Nightnews Supports Dark Shows At The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2007

Nightnews is back, covering the Fringe in 2007!
We are officially back again for 2007 and this time the Nightnews webmaster and Reviewer is joined by a new member of the Nightnews fringe content team. Dee Custance Nightnews comedy reporter trained as a photographer, Dee's day job is 'coloring in' with Sylvain Chomet and at night she takes her frustrations out on her paying audience of comedy devotees as lead and promoter of Lemon Custard Comedy We are going to have some very dark fun picking and Reviewing shows for you this year! Woo woo.

Our dark remit remains the same....
Nightnews is typically covering 'dark' events. These may be of a theatrical, musical or burlesque nature, also film, exhibitions and dance; we may include some comedy if sufficiently dark and in bad or shocking taste. All with select Reviews and Nightnews Bat Awards! See previous remits for 2005 and 2006

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Raw Uncoded Fringe 2007 dark listings :: as a text file download
Click on the link below to see what's coming on this page, use the back button on this browser window to return to this page. We are hoisting this as a provisional resource and whiteboard to refer to as we work.
http://www.nightnews.net/fringe2007/Edfringe2007_bats.txt NEW

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The Circus of Horrors - Urban Circus Ltd
venue :: Meadows Theatre Big Tops 189
see links :: http://www.circusofhorrors.co.uk
category :: Dance & Physical Theatre
Reviewed date :: 07 08 2007
Comment: Back again after a few years off. 2 for 1 deals available. The new show 'The EVILUTION ' Presided over by The Undead Ringmaster Doktor Haze.. with the help of the live devil driven rock 'n' roll of the The Interceptors From Hell, a huge uncontrollable cast of burlesque beauties, chaosmongers and death defying Circus acts bringing you an amazing amalgamation of Witch doctors, Voodoo acrobats, A pickled person, bendy bodies, demon dwarfs, blood curdling stunts and flying Vampires...
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

Cirque Surreal - Urban Circus Ltd
venue :: Meadows Theatre Big Tops 189
see links :: http://www.cirquesurreal.co.uk/
category :: Dance & Physical Theatre
Reviewed date :: 16 Aug 07
2 for 1 deals available. Fringe Circuses are always good value.
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

Six Women Standing in Front of a White Wall - Little Dove Theatre Art
venue :: C soco
see links :: http://www.myspace.com/littledovetheatreart
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 08 Aug 2007
Comment: 2 for 1 deals.
Review :: I race out of a performance workshop and head over to C Central and the experimental experiential performance zone for 'Six Women.' Its bright and the streets are filling up, I scouted out the wall the day before in the bowels of C adjacent to C Soco. I meet the 'Six Women' in the stairwell moving slowly and as one, step by step. they are very pretty, draped in pink and hidden under layers of white powder. I think to let them through the door first but at their pace it may take 20 minutes so I discretely slip into the white wall area where luckily there is a refreshment point. I negotiate an orange juice, the cast eventually catch up at their snails pace. The space is plunged into darkness and the show begins. Its great fun and incredibly interesting to see westerners taking their inspiration from Japanese forms - Butoh in this case! The range of facial expressions alone are solid gold bat material! This is an interactive show and an interactive experience also for those who are inclined. Many of the audience held back to the chagrin of the performers and Artistic Director, Chenoeh Miller. Its is quite incredible how transgressive the simple act of holding hands with the cast in this context can become! There was good use of color, form, movement, music and much eye contact for those at a distance who preferred a voyeuristic role. This show really stands out as a perfect moment in time if you are willing to experience it fully and interact as a matter of theatrical experience - almost a wrong footing experience if you succumb too much perhaps. It was more than apparant that some of the audience were dying to touch, but took their enjoyment vicariously unable to overcome their inhibitions and personal sterotypes. You really have to let go in this show and that means the audience! There was lots of applause at the end and the formerly highly animated ladies left stage right, in that automata way, the same way that they came in. You could feel them exuding calm after what must have been a draining performance. A show with some lovely moments and a real aesthetic, I felt sorry for those in the audience layered in social norms and inhibitions unable to interact at a human level with these wonderful ladies.

4 gold bats

About Suffering They Were Never Wrong ... (The Trojan Women) - HWS Rembiko
venue :: Rocket @ Demarco Roxy Art House
see links :: http://www.rembiko.com
category :: Musicals & Operas
Reviewed date :: 10 Aug 07 13.30
Comment: Another world premiere opera, from the Roxy Demarco venue. 2 for 1 deals available.
Review :: to follow

4 silver bats

Fuerzabruta
venue :: The Black Tent :: 369 :: Ocean Terminal, Leith
see links :: http://www.fuerzabruta.eu
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date ::
Comment: 'Music, strobes, nudity, water, poetry, violence, beauty and a whole lot of mess. All-standing, dress casual, you get wet, get dirty. Promising sensory overload, it sounds like a lot of dark fun!

