Edinburgh Fringe prog 2010 - I like

I've just had my first excited read of the Fringe Programme 2010 and I'm delighted. I like the new layout, I think the photo listings do the acts a great favour (many are as effective as a paid-for ad, and I bet loads of acts are kicking themselves that they didn't get a good photo sent in now), and I think this year's line-up looks stronger than ever.

I had a few thoughts about who might be likely for awards, so here are my totally unreliable predictions:

Comedy Award Nominees
Sarah Millican
Alex Horne
Shappi Khorsandi
Jeremy Lion
Jason Byrne

Best newcomer
Gary Delaney
Nat Luurtsema
Andi Osho
Greg Davies

Scottish Act Likely to get a nomination
Susan Calman

Shows with stupid titles that nevertheless sound intriguing
Nick Mohammed is Mr Swallow

Titles that least make me want to see the show
Dark Side Of The Poon
Testaclese and Ye Sack of Rome
Quantum Sheep and a Load of Balls
Quiz in My Pants
Cum All Ye Faithfull
Laugh? You'll Shit Yourself!
About Nothing in Particular - Free
Exceptionally Average - Free
A Study of Embarrassment by a Guy with Two Bumholes
Kunt and the Gang

All in all an exciting line-up, with a good spread of shows around an increasingly wide variety of venues. Just The Tonic's line up in the Caves is particularly good (inc Wil Hodgson, Phil Kay, Henning Wehn, Susan Calman +), with good acts at the GRV (inc Robin Ince, James Sherwood), the Tron (John Robins, Gordon Southern, Andrew O'Neill), lots of stuff on the Free Fringes, a new marquee venue in Princes St Gardens, and of course the usual stellar line up at the Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Underbelly and Pleasance.

Here we go.

Socks vids - hits from the pits

Enjoy these folks, some treats from the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre archives.








Okay, I just put this up so anyone glancing at our blog for the first time doesn't see some boring notes about our noisy neighbours. Whatever, keep on enjoying.

Noise reports a log

Anyone reading this blog will find little of interest. We had trouble with noise from the downstairs neighbours on Friday night June 4th and I kept a live log of it on Twitter. Because Tweets disappear after a while, I am collecting them up here so I will have access to the record when future events occur (which we hope they won't).

It began earlier in the evening, but this was when I started writing:

Oh joy. One of our neighbours is testing the stereo to see if it goes up to eleven. Well. They have been warned...
8.03pm BST (times amended from Twitter time) Jun 4th

8.15pm, the first time downstairs music was so loud it shook our table. So it continues. #neighbours 8:21 PM Jun 4th via web

I'm happy to report our downstairs neighbours are watching Britain's Got Talent. I wonder if Britain also has a volume control? #noise 8:31 PM Jun 4th via web

So now I have video of sound coming thru our floor while our TV's on mute. a) how pathetic do I feel? & b) what am I supposed to do with it? 8:44 PM Jun 4th

We're surrounded. It's a bit like being in the Winchester in Shaun of the Dead. 9:23 PM Jun 4th via web

And on the plus side, BGT resumes in 5 minutes, and the neighbours have spent half an hour getting ready to get louder. Brace yourself floor 9:25 PM Jun 4th via web

If any of our other neighbours are reading this, that sound's coming from the basement. One of us is ill or we would go out and escape. 9:30 PM Jun 4th via web

Now have video* of surface of glass of water being shaken by downstairs' noise. Thanks for the idea #drwho 9:40 PM Jun 4th via web

*NB: I realise bass notes and vibrations don't record well on video, but it gives some idea.

