I am Ashley Elsdon

someone who's doing some things

Category: Edinburgh Fringe

I’ve been going to the Edinburgh Fringe for a long time now. It’s an incredible experience if you love theatre and art.

So that was the Edinburgh Fringe

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This year’s Edinburgh Fringe felt bigger than before. In fact, it felt a lot bigger in many ways. The crowds seemed denser and much more difficult to navigate through, and even the cab drivers said it was a bigger event than in previous years. I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but it felt like it.

I did enjoy this year’s fringe. As always there were highs and lows. Amazing shows, and things that are better left unremembered. But that’s the way it has always been, and I’ve been going for quite a while now.

Going to the Fringe is always a gamble. Just because a show has a 5 star rating doesn’t mean it’ll actually be good or indeed that you’ll like it. Added to that, the weather is an even bigger gamble, although you could argue that it’s always going to rain if you’re in Edinburgh for the fringe, and I’d say that’s a pretty safe bet.

But it was good this year, and it was fun on the whole. It’s a tiring holiday though. It’s the kind of holiday that you come back from more tired than when you left, and that’s getting increasingly difficult.

I’ll be posting thoughts on my favourite shows over the coming days, but as for those that didn’t appeal to me, I’ll leave them alone and won’t bother boring you with them.

Edinburgh Fringe: Chaplin

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Chaplin isn’t the easiest subject to take on in just over an hour, but this small production tried and I think that they did it quite well actually. They told his story very well even though there’s a lot to tell and it was a very complex story indeed. But overall I enjoyed the performance.

Edinburgh Fringe: The Canterbury Tales

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This was a great production of the Canterbury Tales. Only a part of it of course as the show was only an hour and a half I think. But it was very well done by a large group of teenagers who I’m pretty sure I saw last year doing The Agamemnon, which was incredible.

They’re certainly a group who I’d see again.

Edinburgh Fringe: Anthem for a Doomed Youth

Posted by on in Edinburgh Fringe, Events, Festivals, Poetry, Theatre

I’m a big fan of Guy Masterson’s work. His “Under Milk Wood” was incredible, so when I’m in Edinburgh I always make an effort to see whatever it is that he’s in. This year the only thing that he was doing that coincided with my time at the fringe was “Anthem for a Doomed Youth”. His readings of World War 1 poetry. It was very good. Very powerful, and as always with Guy Masterson, full of emotion and meaning and at times, even humor.

At some point I’d love to see his “Under Milk Wood” again. I really hope he performs it somewhere I can get to at some point.

Edinburgh Fringe: The Hive

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Another really good show this year at the fringe was “The Hive”. This was a sort of post-apocalyptic piece about a society where everyone was separated from each other. A set of interesting and somewhat compelling ideas, but most of all I enjoyed how it was presented. The music, set and physical nature of the show were excellent, and whilst I think it suffered from a lull towards the end, it was, on the whole, really well put together.

The performances were also very well executed and I think that the company producing it have a lot to offer.

Edinburgh Fringe: Bromance

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A truly astounding piece of dance / physical theatre. Visually it was totally amazing and I loved it. I’m not sure I entirely got what the piece was actually about, but then that’s true of a lot of dance pieces I go to, so probably says more about me than the piece itself or the performers. Having said all that, I can safely say that I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like this or even anything close before. It was unique as far as I’m concerned, and thoroughly enjoyable too.

I’d certainly take the opportunity to see it again.

Edinburgh Fringe: Shakespeare for Breakfast

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This is one of my favourite shows at the Fringe. One of those that I always go to see. Which ever play, or indeed, whatever number of them are mashed up it’s always good. Always fun, always inventive. This year was no different at all. It was a great show, lots of popular culture references and plenty of mentions about the referendum too.

Shakespeare for Breakfast has become an institution and long may it continue.

Edinburgh Fringe: The Ukulele Evangelists Bang One Out

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This show was one of those that you really only get to see at Edinburgh. Unique is the only word to describe it I think. It was a joy to watch. Inventive, funny and just full of surprises and fun. I did get the impression that the audience didn’t entirely know what to make of it, which in itself was quite funny. But I loved it, and I think that it’s shows like this that are what keep the Edinburgh Fringe fresh and alive.

Edinburgh Fringe: Beowulf The Blockbuster

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This was a truly wonderful one man show. Executed beautifully with incredible craftsmanship. I loved every minute of the show and I can’t think of anything even remotely negative to say about it at all. Perhaps if you were expecting a performance of Beowulf that was very close to the text you might be disappointed, but if you’d been to the fringe before you probably wouldn’t have those kind of expectations of anything.

I loved it, and I’ll certainly be looking out for something by the same company next year.