Time for the final show in a rather more roller-coaster month than normal for the Edinburgh Fringe. No matter what gets thrown at Scotland’s capital, the show always carries on.

Charlie Wood, director at the Underbelly venues, talks about the Fringe and its impact on Edinburgh in the today’s show as well as the ticketing ‘fun’ and his appointment to the board of The Fringe Society. Before that though the announcement of the winners of The Stage’s Awards for Acting Excellence, and I speak to some of the nominees (Karen Dunbar and Cameron Stewart).

The Fringe may be drawing to a close, but the moment has been prepared for…

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #24

Brian Atwood
Editor, The Stage

Karen Dunbar - A Drunk Woman Looks At A Thistle
Assembly Rooms

Cameron Stewart - My Grandfather’s Great War
Underbelly

Charlie Wood
Director, The Underbelly

And the awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Group and Best Ensemble

…see you all next year!

It’s the last weekend of the Fringe, and everything really comes alive for this Saturday night, which will be for many performers the biggest night at the Fringe. It’s also the time that many performers start to loosen up and do the occassionaly wild thing (reports that a topless Ed Byrne crashed into Jason Byrne’s shows will need photos… please), so no matter where you are tonight in Edinburgh, it should be a fun one.

And Axis of Awesome are fun! The Australlian musical trio have been packing audiences in at the Gilded Balloon with their Comback show, and one of my favourite tracks from there is on today’s show. Tom Allen (it’s really not Tom O’Connor) and I discuss how to do the perfect interview on radio (or a podcast) while Dan McKee looks back at previous Fringes and where the Fringe is now with Sowerby and Luff.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #23

Axis of Awesome - Comeback Spectacular
Gilded Balloon Teviot

Tom Allen - A Voyage Round My Mother
Gilded Balloon Teviot

Dan McKee - Sad Frankie
The Dragonfly

Scotsman Fringe First (Week 3) Winners
Once And For All We’re Going To Tell You Who We Are So Shut Up And Listen
Slick
Crocosmia
The Idiot Colony
In Conflict

Dave’s ‘Best Joke at the Fringe’
Zoe Lyons
Andrew Lawrence
Tim Vine

Malcolm Hardee Award for 2007
Edward Azcel

Carol Tambor Award
Ella Hickson’s Eight

Coming into the final weekend now, and it’s your last chance to see many shows this weekend (remember not every show runs on Monday 25th). If you’ve got a personal favourite you just have to see, make sure when it’s on and get your tickets.

You wouldn’t go wrong stopping by with our guests on today’s show - the laid back Tom Wriggleswroth talks about vinegar and the art of being an MC while storytellers Dan and Jeff bounce round their interview with reckless abandon. The last Sowerby and Luff show (at the Dragonfly) is tomorrow, and if you’ve been enjoying their interviews as much as I have then pop along to their show at the Free Fringe.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #22

Tom Wrigglesworth - I’m Struggling To See How That’s Helping
Pleasance Courtyard

Dan and Jeff - Potted Potter
Pleasance Courtyard

Dan and Jeff - Potted Pirates
Pleasance Courtyard

Hayley Jane Standing
The Dragonfly

Hmm, two shows in a row featuring Ukuleles? Must be a conspiracy. At least in today’s show I get my hands on the tiny instrument and a personal instructional course in playing the little blighter from the starts of Learn To Play The Ukulele…

Joining Sam and Donal from that show is comedian Josh Howie, who has had the sort of life that would fill a book, let alone the little author biography you normally get on the first page; while Brian and Georgina catch up with ‘comedian with a guitar and funny songs’ Jay Foreman.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #21

Learn To Play The Ukulele in Under An Hour (How George Formby Saved My Life)
Gilded Balloon Teviot

Josh Howie - Chosen
Pleasance Courtyard

Jay Foreman - 20 Songs For Free
Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar

Carol Tambor Theatre Award Shortlist
Big Bite-Sized Breakfast Show
The Bird
The Bee
Eight
The Idiot Colony
66a Church Road - A Lament Made of Memories and Kept in a Suitcase

If.Comedy Awards Nominees
David O’Doherty
Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler
Rhod Gilbert
Russell Kane

If.Comedy Awards Best Newcomer Nominees
Mike Wozniak
Pippa Evans
Sarah Millican

Death, destruction, war, graves, and falling down on a purple latex stage. It’s all here in a slightly morbid feeling show, starting with Paul Tonkinson, who’s just back from doing stand-up for the UK Forces in action. Steve Blake and Nigel Burch are the composers behind the Vaudeville from the Dead styling of The Cholmondeleys and the Featherstonehaughs in the show ‘Dancing on Your Grave.’

