Edinburgh Fringe 2008 Part 3

Today I finished Sorting Out My Photos

2008-08-31T17:37:00.000-07:00

I finally finished going through all my photos today. Sometime tomorrow (today as it is now) I'll make a start uploading photos.

Hopefully I'll manage to get the bulk of them posted as soon as possible. And then I'll start the task of getting images out to those of you waiting for photos.

And just a few posts down is the Party review and photos. It almost became a blog in it's own right. I don't think I've ever uploaded as many photos ever in just one section. So hopefully anyone who was there when my camera came out is captured for all to see.

Thanks for stopping by.

Do Right by Juzzie Smith

2008-08-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days of the Fringe I spent my first few minutes listening to Juzzie.
Love this track. So I spent just a little while putting this slideshow together.

It'll probably be edited as this was a very quick effort.

A Request for Photos

2008-08-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

I got an e-mail request a couple of weeks ago asking if someone could "borrow" some photos I'd taken.

My responce as always "yes." As long as people know where they came from.

Downward Slap Dance Company performing 'Sidelong Glance' . Energetic and vocal their first week. Great t-shirt sloggans. And a visual treat with their slow motion Olympic 100 meter sprint the second.

Flyering on the High Street needs many kinds of gimmicks to made yourself noticed.

Or just offer them to passerbys.

Are You Andrew?

2008-08-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

My time on the High Street has it's moments. From standing on top of the many bolards that now form part of the street furniture that adorn the the Royal Mile. To relaxing while listening to music being played in the alcoves first thing in the morning.

This year as always my statueesque pose became the focus of a great many cameras yet again. But this year I was found by a couple of people that had found my blogs and had searched the High street looking for Andrew of the Edinburgh Fringe Photographer blog.

I had become imfamous through my reporting of what happens on the High Street. Now that is nice to know.

A lucky Break

2008-08-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Before I started this year’s coverage during my holiday I was only going to be around for two weeks. But luck would have it that I managed to yet again achieve three weeks holiday.
If I hadn’t got the first week then I’d have missed running into my friends from Livewire Theatre Company.
Livewire have always inspired me. When you have a cast with elegantly dressed actresses in costume what else can you feel but inspired. Jess and her sisters along with the rest of the cast take over the High street. They fight; they fight for their place on the stages. Their stage fighting skills mastered over many years of performing. From my first memories of them on the High street promoting an outdoor production of King Arthur.
This year they were on the move a little more than normal as Fringe casts forming human tableau on the street were quickly moved on by the Fringe staff. A pity really as a cast standing in a quite group is a lot better than a rockus crowd infringing on everyone else’s space. But with Livewire productions when they were moving to the beat of their drum up and down the high street Livewire stopped drumming as they moved around the edge of street performers, respecting their stage as if it were their own. For that another five star review for their efforts on the street, as yet again for another year I didn’t manage in to see their shows.

Fringe Staff

2008-08-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

The Fringe staff this year were mostly new to the experience of what the Fringe brings to the High street. I was only asked once in my three weeks about what I do on the High street and if I had a Fringe Press pass.
Their inexperience showed at times when watching a street performers show when at the end of the performance they were asked by the performer the question.
“how was I?”
“great, show,” the reply the wrong answer; nice to know, but alas the wrong answer. The High street runs on 45 minute shows. From 11am in the morning till 8pm at night. There are a few minutes extra to play with, but anything over that can mean a performer is banned from the next days draw.
The rules this year for performers had changed quite radically from previous years. New rules and being charged to perform was a topic that raised it’s head on numerous occasions through out the festival.
Timing peoples shows is great. Having boards telling regular Fringe goers which performer is on where is great too. It’s like having your own mini guide to all that’s happening on the High street.
But if you do charge then you do have to manage the space a little better. What’s the point of having a Soprano singer batteling it out with a brass band. Or a street performer not allowed to use vocal amplification on the High street, when you have Fringe acts doing just that.
It can’t be the easiest job in the world but it did seem to break down this year. As an outsider looking in I saw so many flaws and fractures. The weather didn’t help any thing this year.
Performers new to Edinburgh found the rules daunting and strangling their creativity. For some entertainers it’s not about making any money it’s about putting Edinburgh on their personal CV. Take into account the cost of travel, living expences and all they day to day things you need to get by on Edinburgh is at times a showcase venue and nothing more. With at times over fifty performers and only thirty plus slots available every day not everyone is guaranteed a show. And there are some shows that need the warmth of a summer day to inspire the audience to lift the spirit. Other shows can perform come rain or shine.
The staff I met were nice enough, maybe at times to nice for their own good. Standing your own ground on instant decisions can be a necessary tool in your box of tricks. And a little give and take when required the other.
Decisions you are told to take, you need to stand against, say no. I learnt that. I challenged my boss at Skirmish because I loved what I did and I was batteling for better rules for staff and customers. One of the best feelings is standing up for the rights and condition of others.
Next year who can say what will happen. There may be a new set of staff ready to take on the three weeks that is the Fringe on the High street.

