Edinburgh Fringe

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23rd August 2005
Edinburgh, Scotland.

Irrespective of the chilly weather, today has been a joy - I'm just so happy to be alive and here, in this blissful little corner of the earth. My daily list of accomplishments is incredibly blank... I've been content with wandering idly about and simply seeing everything and everybody.

Never mind that I came here for the Festivals!

There are banners and signs and crowds and performers at every turn, from the Royal Mile to Princes St and beyond. The mood is electric, the air rife with melodramatic cries and the laughter of those watching. The sun is shining and the north wind is slicing through brick, mortar and cheap polyester to send a ripple of goosebumps and chills along my skin. I am in Scotland and all is wonderful in the world.

Of course, my damn cameras - both of them, digital and film - still aren't working, so I'm forced to purchase some disposable clickers. Fantastic. In the meantime, I've no pics to offer for today, which is a real shame, because I hooked up with the cutest guy this afternoon! We had a splendid time but I think I ended up breaking his heart, haha, because after our pizza lunch (very healthy, yes, I know) he wanted to stay in and I wasn't about to sacrifice any more precious Edinburgh time for him. Well, hell, it's a lot to ask of a gal!

I later came to appreciate the parting with Lang when he just happened to be in the hostel lobby, smiling and expectant, for both of the times that I returned for gloves or to change for the shows. (Thus my suspicion of having broken his heart). Seriously, what kind of nutter loiters indoors for hours on the slim chance of seeing somebody when he could be out enjoying the carnival atmosphere?

In the meantime I'd been strolling happily about, taking in the 'taster' performances in the streets and laughing uninhibitedly at all around me. It was almost evening before I finally settled down to choosing and purchasing tickets to some actual performances. I chose one small-scale play, "Kiss the Bride", and two stand-up comedy performances, "Scotland 4 Australia 1", and "Women of the Fringe".

And no, I did not choose the play because of some silly feminine urge to go for the soppiest-sounding act availabe. Indeed not. I was flirted into buying the ticket by one of it's actors, who was slyly plugging the show in the area surrounding the ticket office. So it was through ego, and not schmaltzy taste, that I later found myself held hostage in a small conference room watching what turned out to be a rather well-acted play of about fifty minutes. Comprising of three actors with great versatility, the basic plot was of a bridegroom who's ex has arrived for the wedding...except his ex is a man and his bride doesn't know he's bi as he's still in denial. A good performance, and the prejudices are well explored, but nothing earth-shatteringly original.

After that it was a mad rush to get to the other side of the Mile in about two minutes, for the Scotland 4 Australia 1 show. I arrived later than even I'd expeted and found the bouncers less than impressive. Not that it mattered, for the highlight of the production was that it was situated in one of the underground caverns of Edinburgh's seedy history, and I got to explore a warren of crumbling tunnels on the way to and from the show. The comics themselves were ridiculous. And not in a good way.

My last show, "Women of the Fringe", began at about midnight, so there was plenty of time to amble my way there. The comics were absolutely fantastic; the entire audience, men and women, were in tears. I couldn't stop laughing. And they were quick on the uptake, too, sparring with some of the audience rather than just resting on pre-rehearsed material. I left the building a happy woman.

But no more. It's the early hours of the morning and tomorrow - no, today! - I have to be up and at outside the tour company's door (which is conveniently located about seven metres away) by eight in the morning. So adios.

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