Oh and today is Brian and Georgina’s day off, not for any organisational quirks, but because I really needed to carve out five minute to carry my inteview with the team from… Bouncy Castle Dracula. Really (watch the video here)

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #20

Paul Tonkinson - The Anti Mid-Life Crisis
Pleasance Courtyard

The Cholmondeleys and the Featherstonehaughs - Dancing On Your Grave
Assembly Rooms - George Street

Bouncy Castle Dracula
Rocket at Demarco Roxy Art House

Rhona Cameron
Gilded Balloon Teviot

Bouncy Castle Dracula
Rocket at Demarco Roxy Art House

Lots of award shortlists are coming up now, and two of the major theatre ones are up for today. For most of these acts, the strapline ‘Nominated for Best Show at the Fringe’ is going to be on their posters and press material for a long time.

Two extremes of comedy today, from the serving policeman of Alfie Moore who has stand-up almost as a hobby, to scottish circuit legend Vladimir McTavish on some of the differences between a regular Edinburgh gig and a Fringe gig. On top of all that, some excellent music (and a look at Mexican cinema) from Elena Duran.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #19

Alfie Moore - Blue Light Comedy Tour
Voodoo Bar

Vladimir McTavish - The Top 50 Greatest Scots Of All Time… Ever!
Stand 2 @The Stand

Elena Duran - Mexico of My Heart
Universal Arts Theatre

Total Theatre Awards Shortlist

Experiment and Innovation
Enclosure 44 - Humans by Janis Claxton Dance (Edinburgh Zoo)
The Factory by Badac Theatre Company/Escalator East to Edinburgh (Pleasance Courtyard)
Once and For All We’re Gonna Tell You Who We Are So Shut Up and Listen by Ontroerend, Goed, Kopergiettery and Richard Jordan Productions (Traverse)
Paper Cinema by Night Flyer and Kora (Forest Fringe)
The Office Party by Underbelly Productions and Assembly (Udderbelly’s Pasture)
Wanderlust by Anonymous Ensemble (Underbelly)

Graduate Company
Crocosmia by Little Bulb Theatre (The Space on the Mile @ The Radisson)
How It Ended by You Need Me (C Cubed)
ID by HuNuNunMul at the InvAsian Festival (Club West @ Quincentenary Hall)
1:13 by Dancing Brick (C Soco)

Story Theatre
Before We Remember by Gomito Productions (Bedlam Theatre)
Cloudcuckooland by The Onassis Programme, Festival Highlights (Pleasance)
How The Giraffe Got Its Neck by Tall Stories (C Too)
The Man Who Planted Trees by Puppet State Theatre Company (Scottish Storytelling Centre)
Slick by Tron and Vix Motus (Traverse)
The Zawose Family by RealWorld (The World @ St George West)

Visual Theatre
Circus Oz by 30 Birthday Bash (Assembly Hall)
The Idiot Colony by Redcape Theatre (Pleasance Dome)
Hamlet Episode by Daeg City Modern Dance Company (Rocket@Roxburghe Hotel)
Mime for Laughs by Mono Mime Comedy Theatre (Hill Street Theatre)
Polaris by Adriatic: Vojta Svejda, Benes-McGadie (Zoo)

Young Company
Architecting by The Team and the National Theatre of Scotland Workshop (Traverse)
The Caravan by Look Left look Right (Pleasance Courtyard)
Holdin’ Fast by Dot 54 (Zoo Southside)
In a Thousand Pieces by Paper Birds (Gilded Balloon Teviot)

Musical Theatre Matters: UK Awards Shortlists

Best Book for a New Musical
Departure Lounge - Dougal Irvine
The Jonah Boy - Jane Buckler
On the Island of Aars - Chris Larner

Best Lyrics for a New Musical
Barbershopera! - Toni & the Guys
Departure Lounge - Dougal Irvine
On the Island of Aars - Chris Larner
Tony of Arabia - Chris Bush