Pluck

2008-08-27T13:12:00.001-07:00

They were back on stage on the High street. Where they belong. After a year away they roamed the street and pounded the stages. Stage slots seemed difficult to come by at times and someone had to be the peanut! Maybe they had drawn lots, or maybe it was chosen that Sian would play the part. (probably due to the size of the costume. And Adrian and Jon would have trouble fitting in it.
Pluck the Titanic show the flyers proclaimed; even came this year with an origami boat challenge. If during one of their pieces of music on stage any participant could complete a boat from the sheet of paper provided they won a CD or DVD.
Taking ten minutes break from the proceedings from the High street I spent a few mornings, listening and relaxing to the music, on the odd occasion grabbing a bunch of flyers and making sure members of their expanding audience knew who were performing on stage.
Pluck a fantastic draw round Fringe stages at times taking over the High street reminiscent back to the days where three street performers competed for an audience on the High street. Adrian himself a master of crowd manipulation had his crowds cheering to compete with performers drawing their audience. Even when up against the best on the street Pluck held their crowd and a defiant gesture in the spirit of the fringe signalled an end to that days cheering competition.

Smiles

2008-08-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

However wet it was this year there were always smiles on the mile.
Whether wet or dry the weather there were smiles. From the girls from the production of Flush, Gemma in pink of Involution. The girls in green from Little Shop of Horrors. All smiled; at least on the outside while on the Mile.
But for me there has been one smile that has always stood out from the rest on the High street, more than any other; and I don’t even know her by name. This year promoting the Gingerbread House, her smile brightened up all the dull days she was about on the High street.
Her smile I spotted now a couple of years ago. An ad mans dream smile. Certain I am that anyone who knows her will find their day brightened just by her smile.

A Party, My Party, A Street Party

2008-08-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

It’s been a few years since I last held an end of Fringe party. This year I suggested the idea to Merrisa. She took on the idea and was able to help out with a data projector and a bar tab to help the evening start with a bang.
Going with a bang (was appropriate as some of the Fringe staff didn’t make it due to a fire at the mound)

The venue this year The City Cafe, Blair Street. We took over their downstairs function space.

It was a perfect space. The right size for the numbers that had arrived throughout the night. The bar staff at the start of the night must have regreted the fact to start with they were working on the downstairs bar. As being a smoker I did have to make a break a few times during the night for a cigarette; and upstairs seemed a little quieter than normal. But at the end even working in a bar can be fun when you've the right mix of people and my party does have the ability of bringing the right group of people together.
Performers, Fringe staff, rubbish busters and one or two invited guests.
I was amazed that being it was a slide show party that people were watching. Imagine back a few years to when you might have been invited to holiday photo slide shows; something that you’d do your best to avoid. This one seemed to have attracked everyone that mattered.
“Even Phil Kay, who I’d shot just a few days before made it down.”

Once again I’d been told that I had to put down a hat. It’s not something I do easily. It’s great to be appreciated, and that’s the reason I do it. I’d rather have work borrowed or in a worst case scenario stolen, than put prices on it to sell. Not everyone can afford a photo valued at hundreds of pounds, but as a gift it’s value increases beyond compare. My hat was light. My origami line thought of on the night went down well. “An original line by Mr Brown.” Not borrowed or stolen from the many botteling speeches I’ve heard.
The night lasted well into the early hours. And as the numbers thinned out the more energetic performers and Fringe staff took to the now empty dance space. Noel described the chance to dance the night away as the best he’d experienced throughout the Festival.

During the course of the evening I'd not taken my camera out early on. As I've always said for me it's a PR exercise. It's about thanking people for allowing me into their "space" to take photos. Whether it be a Fringe steward, rubbish buster or street performer.

