Sellouts and fans

Another sellout on Tuesday night, making four so far. I'm not kidding myself that this will continue on Wednesday, when the 2 for 1 offers end, but it's fun while it lasts.

The heat in the venue is being addressed by putting in more fans, which is good. The downside is that my poor long-suffering technician Florence is sat in front of two aircon machines and a giant fan, as a result of which she can't hear me. So I'm now going to have to bellow any sound cues to her, and as for getting my voice balanced against the music, that's up to getting it right in the sound check and hoping for the best. Let's face it, the new spaces at Patter Hoose aren't ideal, but everyone's pulling together and doing their best to make them bearable.

The audiences, meanwhile, have been great, and Roll Up has been going marvellously. I filmed Monday and Tuesday's shows, cos I knew they were sellouts, but I think I'll have to film some more to capture a really perfect balance. Problem will be putting the camera at the back of the room, cos it can only capture pictures. The sound it gets will be 90% fan noise.

We've seen the first art of the season, the excellent Thomas Young show at the Talbot Rice (of which the above photo shows none, of course). It tells the story, then demonstrates it in a kind of Dadaist performance all on video, of mistranslations of a Chinese song, and of the influence of Adult Contemporary pop on Hong Kong Culture. Also a 'silent' performance of a Tschaikovsky symphony, with the orchestra muffled, in surround sound. You have to see it really.

Also the first author reading of the season, Paul Baker talking about his excellent book Fabulosa The Story Of Polari, which I read last month. We only learned about the reading cos Jeremy Dixon, who we know from back home, was visiting and mentioned it. I even got to ask a question, bona.

It's been a sociable time, with Hazel & Tim coming to the show and a drink afterwards on Tuesday, Jeremy coming round Monday, various groups and meet-ups after shows, and tomorrow we go up Glen Esk to scatter Mum's ashes. Such fun.

Until August 25th, The Scottish Falsetto Socks ROLL UP! at the Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose 9.30pm, every night of the Edinburgh Fringe 2019. Sexy new venue, sexy new timeslot. Book now!