Firstly, I'd like to apologise. This blog entry will be nowhere near as entertaining as the one provided by Lisa, Liz and Max yesterday. Still, I carry on regardless...
Obviously in these blog entries you've heard a lot about Norman Shadowboxer, and some insight into the happenings around the show. But what of the other things happening on the Fringe? What else does being in Edinburgh entail?
Well, lots. Lots and lots of creative, eccentric and drunk people in one place makes for a strange environment.
One of the best things about being here this year has been the number of people you bump into who you already know - there's nothing like randomly spotting friends and arranging to go and support each other's shows. When you're presenting a show for the first time like we are, it makes a HUGE difference to see familiar faces beaming back at you from the audience. It's also nice to leave the 'work' behind and go to a show/for a drink with friends whilst up here - you can go a bit mad with just how intense it gets working on the same show every day, so being able to do something else can be a Godsend.
In addition, there are some lovely new friends being made as well. We're gradually getting to know the other companies in our venue, and through hanging out on the Mile we're also meeting other companies - everyone seems so friendly when you speak to them up here, and it's nice to know you're not the only ones getting up stupidly early every morning to do your show! The locals are great here, too - when you're used to the impersonal madness that is commuting in London, being in a city where people are polite and smiling is a nice change. Norman's already been stealing a few hearts on the Mile, and has been making friends with bus drivers and staff in some of the shops...
Casual celebrity spotting is a fun past-time. Seeing Stewart Lee and Kevin Eldon at our venue one morning was a personal highlight for me, and even celebrities engaging in the most banal of acts (Clarke Peters buying a newspaper) have a particular aura about them. If any celebrities want to come see Norman Shadowboxer, then they're more than welcome to - even if it's just to add to my celeb spotting tally.
What else..? Some of the flyering has been pretty ingenious, and some downright terrifying. The crazy nazi girls in basques and suspenders leading around children looking like WWII concentration camp prisoners were...odd, and there seem to be a number of companies featuring an actor asleep on a bed/dead on the ground. The hundreds of comedy street teams showing no passion whatsoever are particularly annoying me these days. Norman's the best thing on the Mile, obviously.
And I doubt it needs to be said, but Edinburgh is BEAUTIFUL. If you've never been, then come and visit - even outside of the festival season, there's just so much to take in that it's worth a visit. We're certainly doing our best to make the most of our time here.
- Dan
