The postman walked away much lighter afterwards…
The letterbox groaned, just a little as it swallowed it up…
Before spewing it onto a mat which became less heavy after it was lifted up…
It’s here and it is hefty.
We are but two months way from the opening weekend and it has new venues, new stars and something that no longer surprises anyone – a record number of shows…
This year we have close on 4,000 shows and close on 60,000 (400 short…) performances. With close on 500 pages to peruse, cogitate and digest, it’s a monster but then again isn’t it every bleeding year…
I start my review of each page knowing that I shall probably see about 40 shows, (1%) know that about half a dozen could be startling, that I shall run round Edinburgh in search of the best and will agonise over each review, hoping I capture their essence in each word.
And there shall be a couple, sometimes three that shall not make it to the review stage. I feel for them.
Now if you are brave enough to make the journey, do the rehearsals, believe your friends and get to a brutal mauling the likes of which Britain’s Got Talent audiences love, then get yourself along to this jamboree. But there are some people who, over the years, I have struggled to cope with. We don’t publicise, don’t publish but offer the reviews privately to support positive reflection.
It ought to include the don’t come back warning at times but it also has some decent people thinking and hen hey do come back, they come back much stronger. In fact… I am away to dig out some of the unpublished work to have a wee read… Might share them…