Thursday 30 May 2013
Fringe programme 2013 has arrived
It's always exciting to receive the Edinburgh Fringe programme through the door, and this year it seems to have arrived earlier than ever. (Tickets for many shows, ours included, having gone on sale even earlier).
When I received my very first programme (in 1984, I've referred to it nostalgically before now, here) it was a mind-blowing selection of entertainments, the like of which I had not even bothered to imagine. The '84 prog's 72 pages saw Theatre dominating (40% of listings), with Comedy taking up 9%, and Music, Revue and Cabaret adding up to 16% (though if you added the Folk/Ceilidh listings, the Rock/Jazz/Blues listings, the Recital/Vocal listings and the Orchestral/Chamber listings, then in 1984 music amounted to a third of the entertainment on offer at Edinburgh.)
In 2013 the programme is (have a quick guess, allow for inflation, then double the figure you were thinking of...) 392 pages thick. In just under 30 years the Fringe has quin-and-a-half-tupled in size. Just how mind-blowing that must be to someone encountering it for the first time I won't waste time imagining. (2012's prog was 378 pages long, and, since I find it here in front of me, I can report that 2001's was 176 pages. Someone ought to draw a graph).
And comedy's domination of the Fringe has risen once more. In 2012 Comedy took up 36% of listings to Theatre's 28%, in 2013 it's 40% Comedy to 26% Theatre. Let's keep going guys, and we'll have Fringe Theatre dead and buried by 2020.
Far too many shows to have properly read let alone digested yet, so here are some of my first impressions.
Titles that made me laugh: Now That's What I... Carl Donnelly, If Joe Lycett Then You Should Have Put A Ring On It, and Stewart Lee's Much A-Stew About Nothing (which, when you see it, will make you smile too).
Best deliberate bit of layout in the programme - an entire page of Comedy listings where every act's name is Chris. I mean, minus points for alphabeticising by first names, but big plus points for making this coincidence extra-noticeable by the strategic exclusion of display ads.
Best use of ad money: Gareth Morinan, who lists his show 11 times in a row, explaining "These 11 two day listings cost £880. One page of the programme can fit 12 listings. A quarter page ad costs £1200. You do the maths." Best use of a Fringe listing since Malcolm Hardee decided to name his show "Aaaaaargh..." so as to appear first in the programme. This year 8 shows have tried that.
Parody ads - These are a staple of the Fringe programme, making your cripplingly-priced quarter page ad hit home by modelling it on a familiar movie poster. This year Newsrevue, who pretty well invented this meme, are struggling with only the Star Trek poster to copy (thin pickings on the recent movie poster front, a far cry from those years when everybody did Trainspotting and The Usual Suspects). Best ones this year; Shirley & Shirley (Attack of 50ft Woman), Paul Zerdin (Ted), Paco Erhard (Django Unchained), and The Real MacGuffns (Gilbert & George, classy)
Best makeover: Tie between Andrew Lawrence and Gary Delaney who've both decided to remember they're quite handsome after previous years adverts conspired to scare people away.
Most exciting looking new venue: New Town Theatre. I have never come across this venue before, but they've arrived with a splash including a new John Godber play and an impressive line up of stuff. along with a well designed brand for the venue (putting to shame the Pleasance's logo which is an unreadable postage stamp of a thing).
Best simple photo idea that I've not seen done for a while: Alex Horne Lies. (Who can remind me where I've seen it before? Whatever, AH owns it)
We decided against a display ad, for the second year running, so we couldn't join in with most of these reindeer games. Let's see how it all pans out on the day. Let Fringe battle commence.
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
Sunday 26 May 2013
Get Socky - new song from the Socks
The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, in their hotel room at the Happyness Festival in Inverness, have written and recorded a brand new song, extolling the virtues of parenthood in a Daft Punk style. Enjoy the (ropey) video (made without a camera) and tell us (or your friends) if you like the song. If you do, a better video may come along soon.