Best Music for a New Musical
Departure Lounge - Dougal Irvine
The Jonah Boy - Richard Taylor
Only the Brave - Matthew Brind
On the Island of Aars - Mark Stevens

Most Promising New Musical
Barbershopera! - Toni & the Guys
Departure Lounge - Dougal Irvine
Only the Brave - Matthew Brind (music/lyrics), Stephen Coleman (book/lyrics) and Rachel Wagstaff (book)
On the Island of Aars - Mark Stevens (music) and Chris Larner (book/lyrics)

Dress Circle Award for Best Musical Production
Barbershopera! - Toni & the Guys
Departure Lounge - West End International, Newpalm Productions & Andy Barnes Productions
Funk it up About Nothin’ - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
On the Island of Aars - Quuup Productions and James Seabright for Festival Highlights

Into the last week of the Fringe, and the variety of shows is still as rich as the first few days of the preview week. The same (hopefully) goes for the podcast, as we switch from the ‘making it up as you go along’ delights of Danny Robins putting on his own festivals; a rich and fascinating biopic show of the life of Jack Kerouac; and Georgina reminding me that Sowerby and Luff is a double act…

The Edinburgh Fringe Show #18

Liam McEneaney - Two American Comedians Lose Their Shirts at the Edinburgh Free Fringe
Meadow Bar

Kerouac and All That Jazz
Sweet ECA

Danny Robins - Dannyfest
Pleasance Courtyard

So much for having Sundays off in the 2008 Fringe podcasts - there’s been something special ready for each Sunday slot… so as with everything at Edinburgh you just go with the flow. Today is the traditional ‘walk down the Royal Mile’ section of the Fringe podcast - which is something I do every year, but for 2008 it’s a good 30 minutes of chat, fun, surprises, and the occassional mis-fire of an interview.

But that’s all part of the charm. While all the shows mentioned are linked here (as always, straight to the EdFringe.com ticket office), it might be best for this show to listen through without seeing who’s on the show. that way you can be as surprised as I was on the Mile.

The Edinburgh Fringe Show #17

The Scandalous Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
The Vault

The Bear Who Paints
Pleasance Courtyard

The Return of the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
Gilded Balloon Teviot

ShakesPod
C Venues

The Butler Did It?! The Musical
Gilded Balloon Teviot

Ian Kendall - The Golden Age of Magic
The Zoo

Enclosure 44 - The Humans
Edinburgh Zoo

Involution
Pleasance Dome

The Transaction
The Space on The Mile (Radisson)

The Absurdity of Vanilla
Underbelly

The Reduced Edinburgh Improv Show
Pleasance Courtyard

Gamarjobat - The Western
Gilded Balloon Teviot

Chris Cox - Control Freak
Pleasance Couryard

The Bulging Seahorse and Other Grey Matters
Zoo Southside

Silence in C Minor
C Soco

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
C Soco

Meltdown - The Ultimate Gameshow
The Space @ The Thistle

Alice in Wonderland
Rocket @ Demarco Roxy Art House

Dick Biscuit Private Eye (Moonfish Rumba)
Sweet Teviot Place

Sammy the Snail - The Magic City
Pleasance Dome

One4Review.com

Plestead and Brown - Health and Stacey
Pleasance Dome

The Edinburgh Fringe Show #16

Davis Wateracre (Pegabovine) - Polite Club
Pleasance Courtyard

Hils Barker - Exhibitionist
Gilded Balloon Teviot

Graffiti Classics
Pleasance Dome

Fringe First Winners
In A Thousand Pieces
The Caravan
Eight
Itsoseng
Terminus
66a Church Road
Paperweight
Motherland

The Stage Awards for Acting Excellence
Best Actor
Ciaran McIntyre for Deep Cut
Simon Merrells for On the Waterfront
Jud Charlton for ABFCAP: The Life and Times of Ian Dury
Will Lyman for The Patriot Act
Jot Davies for Lough/Rain

Best Actress
Rhian Morgan for Deep Cut
Rhian Blythe for Deep Cut
Helen Embleton for Motherland
Kate Donmall for Lough/Rain

Best Ensemble
Kudos for Face in the Crowd
You Need Me for How It Ended
Big Wow for Dark Grumblings
The Paper Birds for In a Thousand Pieces
Traverse Theatre Company and Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company for Pornography
Live Theatre for Motherland
East Productions and Nottingham Playhouse for On the Waterfront

