FEATURE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL PREVIEW
Sorted for memories
Brian Donaldson asks Fringe favourites to share their memories of Festivals past.
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Nicholas Parsons
Nicholas Parsons (‘u/i ('(IItI/H't'e of
Radio 43' Just A Minute and the now-de/unet Sale Of The (‘enturyz ‘When I did my Edward Lear show in I989. the only publicity was a board outside with chalk on it. which I thought was the menu. They hadn‘t even spelt my name right and you had to get through a museum with rows of stuffed animals down the side. Somehow it drew the crowds and we did wonderful business. Last year I made the most amazing faux-pas in Just A Minute when Peter Jones talked about a particular landlady. When he finished I said: “Yes. Peter. I have also stayed at her digs. She was over 80 years old and had had a vasectomy.“ I meant to say mastectomy but the audience collapsed and I was thoroughly embarrassed.‘
Nicholas Parsons is in Just A Minute at the l’leasanee. lz‘dinlnirgh. 12 Aug.
Bert Tyler-Moore Comedian and presenter of BBC 2 's (Iaytiine TV.
‘Ten or eleven years ago. Hugh Grant saw a student revue show I was in and accused us later of pinching the material of the show he was in and there was a lot of jostling going on and “leave it. leave it“ in very posh accents. I actually brokered the peace
agreement but you could say that "I nearly hit Hugh Grant.” The best was last year with the show and the reviews and all the drinking I did.‘ Bert Bier-Moore is in Bert And Will In Sorted For Teas And Bies at the Pleasanee. lz'din/mrgh. 7—25 Aug (not [3. 27). , artsy”,
Richard nemarco
Richard Domarco The Edinburgh arts guru behind the Fringe 's most
fart/lung shows — in Dundee.
‘My happiest experience was the realisation that I had a genius on my hands in Tadeusz Kantor when he took a plumber's workshop in I972 and turned it into the underground cellars and houses of Krakow for his production of The Water Hen. The audience. which was restricted to 70. included Auberon Waugh. Richard Eyre and Lindsay Kemp. I had to mortgage my house to get him here. The worst was when I had twelve days to form a company and create a production when I was told that a company had been forced to
cancel their production of .Ilaehet/i due to illness. And all the tickets had been sold. Somehow we got through it.’
Norman Lovell Heat/pan star.
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"The first show I‘d ever done was in I983. and Dennis Main Wilson. the producer of Monty Python. met me and gave me his number to get in touch. I phoned and spoke to someone else who wasn't pissed and no work came from it. The lesson I learned was not to trust any ofthe buggers. Also. I can't drink at the Gilded Balloon till the early hours any more due to my age and responsibilities. so that‘s a bit of a Iowlight. The absolute highlight was meeting my wife in 1987 who ran the box office at the (iilded Balloon.‘
Norman Lovell is in /)on 't ('al/ .ile Nor/n at the Cafe Royal. lfdin/niig/i. 9—3/ Aug (not /9).
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Norman Lovett
Dan Freedman Iii/tnlrm-g/i stand-up and star ofRadio 4 ‘s Loose lint/s.
‘l'm obsessed with adverts and getting pointless surprise cameos into my show. Last year's audiences were astounded when Anne Bryson. of Philadelphia (‘heese fame. and Arthur Smith appeared from a cupboard. My worst moment was getting drunk at one of the numerous parties and ending up
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HOUSTON GRAND OPERA. Directed and Designed by ROBERT WILSON. Music by VIRGIL THOMSON. Libretto by GERTRUDE STEIN. WILSON ‘one of the supreme theatrical imaginations of our time’. Opera News.
An inspirational piece of musical theatre with Saints, giraffes and a flock of floating sheep. Don’t hang around, call 0131 225 5756 for programme and ticket details. Edinburgh International Festival, 21 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 18W.
12 The List 26 Jul-8 Aug I996
carrying somebody home on my back for two miles. The following morning I ran tip Arthur‘s Seat (0 clear my head but on the way back I was violently sick over some tourists in the Pleasance courtyard.’ I )an Freed/nan is at the Pleasanee. lidinburg/i. 9.3/ Aug (not [3. 27).
Dan Freedman
Sean Lock Comedian with a /u'nehant_/or Womb/es.
‘My high point was sitting on top of Arthur‘s Seat watching the fireworks and drinking champagne. while the lowlight was the first time I did Edinburgh. I only sold one ticket in the whole week and the woman who bought the ticket ended up in the wrong venue.‘ Sean Loel is at the Pleasance. lfdin/nirg/t. (823/ Aug (not l.)’, 27).
Sean Lock
Allhflf Smith Writer of stage show hit An [Evening With Gary Lineker and getting dangerously close to heeoining Mr Fringe.
‘A guy once poured a pint of piss over me when I was doing a gig about seven or eight years ago in some ghastly place. He did it as some kind of tribute to me. Once I’d realised what it was. due to the stench and the warmth. I walked off. but then I realised that it was a
Edinburgh
International 11-31 August 1996.
Reg. Charity No.5Cooq694.