Sunset

In the last few days my limbs have turned to jelly, my voice has dropped two octaves and gone croaky like Yoda and if I walk over anymore Edinburgh cobbles my feet will start screaming and frogmarch me back onto proper pavements.

But I refer you once again to my patented definition of Festival Fatigue to stress that whilst my body is wrecked, my mood remains indefatigably good. As much as I'm looking forward to going to bed for a week once I'm home, I'm sure I'll be missing the festival before too long.

At the Total Theatre Awards ceremony the other day, one of the speakers pointed out something obvious but very important. Every one of us knows what an endurance contest the Edinburgh Festival is, we know we're signing up to an utterly exhausting month and yet we troop back, year after year. It's pretty special.

*

Today is my last day working for Hoipolloi, for now. I am refusing to articulate this fact with any degree of finality, as I feel sure that I'll stay in touch with everyone at the company and work with them again before too long, in some capacity or another.

I have an anecdote which I've found myself referring to a lot whilst working for the company, or when I explain to people what Hoipolloi means to me. This feels like a good time to share it with the wider world.

In 2007 I visited the Edinburgh Fringe and saw Hugh Hughes in Story of a Rabbit. (I was already a Hoipolloi fan, having seen Floating and My Uncle Arly on previous tours.) That hour in Pleasance Two remains one of the most unforgettable experiences I've ever had at the theatre. Like so many who've seen the show, I laughed and I cried. And I cried and I cried and I cried.

When I left the theatre and shook hands with Hugh, I wanted to tell him that he'd completely altered my perspective on theatre. Sadly I couldn't because I was still crying and also feeling a bit embarassed because I was covered in tears and snot. My equally snot-covered friend Hannah and I staggered into the sunlight and sat down with a drink to calm our nerves. We continued crying for at least 20 minutes, during which time a number of people tried to flyer us for shows, only to find two weeping individuals, sobbing into pints.

Less than twelve months later I was at the National Theatre Studio working on Hugh Hughes' future production Invisible Town. About 18 months later I was creating 360 with Hugh, for which I'm now credited as an Artistic Collaborator. If you'd tapped me on the shoulder, as I sat at that table crying, and told me that I'd be working with Hugh within a year, I'm sure I wouldn't have believed you.

I probably don't need to say (and wouldn't be able to find the words anyway) how much those experiences have meant to me.

As well as loving every minute I've spent with the creative team at Hoipolloi, I need to say a huge thank you to Simon my 'boss' for the year and a wonderful mentor. And we're all bidding a fond farewell to Louise Coles who has been Hoipolloi's Administrative Director for the past five years. Louise boarded a plane for Perth two days ago. She's returning to her native Australia after several decades away, to run Perth's Blue Room. We all wish her the best of luck!

So here's to Hoipolloi, to Louise, to Edinburgh and to what is sure to be a fun-tastic final performance of 360 tonight. Hugh's been hinting that he has something special planned. I dread to think...

Hugh Hughes wins an award!

Hooray! That makes it three Edinburgh Festivals in a row at which Hugh has been awarded something. This morning Hugh was presented with a Three Weeks Editor's Award for 360 and the Three Weeks team had some very kind words to say about the show.

Meanwhile, The Doubtful Guest didn't win at the Total Theatre Award ceremony on Friday but My Name Is Sue did! (This is the show I've seen four times and have been hype-ing on the blog for weeks.) Simon Tweeted the whole thing minute-by-minute, so if you'd like to re-live the experience check out the Tweet Stream.

It was also great to see Improbable presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Phelim McDermott, one of Improbable's Artistic Directors, gave our Artistic Director Shon some mentoring back in the day, and they're a company Shon has always looked up to.

Two more performances of 360 and one Doubtful Guest to go. The Festival Fatigue is taking its toll and I'm looking forward to collapsing into bed for a very long time.

However, the other day I found a temporary cure for Festival Fatigue. I ignored the fact that I felt run down, supressed the suspicion I was getting a temperature, refused to have an early night and went clubbing instead. And WOW did I feel better for it. (Look, I had to resort to capital letters to express how much fun I had.)

Until you've seen DJ Yoda on the decks, you cannot comprehend the restorative, healing powers of old-school eighties hip-hip combined with general Yoda silliness which peaked with a bagpipe/hip-hop mash-up. London Elektricity and Scratch Perverts weren't bad either. Woo.

