A little piece that hasn't made the new Edinburgh show. Which, did we mention, starts in exactly one week? Gulp.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Eamonn - new from the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
New from the Socks, a tribute to the sense of humour of SKY TV's Eamonn Holmes.
A little piece that hasn't made the new Edinburgh show. Which, did we mention, starts in exactly one week? Gulp.
A little piece that hasn't made the new Edinburgh show. Which, did we mention, starts in exactly one week? Gulp.
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Dr Who series arc
I know nobody will ever do this, but I had an idea for a Doctor Who series arc today. Wouldn't it be good if, after you've had the Christmas episode, the new series went like this...
1 - Bonfire. A fire and fireworks related story.
2 - Halloween. Ghouls & monsters story.
3 - The Fall. Autumnal story.
4 - The Fringe. Edinburgh Fringe story.
5 - Heatwave. Hot summer story.
6 - The Longest Day. Long day story.
7 - May Week. Cambridge story.
8 - Fools Day. Story about fool & tricks.
9 - The Ides. Death Of Julius Caesar (also featuring a Mad Hare)
10 - The Valentine. Love story
11 - Hogmanay. New Years story
12 & 13 - Out Of Time. We realise all the preceding stories have been shown in reverse order (which would explain things that were oddly inexplicable) and we are in somewhere outside of time and space where events occur in no proper order.
I'm sure loads of people have already suggested this really obvious idea. But if not, here it is. Now let me write it.
Kev F
Edinburgh July 2010
1 - Bonfire. A fire and fireworks related story.
2 - Halloween. Ghouls & monsters story.
3 - The Fall. Autumnal story.
4 - The Fringe. Edinburgh Fringe story.
5 - Heatwave. Hot summer story.
6 - The Longest Day. Long day story.
7 - May Week. Cambridge story.
8 - Fools Day. Story about fool & tricks.
9 - The Ides. Death Of Julius Caesar (also featuring a Mad Hare)
10 - The Valentine. Love story
11 - Hogmanay. New Years story
12 & 13 - Out Of Time. We realise all the preceding stories have been shown in reverse order (which would explain things that were oddly inexplicable) and we are in somewhere outside of time and space where events occur in no proper order.
I'm sure loads of people have already suggested this really obvious idea. But if not, here it is. Now let me write it.
Kev F
Edinburgh July 2010
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
3 great reviews in a day
Has the Fringe started early? The Socks just received, or were part of, three rave reviews in the last 24 hours.
There's a 4 star review of the Edinburgh Magic Festival gala in the Edinburgh Evening News, page 24 (can't find it online, but when it does appear it'll be here). It's the show and the Festival that are getting the 4 stars, but we get the last paragraph devoted to us, saying:
"Contributing the stereotypical sawing of a creature in half was The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. Observing the audience from their very own tartan clad theatre, the pair of socks managed to pull off an audience pleasing riff on Halloween, if not the actual stunt itself." (If you see the routine you'll know that's not the criticism it sounds like).
Then on Edinburgh Spotlight the show gets 5 stars:
"The ‘Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre’ were up next and already winners of the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Insider Comedy Award, they showed everyone what they were all about. They executed a show that literally ‘blew my socks off’. It included funny songs to their own take traditional acts like cutting a ‘lady (sock) in half’. A comical performance that had the whole crowd in stitches, and a great act to throw in amongst the other illusionists."
And then this morning I find a review of our show in Newbury last week, on The British Theatre Guide:
"They are the Morecambe and Wise of the sock puppet world as they lampoon the world of Hollywood with great pace and humour. Kev F Sutherland, who wrote this clever, witty show, skilfully brings the two characters to life as they compete with each other for supremacy... This is a show that delights, amuses and is plain daft fun but above all wonderful knockabout entertainment. Highly recommended." (I've edited a paragraph out the middle, all great though)
So, a fine start to a morning, coupled with which I see we had a small spike in sales of Edinburgh Fringe tickets (did I mention I'm keeping a graph?), which is always good to see.
Kev F & The Socks,
Edinburgh (here for a week working in libraries near Falkirk)
PS: And Doctor Who and The Dominators has just been released on DVD, and I believe the Socks are a hidden extra on there somewhere (not that we get a free copy or anything, hint hint).
