Tuesday 5th August 2008
It began, as so many good things do with Miles Jupp.
First we saw The Guardian Podcast (which Miles Jupp hosted). As I've previously mentioned these podcasts were amazing and I don't know why the Guardian stopped doing them. On this particular day the guests were:
Sarah Millican - I saw Sarah Millican in the toilets of the Gilded Balloon and forgot I didn't know her and said 'hi'. Because to me she just feels like someone from home that I saw in a pub ages ago with my parents and their friends (and R). She's huge now, of course and that's amazing, but then she was pretty unknown. Three weeks later she would be leaving Edinburgh with the Best Newcomer Award. I'm pretty sure that podcast was the first ever 'Millican's Minute' segment which they did again in 2009; Miles and Sarah's relationship became really funny - both of them amping up the differences between them - Millican emphasising her North Eastern roots (she's from South Shields which is a nice beach nearish where I live), Juppy doing his usual priveleged stuff.
Jason Byrne - I enjoyed listening to Jason chat. This was the first time I'd ever seen/heard him do anything; I liked him. More on him a bit later!!
Tina C - In 2008 Tina (aka Christopher Green) was running for the Whitehouse. I didn't see her show but I know it culminated in a huge rally. We kept seeing people in her show - it looked fabulous and I sort of wish we'd gone. She was great!!
Wilson Dixon - a country singer/comedian we kept seeing around that year. Haven't seen him since!
Paul MacInnes - a Guardian journalist who I remember very little about to be honest! I may have to listen again (always trying to hear me or Richard laughing in the audience).
I hadn't previously known who Miles Jupp was but he stole the show, my heart, etc! He was smart, charming, funny, sexy and amazing. I can't remember when exactly it transpired that we were going to see him again that day (in the play we'd booked to see only knowing that Stewart Lee had written it!) but when I did realise that it seemed like fate (that I don't belive in!). Maybe everything in Edinburgh feels fated as all things and people are linked - everyone knows each other, comedians are everywhere. It's bliss!
After that we met up with Nat (who'd been at a drama workshop) and then split up again (I think this is what happened!); she went to see The Butler Did It, The Musical! while Richard and I went to The Stand to see Andy Zaltzman Boldly Unbuttons The Cloak Of Civilisation, But Is Perplexed And Perturbed By What He Finds Lurking Beneath. Lovely Zaltz is definitely one of Richard's comedians. I liked this show but I didn't love it. It reminded me of Blackadder - that is to say it had a lot of really clever wordplay etc but wasn't quite my sort of thing. (Having said that I do enjoy Blackadder!) It had an interval where we had to do a quiz (a Zaltz trademark). The best thing about this show was that Richard finally got to see a full AZ stand up set!
Then we saw James Sherwood (who we'd loved at Political Animal) doing Songs of Music which I loved! There was a lot of stuff about grammar (which I love!) - David Cameron saying attorney generals rather than attorneys general. There was some stuff about cricket too! And his songs are really great. I love a piano!
Next was The Little Shop of Horrors - a really amazing musical I'd never seen before (Nat had seen it ages ago). It was a really great production. We were in the front row and it was staged in the round which meant they were everywhere, almost on our feet. Amazing songs, great cast, brilliant play! And the night wasn't over. The best was yet to come.
If you love Miles Jupp and love codpieces and you love dashing heroic Elizabethan explorers (and I do!) this show is for you! And that's not even mentioning the amazingly wonderful Simon Munnery. Yes, this was the unforgettable Elizabeth and Raleigh: Late But Live
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| "I am the Queen of England. And you are not." |
We had about twenty five minutes to get from the Cow Barn to the Stand. We decided to take a rickshaw. It was pretty fun! Nat got scared. We tried to take photos to capture the experience but only captured our driver's arse really. He was a nice guy but not a man who knew the streets of Edinburgh. Luckily we were able to direct him to York Place and eventually we got there to get seats right at the front (I think they were the last ones left!!) for The Honourable Men of Art.
The HMoA consisted of:
Daniel Kitson - this was my first ever DK experience and it was wonderful. I'd heard many good things about him but seeing him at last was the perfect end to an incredible day (and remains one of the best and most Fringe-y experiences yet). Because Daniel wasn't doing a solo show that year (he was doing 66A Church Road) this was just him larking about really. I knew I was going to like him when he came out with a cup of tea. He did a thing where he mocked as many audience members as possible in a minute. We played charades. Even when he was off-stage he was rarely off-mic and would interject from wherever he was standing. The rest of the HMoA had to finish off his sentences if he stuttered so they'd make him say racist things. What a man! Kitson remains one of my favourite stand ups and one of my favourite people - I love him!
Andy Zaltzman - our third Zaltz of the trip. He is mint. And him and Kitson together are amazingly funny.
Alun Cochrane - I have mixed feelings about Alun Cochrane. I didn't love him on this particular night but I have been impressed by him on other nights. So I don't know! I haven't seen a full solo show as yet.
David O'Doherty - little did we know it then but this was to be the D'OD's year (he won the big award). I enjoyed his stuff (songs on a little piano) but it was Kitson and Zaltzman who made it a night to remember.
And then some sleep.
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