A fantastic review from The Scotsman

Ok, so that's not strictly the truth. We got a 2 star review from The Scotsman for The Doubtful Guest. But bizarrely, it's made me very happy. In fact, it's given me so much energy that I've forgotten about my aching back*

The review can be found in full here. You'll need to skip through the first half to find the bit about us (unless you want to read about Inspector Sands's If That's All There Is).

I'll also share my favourite line of the review with you:
"The idea that this sort of middlebrow tosh has any serious role in the future of theatre is ridiculous and ought to be knocked on the head, right now."

Reviews are a funny thing. It's always a delight to receive praise for the shows you work on and often it's hard to swallow the negative comments.

But The Doubtful Guest seems to be one of those shows that divides it's audiences (as a look through the reviews on EdFringe website will demonstrate) and I'm pleased that we're causing strong reviews amongst people who see the work.

I'd like to thank Joyce MacMillan for her words. That final sentiment she expressed will be something that inspires me to work against it for many years to come (I'm looking forward to enlarging it and sticking it over my desk).

I personally think Joyce is wrong (but that's my job) and I know many of you do too. And if you've not seen the show already, why not book some tickets and make up your own mind.

Oh, and thank you to @cmfwood for her head's up that Joyce didn't enjoy the show. I've never seen a reviewer being reviewed, whilst reviewing the show. But having read...

"Just sat through Joyce MacMillan sighing and tutting all the way through The Doubtful Guest"

I've been prepared for this news for a week now!

And finally, I met someone yesterday who personally requested a new video from the double act that is David and I (see this video for our earlier work!). We haven't made one for ages so watch this space!

*I slipped over in the bath on Saturday morning and after a 2 hour stint at Casualty, I was discharged with a very sore back (although no broken bones). I ran out of painkillers this morning but Joyce's review has certainly kept me smiling and happy all day.

Tales from the streets (in which I poke Simon Amstell in the face)

Sorry it's been a bit quiet on the blog over the last few few days. We're having a great time but the Festival Fatigue is kicking in...


festival fatigue n.
Combination of exhilaration and exhaustion, induced by little sleep and much excitement. Can be a product of working too hard or partying too hard or partying too hard once you've finally finished work for the day. Not to be confused with 'fatigue' which is generally a bad thing. Symptoms of festival fatigue include facial contortions caused by smiling and yawning at the same time.


In the meantime we're (still) flyering hard and I have some amusing moments to share.

Top three 'Street Team' anecdotes:

1) I'm flyering a couple who seem really interested in the show. 'Where is it?', they ask. 'Pleasance Two!', I exclaim and point rather over-excitedly behind me, poking a man directly in the face. It is Simon Amstell. (He's quite nice, if mildly sarcastic about the whole thing.)

2) I'm flyering two teenagers who seem moderately interested in the show. At one point they interrupt me to point out that it's my job to sound enthusiastic so they don't believe anything I say. I start gushing about how great I really do think Hugh Hughes is and they interrupt me again to tell me I sound sycophantic.

3) I'm flyering a man with two sons. Conversation as follows:

Father: Sounds interesting. Is it suitable for these two?
Me: Yes, absolutely.
Father: So there's no tits or fannies in it?
Me: Um... no. It's not really that kind of show.
Father: Oh, OK. Because I have two thirteen year old boys with me, so if you'd said there were tits and fannies in it, they'd have probably become a lot more enthusiastic. It sounds good though, maybe we'll come along.
Me: Great, see you there.
Son 1: Dad, when are we meeting Mum and the knobs?
Father: They're not 'knobs', they're your younger siblings.

Only in Edinburgh...

Only at the Edinburgh Festival... top 3 anecdotal moments so far:

1) Chris, our friend and stalwart flyerer, gets picked out of the audience during a show and finds himself doing press-ups on stage, with Denise Van Outen standing over him singing 'Let's Get Physical'.

2) A very inebriated punter wanders into the Pleasance Two dressing room, helps himself to NIE's costume rack and comes out holding a megaphone and wearing a Russian policeman's hat and a pair of fluffy knickers.

3) A friend drunkenly points her finger into a woman's face and shouts, "You're Gillian McKeith!!" It is not Gillian McKeith. It is a not-very-famous actress who is extremely offended that my friend didn't know who she was. Actress shouts as my friend. Five minutes later, actress goes back to shout at her some more. Five minutes after that we send someone to ask if she knows any good recipes for lentil soup.

