Visiting the Edinburgh Fringe?

You'll have noticed by now that neither Hugh Hughes or Hoipolloi can be found at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In the years that we haven't performed, it often feels like a bit of a mixed blessing - I'm not having to worry about how many people are booked for today's show but also, I feel a little left out, missing that kind of daily adrenaline charge.

Last year I didn't even have a visit to the Fringe but I can't stay away for long and so last weekend I was pounding the cobbled streets looking to be entertained.

I thought I'd share some tips for the best stuff I saw. Oh, and by the way, I'm also heading back to the Fringe from 24 to 28 August so if you have any tips on what to see during that period, I'd love to hear them!

Right, here goes...

The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik (Underbelly, 18.00)

I'm going to start with the best show I saw during my three days because if you get bored of reading this blog post, I don't want you to miss out on a real gem!

The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer - Trailer from Tim Watts on Vimeo.

Delightful, magical, charming, irresistible - lots of adjectives that I'd use to describe this show. It's a beautiful love story mixing animation, puppetry and music and I'd defy you not to fall in love with it. I saw it on Saturday and have been raving about it to anyone I can find (including you now). I've noticed that in the last two days it's been sold out so definitely one to get booked in to in advance.

Shows with a Hoipolloi connection

As I've mentioned, we don't have a show of our own on this year. But if you're craving some form of Hoipolloi-related show, why not try the following...

3rd Ring Out (Pleasance, various times from 18 August)

This hasn't started yet but Steffi, our Associate Director, is performing as part of it once it opens. Taking place inside a container, you're immersed straight into disaster emergency planning and your responses will effect the future. I saw this piece last year at PULSE and it's a really thought-provoking piece on climate change and our ability to deal with a changing world.

To Avoid Precipice Cling To Rock (Bedlam, 16.30 until 13 August only)

You've only got a few days left to catch this one and enjoy a bit of Hoipolloi history. Josie, Shon and Steffi's daughter making her Fringe performance debut! Josie is of course a Fringe veteran in many ways, having grown up spending August flyering for various Hoipolloi productions over the years. But it's great to see her taking to the stage as part of this fantastic ensemble of young female performers.

Show Me The World (Underbelly, 12.00)

This one's connected to me, as I've been mentoring the company for the last few months. Winners of IdeasTap's Edinburgh Award, this is a show written specially for and performed by a really exciting group of talented young performers. Some of the language in the show isn't for the faint-hearted but it really captures those late teenage moments of growing up and moving on. EDIT: they've just got a 4* review from Whatsonstage

Other gems that I enjoyed...

Vertigo (Bedlam, 15.25 until 13 August only)

Another show to catch if you can in the next few days. I really loved the charm and wit of the two performers and towards the end, a delightfully emotional twist caught me by surprise.

Cloud Man (Hill St Theatre, 11.00 until 24 August only)

A really enchanting piece for young audiences about the search for the elusive Cloud Man. Worth catching even if you don't have any children to take, I adored the detailed puppetry in this.

2401 Objects (Pleasance Courtyard, 16.40)

I first saw Analogue's work in 2007, receiving a Fringe First on the same day as Hugh Hughes (for Story of a Rabbit). I've enjoyed following their development over the last few years and I was so excited by this piece. It's fantastically confident and assured, capturing beautiful fragments of a fascinating true story.

Hoipolloi's interns storm Fringe Festivals!

I'm really excited that two ex-Hoipolloi interns are also performing on the Fringe this year -although only one is on in Edinburgh, the other is performing in London as part in Camden Fringe.

You can catch Sara (who worked with us in 2007/08) in Sold at Pleasance Courtyard at 11.10 and David (who worked with us in 2008/09) in Hamster Town at the Camden People's Theatre until 17 Aug.

Right, I think that's all for now. If you see any of these, I hope you enjoy them and looking forward to hearing your tips for what to catch when I return to Edinburgh at the end of August.

