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Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019

Started by Malcy, January 31, 2019, 04:08:25 PM

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CaledonianGonzo

I have to say that I didn't really go for The Darkness of Robins the way that some others  did.  Also, in general, by the time an act is in Pleasance One it generally means they're on their way to the mainstream at a fast rate of knots.  Struggling to think of any genuinely great comedy shows I've seen in there.

DrGreggles

Quote from: CaledonianGonzo on March 02, 2019, 01:56:29 PM
I have to say that I didn't really go for The Darkness of Robins the way that some others  did. 

I was surprised when it was nominated, but it was a strong show.
Certainly good enough to make me see him again anyway.

CaledonianGonzo

It was pretty good I'd say, but not on an equal footing to Nanette.  Some of the other shortlisted shows were better.  They need to put up a plaque in the Monkey Barrel to commemorate the spot where Spencer Jones did his bit with the wobble platform.

JCR

Quote from: Seagullsim on March 02, 2019, 09:57:29 AM
Robins is a must-see, and i've also added Sofie Hagen and Reg Hunter to my 'maybe' list...

Reg Hunter is at the Grand. Here's Scotsman critic Kate Copstick talking about the Grand, starting at 24.50:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OujU-YFIqLw

And she's right about that one. Go see a show with a bucket would be my advice.

CaledonianGonzo

Can't put your chair where you want in The Stand either, though.

JCR

I know, but they're right about the Grand. That's an annoyance, even among the big 4 there are good rooms and bad rooms, and there's little way of knowing if you're getting a bad room unless you've been before.

But the Grand is probably the worst room at the fringe. It's not just it's too big, because honestly I don't mind the main space at the EICC, but it's a million little things, as Copstick described.

I would also say about Hunter, his show last year about being confronted by a teenage daughter he didn't know about, it was a good show, but it wasn't really funny. He's more storytelling than jokes.

Salty_fries

I'm seriously considering volunteering with the festival this year, probably with the Pleasance. Anyone done it before and anything I should know about beforehand?

Theremin

I've worked in Pleasance, but don't know about their volunteering projects.

Are you a student? What are the benefits?

Salty_fries

Quote from: Theremin on March 08, 2019, 08:20:42 PM
I've worked in Pleasance, but don't know about their volunteering projects.

Are you a student? What are the benefits?

Yeah, student. The draws for me were the free central accomodation for the entire festival, a free pass to see any show hosted at the Pleasance, and the £620 lump sum at the end. As a dirt-poor student this programme seems like the only viable way for me to visit the festival.

Malcy

Quote from: Salty_fries on March 09, 2019, 08:22:39 PM
Yeah, student. The draws for me were the free central accomodation for the entire festival, a free pass to see any show hosted at the Pleasance, and the £620 lump sum at the end. As a dirt-poor student this programme seems like the only viable way for me to visit the festival.

Do you need to be a student? Sounds not bad.

Theremin

Quote from: Salty_fries on March 09, 2019, 08:22:39 PM
Yeah, student. The draws for me were the free central accomodation for the entire festival, a free pass to see any show hosted at the Pleasance, and the £620 lump sum at the end. As a dirt-poor student this programme seems like the only viable way for me to visit the festival.

Fair play, in the circumstances it sounds like it'll suit.

The Pleasance Pass is great - you can easily wile away the whole Fest just on their stuff.

The only advice I'd give is to shoot for any of the Steward/Tech jobs that come up, if that's your thing. It's long hours, but the money's good.

DrGreggles

More shows announced on Thursday.

hummingofevil

Just a warning though that if you become a Pleasance worker for the month you will turn into an incapable-of-critical-thought lanyard-wanker (or they just employ people who fit that profile).

I appreciate that the festival is busy and people need to fill up the seats and bunch the queues up but I go asked one-too-many times to follow a pointless instruction and snapped. "Why?" I asked, when told to shuffle two steps forward when I was reading the reviews on the wall, in a queue of a less than a dozen people for the (excellent BTW) Tom Parry show in a room that sat 200 at Pleasance Dome. "Because we have been told to say that." was the response. I wanted to weep.

On the flip side the staff at The Monkey Barrel were an absolute delight the whole month despite working 12 hour days for the full run. Go to the Monkey Barrel to see stuff everyone.

edit: No offence. :)

CaledonianGonzo

Sounds like Kitson is here this year.

DrGreggles

Quote from: CaledonianGonzo on March 19, 2019, 08:25:56 AM
Sounds like Kitson is here this year.

Ridiculously early play or ludicrously late stand up?

JCR

Quote from: DrGreggles on March 19, 2019, 08:30:13 AM
Ridiculously early play or ludicrously late stand up?

He just said there will be a future email about "Edinburgh, Liverpool, Newcastle and probably America."

DrGreggles

Thanks. Someone should put that in the Kitson thread.

CaledonianGonzo

Few decent new additions today. Sarah Kendall is back, as are Jordan Brookes and Tom Parry

Malcy

Nothing that interests me in the latest batch. Fingers crossed for the next lot

Seagullsim

Couple of regulars for me - Alun Cochrane is always good value, same with Bec Hill. Obviously Tom Parry is a delight, and I might even try Andrew Maxwell (only ever seen him as part of The Wrestling shows)....

CaledonianGonzo

Maxwell's sharp and reliably good value, but like the Pleasance Grand that big lecture theatre on George Square is no place to see comedy.

DrGreggles

I'll probably watch the new Police Cops show, but nothing else that hasn't been already mentioned on here leaps out.

CaledonianGonzo

I enjoyed Sarah Keyworth's show last year but can wait for the reviews this time out.

WestHill

Rob Auton, Sarah Kendall, Police Cops, Jordan Brookes and Tom Parry are all on my list.

Considering John Luke Roberts as I heard good things about last year's show.

I'm guessing it'll be safe to wait until the next release on Apr 18th to start buying tickets?

rasta-spouse

What are people's opinions on Henry Paker and Rob Auton? They're highly spoken of by other comics, but the yt clips I've seen aren't so impressive (and Auton's Munnery-lite nature has kind of put me off).

CaledonianGonzo

I've enjoyed Henry Paker's sillier work with other comedians - his Golden Lizard show with Mike Wozniak was good daft fun - but last time I saw him he was doing more mainstream observational stuff which didn't really land for me.  I presume he then flogged it on to Jack Whitehall or someone.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: rasta-spouse on March 22, 2019, 01:44:49 PM
What are people's opinions on Henry Paker and Rob Auton? They're highly spoken of by other comics, but the yt clips I've seen aren't so impressive (and Auton's Munnery-lite nature has kind of put me off).

I haven't seen Paker in ages but I used to really like him, but it's been a decade since I last caught him live and he's spent that time writing for some pretty hacky comics so I don't know if he's any good.

It's looking doubtful that I'll make it up to the festival this year as Mrs SMBH wants to go abroad if we do go on holiday, but I've already bought tickets for previews by Max & Ivan and Olga Koch, and hopefully will see a sod load more before the end of July.

CaledonianGonzo

Nick Offerman seems to be doing a run

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: CaledonianGonzo on March 25, 2019, 06:04:25 PM
Nick Offerman seems to be doing a run

I just saw that on twitter but can't say I'm tempted, I like the man as an actor but thought his last comedy special was only just above average, and he comes across as a bit smug at times.

CaledonianGonzo

Agreed. Not interested personally.

On the other hand, got my tickets for fucking Gandalf sorted.