Last Tapes open the Scotsman Fringe Awards
I’ve just about managed to maintain a proud record of seeing more comedy at the Book Festival than anywhere else in August – thanks to Chris Brookmyre and Val Mcdermid.
Their double act had their audience gasping in disbelief at their horror stories, as they recalled their recent experiences at another, fledgling, literary event, at an unidentified castle, in the depths of winter, earlier this year.
Brookmyre was brought to the brink of despair trying to find his way into the seemingly deserted venue, after being confronted by locked gates, deserted grounds and fellow bemused authors. He said: “I’d been invited at this castle to speak – I didn’t realise I’d have to storm the f***ing thing.
“I was told I’d have to go and sign books in the crypt. It was about -2C, I could barely hold a pen, even sitting with my jacket and hat on.
“There wasn’t much signing to be done as there was no-one there. It’s not that the event wasn’t busy – it turned out everyone else was having lunch. When we turned up for lunch, we were told, ‘You’ve just missed this sitting.’”
Meanwhile, Mcdermid clearly had not hit it off with the chair of her own event, especially after the “absolute doozy” opening question: “If you were a biscuit, what kind of biscuit would you be.”
Brookmyre told the disbelieving audience in Charlotte Square Garden: “It’s only when you go to a really bad festival that you really appreciate how well run this one is.”
I had a bit of a stride on from the Book Festival site to avoid missing out on any of the promised surprise guests at the first Edinburgh festivals party at the new Edinburgh Grand apart-hotel on St Andrew Square.
Its Register Club has had an air of mystery since it opened in the former Royal Bank of Scotland building earlier this year. It is certainly the swishest venue I’ve crossed the threshold of this month – its sofas and booths a far cry from the bum-numbing plastic seating to be found in most pop-up venues.
Stand-up Tom Lucy seemed to be experiencing the most surreal gig of his life amid all the grandeur and, confronted by a sea of much smarter-dressed punters than are to be found at his normal venue at the Pleasance Courtyard, was even moved to enquire as to whether there were any princes or princesses in the house.
But by far the best entertainment was lapping up the close encounters various Edinburgh movers and shakers seemed to enjoy with the likes of drag queen Gingzilla, the “real-life Jessica Rabbit” cabaret diva Ivy Paige, and frocked-up “girl group” The Bugle Boys.
A wet Wednesday in September is certainly going to struggle to compete.
I’d been invited at this castletospeak– I didn’t realise I’d havetostormthe f***ingthing.