I did try my best to catch as many people as I could. But the blur of beer was making life a little more difficult as the night wore on.

And for a few moments I did pick on one of my favourite subjects as someone to annoy.

She does have an amazing range of clothes in her wardrobe. And always looks amazing in them.

And the other

exciting thing I like about this as an exhibition party

is as I've mentioned in previous blogs; there can't be many exhibitions that the exhibition and the exhibition party venue

becomes part of the exhibition.

(Just this moment had a wonderful idea for an exhibition for sometime in the future all I need is a venue.)

Over the next few days I was asked about how I felt the party went.

My response was to ask the question of the person asking.

Everyone seemed to have had a great time, which for me was the answer I’d give them back.

The party was not about me, but about everyone else.

And a great time was certainly had by all that I spoke to.

And one final word on the evening. I do have to thank Stickman for providing his laptop and skill in dealing with the AV issues we had. My laptop didn't talk to the Fringe projector, and the Fringe laptop just didn't like or couldn't cope with just as many images.

So Tim I really do owe you a beer.

It's a Kind of Magic

2008-08-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

You can’t judge street entertainment is something I’ve always said. I do feel this is true. Every entertainer in there own way is talented in what ever field they have decided to follow. The structure of their show can change everyday depending on the crowd or space they are playing to. A show played in Parliament Square one day may start differently the next if played on High Street.
But for me there was one show that took my breath away. Had me clapping and cheering at the end. It had been three years since I last saw this show unfold before me. And I was eager to live that piece of street magic once again.
Mario was back. The full Queen routine as mind blowing as ever. The structure supreme entertainment. A master class in everything that street entertainment should have. That’s probably why there were as many street performers watching from the audience. This was what Edinburgh needed. The sun had come out; the energy levels were through the roof.

Maybe it was because it’s been so long between seeing the show that raises it’s expectation of it. Or it’s just down to the energy that Mario creates in character and his audience feeds off of. Its structure, it’s choreography to a musical theme is almost seamless. A fantastic show with something for everyone.
Thank you for the magic of your show. Three years was a long time to wait to see its return.

Art in it's Many Forms

2008-08-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

Edinburgh at Festival times brings together all the best in street entertainment from across the world. With acts from Scotland, England, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, France, Japan, Portugal and Israel.
The draw of Edinburgh as a venue for street entertainers is great. It brings to the streets acts as diverse as jugglers to clowns, sword swallower’s to escape artists. Acrobats to mime artists.
There are shows that amuse and have you laughing days after. There are shows that enthral with skill and dexterity. Some shows have heart stopping stunts. Others have heart wrenching moments.
There are shows that every moment is filled with energy from start to finish. Others that are just story telling in its universal form.
Lino and Sivouplait were two of this the last category of street theatre. Beautiful theatre played in the art form of mime and body language.
They played the street against the odds of juggling giants. These two David’s held their own, if on occasion leaving their audience a little confused as to the outcome of the piece.
For me something new, refreshing and original. Beautiful entertainment played out on the streets of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile.

Stepping into The Circle

2008-08-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Working in an environment like the High Street during the Fringe could be (without the danger) like working in a war zone. You have to be on the ball at all times. Have a sixth sense when it comes to what’s happening around about you. And gain the respect of everyone that matters to get the photographs you want.

Respect gains you entry in to positions a press pass will never get you. Like shooting a Wedding on the High street last year or getting fisheye photos from the centre of circle shows a year or so before. I’ve shot personal intimate moments; family pictures for many performers, because I’m part of their family a photographer, a friend.
This festival it was time to take my life in my hands and try something a little more exciting.
Stepping beyond the safety of the shows edge I stepped into JP’s show. I would be within inches of his deadly double headed battle axe for the photo opportunity of a lifetime; even if it was just a few minutes away.
With the sparkle in his eyes which meant I was going to die or the axe was going higher than ever I took up position. The camera I fired thru a burst of shots. Not daring to check afterwards. It was a moment to savour only later once I’d made it home.
I’d survived to fight another day. To carry on in the battle ground that is the High. And hunt out any other shots I could risk my life doing.

Daredevil Chicken Like No Other

2008-08-19T21:07:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Taylor (aka) Daredevil Chicken had an idea for a show finale. Scale a Fringe tower and drop a couple of thousand bouncy balls from it.