There's a 4 star review of the Edinburgh Magic Festival gala in the Edinburgh Evening News, page 24 (can't find it online, but when it does appear it'll be here). It's the show and the Festival that are getting the 4 stars, but we get the last paragraph devoted to us, saying:
"Contributing the stereotypical sawing of a creature in half was The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. Observing the audience from their very own tartan clad theatre, the pair of socks managed to pull off an audience pleasing riff on Halloween, if not the actual stunt itself." (If you see the routine you'll know that's not the criticism it sounds like).
Then on Edinburgh Spotlight the show gets 5 stars:
"The ‘Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre’ were up next and already winners of the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Insider Comedy Award, they showed everyone what they were all about. They executed a show that literally ‘blew my socks off’. It included funny songs to their own take traditional acts like cutting a ‘lady (sock) in half’. A comical performance that had the whole crowd in stitches, and a great act to throw in amongst the other illusionists."
And then this morning I find a review of our show in Newbury last week, on The British Theatre Guide:
"They are the Morecambe and Wise of the sock puppet world as they lampoon the world of Hollywood with great pace and humour. Kev F Sutherland, who wrote this clever, witty show, skilfully brings the two characters to life as they compete with each other for supremacy... This is a show that delights, amuses and is plain daft fun but above all wonderful knockabout entertainment. Highly recommended." (I've edited a paragraph out the middle, all great though)
So, a fine start to a morning, coupled with which I see we had a small spike in sales of Edinburgh Fringe tickets (did I mention I'm keeping a graph?), which is always good to see.
Kev F & The Socks,
Edinburgh (here for a week working in libraries near Falkirk)
PS: And Doctor Who and The Dominators has just been released on DVD, and I believe the Socks are a hidden extra on there somewhere (not that we get a free copy or anything, hint hint).
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Touring and the Western
Ee but I'm tired. It's been a bit of a heavy schedule of work and travel for a while, and it's fair leaving me drained. Before I witter on, enjoy this, an item from last year's Edinburgh show that's opened the touring show all season and now goes into retirement for a bit, The Western:
Gradually as I've gone through the Socks touring dates, I've been slotting in new bits of material for the forthcoming Edinburgh show, and the more recent dates have been billed as Edinburgh Previews, so they've supposedly been all new. In fact I still need to write a good ending for the new show, and to tighten up the rest.
Last night in Harrogate The Socks played for 1 hour 10 minutes, trying out almost all of the new material we have while still keeping the last 10 minutes of the touring show. This suggests we have 55 minutes for Edinburgh already, but some of it's not quite good enough. So this week I will be locked up in my monastic cell* writing (*very nearly literally, as for two nights I am staying in Edinburgh University halls of residence, with no wifi and a shared toilet (I'm on a budget) so there will be little else to do but write. And, possibly, feel sorry for myself).
The travelling is possibly the most draining part, not helped by the fact that it is gloriously warm weather by British standards, having been the hottest and driest six months on record, which is not the ideal climate for being stuck in a car with no air conditioning. And how come when you open your windows, your hair gets blown from behind? I don't remember opening any windows in the back of the car. I don't have any windows in the back of the car. And I need a haircut.
But when to get a haircut, or indeed a rest? Since June 29th I've not had a day off (and when I say "off" I mean at home or sat at my desk doing easy stuff like writing and paying bills). From my base in Clevedon near Bristol I've gone to and fro Swindon, Walton in Wilts, Church Eaton in Wilts, Lymington in Hants, West Hampstead, Manton in Wilts, London W1, back to Manton in Wilts, Walsall, Newbury, Tipton nr Dudley, Harrogate, a day off writing in Harrogate sat in the park mostly then Harrogate again, then from packing up show in Harrogate a 90 minute drive to Washington Tyne & Wear (thanks, someone, for closing the A1-bloody-M overnight and adding half an hour to that journey) getting to my hotel after midnight, then up for breakfast and off to Edinburgh where I soundcheck this afternoon for the Magic Festival gala this evening.