The Doubtful Guest nominated for a Total Theatre Award

I'm delighted to report that The Doubtful Guest has been nominated for a Total Theatre Award! The show's going extremely well with sell-out performances and happy audiences. It runs at Traverse until 30 August, click here to book tickets.

Congratulations also to the teams behind My Name Is Sue and 6.0 How Heap and Pebble Took on the World and Won, both of which have also been nominated. They were two of my favourite shows of the festival so far and I've mentioned them both on this blog before. Richly deserved, well done!

Hugh Hughes in... 360 was also 'Longlisted' for a Total Theatre Award. I honestly have no idea what this means but we'll take it as a compliment! Click here to book your tickets for 360.

Daydd James, who co-wrote and performs in My Name is Sue gave us a lovely compliment yesterday: "Hugh Hughes is the best show to exit-flyer because the audiences always come out so open and happy!" And at last night's performance, a man arrived wearing is 'Making Connections' badge from Floating. A true fan.

360s on Arthur's Seat

My day off on Monday seems like an age ago but I vaguely remember that I walked up Arthur's Seat (the mountain which looms over Edinburgh) and did my first ever 360!


The title of Hugh's show takes its name from Hugh's attempt to change his perspective at the top of Snowdon by standing at the top and rotating 360 degrees, taking in the view on all sides. ("It's like the panoramic function on a camera," as Hugh explains it.)


The journey up Arthur's Seat was windswept and wild but it blew away the cobwebs and all my Fringe fatigue. We didn't really know how to get to the top and took a rather indirect route, involving less path and more rock climbing than we'd expected.


But with the sea on one side and the city on the other, the view at the top was spectacular. A very special 360, highly recommended for those in need of a break from the madness of the festival!

A dedicated follower of fashion

Only time for a quick post today but luckily a picture's as good as a thousand words. This is Hugh on his way to the gym in the rain. Brilliant.

The Doubtful Guest makes itself at home

The Doubtful Guest ran riot through the Traverse Theatre this morning during a sold-out first performance of the show. Banging and clattering away, the inimitable Guest has taken up residence at the theatre and can be found there for a further eleven performances!

After a hectic get-in yesterday, this morning's show went extremely well. And with their preview performance under their belt, the cast are looking forward to having lots of fun with the production over the next two weeks. Click here to see show times and to book tickets.

I found this the other day whilst trawling through cyberspace. It's a lovely illustration by Edward Gorey, author of The Doubtful Guest: have a look.

I also saw the Tiger Lillies last night. The Tiger Lillies ('the world's foremost Death Oompah Band') were in contact with Gorey just before he died and he gave them a box of unpublished manuscripts and drawings, which inspired their concept album The Gorey End. They're great fun live and you can catch their show at Pleasance Above at 9.40 every night. Highly recommended.

5 stars and just 1 day to wait

David should be taking a well-deserved day off today so it's left to me, Simon, to complete today's blog entry.

And what an exciting day to pick up the reins! It started with a delightful email from Nancy, our press rep, to say that we've picked up not one but two 5 star reviews today for Hugh Hughes in... 360!

The first is from Three Weeks (which I'm yet to find a copy of online) but starts:

"I can't figure out the mechanics of the magic trick I saw this evening, so there's no way of explaining it properly in a review"

And then continues on to say:

"As beneath the surface something extraordinary is happening: impossibly subtle states of mind are being expressed. I've never seen anything like this before, and as soon as I've recovered I'm going straight back."

Once it's online, I'll link you to the rest!

Our second 5 star came from a blog called All the Festivals and can be found here!

It's also just one day until The Doubtful Guest opens at the Traverse Theatre and I'm getting stupidly excited about it! Tomorrow's preview is sold out but there are still tickets available for the remaining 11 shows and you can get your ticket for the show here.

Oh, and if you haven't already, head down to the Pleasance to see Hugh Hughes. He's got a day off today but is back on at 7.05pm tomorrow. Book your tickets here!

Hoipolloi's Big weekend

Hugh played to a sold out house last night (boosted by four stars and a great write-up in the FT) and numbers are looking strong for tonight too. It's lovely to see the Pleasance Courtyard looking nice and full and to be out and about talking to people about the show.

360 has settled into place beautifully and there were some lovely moments during last week's performances. My favourite was when Hugh invited the audience to sing Happy Birthday to a woman who'd told him on her way in that she was turning 22. Hugh then remembered that there's a piano stored behind the curtain at the back of the stage, and dragged it out before recruiting another audience member to play along. He made me giggle when he stopped everyone just before we were about to start, to say, "Hang on a minute, does everyone know the tune?"

