Ouch!
Bit of a hangover today, because I am a lightweight and can no longer drink four bottles of beer and a whisky without suffering the next day. It wasn't a full on debilitating one, but lingered in the shadows of the day, making everything a little more difficult than it might have been. And after the shouty bit in my show tonight my throat hurt and there was a throbbing pain in my eye socket and I was reminded why I have acted with increasing professionalism in recent years. Back in the 1990s I wouldn't have been bothered about such pains and would have just bowled out of the venue and drank several pints, but tonight I was careful and drank orange juice and hoped that my tickly throat would not become a full on cold.
But it has been lovely not having to be thinking about writing a script in any spare moment and I was able to relax after an enjoyable podcast show with Ray Peacock and Katherine Ryan
Download here, though was slightly sad to see that the show had lost its iTunes number one slot this afternoon. But it was only a blip and after encouraging Twitter uses
to subscribe on iTunes, it retained the top position. I was glad for Ray Peacock (I had never spotted the rapey cock joke in the name - and still didn't on the podcast) as I had wanted him to know how it felt to be on a number one podcast. He has been following in my wake ever since I invented podcasts, copying everything I do, but without the breathtaking success, so nice for him to be able to share in my kingship, even as my doppleganger court jester.
I went to see my first show of Fringe 2011 tonight, seeing Katherine Ryan's show "Miss Conception", a very enjoyable and interesting show about growing up in a small town in Canada with a mum obsessed with beauty pageants. It's a world that probably most of the audience wouldn't be familiar with, making it quite a tough thing to get across, but I love personal shows which give you a glimpse of a life you know nothing about. And having grown up in a small town there was lots that was familiar and despite having a child Katherine has very amusing views on kids, some of which neatly match the ones I profess to have in my show. Some of it is kooky and odd, but there's a strong through line and an engaging honesty and sadness behind it all. It has one of the best and most surprising finales of any Fringe show I have seen. So go and see it.
I felt glad to have finally got to a place where I was capable of seeing someone else's show and I am keen to make more of an effort this year. It's easy to get too self-obsessed at the Fringe (not that's something you could accuse me of, right?) and it's inspiring to see what other people are up to. Due to my commitments there are only a very few shows I can see. But hangovers allowing I am going to try and see something daily from now on.
Been some more good reviews,
you can see the here and the podcast was sold out for the first time today and what is love came very close. The Scotsman even called me "The King of Edinburgh" today. So it feels like a successful year and if I can stave off illness I am looking forward to these last 13 days. Over halfway through now . And it has whizzed by.
