Anaconda Pig - comics by the kids of Nairn

Hot on the heels of a month at the Edinburgh Fringe, Hev & I shot straight up to Nairn, a good three and a half hours due North, where I managed, in the space on Monday and Tuesday, to do 5 whole Comic Art Masterclasses. Here are the covers of the comics the various groups went away with.

Watch Me Whip etc is, I am assured, from a groovy pop waxing by an artist they call Silento. Mind you, the kids who genned me up on that morsel of knowledge were of the same age group as the ones who, a few hours later, were convinced they'd invented the word 'Promo', and that it was the funniest word they'd ever heard, neither of which facts strikes me as plausible.

 And as if two classes in the day weren't enough, I managed to do an evening session with a handful of grownups in Nairn Art Centre. Sally Sausage and The Serving Suggestions - a great name for a punk band if ever I heard one - was theirs.

The five groups, when asked for a celebrity to tread on a worm (and if you don't know what that sentence meant, you've not read enough of these blog posts) plumped for The Queen, Prince Charles, Katy Perry, Simon Cowell, and Eminem.

Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video here. 

Black & White Minstrels Old Man River Police - the Socks live

Brand new online from the Socks, recorded live in Edinburgh a week last Saturday, it's another of those Marmite songs from Minging Detectives - The Black & White Minstrels Old Man River Police. Click to enjoy.

I've augmented the video with studio retakes and some original Black and White Minstrel footage (swiped from Atlantic1952 on Youtube, who had in turn taken it from a 1978 BBC broadcast. Funny how it doesn't get repeated.)

This piece tended to leave some audiences divided between thinking we were being ironic and satirical (the plan) and being racist (not what we were going for). This song more than most is making me think next year's show has to "keep it light".

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre presented Minging Detectives, every night at 10.30pm at the Gilded Balloon, from Aug 5th - 30th at the Edinburgh Fringe. It was fun while it lasted.

Oct 1 - Granary Theatre Wells Next The Sea
Oct 9 - Wessex Arts, Alton, Hants
Oct 10 - Royal Spa Leamington
Oct 13 - Harrogate Theatre
Oct 26 - Halifax Comedy Festival, Victoria Theatre
Oct 30 - Canterbury Festival
Dec 11 Aberystwyth Arts

Edfringe Twitter round-up

Looking back over a very enjoyable month, here are some Tweets and Facebook posts, and other notes and links, that add to the memories.

Congratulations to all the #Edfringe flyerers who got one into my hand this month. Here's your art just pre recycling

Tourists with big long selfie sticks just look like they're fishing for insults #Edfringe

Lizzy Mace ‏@LizzyMace

@falsettosocks Here's some other words you might not have heard enough times :-) Things Flyerers Say! http://youtu.be/wX1STSFXVUA 

"When did making theatre become about selling lots of tickets?" Guardian article

 Michael Mooney ‏@Michael_Mooney Aug 28

Excellent show by @falsettosocks We may have been a small audience but we were mighty. And they brought the house down.

"And if you've got no arms, you're a man. Which would explain the state of the floors" @KevFComicArtist c1996

 Radio Times ‏@RadioTimes Aug 26

Armando Iannucci delivers witty riposte to Government at #edtvfest http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-08-26/creative-giants-like-doctor-who-and-sherlocks-steven-moffat-should-help-decide-the-bbcs-future-says-armando-iannucci … 

 Scotsman ‏@TheScotsman Aug 26

New MP Tommy Sheppard wants Fringe to ‘match school holidays’ http://bit.ly/1fE2jo6  

#Edfringe goers getting their first glimpse of the McEwan Hall in 8 years. No purple cow, enjoy the view #edtvfest40

How to win friends and influence people, the PBH @TheFreeFringe way: 

Chortle Comedy @chortle    Free Fringe comic thrown out of his venue: Stephen Carlin falls victim to rivalry http://chortl.es/1V710Oz 

No Complications ‏@TheMeandTheHim Aug 23

Me: This year we nearly managed an *actual* proper .@falsettosocks 'review'! Nearly. http://andtheresbloodonit.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/holiday-special-hicks-in-city-xi.html … #edfringe 

 Hamesucken (crime suggestion from audience the other night, we'd never heard of) is a real legal thing! Who knew? http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Hamesucken

 Friday night #edfringe flyering. For when you've not heard the words "we've already got something" enough times

Thanks to @jester1470 (Stu Mitchell) for this fab photo of a Shakespearian Sock from last night's show @Gildedballoon #Edfringe  

HaxSyn ‏@HaxSyn Aug 19

Yay, The "Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre" was the usual combination of anarchic comedy, bad jokes and obscure references, love it!