Best Solo Performer
Peter McDonald for Nocturne
Matthew Zajac for The Tailor of Inverness
Karen Dunbar for A Drunk Woman Looks at the Thistle
Cameron Stewart for My Grandfather’s Great War
Jim Jarrett for Vincent
Stefan Golaszewski for Stefan Golaszewski Speaks About a Girl He Once Loved

The Fringe is always portrayed as a somewhat quixotic challenge… many an interview I do could easily be summed up as one question - “Why?” - but Tim Fitzhigham takes personal challenges to a different level. Having previously rowed across the English Channel in a bath, lived in a cave, and ran up the side of a volcano, his latest show talks about his quest to Morris Dance from London to Norwich in nine days.

Every artist and performer looks at Edinburgh as a challenge, and both Rosie Wilby (with her comedy show) and Emma Hutchens (with the one-woman show Not Stalking David Tennant) have taken on the endeavour in their own respective ways.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #15

Rosie Wilby - I Am Nesia
Sweet, Teviot Place

Not Stalking David Tennant (a.k.a. Having it All)
The Vault

Tim Fitzhigham - The Bard’s Fool
Pleasance Courtyard

Flanders and Swann - At The Drop Of A Hippopotamus
Pleasance Courtyard

And the Fringe continues. It doesn’t matter what happens around Scotland’s capital - the show goes on, so you might want to pick up The Guardian’s tips to get through any dark mental moments you might have. if that doesn’t work, there’s always the tiny hope of an awards nomination over the weekend…

Matt Kirshen has made his name in the US, with an appearance on Last Comic Standing, but can that translate to a good time at the Fringe? I ask him in today’s show. Someone who has name recognition (albeit from an appearance in Kill Bill) is Samurai Master Tetsuro Shimaguchi, who has brought the impressive Samurai Spirit show to Scotland. Topping out today’s trio, Sowerby and Luff talk to Free Fringe performer John Cooper on the hilarious topic of eczema.

The Edinburgh Fringe Show 2008 #14

Janey Godley - Domestic Godley
Pleasance Dome

Samurai Spirit
Zoo Southside

Matt Kirshen - Keep Smiling Matt
Assembly Rooms

John Cooper - The Thirty Year Itch
Canon’s Gait

The Guardian’s Tips to Get Through the Slump

I know I promised something a touch different today, but the torrential rain yesterday meant that I couldn’t get any outdoor recording done. No matter, the Fringe is nothing but coping with problems as best you can - that show may well be here tomorrow, for now, it’s another packed list of guests.

The recently married Ed Byrne and I sit down to talk about the delights of building a home, and his return to the Edinburgh Fringe at the Assembly Rooms, while Brian continues to find the smaller comics who are on the way up. And Showstoppers put together one of the best improvised songs I’ve heard in a long time - but do leave their fascination with Sondheim unanswered…

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #13

The Shitty Deal Puppet Theatre Company’s Complete Guide to the Arts
The Vaults

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical
Musical Theatre at George Square

Ed Byrne - Different Class
Assembly Rooms on the Mound

Alyssa Kyria - Woman of the Year?
Pleasance Dome

The Frigne podcast is a lot of work (I’ll do a recap at the end of the month for you all, right now I’m jsut avoiding the obviousness of the work levels) but the reaction it gets, from private mails and recognition around edinburgh is lovely. And the world likes it too… with a Festival pick in iTunes, and it’s currently climbing up the ‘Arts’ chart in iTunes.

Currently it’s sitting at #6 (from the position of #24 earlier this morning), with only the might of the Guardian (one podcast) and The BBC taking in the five slots above me. I think it’s an almost impossible task to get on a par with The Archers at #1, but I’d love a top five chart place this year (I saw a peak of #8 last year). If you’re listening to the show, then point everyone at the iTunes URL or the natural RSS feed!

A number of children’s stories were covered in the hour-long show. The wardrobe and scenery was minimal but effective. Some stories had 4 main characters such as the Three Little Pigs; Goldilocks and the Three Bears (I don’t remember a wolf in that one) but the cast of three managed this well apart from the Daddy Bear/Baby Bear double act. That was a little confused. Introducing a hand puppet to replace the hapless Trev Pig (the one who built his house of straw) worked well even although it was Trev Pig, who was now Jim Pig the Pig, and was now a ventriloquist.