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
Saturday 25 May 2013
Socks blitz Happyness in Inverness
Yes, that's the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre performing in the open air on a beautifully sunny and challengingly windy day in the middle of Inverness, doing a cracking half hour set, though we say so ourselves, in Falcon Square. That being only part of a weekend of gigs which will see the Socks performing 7 times in Inverness. (Thanks to @HappynessFest for the photos).
"..stormed their adult show" Scottish Falsetto Socks get a nice mention in The Scotsman's review of @HappynessFest
Above you see our 1pm appearance in Falcon Square, which went down very well to a mixed crowd of parents and toddlers, following hot on the heels of our 12 midday show, also outdoors in the grounds of Eden Court Theatre (where we had the pleasure of playing indoors, headling the Gilded Balloon comedy tour bill, just two or three weeks ago). We then went back to Eden Court for a 3pm appearance and, at time of writing, still have to look forward to this evening's appearance on the comedy bill at Hootenanny's alongside Ben Norris, Janey Godley, Davey Connor & Stuart Mitchell.
Then tomorrow we do it all again. Well a midday and a 2pm show at each of the outside venues, and another comedy club line up at 9.15. Busy busy busy, all part of the Gilded Balloon's jam-packed Happyness Comedy Festival which extends over the long weekend and has been blessed with sunny weather, uncharacteristic for this the coldest May on record.
And there we see the Happyness logo as nail art, and why not. In the three shows The Socks have done so far, we've tried to vary the set list, for my interest as much as anyone else's. So at 12pm they got: Halloween, Earth Song, Magic, at 1pm they got: Period Drama, Earth Song, Magic, Are The Stars / You Never Close, and at 3pm they got: What's Missing off TV, I Change The Key, Cross Channel Superman, Earth Song, West Side Story, Star Wars. Tonight they'll get walk On The Wild Side and Sweary Poppins (two items you definitely can't perform in front of 6 year olds) and who knows what else? I'll be as surprised as anyone.
Update (11pm): The evening headline slot went brilliantly and, perversely, turned out to be shorter than the daytime slots at just 20 minutes. So they just got: Ship In a Bottle, Walk On The Wild Side, Magic & Sweary Poppins and somehow that's 20 minutes.
Thursday 23 May 2013
That Peanut Stole My Bedroom - more new comics by kids
The pupils in my Comic Art Masterclasses have excelled themselves this week in coming up with titles for the group comics we've produced together:
Never Get Vimto Roll In Your Eye? Death Of A Man Who Didn't Know His Weight But Still Got On With His Life But Sadly He Died? These are Year Fives! These come from two days at Ruskin Juniors in Swindon, two days at Colmore Juniors in Kings Heath, and one from the Isle of Wight that got missed from an earlier batch. Each comic contains an individual comic strip by every single person in each class, each class numbering up to thirty, with me getting through two classes in a day. So you're looking at the work of 480 individual comic creators of the future. You're welcome.
The celebrities they variously suggested for my demonstration story, which I draw on the flipchart with their help, were Keith Lemon (twice), Simon Cowell, Nicki Minaj, Will I Am, Psy, Michael Jackson, and Taylor Swift. For more along these lines, see below or on my website.
I Flushed My Magical Penguin Down The Toilet - Mar 2013
The Bean Men - Feb 2013
Aquatic Owls vs The Moon - Dec 2012
The Hairy Bottom - July 2012
Kid Afro Spaghetti - June 2012
Fartimouse Owl - May 2012
If anyone wants me to come and show their kids how to do what I've been doing for a living for the last two decades in my far-famed and much-loved Comic Art Masterclasses, drop me a line, a comment, a Twitter, smoke signals, the usual methods. Click below to see more, including video and contact details.
Never Get Vimto Roll In Your Eye? Death Of A Man Who Didn't Know His Weight But Still Got On With His Life But Sadly He Died? These are Year Fives! These come from two days at Ruskin Juniors in Swindon, two days at Colmore Juniors in Kings Heath, and one from the Isle of Wight that got missed from an earlier batch. Each comic contains an individual comic strip by every single person in each class, each class numbering up to thirty, with me getting through two classes in a day. So you're looking at the work of 480 individual comic creators of the future. You're welcome.