 Amy(lase) ‏@AmyRebbeck Aug 20

Enjoyed the @falsettosocks tonight, it was quite socktacular! 

Three From Leith ‏@threefromleith Aug 19

Best lunchtime laugh at work ever - thanks to @falsettosocks, @auntydonnaboys & @dianespencerfun for the entertainment :-)

 Having fun trying to watch #UniChallenge with dodgy @BTWifi in our Edinburgh flat. Flashes red every 10 minutes. #firstworldproblems

 Hey, old man, we don't call it Exit Flyering these days. We call it Dignitas Flyering. #Edfringe #WTFringe

 Postcard from Fife ‏@PostcardFife Aug 16

Heading to see @falsettosocks at #EdFringe? I saw the socks at #FifeComedyFest last year and loved them, great fun! http://wp.me/p3ZFRB-5z

Sam Fraser ‏@samwessexgirl Aug 16

Why I love @edfringe @edinburghfest Where the hell else can I see Scottish falsetto sock puppet theatre? 

Lynne Martin ‏@LynneDotM Aug 16

Great #WTFringe flyering technique from @falsettosocks! Best wrist action I've seen! Sounds like a hoot too!

 Happiness is knowing your show's sold out before you set off for your show. And remembering not to #humblebrag about it cos you're that cool

 Jenney Coe ‏@JenneyCoe Aug 15

Atmospheric on the Royal Mile. Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppets have left me drained :) 

 Full Metal Haggis ‏@scotth_1320 Aug 15

Like socks and laughing? Then you'll love the #MingingDetectives show by the #ScottishFalsettoSockPuppetTheatre

 ScottishFalsettoSock ‏@falsettosocks Aug 11

Thanks brilliant punters for giving us another SELLOUT @Gildedballoon tonight! We love you - The Socks 

Patricia-Anne ‏@Zoezoe84 Aug 8

First @edinburghfringe show in the bag @falsettosocks - an absolute scream (as always).

This is the sort of quote we want on the posters. Thanks for coming tonight #Edfringe

ScottishFalsettoSock added,

Richard Hardy @Redvark

@falsettosocks and the Allan Sherman cover was sublime

 

 

 

 
The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre presented Minging Detectives, every night at 10.30pm at the Gilded Balloon, from Aug 5th - 30th at the Edinburgh Fringe. It's all done bar the shouting.

Hello Muddah, Rebus & Z Cars - new clips from Minging Detectives

Three new video clips from Minging Detectives are up online (you won't be getting the whole show online, but a fair chunk of it will be going up sooner rather than later). Click to play Hello Muddah Intifada, Z Cars and a tiny adlib of Rebus.

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre presented Minging Detectives, every night at 10.30pm at the Gilded Balloon, from Aug 5th - 30th at the Edinburgh Fringe. It's all done bar the shouting.

The Sweary - live video from Minging Detectives

Brand new from the Socks, The Sweary routine from Minging Detectives, recorded Saturday night. We hope you like it. Click to play. 

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre present Minging Detectives, every night at 10.30pm at the Gilded Balloon, from Aug 5th - 30th at the Edinburgh Fringe. Book now.

Edinburgh Report 2015

The Vennel, off which we stayed, drawn by me and left as a gift for the flat owner. I hope they appreciate it. It joins a number of other depictions of the same view that she has collected.

This was the year that we met Richard Demarco, sketched with Phill Jupitus, got a great haircut, and appeared on BBC America. (When I say year, I mean the Edinburgh. And when I say "the Edinburgh" I mean August.)