Posted by Simon Bedford (Executive Producer, Hoipolloi)

With thanks to the Edinburgh Blog for the photo

Luscious lists

Although many may dispute the strength of the connection and the relevance of the 'relevant' issues I frequently try to link this blog to (what do you mean Cate B's blanket dress wasn't vital news?), I do my best to make it as 'current' as possible. Yet this week I was feeling somewhat creatively flummoxed and had yet to latch onto a particular news topic which could act as the focus for today's piece. So I decided to do some foraging for inspiration and found myself trawling through the Guardian's web pages. Amongst such delightful gems as 'how do you make reading cool?' (give out free bottles of Bacardi Breezers apparently), a delicious recipe for peach and raspberry cobbler and 'Sarah v. Sam - which political wife is the best dressed?', I discovered a few very useful lists.

Now I don't know about you, but I like lists. They are very satisfying to make and to tick items off is a highly fulfilling activity indeed. Unless of course you make ridiculous lists like 'by next month I want to be able to fly, speak Mandarin and train my pug puppy how to make me breakfast and bring it to me in bed on Sunday mornings'. That would just be silly. Anyway, today the Guardian is offering some excellent lists, including 'what to do with browning bananas', and 'ten tips for writing fiction'. Handy stuff. That is if you have lots of bananas lurking around and you are trying to finally write that novel. You know, the one that was on your list of 'things to do by the time I'm... [insert relevant age]'.

Ah ha I thought! This is precisely what we need, some Hoipolloi/theatre related lists. And so, especially for you, I have created the following...

A list for today -some questions and action points:
1. Do I live in or near Oxford or Liverpool?
2. If no, could I get to either without too much schlepping?
3. If 'yes' to either of those... Am I free tonight/tomorrow/Friday/Saturday?
5. If 'yes', then go to http://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/ or http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/
6. Book tickets for Hugh Hughes in 360.
7. See the show and have a fantastic time.


A list for going to the theatre in general - some top tips
1. Don't arrive too early, or too late. If the former happens you will find yourself loitering around and end up spending too much money on bad wine and overpriced peanuts and will be so bored that you'll read every single flyer in the foyer twenty times thus leaving you feeling highly lethargic/drunk before you even get into the auditorium. If the latter occurs you will have to run up the stairs, and so will get hot and sweaty and feel gross and then need to do the awkward clamber over other audience members in order to get to your seat. Because you were in a hurry you forgot to turn off your phone and so half way through Act 2, during a particularly poignant moment, there will be a loud ringing sound emitting from your handbag. Chances are you won't be able to find it because it has fallen through the hole in the lining. Everyone is looking at you and with satanic stares. But there is nowhere to hide. Nowhere...

2. Most programmes contain only a small amount of information which is actually relevant to the show. To get your value for money take it home and use the excess pages for home made wrapping paper, origami practise, paper aeroplanes, or shred it and use it as bedding for the hamster.

3. In advance of your trip do some pelvic floor muscle exercises in order to increase bladder control. Ideally you will not need to go to the loo at the theatre as there is always an enormous queue. Especially in the West End. If you do need to 'powder your nose' you will spend most of the interval stuck in a line, and then will miss out on getting an ice cream. Which, let's face it, is the best part of going to the theatre.

4. Even if you have seen it eight times, and played the Dane in a 'raw, dynamic, highly physical and utterly ground breaking' production of Hamlet at the Fringe while you were at university and are thus a total expert, the rest of the audience will not appreciate you muttering along to 'To be or not to be'. It's best to keep schtum and just appreciate whatever the next 'hot young thing' is doing. Do feel free to analyse the actor's interpretation later. Brutal criticism in the bar afterwards is de rigeur. Especially after a Shakespeare.

5. Make sure you have got a)the right day and b) the right theatre. It is very easy, especially if you book tickets in bulk online, to get somewhat muddled and turn up at the venue on March 12th instead of May 12th, expecting to see Medea, but you find yourself in row F as the houselights are about to go down for Measure for Measure and then someone says 'erm, I think you're in my seat' and you double check your ticket and realise that you have got very muddled indeed. Now you need to trek all the way home feeling disappointed, embarassed and a bit angry. Never good.

So there you go folks. Please do feel free to get in touch if you have any more ideas for optimising one's theatrical visits...








Thanks to koalazymonkey for the pic

Two turtle doves...

There's an obvious focus to today's part of our review of the year... the ridiculously busy month of August plus we manage to squeeze in September too! If you've missed any of the earlier posts, here you can find part one, part two and part three.

AUGUST

Literally masses of fun things happened while we were in Edinburgh.