The celebrities they variously suggested for my demonstration story, which I draw on the flipchart with their help, were Keith Lemon (twice), Simon Cowell, Nicki Minaj, Will I Am, Psy, Michael Jackson, and Taylor Swift. For more along these lines, see below or on my website.
I Flushed My Magical Penguin Down The Toilet - Mar 2013
The Bean Men - Feb 2013
Aquatic Owls vs The Moon - Dec 2012
The Hairy Bottom - July 2012
Kid Afro Spaghetti - June 2012
Fartimouse Owl - May 2012
If anyone wants me to come and show their kids how to do what I've been doing for a living for the last two decades in my far-famed and much-loved Comic Art Masterclasses, drop me a line, a comment, a Twitter, smoke signals, the usual methods. Click below to see more, including video and contact details.
Saturday 18 May 2013
Verdict on Doctor Who season finale
2/10 I cannot believe this is getting such positive reviews here and on Twitter. I disliked it greatly.
Liked: The funny bits with Strax, the original ideas like the conference call.. er. Wow, is that all I liked?
Disliked: How I'm supposed to find things dramatic because a character tells me it's dramatic. How much exposition can you possibly put into 45 minutes without any of the action being actually enacted?
So the Doctor is buried in a Tardis with its 2013 desktop furniture? That'll look silly in a few years won't it?
The size leaks out so it'll eventually become infinite in size? In a graveyard? On a planet? Considerate.
Why did the Doctor and Clara start climbing up inside the giant Tardis through a trap door underneath it which you access thru a fake gravestone for River Song (??) then suddenly appear outside and mither on about refusing to open the door?
Since when did the Doctor have to say his name to open the door?
So River has always been just an echo of the dead River all along, or did I mis-hear that?
And Jenny is the new Rory? She can die, without you caring much, and come back to life, without you having had time to not care, then she can die again about ten minutes later and, what, we're expected to not care as much or less this time?
So, wait, The Great Intelligence goes into the Doctor's timeline and disrupts every single good thing he's ever done? So Clara goes in there too to stop him? So she stops the Great INtelligence interfering with every Doctor Who story ever? But all we see of that is her try vaguely to call out to various old versions of the Doctor and then mainly not hearing her - using the same clips twice? What? What? What????
This story had no drama, no grip on me, I didn't care. They were just saying things, telling us these things were scary and of some import but they didn't look like it, they didn't feel like it, and I couldn't have been left more cold.
And John Hurt is, what, The Valeyard? The mention of The Valeyard earlier made me shudder. Anyone who thinks resurrecting the woeful memory of the official Worst Doctor Who Season Ever (Trial of a Time Lord) is going to make this story win hearts and minds is clearly setting out to appeal to a very different viewer than me.
Bad, horrible, awful. I realise I'm in the minority here, but this is far and away the worst season finale I have watched. And I watched Trial Of A sodding Timelord.
24 May, more thoughts, as posted on Gallifrey Base
On the subject of who is John Hurt?:
Maybe's he's that rubbish "dark side of the Doctor" you get if you
attach bits of Cyberman to the side of the Doctor's head like they did
in that nonsense Neil Gaiman fairy tale the week before? Maybe he spun
off into another dimension, got old, got even more cartoonily mental - a
bit like Caligula in I Claudius - and this is him really old?
Knowing Moffat, John Hurt will turn out to be The Tesselecta, or made of Rebel Flesh, or an Auton, or the Great Intelligence in yet another body (and am I the only one who thinks The Master is going to turn out to have become the Great Intelligence after all?). Either way we will all be really disappointed when we find out.*
*Unless you really love every revelation being "actually I'm a spoonhead/Almost Person/Prisoner Zero/magically reincarnated Rory-stroke-Clara / an echo of my former dead self" in which case stay tuned, you're still watching the same show.
** Oh yes. The Silence. I forgot them. Again.
Liked: The funny bits with Strax, the original ideas like the conference call.. er. Wow, is that all I liked?