It is like living inside someone else's stereo. At what point do you call the police? #neighbours 9:40 PM Jun 4th via web

Have just been next door. They too are being disturbed by downstairs noise. 9:41 PM Jun 4th via web

Thought for one blissful moment the basement had read Twitter and turned it down. They were clearly just changing a CD. Okay... 9:53 PM Jun 4th via web

@S...d They have 50 minutes. Thanks for the tip. 10:06 PM Jun 4th via web in reply to S...d

@d....d 11pm seems to be the official cut off. 49 minutes and counting... 10:06 PM Jun 4th via web in reply to d...d

@r...tes We've called the cops once before, in 1996. Once every two decades, not a bad hit rate. We'll be patient. 10:07 PM Jun 4th via web in reply to ra...s

Thanks for this tip http://www.noisyneighbours.net/involving-the-authorities/ To everyone who's looking forward to a peaceful night 10:10 PM Jun 4th via web

The good news, they've all gone out downstairs and the noise has stopped. The bad news? Pubs close. #neighbours 10:20 PM Jun 4th via web

Socks fans will realise tonight's return gig in Poole got cancelled. Means I was at home & H didn't have to suffer alone. Alls well that etc 10:40 PM Jun 4th via web

Reassured re our disturbed night by typing "neighbours" into Twitter & reading everyone else's tales of woe. We are not alone. Night all 11:56 PM Jun 4th via web

Downstairs neighbours have turned in @ last after party that started in the afternoon. Must have work tmrw. Now where did I put that hoover? 11:58 PM Jun 4th via web

Edinburgh Fringe programme nostalgia

The new Edinburgh Fringe programme comes out this week, and that's long been a thrilling moment in our household. In more recent years it's been fun to see where my show's advert appears in the prog, and to see the ads by the other acts. But long before I started taking shows to Edinburgh, I went up as a punter. And for any regular Fringe goers, seeing for the first time the incredible range of entertainment that's going to be taking place in August can only be exciting.

So, if you're familiar with the Fringe and its programme, here's something that will count as either nostalgia or history, depending on your age. The Fringe programme from 1984. (Don't worry, not all of it). Click on any page to see it in full. Enjoy...



74 pages long, compared to 2007's 288 pages, it begins by boasting:
"...last year 425,500 tickets were sold for 6,886 performances. Over 500 different participating groups took part, made up of nearly 5,000 individual performers."

Let's have a look at the shows that were on in 1984. Don't worry, they all fit into just two pages...




Theatre shows take up 2 and a half columns, Comedy takes up just a third of a column - and includes Accidental Death Of An Anarchist and Comedy Of Errors!

But look at those others categories: Revue? Cabaret (including Alexei Sayle)? Mime? Bloody mime? Truly the past was a foreign country, they did things differently then.

Nowadays the display ads by, mostly, comedy shows, are ubiquituous and colourful. In 1984 there was only one display ad booked by a comedy act.

One ad.

It was, naturally, black and white. And this was it:



We went to that gig. Alexei Sayle died on his arse, the show having been papered and being peopled by drunks from the street who didn't get him. And look at those ticket prices. Three whole quid? The cheek.

Here's the rest of what passed for "comedy off the telly". The only other display ad booked by comedy shows in 1984:



St Marys Hall? Where the hell is St Marys Hall? I went and I don't even know where it was. And whatever became of Paul Martin? He seemed quite promising.

And this is what was on at the Pleasance in 1984.



What? Nine shows? No stand up? The Edinburgh Comedy Awards would have difficulty drawing up a shortlist from that lot. They'd have to look at other venues or something. (The Pleasance courtyard was still a car park, and there was an art exhibition taking up an entire floor).

You can order the new programme, and of course see all shows online and book tickets, at edfringe.com

Always A... - New from the Socks

New from the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, one song sings about the other. He's Always A...



Eat your piano out Fyfe Dangerfield. And you, Billy Joel. And John Lewis? This version is available for your next ad campaign.

World Cup 2010 Wags Tale - new from the Socks

New from the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, a look at the World Cup.

Saatchi Video Artist of the Day - Heather Tweed

What a brilliant find. Online, today, the Saatchi Gallery's Video Artist Of The Day is our own, our very own, Heather Tweed.
Saatchi Gallery. Click on that, scroll down and there she is.



It links to Heather's Anubis Walks: Tate video, which you can also see here.

Heather Tweed's work is currently appearing on Governor's Island in New York and will be appearing as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival in August. Find details and contact Heather at heathertweed.co.uk