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Joke from my son Ernie (28) - what did the sign say to the sign? Sorry I don't speak sign language.
Not bad and it seems we're getting to the stage where the jokes at least make sense. Though my notes would be that it shouldn't be a sign talking to a sign, as they would presumably both talk the same language. I would make it "What did the traffic light say to the sign? Sorry, I don't speak sign language."
This is why I get paid the big bucks.
Great news from the Fringe that the council is going to impose a 5% tourist tax on accommodation. The thing I've always said about the Fringe is that the accommodation is too cheap, so great to see them doing something about that.
I had hoped that at some point the council might recognise that soaring rents and hotel bills are making the Fringe too exclusive and maybe put in some kind of price cap, but of course not. I wouldn't even mind if there was a price cap and a tourist tax, because the city deserves to be rewarded for hosting what is undoubtedly an annoying event.
It probably makes sense from their point of view to add a bit on to the bills of people who are rich enough to get a hotel in Edinburgh (and to be fair, the prices are pretty exorbitant for hotel stays even outside of Fringe times) and maybe even to try and make your city only affordable for the wealthy, but it's a shame for anyone who wants to experience the Fringe (as a punter or an act) and who doesn't have a rich mum and dad.
The Fringe seems to be surviving in spite of the expense, but I think the people of the city think that everyone up there is making money or made of money and that's definitely not true for the vast majority of people putting on shows. I remember leaving Edinburgh (I think the year that I lost £45000) and giving my car park clicker back to the woman who had charged me £1000 just to park my car for a month and she asked me how things had gone. I told her that I had lost tens of thousands of pounds (or thousands if it was another year) and she seemed genuinely shocked. I suspect most of the locals making money this way think that everyone's making loads of cash so why shouldn't they do the same?
I absolutely empathise with them though and can see things from their point of view. But the Fringe does bring a huge injection of money into the local economy and the residents would notice the change in fortune if this sprawling and ridiculous event ended.
It's going to carry on though. As always I just feel sad that it would mean anyone in a similar financial position to me in the 80s and 90s (or a worse position) would not be able to experience the Fringe in the same way I did. As much as it crushed me and occasionally destroyed me, I don't think I would have the career I have without it or have produced so much work.
Things change Rich. Get over it. Why do you care so much when you don't even want to go there any more?
I love it and I hate it. I do still want to go and even though I can swallow the expenses (as long as I don't put on another play that no one wants to see), but the price of accommodation (and the consequences of that) is probably the thing that puts me off the most.
See you next year, Edinburgh.