Does that in any way sound familiar. Can anyone remember the Sony advert? Like No Other.
The Advertising agency must have had a brainstorm of an idea. Or maybe they just saw it before.

Like No Other.

Jonathan Taylor first performed the ball drop around the year 2000. Guess Where; the same place the Ad company staged the Sony Bravia ball drop, He's performed the ball drop finale to his show at a number of festivals.

What is amazing is that these big companies don't check back history. Last year I had to write to Epson the computer printer manufacturers; because they promoted their "exhibition" as if at the Fringe something like that had never happened before. The bad news it had. They just hadn't checked.

So Sony in their infinite wisdom took on an ad idea. (Their budget makes it look impressive) 50,000 balls.
But Daredevil Chicken got there first. Sony Bravia. "Like no other." I think you need to check you facts.

Then copying other peoples work is a form of flattery. Maybe we should say thanks to Sony and Thanks to their Ad agency, you've given a lot of people in performance circles a very good laugh.

Next year we're all planing a stunt involving nuns, goats and Germans. No wait that's the Sound of Music.

The Weather

2008-08-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

Just done a study of last years Festival.
My survey results are there were only four days of above average rainfall, and the odd shower here and there.

This year it's been closer to four days of sun and everyother day rain.

What Did You Do

2008-08-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

This is the question I've been asking a few of the street performers around the Fringe.

The list though not complete I'll make a start.

We have teachers, bar staff, lighting and theatre technicians.
Computer programmers, financial managers. Actors and actresses.
TV presenters.

For a great many they joke about staying in school. They did, they got degrees, they got jobs and got out.

Giving up your life to perform on the street. A bold and brave decision.

Haiku Photography and my attempts at the Haiku form

2008-08-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

This is a topic I keep bringing up through my many blogs. I capture the world I see before me with long lenses. I do on occasion shoot pictures with wide angle lenses; but it's just not what I like. And as a photographer I'm not very good.

I'd rather take a photo of a hand with a flyer or an interesting pair of boots (you know who you are) than the whole picture. Because in my eye and in my mind that makes it more interesting.

Haiku is a beautiful form of expression. And for me extreme telephoto photography makes the image that little bit interesting.

Wide angle - Wordsworth.
Telephoto - Basho

Not everyone sees the beauty in Haiku; just as not everyone sees the beauty in my photography.
But as I've always said. Photography is (was) my passion. Images captured were always just for me. I'm not a mass market photographer. I don't sell stuff it just gets stolen by some, used and occasionally credited by others.

From through the crowd,
A smile,
brightens my day.

Atop a pole,
A hat,
Waiting it's moment of fame.

A Whip crack
Fluff in the sun,
Joyful laughter.

Beautiful girl,
How sad,
Your painted face.

Wet flyers,
Never read,
protection from August rain.

An angry scowl,
Someone from Edinburgh,
who doesn't want a flyer.

Who was my show?
Great.
The wrong answer given.

It's short life,
Printed, folded, discarded,
A flyer.

Pigeons flock,
To the sound of whip cracks,
Spaghetti, how strange.

The High Street Buzz

2008-08-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

With street performers such as Arizona Jones, Conrad and JP arriving early this year there was an air of excitment on the High Street before the festival began.
As more faces arrived both new and old the buzz was amazing.

Then something started to happen; maybe the weather played a factor, to many new faces on the High street amongst the Fringe staff. Or a completly new set of rules governing how street performers are "managed" on the High Street.

People come to the High street and go to the Mound because there is entertainment. True family friendly entertainment. Circus skills of every variety. Something watchable and afordable for everyone. It's street theatre and even with a credit crunch a few £'s is not bad for a 45 minute show.

If the street theatre wasn't at the Mound or on the High Street, would the people handing out flyers have something to do. The answer is of course no. The High street would be dead.
I have good friend from the Fringe theatre and music world but none have the ability to hold an audience of two to three hundred or more around a Fringe stage for 45 minutes.

Edinburgh has the ability to draw the Worlds best street entertainment, but Edinburgh is doing it's best to get rid of it all. Maybe the Fringe, the council and those residents and shopkeepers who complain need to take three weeks off in August and get off the High Street.

Leaving the street to those of us who see the beauty in what happens there. Where good and great entertainers manage themselves.

This article will of course continue.