time for some more silly shows and overpriced drinks awooo can’t get enough
only got film fest and international fest gigs planned in so far, but sure the fringe stuff will start rolling in thick and fast once I see what other people have got planned
would like to squeeze a book fest thing in as I always aim to do, even though it feels like a very low-key choice with everything else going on
Yesss for once I did not start the thread
Go see Lara Ricote at The Monkey Barrel and say hello from me
Got the following booked
Demi Adejuyigbe
Alice Snedden
Ania Magliano
Kemah Bob
Catherine Cohen
Reuben Kaye
Jobsworth (literally no idea, going with a friend)
Pentheselia
All across the opening four days. Let’s goooo
Nothing like pacing yourself eh 
There was an offer for free tickets with the scotsman, went a bit wild with it
I’ve got 3 trips over planned
Mhairi Black
Simon Munnery
Celaya AB
Paddy Young
Ivo Graham
Rose Matafeo
Paul Foot
Tim Key
One of my friends is doing her debut solo show this year, so will definitely be going to that.
Also likely getting tickets for Jordan Brookes, Joz Norris and John-Luke Roberts.
Annoyed that my trip over doesn’t overlap with The Glang Show at Bedlam on the 17th. If you’re there that night & into alt comedy then you should definitely go experience it.
They added some late night trains back to Newcastle (maybe because I moaned about the lack of them to loads of people? Who knows), so I am going this Friday for a very long day (arrive 11am, leave 11:30pm).
Have some things planned (Eleanor Morton, Sooz Kempner, Alex Haddow) but grateful for any recs, particularly early afternoon and early evening. Reckon we can fit a good 6 or 7 shows in. Stand up / light theatre mainly I guess.
Eleanor Morton is at 12:05 in the Monkey Barrel and I can already taste that delicious and ill-advised pint of lagunitas.
Also here are some things I saw previews of and would recommend:
Lauren Pattison (Monkey Barrel - I really like her, she’s both very smart with her standup and incredibly funny)
Sam Lake (Monkey Barrel - I saw his show last year as well, he’s lovely and his delivery is so warm. This one is about his mother and it’s pretty touching in places.)
Elaine Robertson (The Stand - another North East comedian. She’s proper boss and this is a sorta about her suffering from delusions but then takes a real turn)
Amy Matthews (Monkey Barrel - recommendation from a friend cos she’s been on Trusty Hogs - a good fun hour, one of those shows that’s basically a lot of 10 minute slices linked together and done very well)
Not seen any of these shows but these names jump out for the date and times where tickets are still available: Amy Annette, Stevie Martin, Paul Williams, Ray O’Leary, Rachel Fairburn, Rob Auton, Alex Kealy, Kemah Bob, Josh Thomas*, David O’Doherty, Celya AB, Chloe Petts, Josh Jones.
*This is one I have seen! And really enjoyed but I loved him already.
Thanks - some of these I know and we usually see and I hadn’t thought of them!
Oddly David O’Doherty is touring a different show here later in the year. I think it’s the one he did at Edinburgh last year.
For next year, with the ridiculous cost of edinburgh hotels, is it feasible to stay in glasgow or anywhere else and travel in daily
Glasgow is a 50-60 min train, running up to 11:30pm most days (maybe later in Fringe times?) so yeah you definitely could. Could even get some late nights going if you’re willing to stomach the 90 min bus ride which keeps going til 3-4am I think
£15 per return ticket or so? so basically just adding the cost of one show per person per day
Cheers, deffo an option then. Will consider that instead.
Last Queen Street train on weeknights is apparently 00:16, which is pretty decent for a Fringe trip.
You could also stay in Livingston. There’s 2 train stations (3 if you include Uphall) and all take around 20mins to Waverley.
Not much to do in Livi though.
Read this as pint in las iguanas
This guy was really, really good/funny, quite normal stand up/observational stuff about silly things like big crisps, being a loner loser and fleshlights etc.
poor start to this year with some sick days keeping me out of the action. Regardless
Half Man Half Bull Part 1 - gig-theatre retelling of the story of the Minotaur. Spoken word and music and songs, pretty rough and ready but entertaining, with one central moment being really lovely. Started off a bit too Hamilton, but progressed to be more like Hadestown (a good thing). Half a second half telling a diff myth, liked it enough to consider it but not top of my list
Grupo Corpo - incredible Brazillian dance troupe, by turns sensuous, humorous, playful, angry. Brilliant soundtrack that at various times sounded like jazz, neo-noir, Twin Peaks, Godspeed, Aphex-type prepared pianos, glitchtronica, white noise, and one folk-metal moment even. Bright and lively first half, moving into much darker and more confrontational second half. Basic but effective staging that really highlighted their movements and how closely everything was tied into the music, a truly seamless blend. Also heard Elza Soares singing at one point, funny given I’d only heard her for the first time last week thanks to someone in Music League.
Maybe best dance I’ve ever seen? Classic EIF in that it was a two-night run so guess I can just say … check them out if you ever have a chance in future!
Considering heading up next week or two and just splurging on a couple of nights. Haven’t seen anything get across-the-board acclaim yet though, doesn’t seem like a vintage year in terms of new big hitters, though that’s maybe a good thing as it opens it up a bit more.