Next week is positively restful, with four days in a row doing my Comic Art Masterclass in two libraries per day in Denny, Bonnybridge, Larbert, Falkirk, Meadowbank, Slamannan, Grangemouth and Bo'ness, staying in Edinburgh in the aforementioned monastic cell. Then on Thursday night I have the pleasure to look forward to of driving from Grangemouth to Clevedon in order to work at Clevedon school on the Friday morning. Then Lymington, Hants again on the Saturday. Then Beverly in Yorkshire on the Sunday. Then Dudley Monday, Lancashire Tuesday, Bristol Wednesday, Potters Bar Thursday, Manchester Friday & Saturday. Then - tadaaa - a Sunday off!
My venue for the Edinburgh Fringe is chasing me for the money I still owe them for the forthcoming show. I'm earning that much every four days but somehow am still waiting for it all to come in. I will be rich (enough to pay the bills I already owe, anyway) and very very exhausted by the time the Edinburgh Fringe starts, on August 4th, after which I have the luxury of just doing one show a night, and hanging the future of my entire career on every one of those minutes, some of which aren't written yet. So no pressure.
Oh my, look at the time. I have to hit the road, before it hits me. Laters.
Kev F
Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
Campanile Hotel
Washington Tyne & Wear
Gradually as I've gone through the Socks touring dates, I've been slotting in new bits of material for the forthcoming Edinburgh show, and the more recent dates have been billed as Edinburgh Previews, so they've supposedly been all new. In fact I still need to write a good ending for the new show, and to tighten up the rest.
Last night in Harrogate The Socks played for 1 hour 10 minutes, trying out almost all of the new material we have while still keeping the last 10 minutes of the touring show. This suggests we have 55 minutes for Edinburgh already, but some of it's not quite good enough. So this week I will be locked up in my monastic cell* writing (*very nearly literally, as for two nights I am staying in Edinburgh University halls of residence, with no wifi and a shared toilet (I'm on a budget) so there will be little else to do but write. And, possibly, feel sorry for myself).
The travelling is possibly the most draining part, not helped by the fact that it is gloriously warm weather by British standards, having been the hottest and driest six months on record, which is not the ideal climate for being stuck in a car with no air conditioning. And how come when you open your windows, your hair gets blown from behind? I don't remember opening any windows in the back of the car. I don't have any windows in the back of the car. And I need a haircut.
But when to get a haircut, or indeed a rest? Since June 29th I've not had a day off (and when I say "off" I mean at home or sat at my desk doing easy stuff like writing and paying bills). From my base in Clevedon near Bristol I've gone to and fro Swindon, Walton in Wilts, Church Eaton in Wilts, Lymington in Hants, West Hampstead, Manton in Wilts, London W1, back to Manton in Wilts, Walsall, Newbury, Tipton nr Dudley, Harrogate, a day off writing in Harrogate sat in the park mostly then Harrogate again, then from packing up show in Harrogate a 90 minute drive to Washington Tyne & Wear (thanks, someone, for closing the A1-bloody-M overnight and adding half an hour to that journey) getting to my hotel after midnight, then up for breakfast and off to Edinburgh where I soundcheck this afternoon for the Magic Festival gala this evening.
Next week is positively restful, with four days in a row doing my Comic Art Masterclass in two libraries per day in Denny, Bonnybridge, Larbert, Falkirk, Meadowbank, Slamannan, Grangemouth and Bo'ness, staying in Edinburgh in the aforementioned monastic cell. Then on Thursday night I have the pleasure to look forward to of driving from Grangemouth to Clevedon in order to work at Clevedon school on the Friday morning. Then Lymington, Hants again on the Saturday. Then Beverly in Yorkshire on the Sunday. Then Dudley Monday, Lancashire Tuesday, Bristol Wednesday, Potters Bar Thursday, Manchester Friday & Saturday. Then - tadaaa - a Sunday off!
My venue for the Edinburgh Fringe is chasing me for the money I still owe them for the forthcoming show. I'm earning that much every four days but somehow am still waiting for it all to come in. I will be rich (enough to pay the bills I already owe, anyway) and very very exhausted by the time the Edinburgh Fringe starts, on August 4th, after which I have the luxury of just doing one show a night, and hanging the future of my entire career on every one of those minutes, some of which aren't written yet. So no pressure.
Oh my, look at the time. I have to hit the road, before it hits me. Laters.
Kev F
Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
Campanile Hotel
Washington Tyne & Wear