We had a celebrity visit from Daniel Kitson, who'd seen Hugh's work before and enjoyed 360 too. (I would recommend and link to his show as a courtesy but he sold out so long ago that there's really no point.)

I finally saw My Name Is Sue last week, having had it recommended to me by everyone I met. And I enjoyed it so much I went back the next night! Wonderful character comedy and songs: deranged and exhilarating in equal measure. The only show that will have you leaving the theatre singing, "We're all going to die" whilst feeling ten times happier than when you came in!

GO AND SEE MY NAME IS SUE AT PLEASANCE TWO AT 9.45PM
(I don't use capital letters lightly)

And whilst you're at it, click here to book tickets for Hugh Hughes in... 360 and click here to book tickets for The Doubtful Guest. I'm going to leave with you a video trailer which should seal the deal...

Four stars in the FT

Four stars in the Financial Times this morning and it's looking like a busy weekend. I got soaked yesterday but the sun has come out and I must dash to the Courtyard. Sorry the blog's been a bit quiet the last few days, it was all we could do to stay dry and the laptops stayed at home. But we're having a blast and it's great to see all The Doubtful Guest lot again. Don't forget that The Doubtful Guest opens on Tuesday at the Traverse!

WhatsOnStage have just published a lovely interview with Hugh, click here to take a look.

Unfortunately I can't find the FT's review online (although I've read the print copy) and suspect it may be for subscribers only. But I'll keep digging this afternoon and post a link if I can find it. It's a lovely write-up.

Roll up, roll up for Hugh at Pleasance Courtyard, 7.05pm and The Doubtful Guest at Traverse from Tuesday 18th.

PS Thanks to Venice van Someren for this Edinburgh photo, which amused me!

Scotsman centre spread & a defence of flyering

Grab a copy of The Scotsman today for big feature on Hoipolloi and an interview with our Artistic Director Shon. You can click here to read online but really, I'd advise you to buy a copy in order to fully admire the big photo adorning the centre spread. We enjoyed passing it round the breakfast table this morning.

Hugh Hughes in... 360 has had another four star review, this time from The List. I think a full review will be printed in the magazine tomorrow, but click here for a truncated version in the meantime.

Today Josie and Chris, our street team stalwarts, bid farewell to flyering and start enjoying the festival as punters. They worked incredibly hard for the first week of the festival and it paid off, with sell out shows for the last four nights!

As ever, a lot of people in Edinburgh are flyering and, equally inevitably, a lot of people are moaning about it. (Mainly prima donna actors who didn't realise this was part of the deal in Edinburgh!) But I'd like to offer a defence of flyering. Because although it's tiring work, I actually really enjoy it.

Marketing a UK tour from the Hoipolloi office is a slightly imprecise science. We do our best and we normally sell pretty well but it feels very remote from the real people who come and see our work. Plus, at the end of it all, you still don't really know why someone came to see a show or didn't, or if they enjoyed it.

Flyering is the opposite and refreshingly so. I still find it funny when people ask, "Have you seen the show you're telling us about?" (Lots of flyerers work for agencies and flyer for a different show every day.) Yes, I've seen the show and yes, I'm genuinely enthusiastic about it. And it's exciting to be out and about talking to people, and passing that enthusiasm on.

Often people tell us they've enjoyed other Hoipolloi shows and are delighted to discover that we're back at the festival. I spent about twenty minutes telling one couple all about Hugh's adventures in Australia and I've bumped into a few Edward Gorey fans who are already looking forward to The Doubtful Guest. It's fantastic when the audience come into Pleasance Two and you recognise people you've spoken to during the day. And even better when they bound up to you after the show to tell you how much they've enjoyed it!

Of course, there are some less friendly people (thought they're in the minority). Josie found a woman who sat at her table, completely and utterly ignoring anyone who tried to talk to her, refusing to even acknowledge their presence until they stopped talking and went away. And Josie saw this as something of a challenge. She decided to see how long she could go for before the woman gave up and just told her to go away. A war of attrition began and I'm sad to say that Josie was outdone. But she had been standing there rabbiting away for at least fifteen minutes, which is a good effort by any standards.

Other favourite moments have included, Marieke telling someone that if they bought tickets for the show she'd marry them... at which point the man produced two tickets which he'd already bought! And Chris flyering someone who seemed quite interested but then said, "Oh, the time doesn't quite work for me. I've got badminton at six."

