Can you feel it? Taste it? Do your senses tingle? Is your heart pounding and brain fizzing? Are you regretting last night’s curry? Scrap that last one.
It’s happening; the Government hasn’t pulled the plug, and the Fringe is going ahead.
Brighton Fringe has announced over 25,000 tickets sold so far. Social Media has been buzzing with chat, pictures and adverts (you can advertise your Brighton Fringe show on Fringe Review for £10, see the home page for details).
Here at Fringe Review, we’ve been getting ready too. Following an in-depth meeting in Paul’s garden, we’ve decided who’s doing what and to whom. Most importantly, the tea rota is in operation. You wouldn’t believe the amount of time spent discussing types of tea, milk and brewing methods. It’s a wonder we got any work done.
I know I’m not the only one feeling it; even Paul is revving his engine! You can tell he is excited; he’s just sent me a terrible review-related pun! Although, technically, I shouldn’t review it but offer him feedback instead.
Today, I booked my first review ticket. Weeks have gone into planning the shows I want to see, but fitting them into my diary is a nightmare. I’m like a little kid at Christmas, I want all the presents, and I want them now! It feels like I’m trying to do the Telegraph Cryptic Crossword in the dark when someone has coloured all the white squares black and written the clues in Hindi. I haven’t even started on the digital shows!
The first time you set out to see and review multiple shows at a busy fringe festival is a bit overwhelming. After a few fringes, it gets a little bit easier. All the time, that sense of excitement is building. What will I see? Will it be good, bad or jaw-droppingly spectacular? Does the blurb match up to the show?
As for what to see, I have written a blog article with my comedy picks here. There is loads of excellent stand-up comedy, so if you’re unsure what to see, go and see anything, you may be pleasantly surprised. If you’re feeling brave, why not play festival bingo?
What’s festival bingo? I hear you cry. It’s simple. Download a Random Number Generator App for your phone. Count the number of comedy shows on any particular day, enter the range into the generator, press the button, and see the show that matches your number. Like Forest Gump’s box of chocolates, you never know what you will get. The only rule is that you must go and see the show selected, no weaselling out with poor excuses. Fringe Bingo is how I ended up watching Giles Brandreth, although it turns out he was brilliant!
Meanwhile, at Fringe Review, we welcome our first Guest Blogger, Luke Ofield, from the Unmasked Theatre. You can read about Luke’s show, Between Two Waves, here. We look forward to welcoming other contributors over the next five weeks.
If you’d like to contribute to Fringe Review, either with an interview, blog, podcast or as a reviewer, please get in touch; we’d love to hear from you. You can contact us through the website, or email gubbins@fringereview.co.uk
Everything kicks off on Friday, with the launch night in Jubilee Square. I have my flask of cocoa, notepad and bus pass. I can’t wait. See you there.