Saw a record low of only 2 shows on stage, but managed to see every art gallery. High points were Phyllida Barlow at the Fruitmarket, various artists at Collective and the old Royal High School on Calton Hill, also at Stills and Summerhall (and of course we met Richard Demarco), Roy Lichtenstein at the Modern, John Chamberlain at Inverleith, sculpture show at National Portrait Gallery, Victorian Photography at the Museum, and Kwang Young Chun at Dovecot Studios. There was also Charles Avery at Ingleby, who has can now be seen as lying somewhere between Banksy, Frank Quitely and Jack Vettriano, his novelty having worn off. Art College show very poor.

It was also the year that I spent maxing credit cards, waiting for a record number of clients to send me their money. A 4 figure sum for which I've been waiting was the subject of great rigmarole and kerfuffle.  I hoped for a BACS, only to learn a cheque had been sent to the PO Box back home. Very obligingly, the client sent a replacement cheque to me here in Edinburgh. Can you spot the accidental error that means it hasn't gone through and that I'll be waiting for it into September?

That's right, my company is UT Productions, not Gut Productions. Luckily all the libraries I've done up here in Edinburgh have proved prompt payers. We've got by happily, but really is this any way to run a multinational business empire?

In 2014 I reported the Edfringe season had whizzed by faster than any previous year, so inevitably I have to say similar this year. It has been a busy month, and enjoyable, but it would be crazy to expect Edinburgh to be as full of novelty and surprises as it was on our first year here, 31 years ago now, or even in the first year of the Socks, back in 2007, when I shot a Socks video diary every single day and the future was an unwritten book.

This year I've been an obsessive over my bums-on-seats figures, especially in the final week which saw a surprising slump, after three weeks which had been beating the records of the previous years. Last year I reported that I'd had fewer reviews and high-profile press and TV appearances than before, and this year that trend has continued. Last year I reported that I'd done a record number of extra curricular classes in libraries and schools, this year I have done slightly fewer (7 days in libraries, 1 shopping centre), and slightly fewer extra shows too (Pun Run, Kids on the Fringe, and Forth at Work). Leaving me more time for flyering, which has paid off, except for in this last, dead week. Let me show you the figures.

Something looking a bit Socky in a piece by Kemang Wa Lehurle, up on Calton Hill this week. 

Averages
2015
Preview Wk Wed - Sun 311/5 = 62
Wk 1 543/7 = 78
Wk 2 478/7 = 68
Wk 3 319/7 = 45.5

2014
Preview Wk Wed - Sun 283/5 = 57
Wk 1 509/7 = 73
Wk 2 429/7 = 61
Wk 3 442/7 = 63

2013
Preview Wk Wed - Sun 267/5 = 53
Wk 1 554/7 = 79
Wk 2 427/7 = 61
Wk 3 391/6 = 65

2012
Preview Wk Wed - Sun 247/5 = 49
Wk 1 416/7 = 59
Wk 2 332/7 = 47
Wk 3 369/7 = 53

So as you can see, 2015 has seen a record Preview Weekend and Week 2, with a record-equalling Week 1. All great. Then came week 3, whose flyering statistics I've recorded in a separate blog. Where had all the punters gone, long time passing? I don't know, though I took a little schadenfreudey pleasure in seeing that, on the night that I had my all-time-low audience of 29, the act who goes in 15 minutes before me had only 6 punters. Small consolation.

Week 3 has reminded me of 2012, Olympic year, when Richard Herring noted that the Olympics had sucked the crowds out of Edinburgh like someone opening the door on a spaceship. Tommy Shephard of the Stand has spoken this year of how he thinks the Fringe should be moved further back into July to take advantage of the school holidays more. So let's assume he's had a bad week 3 too.

If anything it was like all the missing punters from week 3 had come to Edinburgh for Preview Weekend instead, as it really was the busiest I can remember.

The show itself, Minging Detectives, was possibly our patchiest. Certainly during Preview week it was still coming together and finding its feet, those audiences seeing some rather messy shows. It's come together into an enjoyable whole, but I'd have to say it doesn't build to as satisfying a conclusion as last year's ...And So Am I.

