Danger on The High Street

New and old show vied for a position on the High Street. With archery and knife throwing; not juggling, this time taking the position of most dangerous of show.
Yes we had chainsaws of plenty, knives, axes, whips and more to terrify the unwary.
But the archery was the first I saw on the street. With Thomas and Jenna doing their contortion and juggling routine ending with the skill of Jenna firing a bow with her feet at a target. Now that was certainly different.
Then with the whip cracking, wise cracking knife throwing antics of dam it I didn‘t get their name, my last street show I saw of the Fringe.
Danger yes. J-P Koala and his axe is danger. Space Cowboy and his sword swallowing is danger. But I did discuss this topic with one performer and I’d like to say she has the show I consider the most dangerous on the High street. It’s Ell Bell and her escape routine. Nothing much to that you might say, except standing on top of a six foot ladder wrapped in a straight jacket where one slip could be very battered Ella. She’ll hate me for writing this. Or of course she’ll get a bigger crowd because what everyone really wants on the street is danger.

Changing The World One Joke at a Time

　
Daily headlines are the trade could be the trade of this satirical band that hit the Royal Mile. Banned a few years ago from the Fringe because they dare to cross the boundaries most comedians keep hidden in their theatre venue during the Fringe.
“P.S.T, want some radical humour Gov”
The guy’s and this year girl ply their humour just off the High Street. They became my refuge from the hustle and bustle from the Fringe last year. They are like me fringe of The Fringe. They are that break off part of the Fringe; which is an irony of what the Fringe is in itself, a break off from the original Festival.
T.V.G and me are the radical wing version of both our arts. Their theatre venue is the street. They are the commando wing of theatre. Get in get out, take no prisoners.
Me I’m a sniper in photographer form, SAS style, running on twenty hour days. Minimum rations, red bull and chocolate mostly, mixing with the locals you can trust.. I travel alone. Sending my recognisance home in coded blog form daily. Taking on targets others dare to cover. And when there’s too many people about armed like myself I stay away from that topic, at least until it‘s safe. You don’t want to get caught up in an ambush that you can’t get out of.
T.V. G are those people you can trust on the street, and when the call comes through for reinforcements I respond as quick as possible. They are offered by me a safe haven too. Drinking tea makes them stand out in a crowd of us hardy street smart types. But in the past year we have been able to disguise them well.
Armed with a little more than a few placards and a black marker and some bubble wrap. The band of Black Morris Men “We dance with girls” their cry, pounce on the unwary traveller who stifle their laughter as they pass their art. People hide the laugh, because we are taught through the “political correctness brigade” not to laugh.
Out of Work Danish cartoonist,
Please give generously.
“Don’t ban it (we’re talking burka here)
Bubble wrap it.”
Yes they hit the mark, yes the push the boundaries. I loved the one they talked about doing, but didn’t want to offend the “locals.” I thought it was great; and the funny thing was that the Metro headline on the day we talked about “that” gag was of a similar ilk.
T.V.G were back pushing the boundaries and moving them to their will. All I can say is “keep pushing.” You guys (and girl’s) rock. And it’s not one that’s thrown too. And you can read all about that and other stories on their blog.
　
　
　

When All You Are is Not Enough

The Fringe is the biggest family I have ever been a part of. It's that unity that unites everyone.
Times where you feel sad you have friends to talk to. Times when you feel happy you have friends to share that joy with. It does take over your life, it does get under your skin.
When I discovered the Fringe many years ago I had no idea that it would become so important to me. This year my biggest regret is not being here week one. Although at the same time I almost decided this year not to do this at all. I nearly stepped away from the Fringe this year. Outside influences and the needs of others almost took me away from all this.But my addiction brought me back. The drug of choice for me is photographs. I need to take photographs. I need to capture moments. They are all for me, and never for anyone else. And as I always add if other people like my work then that's a bonus. Even when I shoot portraits out of Fringe season I'm never shooting for the person in front of my camera I'm only every shooting for me. I don't work as a photographer, I play at being a photographer. The child inside me likes silly and unusual compositions. The photographer I am plays with his subject matter to achieve only what I want to see. Maybe one day I will have to conform to playing by the rules, but that will be the day I will probably hang up my camera for good.

See The World in Harmony at The Fringe

The Edinburgh Fringe is a snapshot of the artistic world around about us. We are all force feed the medium of television; whether we watch it or not. Newspapers drip feed us the mundane stories of soapstars and football players, getting married and divorced.

The real news is something more important than that, it's about real life and even in bad times death.

Some people want to make news through their political aspirations. Some people take up views that others may seem extreme. Or there are those of us who sit back and let the world slide into the chaos that is the world.

So where can we escape, when the world is getting us down. There is always the Edinburgh Fringe. For all the troubles in the world, the Fringe is unity, the international mix of performers and shows lets us see the world is not crumbling around about us. It's a place where young and old alike can gather. Enjoy laughter on the High Street or at the mound. Share pathos and emotion in theatres venues like The Zoo.

For one month Edinburgh is host to the World, and the World needs to look at Edinburgh and see that in sharing joy, tears, laughter and more, it can be the place we all want it to be.

The Olympics are a medium where it has always been said the world comes together, but they never fulfill what theatre; fringe theatre and street performance can do. At the Olympics countries compete for Gold! And that brings with it the risk of back stabbing, cheating and all the rest. In Edinburgh at the Fringe your only gold is a good hat or a good review, but most of all it's just about performing in Edinburgh at Fringe time.