I haven’t blogged in at least a week and I am so very sorry. I am still at the Edinburgh Fringe and the rain hasn’t stopped yet, so I am pissed off with it all. It really has made the Fringe really hard, the audiences have been coming in dripping wet, and I feel so sorry for them. Though they have been wonderful and I love the fact they still come to see me. I am lucky in a sense as my venue ‘The Pleasance Dome’ has inside queuing facilities and the audience can enjoy a hot coffee whilst they wait.
Each night I walk through the queue to my show, and watch out for kids. As adults have still been bringing young children to my comedy show, I have no idea why, as the show is clearly labelled for 16 years and over in the brochure.
Living at the Fringe is quite strange, the whole family have to decamp to a new flat and we all seem to fit in fine. Each person taking their own role in the circus that is my life, Ashley gets the Flyering done and husband looks after food and cleaning duties. I merely do the show.
I was a guest on a few other shows, like Late and Live, Spank and The Nicholas Parsons show. I also done a wee stint on The Hamilton’s Late Night Show. It’s all good fun and I am a bit dosed up with the flu.
The fringe has been awesome despite all the shit that goes with it, I have sold more tickets this year than any year I have ever been and that’s a pretty good achievement considering that most shows are having a hard time. The credit crunch, the Olympics and the weather have been against us from day one and don’t even mention the shit box office that failed to sell tickets.
I am still pretty chuffed that I won Nivea Funny Women Award as well. Some people have tried to diminish the award, being rather negative but as far as I am concerned, anyone who supports female comics is ok by me.
Being a seasoned performer at the Fringe makes me see things a wee bit clearer than the newcomers to the business. At the parties, you see stand ups chatting but staring over your shoulder to see if someone more interesting is standing close. Maybe a TV executive or major promoter could be within grabbing distance and you know your time with this person is over as their eyes start to glaze and they make a run for it to the more important person. You know you have a good pal in a comic when the continually make eye contact throughout your conversation.
Last week I had a good catch up with the funny Johnny Vegas and comedy legend Barry Cryer. Both funny men and good chatters, though the night was cut short as yet another rainy down pour put paid to outside fag break. I slipped off to go home and outside the venue heard two comics bitching about other people’s reviews.
The petty jealousies and sniping back biting always exists. Who got a comedy nomination? With cries of “Really, her? She is shit” ringing out through The Underbelly bar or who got a sell out show? “Why did he get an extra show? He is shit” Who got a five star review? “That sketch show is piss poor” That’s how life is at the Fringe.
This goes on constantly, and it can become weary. Yet the positivity and hopefulness still thrives all around us, not every one is having a bad day at the same time.
So it is now nearly all over.
Speak soon. | 