In The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Flossie the Sheep was excellent. She held her facial expression well and her Baa’s were perfectly tuned. The Wolf was quite personable and convincing in his role as misunderstood.

This show has it all – a good storyline; singing and dancing and audience participation. Despite only a handful of children in the audience the actors still managed to create an atmosphere that was entertaining to both children and adults. In addition the cast and crew were interested in the children outside of ShowTime, chatty and listening to what they had to say. I hope Act II will return to the Edinburgh Fringe next year. I would certainly take my grandchildren to see their next production.

My only criticism would be that the music was louder than the singing and it was difficult to hear the lyrics.

Whooooos Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
The Space at Jury’s Inn
* * * * (4/5)

Tomorrow is the half way point at the Fringe (so it’s going to be a different type of show, and long time listeners will know what to expect), yet there’s still so many people and shows to get around, to raise a laugh, get you thinking, to cry and smile, to just totally enjoy the one-of-a-kind nature that is Edinburgh in August.

Today sees Edinburgh based puppetry company Pangolin’s Teatime talk about The Last Yak, Brian catches up with Mersey based comic Ste Porter, and formerly of The X-Files star Dean Haglund chats about improvising an entire episode every night in one of the most haunted locations in Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #12

Pangolin’s Teatime - The Last Yak
Pleasance Dome

Dean Haglund’s X-Files Improv
Underbelly Baby Belly

Ste Porter - The Mersey Comedy Uncut Kollective
Madogs

To put everything in perspective, there are still two weeks of the fringe to go, but now the wheat is being sorted from the chaff, as Mark Shenton, over at The Stage’s blog points out. Everyone has a story to tell about Edinburgh, and that’s one of the goals for the podcast - to get the real Edinburgh to you.

Today see’s the delightfully gothic Terrible Infants, the incredibly popular Rob Paravonian, and the wonderfully nice Sarah Millican, as well as the daily look around Edinburgh at the events and news that the citry runs on in August.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #11

The Terrible Infants
Underbelly

Rob Paravonian - Two American Comedians Lose Their Shirts…
The Meadow Bar

Sarah Millican - Not Nice
Pleasance Courtyard

David Benson is a Fringe regular, and his show “My Life with Kenneth Williams” has played here for many years. in 2008, he has brought a new solo show to the Assembly Rooms, “…sings Noel Coward” continues to showcase his impressive talent both for vocal acting, but for carrying off the solo show with experienced ease. Here he sits down with Alex Hastie to talk about that show, his own career path, and his direction of “My Grandfather’s Great War.”

Alex will be back next week with another guest for Sunday Brunch.

Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #10

David Beson sings Noel Coward
Assembly Rooms

My Grandfather’s Great War
Underbelly’s Baby Belly

Accomplished chidlren’s entertainers, they follow the time honoured double-act route of a lanky silly one with the best ideas, and the short one with hairy legs who runs all the clever bits. Of course they’re going to get in each other’s way, egged on by the audience, and everyone knows where this is going to end up (want a hint? It’s a big song and dance number at the end). Polished, funny, and subtly educational as well, there’s little wrong with this.

The one caveat hanging over Dan and Jeff’s latest show… their other show. Potted Potter can rely on the audience to be fully engaged with the source material, making the humour that much more easily targetted. With Potted Pirates, there’s a tendancy to rely on Disney’s Pirates of the Carribbean films… all well and good till you realise that those films are rated 12 in the UK, and thus the foundations of the show are slightly shakey.

But that seemed to matter very little to the audience pretending to be the Armada sinking the Spanish Galleons, shouting ‘Yaar!!!’ as loudly as possible, and creating the noise of seagulls on cue. Dan and Jeff know how to work a young (and young at heart) crowd. This show is a great first step away from the shadow of Harry Potter, and long may their adventures continue.

Potted Pirates
Pleasance Courtyard
* * * * (4/5)

While the stories have much more history both before and after the events depicted on stage, restricting the performances to only the cockpit action, and only up until the point of impact, brings a clarity of vision from this highly recommended show.

My one worry was the dense and technical nature of the language, although it was familiar to me, would it be accessible to a general audience? I needn’t have worried, as the tension in the air, and the number of audience members on the edge of their seats holdign their breath as the six vignettes reach their peach amply prove.

