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.