Marieke and I will be back out this afternoon. Do come and say hello if you see us.

And click here to book tickets for Hugh's show tonight, Pleasance Two, 7.05pm.

Fantasy, reality & rain

Only time for a quick post today but I'm happy to leave you in the hands of Natasha Tripney over at The Guardian, who has some interesting thoughts.

Natasha was in the performance of 360 which was interrupted by a fainting spell and an evacuation (see my last post for more) and it got her thinking. Click here to read her article.

Hugh has this evening off, so no flyering today, which is a relief because it's pouring with rain. But tickets are already selling well for tomorrow. Click here to get one for yourself.

Finally, another couple of show recommendations... I'm the only person in our flat who hasn't seen My Name Is Sue but the others have been raving about it. And I loved 6.0 How Heap and Pebble Took on the World and Won by Dancing Brick, over at Pleasance Dome.

Hugh Hughes Edinburgh diary

Another 360 sell-out last night and four stars from Metro this morning! The review is so good that I really want to quote the whole thing. I think the line we'll end up sticking on our flyers is, "inclusive and delightfully daft, he's the favourite teacher you never had". But in truth, I prefer, "If you've ever had an existential crisis whilst staring into the eyes of a sheep, Hugh Hughes is the man for you"! Click here to read the other bits.

I mentioned in my last post that Saturday's show was unusual. I wasn't in the theatre that night but Hugh has written an account for us. Here it is:


"Saturday's show was full of strange occurrences. I met the audience as they came in. My Uncle Trevor was there, so it was nice to have a familiar face, and I met a man called Patrick, his wife Judith, two sets of twins, four Lauras and a man whose forehead I thought I recognised.

Ten minutes after that, I was walking through Llangefni when a plane flew overhead so low that the whole audience ducked. It was so loud that I had to stop the show for a moment. Even afterwards, the space was vibrating and I found myself wondering if the plane had left a stripe across the sky, so I ran outside for a moment to have a look. I think a lot of people in the audience were probably wondering too and it was easier for me to look because I was already standing up.

When I came back there was a green woman in the audience, who hadn't been there before. Then she collapsed, her neck giving way and her head toppling, first very slowly and then like the moment a rollercoaster goes over the edge. She hit her head on a gong which made a noise which rippled across the space, changing the atmosphere like flicking a switch. I stopped the show and found it quite amazing that we really were having an 'is there a doctor in the house?' moment. A woman in a nurse's uniform jumped out of the audience. She had a klaxon and a megaphone and was shouting and the noise of the plane was screaming again and before I knew it Annabelle our Stage Manager was evacuating the venue.

I thought about continuing the show outside the courtyard but there was a lot of background noise and it would have been hard to find a space. But soon Annabelle told me that the green woman was fine. She'd had a fainting spell and the nurse had said she needed air but actually she'd just got a bit hot and dizzy. She said sorry to me on the way out, even though she didn't need to, and she wasn't green anymore which was a relief.

The audience trooped back in and I went back onstage. It was weird because there was no way I could just pick up where I left off and pretend nothing had happened. But oddly, that was exactly what we all had to try and do together. The audience seemed in good spirits, after all they'd chosen to come back in and hear the end of the story! But in order to do that, it was like creating a mass amnesia where we pretended to forget that anyone had turned green. I went back to Snowdon and wondered if the woman had fainted when we were here last because she suffered from vertigo."

An unusual show

360 sold out again last night but the performance was slightly unusual in a few respects. I didn't see the show myself but Hugh has volunteered to write an account of it, which I'll post as soon as I can.


Nonetheless, we're delighted that the show is still selling so well. Numbers for the next two shows are already high, perhaps because of our 2 for 1 offer. So get in quick if you want tickets! Click here to book. Hugh's in Pleasance Two at 7.05pm

We've also just had another review! Fest described 360 as "expertly structured and wittily delivered" and declares that "Hughes' childish enthusiasm and genuine storyteller's skill prove a winning combination".



Finally, I hope you enjoy these photos of Hugh greeting his audience as they go into the show. It's also a chance to introduce you to Annabelle, our wonderful Stage Manager, who's in the background ripping tickets!

Four stars and a full house

A sell-out show, four stars from Chortle and a couple of radio interviews for good measure... yesterday was a busy day for Hugh Hughes. And I think he gave his best performance of 360 yet.

