Decisions Decisions

Every year around this time R and I gather together for one exhausting night of planning our Fringe trip. And while we may have settled on the perfect method for completing the task, it doesn't get any easier! In fact, the more comedy we see (and fall in love with) the more people become "must-sees". And the painful, unavoidable truth is you can't see all of your "must-sees"!

After eight hours on Saturday night (and a couple more last Sunday morning!) we had decided on thirty shows (over five days). And, like always, as excited as I am about the shows we've booked I'm disappointed about all the shows we're not seeing.

Ten Shows I'm Disappointed We're Not Seeing (that we could have seen!)

1. Francesca Martinez I've never seen her before but would love to!
2. Claudia O'Docherty Loads of people I love love her, her last show seemed to be the talk of the town last year so I need to check her out!
3. James Sherwood This is the second year we're not seeing JS's solo show! Bad us. Too many clashes and conflicts; I hope he does Political Animal so I at least see him a bit!
4. Simon Munnery Noooooo! I'm disappointed about this to say the least. However, we do know his set ridiculously well. And the new stuff can wait until next time we see him (not long, I hope!)
5. Lloyd Langford I still haven't managed to see Lloyd; he's been on the list a while, too!
6. Paul Foot Bollocks. I hope we manage to see him elsewhere as he's unlike anyone else.
7. Matt Forde Like Lloyd Langford I know (of) him from Jon Richardson's Sunday show on 6Music. This is his first solo show and I hope it does well!
8. Phill Jupitus Well, it would've been interesting to see Phill do stand up. I've no idea what his shows are like as there are no ideas and he doesn't seem to tour. Oh well, another time!
9. Tim Fitzhigham We're not seeing Tim's solo show but we are seeing Flanders and Swann (I'll be writing about it in August!)
10. Thom Tuck Again, we're not seeing Thom's solo show but we are seeing a Penny Dreadfuls play

Ten Edinburgh Favourites That We Are Seeing (things we're seen once or more at the Fringe!):

1. Stewart Lee - ah, Stew. His 2007 show remains one of the best I've seen at the Fringe or ever!
2. Bridget Christie - ah, Stew's wife; in fact I prefer her to SL! I absolutely adore her, she is wonderful in every possible way.
3. Andy Zaltzman - Zaltz is great! He's more one of R's people than one of mine but every year I love and appreciate him more.
4. Alex Horne - I've heard good things about this upcoming show! Can't wait! Alex Horne is amazing.
5. Robin Ince - This could be Robin's last Fringe for a while (so he says on Twitter!) so I'm very glad that we're seeing three of his four offerings! If anyone should win the spirit of the Fringe!!
6. Josie Long - Super excited about more Josie especially as it will include Brontes!
7. Tony Law - Tony Law is bizarre but brilliant! He's always very early in the day which is helpful! So so much is around 6-midnight; that's where the painful choices are.
8. Kurt and Kristen - and guests! Hot tub! Love them both (disappointed we're not seeing Kurt's show!).
9. Political Animal - more Zaltz and friends. Kitson please????
10. Barry And Stuart - Derrenesque boys who are bizzarrely doing two shows: a show and then forty-five minutes later: a tell where you find out how it was all done! It should be interesting.

Ten Things I Haven't Seen Before (by which I mean a full show!):

1. Henry Paker - I was heartbroken not to see HP's debut last year. We did see him in The Golden Lizard though and it was truly wonderful. I love him!!
2. Tim Key - how have we not seen Tim Key do a full show? I don't know but it's true. I love him too!!
3. Frisky and Mannish - I'm really excited to see them properly after the exciting taste we had at 9 Lessons!
4. Evelyn Evelyn - I fucking love Amanda Fucking Palmer (her AFP show in Edinburgh is after we leave but we may catch her in Glasgow!) and EE should be a lot of fun to see (Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley playing conjoined twins in a mad caberet act!).
5. Sara Pascoe - Enjoyed her in Gutted last year, don't know her stuff at all!
6. Humphrey Ker - Ditto!
7. The Penny Dreadfuls - I haven't listened to much of their stuff; R assures me it's amazing. It's always exciting to see new stuff!
8. Comedy Countdown - Really excited about this one. I love late night Fringe events where you don't know who'll turn up (I'm hoping for Horne, Kitson, Long, Key, Watson etc!)
9. Richard Herring's Edinubrgh Podcast - I've never been to a RH podcast recording. Anyone could be there (there's mention of guests!), anything could happen.
10. Joanna Neary - Also discovered for the first time at 9 Lessons! Very excited!

Five Shows That We're Not Seeing (because we're there at the wrong time):

1. Tom Lenk - Nerdgasm - noooooooooooooo! Why is he only doing one night?! It's a long way to come for just one show.
2. David Mitchell (The Unbelievable Truth) - I love DM a crazy amount. This would've been good.
3. Ricky Gervais and Warwick Davis discussing Life's Too Short - this would've been good, interesting etc but I'll see the actual TV show so nevermind!
4. Alex Horne's Taskmaster II - this will be wonderful! Last year Taskmaster was one of the best things we did!
5. Amanda Palmer - a full AFP show. In Edinburgh. Oh, man!!

Five People That Aren't Coming At All (according to the programme, one-offs and special appearances possible!):

1. Daniel Kitson - please come!
2. Brendon Burns - a year off, I guess! He doesn't miss many!
3. Mike Wozniak - co-hosting Taskmaster ll as he won last year but no show!
4. Wil Anderson - I'm still waiting for his return!
5. Miles Jupp - Miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess he's working on his forthcoming book?! I shall miss him.

And finally:

Today after over EIGHT hours of trying (we did other things: watching Daria, Modern Family, Futurama, reading) we got the book festival tickets we wanted! Neil Gaiman in conversation with Audrey Niffenegger, Jasper Fforde.

The hard bit's over for another year! Now for the fun part!!!!