Disliked: How I'm supposed to find things dramatic because a character tells me it's dramatic. How much exposition can you possibly put into 45 minutes without any of the action being actually enacted?
So the Doctor is buried in a Tardis with its 2013 desktop furniture? That'll look silly in a few years won't it?
The size leaks out so it'll eventually become infinite in size? In a graveyard? On a planet? Considerate.
Why did the Doctor and Clara start climbing up inside the giant Tardis through a trap door underneath it which you access thru a fake gravestone for River Song (??) then suddenly appear outside and mither on about refusing to open the door?
Since when did the Doctor have to say his name to open the door?
So River has always been just an echo of the dead River all along, or did I mis-hear that?
And Jenny is the new Rory? She can die, without you caring much, and come back to life, without you having had time to not care, then she can die again about ten minutes later and, what, we're expected to not care as much or less this time?
So, wait, The Great Intelligence goes into the Doctor's timeline and disrupts every single good thing he's ever done? So Clara goes in there too to stop him? So she stops the Great INtelligence interfering with every Doctor Who story ever? But all we see of that is her try vaguely to call out to various old versions of the Doctor and then mainly not hearing her - using the same clips twice? What? What? What????
This story had no drama, no grip on me, I didn't care. They were just saying things, telling us these things were scary and of some import but they didn't look like it, they didn't feel like it, and I couldn't have been left more cold.
And John Hurt is, what, The Valeyard? The mention of The Valeyard earlier made me shudder. Anyone who thinks resurrecting the woeful memory of the official Worst Doctor Who Season Ever (Trial of a Time Lord) is going to make this story win hearts and minds is clearly setting out to appeal to a very different viewer than me.
Bad, horrible, awful. I realise I'm in the minority here, but this is far and away the worst season finale I have watched. And I watched Trial Of A sodding Timelord.
24 May, more thoughts, as posted on Gallifrey Base
On the subject of who is John Hurt?:
"You're the 11th Doctor"
"I said he was me - I never said he was the Doctor"
"I said he was me - I never said he was the Doctor"
Knowing Moffat, John Hurt will turn out to be The Tesselecta, or made of Rebel Flesh, or an Auton, or the Great Intelligence in yet another body (and am I the only one who thinks The Master is going to turn out to have become the Great Intelligence after all?). Either way we will all be really disappointed when we find out.*
*Unless you really love every revelation being "actually I'm a spoonhead/Almost Person/Prisoner Zero/magically reincarnated Rory-stroke-Clara / an echo of my former dead self" in which case stay tuned, you're still watching the same show.
** Oh yes. The Silence. I forgot them. Again.
Thursday 16 May 2013
★★★★ Latest 7 review for Socks in Space in Brighton
Scottish Falsetto Socks: In Space
Surely a cult favourite of Fringe festivals nationwide and abroad, this Punch and Judy-style sock puppet show, the brainchild of Aberdeen-born Kev F Sutherland, offers a chaotic hour somewhere between The Beano (which he also writes for) and the slapstick crudeness of Bottom. Technically a science fiction-themed night, the two loveably stupid and brilliantly risqué (particularly with a nine-year-old in the audience!) stars of the show hurled all sorts of hilarious and unashamedly terrible puns, film references and knowing self-reference into an irresistible broth. If you haven’t seen the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre and are of a somewhat silly disposition, this gloriously anarchic act comes highly recommended.Komedia Studio, 10 May 2013
Rating:
Nick Aldwinckle
Wednesday 15 May 2013
Who On Earth Is Elvis & What Is He Doing In My Grandma's Spaceship? - more comics by kids
What with Easter. Bank Holidays, and Socks gigs, it's been a quiet month for the Comic Art Masterclasses, but this bundle is well worth the wait. Above you see the covers of comics produced by kids in (and prepare yourself for all points of the compass, I challenge you to spot one I've missed):
Swansea, Manchester, Inverness, The Isle of Wight, Basingstoke, and Blackwood.