We had some sell-out performances, some excellent reviews, one really not so good review, The Doubtful Guest was nominated for a Total Theatre Award, 360 won a Three Weeks Editor’s Award, Shon featured in a HUGE interview in The Scotsman and we all saw lots of excellent shows.

Definitely worth a mention is My Name is Sue, which all of the Hoipolloi team saw and enjoyed. Although David definitely deserves the title ‘most obsessed My Name is Sue fan’. I lost count of how many times he went to see it.

It would take yonks to give you a blow by blow account of everything that happened in Edinburgh, so in neat, bullet point form, here is a list of the top anecdotes from the street team:

* One day in the Courtyard I was proposed to by a man. He asked whether I’d marry him if he bought tickets to see ‘360’. I said ‘of course’, willing to do almost anything to make people see 360. The man then produced two tickets, which he had bought earlier. So I guess I’m engaged then.

* Chris flyered someone who seemed quite interested but then said, "Oh, the time doesn't quite work for me. I've got badminton at six."

* A very inebriated punter wandered into the Pleasance Two dressing room, helped himself to NIE's costume rack and came out holding a megaphone and wearing a Russian policeman's hat and a pair of fluffy knickers.

* Chris got picked out of the audience during a show and found himself doing press-ups on stage, with Denise Van Outen standing over him singing 'Let's Get Physical'.

* A friend of David’s drunkenly pointed 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 David’s 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.

* David flyers a couple who seem really interested in the show. "Where is it?", they ask. "Pleasance Two!", David exclaimed and pointed rather over-excitedly behind him, poking a man directly in the face. It was Simon Amstell.

* David flyers a man with two sons. Conversation as follows:

Father: Sounds interesting. Is it suitable for these two?
David: Yes, absolutely.
Father: So there's no tits or fannies in it?
David: 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.
David: 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.

And if all that weren't enough, here's a fantastic little snippet of Hugh Hughes' pre-show warm-up routine...




SEPTEMBER

September saw the first ever ‘What’s in a Name?’ award for the best show titles listed on the CVs of actors who have sent their details to us at Hoipolloi.

The nominees were:

* Daisy and the washing up gloves
* The Christmas Chimney Pot Plot
* This is a Chair
* Incest and plastic surgery
* Captain Cholesterol and the Grannies from Mars
* Princess Plimsole
* Seasonal Sauce
* Cowardly Custard
* Quidditch Adventure
* Wot No Condoms!
* The Uggs
* Orgasm: the musical
* Scandalous! The musical
* The Lazy Ant
* Mission Possible
* The Pumpkin Eater.

Posted by Marieke Audsley (Marketing & Admin Assistant, Hoipolloi). Thanks to paparutzi for the photo

The first post...

We're back! Sorry about the recent silence on the blog ...poor Simon was abandoned after Edinburgh as David moved on to pastures new (Paris - very jealous), and I took a couple of weeks to recover from the Fringe, move house, attempt to fit all of my belongings into a very small new room (like a fun spatial awareness game, with less 'fun' and more 'almost crushing myself with stacks of books') and prepare to officially join the Hoipolloi team. Today is my very first day on the job and I am trying to overcome my fear of technology and learn more advanced computer skills than writing something in Word and sending the odd email. I have been given clear instructions on 'how to do a blog entry' but there is still every chance things could go a little crazy, so apologies if the entry goes a bit haywire at some point.

Aside from getting stuck into the office's fantastic array of herbal teas, I have spent most of my first day sorting through actors' cvs. This has presented plenty of exciting learning experiences: which printer to use, filing, adding people to the database, and flexing my new email address have all been tackled. I was struck by many of the actors' 'skills' sections on their CVs, and am most intrigued by 'skin work'. I have yet to discover what this is, so if anyone knows, I would be very interested to find out.

I've also been sending emails to people about our very exciting Masterclass at The Junction. It's on Saturday 12th December and will be a great way to find out about how Hoipolloi create work. Tickets cost £35 and you can book your place by ringing The Junction's box office on 01223 511 511. Hopefully see you there!

The Last Post

My last post (for now).

I spent the whole festival wanting to film Hugh's pre-show warm up but feared he may think it intrusive. Before the last show, however, I threw caution to the wind and captured this gem without Hugh knowing.

Whoever guesses what's on his iPod wins a prize.

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!

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.

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."

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!

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.