was awesome, but do I really have to wait a whole year to do it again?
******************
And that's my 2010. I've only picked cultural things that everyone can join in, but the real highlights of 2010 were a whole bunch of really wonderful people. You know who you are. Merry Christmas to everyone and here are the highest of hopes for 2011
Yes, in 2010 I finally made it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and although the more experienced festival-goers didn’t feel it was a vintage one, this was definitely the highlight of my year. What could possibly top something that started with Norman Lovett shaking my hand and ended with watching Kevin Eldon jamming with a band?
It’s a hell of an experience. Probably the bit I enjoyed the most was just ambling around, getting body checked by flyer-pimps and wandering into pubs to catch the opening 15 minutes of crap free shows (I quickly became adept at the “I’m not leaving, I’m just nipping to the toilet” dance).
The quality of the comedy was pretty superb too. I only had two shows which were terrible, at least a dozen which I really enjoyed and a few acts who elevated themselves into my list of comedy heroes, including:
* Ivor Dembina: whose show wasn’t really a show but more of a workshop. Fascinating for comedy nerds.
* Showstopper!: a giddy, visceral thrill made possibly by an enormously talented group of performers
* The Boy With Tape on His Face: One of the most original things I’ve ever seen and performed to perfection
* Paul Sinha: Everyone does “a bit of politics” in their show, but Paul delivered a complete and coherent political essay which was also incredibly funny.
* It Is Rocket Science: Probably my favourite show of the lot. Hilarious science evangalism from Helen Keen which had grinning for about three days after. Also, I actually learned some stuff. A similar show was Alex Horne’s Odds, which turned mathematics into jaunty, charming comedy and featured the first live demonstration of the Birthday Paradox I’ve ever seen
One of the nicest moments was seeing an old comedy hero there. Back in 2000, I went to The International in Dublin on a Monday afternoon to see David O’Doherty preview his first Edinburgh show, The Boy Who Saved Christmas. He won the big comedy award at the Fringe in 2008 and this year I got to see him again, sitting comfortably in front of a huge crowd at The Pleasance. It’s so lovely to see nice, talented people do well. (On the flipside, this year was slightly marred by the continued rise of He Who Shall Not Be Named, but that’s showbiz).
As a sidenote, Fringe 2010 was also the thing that helped me figure out Twitter. It was indispensible during the Fringe and provided some pretty unexpected interactions: the whole Alex Horne thing that I’ve mentioned previously; getting inside gossip on the prize-giving from one of the judges; and, er, accidentally making Daniel Kitson sad.
This was a month well-spent. Hat-tip to Lizzie Cass-Maran and Ariadne Cass-Maran for making it happen. The only bad thing about the Fringe was the same problem you have at Christmas when you're a kid and you've finished playing with your presents: that was awesome, but do I really have to wait a whole year to do it again?
******************
And that's my 2010. I've only picked cultural things that everyone can join in, but the real highlights of 2010 were a whole bunch of really wonderful people. You know who you are. Merry Christmas to everyone and here are the highest of hopes for 2011