The celebs suggested by the kids, for the demonstration strip, were Cheryl Cole, Simon Cowell, Angelina Jolie, Bob Marley (twice), Harry Hill, Nicky Minaj & one unknown. You can find plenty more examples of the kids creations on my website, including this lot:
I Flushed My Magical Penguin Down The Toilet - Mar 2013
The Bean Men - Feb 2013
Aquatic Owls vs The Moon - Dec 2012
The Hairy Bottom - July 2012
Kid Afro Spaghetti - June 2012
Fartimouse Owl - May 2012
If anyone wants me to come and show their kids how to do what I've been doing for a living for the last two decades in my far-famed and much-loved Comic Art Masterclasses, drop me a line, a comment, a Twitter, smoke signals, the usual methods. Click below to see more, including video and contact details.
Saturday 11 May 2013
★★★★ Broadway Baby review for Socks in Space in Brighton
Hooray! The second night of Socks In Space in Brighton just got ★★★★ 4 stars from Broadway Baby.
These two nights have been the first of our Socks previews where we've dropped all the "safe" material from previous shows (in particular the Magic routine, which is a guaranteed high point, though we currently still have Star Wars in there) and tried out almost all new material. You'll remember the mix of the two got us a 5 star review in Bath last month, so it's genuinely thrilling to see this much rawer less-practised show still getting 4 stars. I come away knowing lots that needs to be changed, and with lots of new sketches to write and try out until we've got the perfect show, but if a work-in-progress can get a thumbs-up like that I feel very good, fingers crossed, about how we're progressing.
(Notes to self: last night, night 2 in Brighton, saw TV Channels and Bionics both dropped from the previous night, and Captain America v Loki performed for the first time from handwritten notes. Both nights saw Shatner routine for first time, neither included Some Bugger or Sweary Poppins or Magic)
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
BROADWAY BABY REVIEW | |||
Socks Appeal |
|
Let’s see, how can I describe this one?
There are a couple of socks that like to sing (up high, mind). Oh, and
they’re Scottish (High-voice-landers). And they’re planning a mission
to space.
Thing is, I’m not really sure they ever got to space. When your stage is a wobbly tartan window I suppose it can be difficult to give the feel of galaxies far, far away. Not to mention that waffling – what socks are prone to do when you give them a voice – is fairly counter-productive to space exploration. Luckily, there’s a good show in the waffle – an hour-long Smothers Brothers/Two Ronnies escapade so tangential you can’t believe it’s been scripted. The waffling tangents included medlies (horror movie clichés, the upsides of being a sock), sci-fi movie history and lots of punny sock-on-sock bickering. Note to parents: I like my ‘sweary words’ in full-blown Technicolor, not stifled by the presence of young ears. It’s true we’re talking about sock puppets with googly eyes, but that sign next to the listing means ‘Parental Guidance’, not bring your kids (though I’ll admit, the parent/child logo is confusing). Happily, the socks thought on their feet and were quick to capitalise on the unmined comedy gold that surfaces when you let your young’uns interact with innuendo-spouting puppets – who else would think ‘Bob’ was a suitable name for a spaceship? They then suggested Fred as a conciliatory gesture, to the socks’ chagrin. In the end, the closest they get to space is donning Trekkie and Jedi costumes and re-enacting the Obi-Wan(ker)nobi/Darth Vader duel with bendy straws and falsetto humming. My face hurt from smiling; most of this {sweary-word} is hilarious, probably even more so during an adults-only viewing. I should be able to deconstruct why a cut-out David Bowie on a stick lamenting old age and singing about starlings in a croaky Brummie accent is funny, but alas, it just is. Go see for yourself, preferably back to back with the new Star Trek for an extra-special postmodern viewing experience. |
Reviewer:
Amy Holtz
Amy Holtz has written 14 reviews for Broadway Baby since joining the team in 2012.
|
These two nights have been the first of our Socks previews where we've dropped all the "safe" material from previous shows (in particular the Magic routine, which is a guaranteed high point, though we currently still have Star Wars in there) and tried out almost all new material. You'll remember the mix of the two got us a 5 star review in Bath last month, so it's genuinely thrilling to see this much rawer less-practised show still getting 4 stars. I come away knowing lots that needs to be changed, and with lots of new sketches to write and try out until we've got the perfect show, but if a work-in-progress can get a thumbs-up like that I feel very good, fingers crossed, about how we're progressing.