The day started in the Fresh Air FM studio, where Hugh was joined by Hoipolloi's Artistic Director Shon Dale-Jones. Click here to listen again to Shon discussing Hoipolloi's fifteenth anniversary and The Doubtful Guest's upcoming run at Traverse. And click here for Hugh, who talks about 360 before sharing some anecdotes about life on Anglesey and growing up with Gareth.

We had a boost mid-afternoon when we heard on the grapevine that Chortle had published a review. After a mad scramble to find a laptop and some wi-fi, it was high-fives all round as we read the glowing review! Steve Bennett described 360 as "life-affirming" and "guaranteed to put a spring into your step", giving it four stars. Click here to read the full review.

By the time the doors to Pleasance Two opened at seven o'clock, there wasn't a single ticket left. We're delighted that the show is proving so popular, so early in the festival. And Hugh himself is over the moon, as pleased as ever to be talking to audiences before and after the show, greeting people who've seen his previous shows and making friends with newcomers.

With no rest for the wicked, Hugh only had time for a quick drink after the show before he jumped in a taxi and made his way to the Leith FM studio to round off the day with another interview. We both got a bit baffled, as the taxi dropped us off miles from where we were supposed to be. But we got there just in time!

Hugh will be onstage again at 7.05pm tonight at Pleasance Two. Click here to book your tickets. If last night's anything to go by, you'd better get in fast!

I'm already looking forward to my Hugh Hughes pick-me-up tonight. I saw Simon Stephens' new play Sea Wall at the ungodly hour of 9.45am and I couldn't have hoped for a more poetically desolate start to the day. I'm in the Traverse bar at the moment trying to collect myself but not having much luck so far. Catch it if you can but not until you've booked for 360 AND The Doubtful Guest!

Another great day for Hugh!

Another sunny day in Edinburgh and another great day for Hugh whose second performance of 360 went down just as well as the first. We were thrilled to have so many people in the audience and we're getting lots of really positive feedback about the show. Derek, who saw it last night very kindly recorded an Audio Boo about what he thought.



Hugh has also been given a 5* review by A Local's Guide to Edinburgh. You can read the full review on their website but to give you a few snippets, Colin Scott said that Hugh Hughes ...in 360 is "brilliant" and that you should "go and see it...you will not be disappointed".

Hoipolloi have also been spotted by The Scotsman who have listed 360 in their 'Top 100 shows to see at the Fringe'. Time Out have selected the Doubtful Guest as one to watch as well. We can't wait for the second Hoipolloi show at the Fringe to open on the 18th and you can book tickets for The Doubtful Guest here.

Hugh will be performing again tonight at 7.05pm at the Pleasance Courtyard. We'll also be flyering around Edinburgh all afternoon so come and say hello if you see us.

Hugh Hughes, the man himself! Hurrah!

And we're off! Hugh Hughes had a fantastic opening night. I was in Pleasance Two just before the show began. When Hugh opened the door to greet his audience, I heard the man at the front of the queue shout, "Hugh Hughes, the man himself! Hurrah!" And things just got better from there...

Flyering yesterday was fun. It's always great to be out and about, talking to people about the show. Lots of people had seen Hugh's shows before and were delighted that he was back. And we also had lots of new converts. Several people grabbed me on the way out to say how much they'd enjoyed the show and how glad they were to have been pestered by our flyering team!

Yesterday also marked a step further into the online era for Hoipolloi. Last night, Hugh asked an audience member named Charlie to help him with part of the performance. And after the show, Charlie contacted us via Twitter to say how much he'd enjoyed it! This has always been our ambition: a two-way conversation with our audiences. And although Hugh's had plenty of email from fans before, I think this was his first tweet!

Click here to book your tickets for Hugh Hughes in... 360. We were close to a full house yesterday, and if that's anything to go by the show will be selling fast from here! And if you're in Edinburgh already, please come and say hello. We'll be flyering all afternoon in the Courtyard.

Hugh Hughes in... 360 is on at 7.05pm in Pleasance Two.

We've arrived!

I'm relaxing in the Traverse Bar at the moment. It's terribly civilized and I'm admiring several Doubtful Guest posters adorning the walls.

But this afternoon all attention will turn to Hugh Hughes' brand new show 360. Tonight is our first Edinburgh performance and in a moment I'll be heading for the scrum of Pleasance Courtyard for my first bout of flyering!

The show is on at Pleasance Two at 7.05pm... hope to see lots of you there!

Throughout the festival, we'll be Blogging EVERY day and tweeting more often than you can imagine, so keep your eyes peeled and keep in touch.

Here's to Edinburgh 2009...