Charlie Victor Romeo
Underbelly Cow Barn
* * * * * (5/5)

For now, though, the emphasis is on the funny side of life - and yet again my own personal view that Prince Philip is the Uk’s greatest straight man (in comedy terms. naturally) is reinforced by the single line that Amos relates with glee to the audience.

Effortlessly funny, watching Amos is rather like rediscovering a long lost friend at the Fringe. For an act that balances a fine comedy edge, Amos keeps everything in perspective, jugglign issues of racism, sexism and family with a just enough danger to keep you in hysterics for the whole hour. A man at the top of his trade, and not to be missed.

Stephen K Amos - Find the Funny
Pleasance Courtyard
* * * * * (5/5)

And so the first full week of the Fringe draws to a close. Unlike other festivals though, there’s still 16 days of the programme left to go, and countless shows still on everyone’s must see list. And of course the podcast carries on bringing up the new shows and untapped talent to the world.

Known to watchers of the BBC Talent Search shows, Niamh Perry (I’d Do Anything) and Keith Jack (Any Dream Will Do) bring the house down in Only the Brave, which is debuting at this year’s Fringe. I catch up with them, and air some of the music from the show; Ladies in waiting have a thing for Brown and Yellow (and steroids) so how has that affected the first few shows of Brownie Re-Union; and finally Brian Luff talks to sketch group Delete the Banjax.

PS: The rain is back…

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #9

Fringe Sunday
The Meadows

Only The Brave
George Square Music Theatre

Delete the Banjax - Your Money or Your Life
The White Horse

Ladies in Waiting - Brownie Reunion
Pleasance Courtyard

Fringe First Winners
Deep Cut
The New Electric Ballroom
Architecting
Speaks About A Girl He Once Loved
The Tailor of Inverness

Herald Angels Winners
Deep Cut
The New Electric Ballroom
Enclosure 44 - Humans
Bale De Rue
Dream of Cat
Richard Hamilton - Protest Pictures

The sun is back! We can go around Edinburgh and not have to avoid a sea of umbrellas. Of course now there arte three days of flyering and promoting for people on The Royal Mile to catch up on, but you can’t have everything, can you.

Who’s on the show today? Well, ex-World Record holder Tim Vin (499 jokes in one hour) returns to Edinburgh after his spectacular poster of two years ago; Ella Hickson has a new theatre experience in Eight; and Brian catches up with Jon Brittain before his Chortle Student Comedy Final next Tuesday.

Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #8

Equity at Edinburgh - Schedule of Events

Equity’s Social Media Workshop (Facebook)

The Edinburgh People’s Festival

Jon Brittain Chortle Student Comedy Awards Final
Pleasance Dome

Ella Hickson - Eight
Bedlam Theatre

Tim Vine - Punsligner
Pleasance Courtyard

“Apres Mort, Le Deluge,” to corrupt a well known phrase. The rain cannot dampen our spirit, and the Fringe will continue, no matter the weather. Which is good because the best transport around town yesterday could have been a speedboat.

But the weather never stopped a podcast, especially one with comedian Nick Helm talking to Brian and Georgina, martin Oldfield and Mark Butt from Pierreppoint - The Hangman’s Tale, and Australlian comic Damian Callinan and his impotency.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #7

Nick Helm - Comedy O’Clock
Laughing Horse @ Espionage

Pierrepoint - The Hangman’s Tale
Sweet Grassmarket

Damian Callinan - Mmm… They’re Small
Gilded Balloon Teviot

The rain in Spain… has been exported to Edinburgh. It’s coming down in buckets, but that doesn’t dampen the spirits of the Fringe. The bars are all nicely under cover, so the only dilution is from the ice.

Speaking of bars (and the podcast visits a lot of them during August), Brian Luff catches up with some more acts from the Free Fringe in the Gilded Balloon Library bar, while I catch up with Philip York to talk about his portrayal of media tycoon Robert Maxwell, and performer Felix Dexter, in Edinburgh with his stand-up show Not Just Another White Guy Lost In The Shuffle.

The Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Show #6

Lies Have Been Told - An Evening with Robert Maxwell
Assembly Rooms George Street

James Shakeshaft - Songs of Music
Holyrood Too @ Faith

Felix Dexter - Not Just Another White Guy Lost In The Shuffle
Pleasance Courtyard