PC Barbara Dixon is not as good a running joke and linking sequence as last year's Baby In The Corner, with only a few audience members really responding to it. And we lack a meaty performance sequence like 2013's Aliens, Avengers, Star Wars or Star Trek (damn, that was a good show). And the songs are all Marmite this year. Tie A Yellow Ribbon is the most popular, though some don't like the toilet humour; Black & White Minstrels Old Man River Police leaves audiences divided between whether we're being ironic or actually racist; and Hello Muddah Intifada is the biggest room divider we've ever had. I've been praised for doing it, even been told it's "sublime". But when the audiences are less Stewart Lee's crowd and more Daily Mail readers, you can heard the words "too soon" being beaten out in morse code by clenching buttocks.

Gangsta works pretty well, though the 3 recurring sketches are each less strong than the previous, Z Cars and The Sweary are very good, but I wish they had more satisfying endings (they segue into the next item well, but I'd prefer if I'd gone for a punchline and applause), and The Police is a rubbish bit of improv that oscillates between being the funniest bit of the night and a mess that they seem to tolerate. The Bank Job and Duel go pretty well, sometimes excellently, and we end on a high note every night. But next year, we're going to have a great structure and a fantastic all-new* hour worthy of 5 star reviews all round, or else. (*Duel is lifted from 2009's Period Drama).

The Socks and our technician Alia.

There has been no scandal, and little to report outside of my show. The Free Fringe has come into its own, with big names like Janey Godley, Joel Dommett and many others going Free this year, though the in-fighting between the various organisations has hit an all time low, of which you'll read plenty elsewhere. Karen's retiring, passing the Gilded onto Katy over the coming years, and the Assembly Rooms are up for grabs again. But no revolutionary news that I've noticed.

If I think of more, and I will, I'll update this. In the meantime, tonight's show won't sell itself, though I've nearly got to the bottom of our third and final box of flyers (got through all 10,000, which hasn't happened since 2012, hmmm) so let's see how we get on.

Thoughts for next year:

If the Socks do Edinburgh in 2016 (and I already have ideas for working title Popsocks) then we cannot rely on flyering alone. In 2014 we took an ad in the programme, might that have helped this 3rd week? We also got lots of reviews in all previous years, and have had our fewest ever this year. Next year we must a) make sure the show is great and reviewer-proof then b) drive them in to see the show.

Kev F
29/8/15

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre present Minging Detectives, every night at 10.30pm at the Gilded Balloon, from Aug 5th - 30th at the Edinburgh Fringe. Book now.

Kev F's Theory of #Edfringe Flyering™ tested

TEST DAY 1:  Mon 24 August, 11.30am.

I'm into the final week of the show, with only 7 gigs left to go. We're beating last year's totals and the audiences have been great. But now I have one niggling worry left - tomorrow's show (Tues 25).

Until a couple of days ago, advance sales for Tuesday Aug 25th (our final Tuesday) stood at zero. They've since crawled up to 4. But given that most other days have been starting off in the 20s or 30s, and the lowest figure we've ended up with was 41 paying customers, and that was on the second night, we've been doing great guns. Lots of sellouts, and most shows pipping last year.

But 4 tickets for tomorrow (and only 17 for tonight, now I think of it). Bloody hell, we've got some selling to do. Bear with me, I'll let you know how it panned out.

Spotted in Edinburgh, a Tramps Nest

FLYERING SNAPSHOT Mon 24/8/15
11.30am, sales stand at:
Mon 26
Tues 4
Weds 23, Thu 10, Fri 23, Sat 22, Sun 6 (Total 1446)

2.15pm After 2 hours flyering (1..30-1.30) sales are:
Mon 28
Tues 4
Weds 23, Thu 10, Fri 25, Sat 24, Sun 6 (Total 1452, so up by 6, of which 2 for tonight)

5pm After 2 more hours flyering (2.40 - 4.40) sales are:
Mon 31
Tues 4
Weds 23, Thu 12, Fri 25, Sat 24, Sun 6 (Total 1457, so up by 5, of which 3 for tonight)

7pm After a half hours flyering, inc the One Man Breaking Bad queue (5.15 - 5.45) sales are:
Mon 40
Tues 7
Weds 25, Thu 12, Fri 25, Sat 24, Sun 6 (Total 1469, up by 12, of which 9 for tonight)

Now, Kev F's Theory of Flyering ™ dictates that 1 hour's flyering equates to 10 bums on seats. Today, so far, I have done 4.5 hours flyering, which should give me 45 punters. So far (as of 7pm) our total is up just 25, of which tonight is up 14. Let's see how the next 3 and a half hours develop...

