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Festival Insider Geordie Gavin Webster finds himself waxing lyrical 100 miles from home
background. Up here it seems that a Morningsider wouldn’t be seen dead next to a Niddrie person and vice versa.
Two football teams, I’m jealous of that, definitely. Both are the proper size as well with great respective histories, atmospheric grounds, iconic kit colours and, in the case of Hearts, the best club song/football chant ever (‘Hearts, Hearts glorious Hearts’ – sorry Hibs fans). Back on Tyneside it’s one club – admittedly a huge club but probably too huge, so much so it has always been warred over and one set of Geordies doesn’t trust another. You’re much better off with the two clubs and their collective traditions. Best of all, though, Newcastle doesn’t boast an arts fringe festival that gives comedians especially the time of their life. Yes, your bin men don’t cope so well with the extra rubbish that could cover an area the size of Leith; yes, the traffic wardens sit like vultures licking their lips when someone lies in and doesn’t feed their meter the next morning; and yes, it’s difficult to keep your patience when yet another risible stage troupe doing the kung fu version of Macbeth or Taggart the Musical hand you a shiny flyer with the dates, the times and the two for one offers on it. But never knock the Fringe; I would die for a tenth of this in Newcastle.
Gavin Webster’s Falderal is at Stand II, 558 7272, until 30 Aug, 10.20pm, £8 (£7).
Here at List Towers we have been inundated with Twitter reviews. See below for our top picks, for the people by the people mersyparadise Alun Cochrane. Welcome antidote to angry, acerbic comics he spins a fine yarn in venue, which looks like the Woodside Social! shaziaakbar Boys from Brazil are brill, easy on the eye, will get your heart racing & body swaying in the first ten mins. half_a_mind Superb comedy and singing by the girls of Princess Cabaret http://bit.ly/b5TTW — must see show. bobertd The Penny Dreadfuls. Inspired, slightly warped and occasionally shambolic (which just made things funnier). An outstanding show. emmajcowan rob rouse and his manic humping dog made me cry with laughter – slow burner with great ending and a v nice chap to boot. loveleelaydee67 Stand By Your Van – bit surreal but very funny. Definitely worth a view. ElementalWed Kataklo Athletic Dance Theatre’s Love Machines — concept, soundtrack & performances great, but a little slow-paced at times. John_Fellows just saw Rob Rouse @ the Pleasance. Outragous+hilarious+dog porn=winner! ***** mersyparadise Go see Sam Simmons. The funniest man in Adelaide! Like an edgier, absurder, surreal Harry Hill. No problems with this show. Schneed Just went to see Falsettoland at George Square. Better than expected. Actually very good. bobertd The Boom Jennies. Fun, fast- paced, inventive sketch comedy.
H ere we are from the Toon to Auld Reekie, 100 miles up the ‘road’ (I use the term road loosely, it being almost farm track between the Geordie metropolis and the Scottish capital) and some of the differences are stark.
First of all there are statues everywhere: statues to Greek gods, to kings, to queens, even to dogs. Back home you see statues to blokes who owned brickworks or gadgies who perfected ways of loading ships quicker. Can’t decide which one’s the best but I have a West Highland terrier
‘I WOULD DIE FOR A TENTH OF THIS IN NEWCASTLE’
called Bobby myself Edinburgh edges it. so
The people are different, too. Usually in Newcastle, posh Jesmond folk will mix readily with hard-nosed west enders in the shopping arcades, the pubs and the quayside; it’s all very much ‘wors’ (ours) and we will all share in it regardless of
TAKE 5 Festival venues for one month only
udderBELLY Milking the bovine theme suggested by their original Cowgate grazing ground, Underbelly moved into purpler pastures in 2006 with the gigantic upside-down tent creature known as the udderBELLY. A metaphor gone mad, and a work of glorious, unfettered, preposterous genius.
Underbelly’s Hullabaloo Another Underbelly creation, this one new for 2009. As well as a patch of real grass (and at time of going to press it’s still grass and not mud soup) it’s home to the lovely cutesy Bosco Theatre, which proclaims old-fashioned theatricality with every curlicue of its being.
Royal Mile Whether they like it or not, these venerable old cobbles are an integral part of the festival, a performance space both for official street performers and for the flamboyantly dressed flyerers who make it such a chore and a pleasure to walk up the Mile in August. There’s a show every step of the way. Charlotte Square This leafy pleasance is usually closed to the public, but for two weeks in August it transforms into a village of tents and literary types. Sit and read on the grass, go and pay your respects to Prince Albert on the plinth in the middle, or listen to free music in the Highland Park-sponsored Spiegeltent.
The Hotel If you're bored of your own festival accommodation, pop down to the New Town and check out the competition at the Hotel. Not quite as conspicuous as a giant purple herbivore, but it’s one of those million little changes making the whole city feel like a giant venue this month.
6 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 20–27 Aug 2009