I am Ashley Elsdon

someone who's doing some things

Category: Festivals

Don’t go to a huge amount, but a few, and that’s ok.

Edinburgh Fringe: Beowulf The Blockbuster

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

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.

Edinburgh Fringe: The Bunker Trilogy – Agamemnon

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

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This was one of if not the best show I saw in Edinburgh this year. The Agamemnon is one of my favourite plays, as is the Orestia as a whole, but this version, set in a World War One bunker was incredible. The audience was actually placed inside the bunker with the cast and the proximity and intensity of the production made this a completely one off experience.

The performances were excellent. The set was brilliant. Yes, it probably was the best thing I saw all week.

Edinburgh Fringe: Sherlock Holmes The Hound of the Baskervilles

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

This was a great one man show. I do like some Sherlock Holmes and this performance really delivered. Great accents and characterisation with a minimal set. I always find it interesting to see how different companies interpret Holmes. From the TV versions in the US and the UK, to the films, all of which I like in their own ways. However, I do think that stage is a great way to see Holmes, and this was a lovely production. Really well done.

The Edinburgh Fringe

Posted by on in Edinburgh Fringe, Events, Festivals

I do love the fringe and this year it was just as good as usual. Full of surprises and not all of them good. It’s one of those completely pot luck experiences that is at once enjoyable and confusing and disappointing too, but I wouldn’t really have it any other way. The fringe is what it is.

In fact I’m not entirely sure that there’s anything quite like it anywhere else. Edinburgh bulges with people during the fringe and it seems that everyone is putting on a show or trying to force a leaflet about a show into your hands. Everyone and everywhere is busy and there’s never a point where there’s nothing going on. It’s fun.

This year I saw a lot of shows and as usual some were good, some were average, and some were downright awful. I won’t dwell on those that were truly dreadful, but over the next few days I’ll post about the ones that were really good and worth mentioning in case you get to see them.

Real World 25

Posted by on in Festivals, Music

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I felt compelled to get this nice little box set at WOMAD this year. I’ve got quite a lot of the tracks already, but it’s really well put together and it came with a load of bits and pieces like postcards and stuff, most of which have actually survived the weekend and trip home.

I think it goes on general release soon if not already and I’d recommend it to anyone who has been to WOMAD in the past, or who plans to go in the future.

A bit of practice for a bit of live stuff at WOMAD

Posted by on in Festivals, Music

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It’s become a bit of an annual thing really. Whenever these three are at WOMAD some sort of live open mic thing must be done. It’s always fun and it always involves me doing some kind of electronic thing. This time on my iPhone and also on a Kaossilator 2 as well.

I enjoyed it anyway.