(Notes to self: last night, night 2 in Brighton, saw TV Channels and Bionics both dropped from the previous night, and Captain America v Loki performed for the first time from handwritten notes. Both nights saw Shatner routine for first time, neither included Some Bugger or Sweary Poppins or Magic)
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
Friday 10 May 2013
Socks in Edinburgh on sale already
Tickets for The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre's 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Show - Socks in Space, are on sale now. This is the earliest in advance our Edinburgh show has ever gone on sale, so we look forward to plotting that graph and watching sales figures growing from now. If you'd like to be the first to bags a ticket (remembering the first three days are at bargain prices, and there are other dates with 2 for 1 and other offers) you know what to do. Spread the word, and let's makes this a great big biggie!
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
May 9, 10 - Komedia, Brighton Fringe
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
Wednesday 8 May 2013
Lovefringe Recommends Socks in Brighton
LoveFringe.com has been kind enough to recommend the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre's Socks In Space shows, this week at Brighton Fringe. We heartily endorse this recommendation, and look forward to seeing you all at the shows.
9-10 May 19:00 £9 (£8) [1hr]
Komedia Studio, Gardner Street, Brighton BN1 1UN 01273 91 72 72
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
April 13 - Barnfield, Exeter
April 27 - Gardyne Theatre, Dundee
April 28 - Eden Court, Inverness
May 1 - Swindon Arts Centre
May 9, 10 - Komedia, Brighton Fringe
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
Wednesday 1 May 2013
May in the Socks calendar - The Fly
This is how we celebrate May on the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre's 2013 calendar, with the Socks take on The Fly (click to enlarge)...
If you want to enjoy this in full printed glory you can still buy the calendar with its 12 unique brand new specially drawn cartoons by Kev F formerly of The Beano. It's good for another 8 months and is a collector's item joy to treasure. Click on the image to see more of the calendar and the link to the shop, or if you can't wait, buy it here.
What's that you say? You'd like a song and a video specially produced by the Socks telling you all about it? Go on then...
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
May 1 - Swindon Arts Centre
May 9, 10 - Komedia, Brighton Fringe
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
Further dates to be added, (plus regular appearances at your local comedy club, check listings for details and, if you can't find us, ask your local comedy club to book us, it can't hurt). Watch Facebook, here or ents24 for updates.
If you want to enjoy this in full printed glory you can still buy the calendar with its 12 unique brand new specially drawn cartoons by Kev F formerly of The Beano. It's good for another 8 months and is a collector's item joy to treasure. Click on the image to see more of the calendar and the link to the shop, or if you can't wait, buy it here.
What's that you say? You'd like a song and a video specially produced by the Socks telling you all about it? Go on then...
SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
May 1 - Swindon Arts Centre
May 9, 10 - Komedia, Brighton Fringe
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 5 - The Lord Nelson, Norton Sub Hamden, Somerset
July 13 - Chapter Arts, Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 17 - Bristol Comedy Box at the Hen & Chickens
July 18 - Larmer Tree Festival, Salisbury
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
+ Mimetic Festival, Enfield 8.30pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 26 - Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 4 - Belfast Black Box
Sept 5 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 5 - Farnham Maltings
Oct 11 - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
Oct 24 - The Capitol, Horsham
Oct 25 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival
Nov 2 - Leeds Carriageworks
Nov 15 - Ropewalk, Barton On Humber
Nov 16 - Chorley Little Theatre
Further dates to be added, (plus regular appearances at your local comedy club, check listings for details and, if you can't find us, ask your local comedy club to book us, it can't hurt). Watch Facebook, here or ents24 for updates.
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