#edfringe2016

Setting off in Dunquerque, the ferry took us over the English channel. It was abeautiful sight, watching the sun slowly set  over the water, cold wind sending ones hair dancing, and then suddenly the white cliffs of Dover appearing in the distance, almost glowing in the dimming light.

After a stop in a local Fish and Chips shop, we started our long drive through the night. After about 7 hours of trying not to fall asleep and consuming numerous cups of coffee , we arrived in Newcastle, where we stopped for a breakfast with my two cousins Daniela and Ceri. It was lovely seeing them again and relaxing together for a while, and Ceri and myself enjoyed talking about our recent trip to Colombia. Why this seemed to annoy the other two members of our foursome, I have no idea :). Spending another three hours in the car, we finally arrived in Edinburgh, tired but happy, and settled into our beautiful B&B in Leith. We made our way into town in the afternoon, and I was excited to set foot on the Royal Mile again: the bustle of people from different countries , artists performing on stages, the air filled with music and the smell of freshly cooked food. Having collected our tickets, my dad, my sister Siân and I had decided to go to our first show of the Fringe together:A two man play called  “Your Majesties”, an interesting performance of Barrack Obamas Nobel Prize Speech, including a mixture of theatre and  dance. Sadly the night ended on a slightly bad note when, arriving back in our rooms, I realised that I had lost my wallet: it had contained my money, drivers` liscence, healh insurance card, and not only my ID, but also my sisters one! This was definitely a lesson, and I had hardly ever felt this angry at myself.

The next morning, the search for  the German Consulate and new IDs began. Luckily, the people there were incredibly friendly and we were finished quite quickly. The rest of the day and the week was spent exploring the city and attending more plays, concerts and  comedy shows. I was happy to see two screenings of National Theatre play: Frankenstein, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller, which was one of the most incredible plays I've seen so far and left a lasting impression on me. The other was William Shakespeares Coreolanus with Tom Hiddleston,which I knew nothing about in advance. There were several good  South African groups playing music and singing, which I enjoyed a lot. I also enjoyed some talks and discussions about literature and books, such as “Why Harry Potter matters”. The International Book Festival is definitely worth a visit, too!

My aunt, who lives in Scottland, came down to Edinburgh for a day,  and after strolling through the streets we went to see the play Theatro Delusio. This was interesting kind of play: the actors wore  different incredibly made masks and didn't utter a word during the whole play. Using their body language, they managed to give their masks an amazing variety of facial expressions, and it was really amazing to see how they were able to tell a whole story in this manner. Coming out of the show,  it was pouring with rain, and we decided to take refuge in a lovely café called The Elephant House, famous for the writers that used to visit it, such as Ian Rankin and J.K. Rowling.

Just before the Fringe started I set myself a challenge…and I think I just about did it. Here’s what I set out to do…

1. See as many shows as I can, at least one per day, doubling up where I have to miss a day - Yup! 35 shows (plus a food festival, an abandoned show, and a Friends of the Fringe reception) over the course of 26 days, means I managed an average of 1.36 shows per day.

2. See things I wouldn’t normally see (as well as some I normally would - I do want to enjoy myself) - Yup! I Witnessed a load of stand up and comedy (good and bad) which is my normal first choice, but also caught a few plays, some cabaret, a bit of jazz, a grown up circus, some puppets, and a rubbish magician.

3. Give an honest and frank review of the shows I see, and places I’ve been - Yup! See the blog.

4. Take a shed load of pictures - Yup! In addition to the pictures here I took a large number of selfies and tried to capture how amazing Edinburgh looks during the Fringe.

5. Make this Fringe one to remember - Yup! It’s certainly not one I’ll forget in a hurry; terrible shows, great shows, awesome nights/days out with friends, colleagues, family, and of course Karen my long suffering girlfriend (who didn’t moan once about my festival obsession), a lot of drinks, gorgeous summer weather, a tonne of rain, and a lot of street food. August has been amazing.

Having had a week to reflect on my Fringe antics, and had my first week being able to spend time in my livingroom since July…I thought I’d round up some of the highlights/lowlights of this challenge, and compile my very own awards list…

Here we go…

Best Show

Winner: ‘Oh My Dad - Christ on a Bike.’ - the more I think about it the more I want to see it again.

Runner-Up: ‘Susie Yousseff - Check Yousseff Before You Wreck Yousseff’ - exceeded all expectations.

Worst Show

Winner: ‘Get Fit with Bruce Willis’ - still recovering from spending a Saturday morning watching this. The flashbacks should stop eventually.

Runner-Up: ‘La Clique - Encore!’ - should have come with a warning. Mentally scarred for life.

Best Booze Garden

Winner: The Pleasance Courtyard - great for a celeb spot, plenty of loos, good selection of drinks and quick service.

Runner-Up: Edinburgh Gin Garden St Andrews Square - when the sun is shining this is the place to be.

Best Street Food

Winner: We Sell Dumplings (Assembly George Square Gardens) - saved me from falling into a drunken coma more than once, only 3 quid for 6 dumplings!

Runner-Up: Harry’s Grill (Underbelly George Square) - burgers. Grr.

Best Venue

Winner: George Square Gardens Piccolo - superb atmosphere in here.

Runner-Up: The Attic @ The Mash House - air conned, comfortable, and just the right size.

Worst Venue

Winner: The Pleasance Grand - too big to capture the atmosphere of the Fringe, but the sweatiest venue I encountered.

Runner-Up: Espionage - A free venue granted, but even the bar in there is terrible, warm beers all round.

Outstanding Low Point

Winner: Slipping on a flyer and doing the splits. Nothing says humiliation like being mistaken for a drunk lying on the ground, when in fact you can’t stand up because your legs have just gone through a trial separation.

Runner-Up: Having a panic attack in the dark. I should really have been prepared for this, but it seems nothing could prepare me for panicking I had gone blind and hyperventilating in the pitch black. Credit to Karen for getting me the hell out of there.

Outstanding High Point