9.10pm  We're on Mon 52, Tues 7 (total 1489, up 20, of which 12 for tonight)

And the final total was
Mon 64
Tues 7
Weds 25, Thu 12, Fri 31, Sat 24, Sun 6  (Total 1501)

So the total went up, in the day, by 55, and for the night itself by 38. Does this vindicate Kev F's Flyering Theory? Possibly. Except that there have been days, like for example this most recent Friday when the total went up by 60 in a day, and I definitely didn't flyer for 6 hours; and Saturday, when I did no flyering whatsoever and the total still went up by 34. Maybe nobody knows anything.

Susan, a Big Issue seller for whom I bought food and sat and chatted with the other day. My good deed for the week.


TEST DAY 2: Tues 25/8/15
2pm  Tonight = 9 (out of 1507)
6pm (after 3.5 hrs flyering) = 23 (out of 1526)

Kev F's Theory of Flyering™ suggests that should end up as 35 bums on seats, so a total of 1542. Let us see...

8.30pm = 29 (out of 1537)
9.30pm = 31 (out of 1541)
Final = 37 (out of 1547)

So 3.5 hours flyering added 40 sales total, 28 to that night's show.

TEST DAY 3: Weds 26/8/15
3pm  Tonight = 33 (out of 1547)
5pm (after 1 hr flyering) = 33 (1547)
6pm (after 20 min flyering inc BBq) = 33 (1547)

KFToF™ predicts 13 b.o.s., total 1560. Let's see...

9.30pm (after 45 min flyering, NB evening crowds are much more resistant, cockier) = 35 (1549)
Final = 40 (out of 1557)

So 1.3 hours flyering added just 10 sales total. Three days in a row backing up Kev F's Theory Of Flyering™ pretty much to the letter. Today, Thursday, starts the day at just 15 sales. What to do...?

TEST DAY 4:  Thurs 27/8/15
1.30pm Tonight = 15 (out of 1561)
3pm (1hr flyering, mostly Royal Mile) = 15 (1563)
6pm (90 mins flyering, v quiet) = 17 (1565)

KFToF predicts 25 b.o.s. added in the day, total 1586. Let's see...

8pm = 19 (1567)
9pm (after 45min good flyering) = 22 (1573)

KFToF predicts 32 b.o.s. added in day, total 1593

9.30 = 24 (1575)
10pm = 26 (1577)
Final = 29 (1581) Well below Kev F's Theory Of Flyering prediction

TEST DAY 5 Fri 28/8/15
2.30pm  Tonight = 39 (out of 1583)
4pm (after 1hr flyering) = 43 (1589)
6pm (after 45min flyering) = 45 (1593)

KFToF predicts 17 added in day, total 1600)

8pm = 48 (1596)
9pm (after 45 min flyering) = 50 (1598)
Final = 50 (1598)

CONCLUSION

Day 1 Mon 24
Flyering: 4.5 hrs.
Bums on seats added to that night: 38  / overall: 55

Day 2 Tues 25
Flyering: 3.5 hrs.
Bums on seats added to that night: 28  / overall: 40

Day 3 Weds 26
Flyering: 1.3 hrs.
Bums on seats added to that night: 7 / overall: 10

Day 4 Thurs 27
Flyering: 3.25 hrs.
Bums on seats added to that night: 14 / overall: 20

Day 5 Fri 28
Flyering: 2.5 hrs
Bums on seats added to that night: 11 / overall: 15

Day 6 Sat 29
Flyering: 3 hrs
Bums on seats added to that night: 38 / overall: 41

So there appears to be some correlation between flyering and results, but on difficult days when the streets were very light on punters, flyering become noticeably less effective.


The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre present Minging Detectives, every night at 10.30pm at the Gilded Balloon, from Aug 5th - 30th at the Edinburgh Fringe. Book now.