FRONTLINES NEWS AND GOSSIP FROM ACROSS THE FESTIVALS
FESTIVAL NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
Diary
• We like James Acaster. Heck, we put him on the cover of our i rst festival issue this year. This Fringe,
he’s had a raft of great reviews as
always, and his run of good luck doesn’t stop there: the BBC has
piloted a sitcom written by the funny man himself, based around a jury on
a murder trial.
• The Edinburgh International Book Festival is a go-er. This year’s theme is Imagine Better, and highlights include Jonathan Safran Foer, Jackie Kay with Nicola Sturgeon, Eimear McBride (pictured) and Thomas Keneally.
• The Edinburgh International Television Festival kicks off on 24 Aug, and features a number of
P H O T O
: J M A P H O T O G R A P H Y
exclusive screenings and Q&As available to the public, including
• The shortlist for the Fringe • The shortlist for the Fringe Sustainable Practice Award has
Red Dwarf, Porridge, The Fall and been announced. This accolade
Poldark. • A new ‘whistleblowing’ site for Fringe acts, participants and workers has been launched. fringewhistleblower. tumblr.com is a place for contributors to anonymously discuss problems they have at the festival, such as being underpaid, overworked or feeling angry about their experience in any way.
rewards shows which engage their
audiences with sustainability and environmental issues. The shortlist
includes shows such as Eden,
Interference, Interference, Expensive Shit, Angel, World Without Us and Heads Up all won the prestigious award. • And speaking of Fringe i rsts, the Gilded Balloon celebrated
Sheltered and Trashed, and the their very i rst Fringe marriage
i nal winner will be announced on on 15 Aug. Funny lady Bec Hill
26 Aug. • The i rst batch of Fringe First award winners have been announced for this year’s festival. Counting Sheep, The
(who is something of a GB staple
now), married her fella Gav in a
ceremony at Teviot Row House. Congratulations, you guys. Five
stars for effort.
#WTFRINGE
The F word is all over Twitter, as Edinburgh embraces Fringe fever
@MollyHeathy Effective l yering technique: shouting ‘I’M STOOD IN THE RAIN PROMOTING STUDENT COMEDY FEEL SORRY FOR ME AND TAKE A FLYER’ #edfringe
@MinkyComedy We just want to reassure everyone that we have found our taxidermy rat. #edfringe @ArielleDundas Friends keep asking me if there’s enough to do during the day. #edfringe
@PocketVenus11 Don’t worry if they gave you two stars, tell them you only do moons. xx #edfringe @tobiwilson56 I’ll say this for #edfringe: at least l yering in the rain and worrying about student critics stopped me googling Arsenal rumours all day.
@johnnycandon My little nephew loves looking at all the Edinburgh Fringe reviews. He’s only three! But he reads like he’s four. #edfringe
8 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016
WHAT A SELL OUT DON’T END UP ON THE FRINGE OF THE FRINGE: GET YOUR TICKETS BEFORE THEY’RE GONE. HERE’S WHAT’S SELLING FAST AT THE FEST AND WHAT’S ALREADY SOLD OUT*.
GOING, GOING . . .
• Ed Gamble • Daniel Sloss: So? • Fern Brady: Male Comedienne • Katy Brand, I
Was A Teenage Christian • Louis CK • Mark
Watson: I’m Not Here • Nish Kumar •Nina Conti: In Your Face • Pete Firman: TriX •
Seann Walsh: One For The Road
GONE
• Daniel Kitson Presents an Insufi cient
Number of Undeveloped Ideas Over Ninety
Testing Minutes Starting at Noon • James Acaster: Reset • Katherine Ryan: Work In
Progress • Susan Calman
*Correct at time of going to press
ANOTHER F*CKING Q&A
F*cking Men explores the love lives of ten fellas, covering everything from ini delity to heartbreak. We gave star Harper James a break from talking about sex to tell us all about the Fringe.
Best thing about the Fringe? The atmosphere, and seeing all the performances from different cultures/backgrounds that’s on offer. A culture vulture’s paradise. Worst thing? The queue for your morning espresso at BrewLab, your super trendy coffee shop.
Strangest Fringe experience? So far, a man coming backstage during a show to ask me where the toilet was. I mean, please, I’m acting sweetie. Best thing a reviewer has said about you? Harper takes us on a journey with perfect ease and plays the variety of characters with such strong identities.
The worst? One commented on my manhood rather than my acting ability. It was a compliment, but still. I’m an actor, not a striptease.
Who are you looking forward to seeing this year? Briefs at Assembly Hall and Lucy McCormick: Triple Threat (as well as plenty of others). Describe your show in four words. Snappy, revealing, true, touching.
■ F*cking Men, Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 23), £13–£15 (£11–£13).