Amanda Palmer
venue :: The Spiegel Garden
see links :: http://www.myspace.com/whokilledamandapalmer
category :: Music
Reviewed date :: We can't get in to Review this one.
Comment :: A great artist and far darker in real life than her image suggests!
Venue propaganda: Amanda Palmer is the singer, songwriter and pianist for The Dresden Dolls, a Boston keyboard / drum duo famous around the globe for straddling the line between Weimar Cabaret and punk. Amanda brings her intimate solo show back to the Fringe for her third year after wrapping up an original musical with the American Repertory Theatre and working on a solo album with Ben Folds. Thu 9 - Sat 12 & Wed 15 - Sat 18 Aug, 8pm (70 mins) £12 (£10 conc)

Club Vague - Lost Vagueness
venue :: Lost Vagueness @ The Jam House
see links :: http://www.lostvagueness.com
http://www.myspace.com/lostvaguenessfestival
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Comment: We are all looking for a big, exciting, high production value night so we can get our ballgowns, black cocktail numbers, suits and formal gothy wear on and mingle in suitably dazzling surroundings to an all star cast of pro entertainers. I met 'Emily Rose' a performer from Circus CousCous in the Royal Mile and she tells me that there is a two and a half hour combination of circus, cabaret, vaudeville and burlesque on offer at Lost Vagueness including and followed by bands and DJ's. The music policy is Rockabilly, Psychobilly, 50's with variation from week to week. This is usually a Glastonbury night that Nightnews has high hopes for in Edinburgh. The Jam House is the former BBC concert Hall venue, with great acoustics and swish interior, just the place for this genre.
Propaganda: Centre for the 'bizarre, burlesque, cabaret, live music, aerial fun, casino and DJ's.' Dress code is 'glamour and danger' so preferably don't go in gym shoes and blue jeans; but the door is in the hands of the promoter not the Jam House, so its up to you.

...these are recommended by practitioners of the darkest Sweet venue propaganda and we agree with them:

Parody or Pathos?
venue :: Venue 186, Sweet ECA from 20-26 August at 18:20 until 19:20. Tickets are priced at £8.50 (£7.50 Concs)
see links :: http://www.sonicbids.com/Klambatsea
http://www.klambatsea.com dead link
category :: Musicals and Opera
Reviewed date ::
Press Blurb: 'Vocal research,' web assets say, 'Singing Arias through Parody.' More from the dark continent of Central Europe!

Velvet Scratch - Theatre Lab Company
venue :: Sweet ECA on Aug 20-26 at 18:25. Tickets for this innovative show are priced at £7.50 (Concs are £6.50)
see links :: http://www.theatrelab.co.uk
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 20 Aug 07
Press Blurb: 'The internationally acclaimed Theatre Lab Company bring their breathtaking show Velvet Scratch, rated Number 1 in the Prague Post Editor's Top Ten shows of the Prague Fringe Festival 2007, to the Sweet ECA Venue at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.' Comment: Well we all know how dark Prague is and thats why this show is here... It also has 'macabre world of the undead,' in the erm description... hehe
Comment: Compelling narrative and highest production values.
Review: to follow

5 gold bats

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Company: Aurora Nova
venues :: Venue 8, St Stephens Street, the gothic cathedral in Stockbridge.
see links :: http://www.auroranova.org
category :: Dance and Physical theatre
Comment :: All of Aurora Nova's productions can be expected to have rather dark touches and be of the highest quality and production values, always a mesmerising and compelling experience to be at any of their shows that take your dark fancy. See them all if you can, you won't be disappointed. Source of the quintessential highest quality and darkest experiences whether arty, humorous or beautiful... more shows below

Company :: Hill Street Theatre and Universal Arts
venue :: Hill Street Theatre, Venue 41, 19 Hill Street
see links :: http://www.universal-arts.co.uk/producers/hs_programme.php
http://www.universal-arts.co.uk/producers/hill_street_theatre.php
http://www.universal-arts.co.uk/
category :: Various
Comment :: Another centre of excellence at the Edinburgh Fringe and a fabulous venue to boot. Some very dark gems to be discovered here, it was home to the notorious spoof Macbeth re-arisen show in 2006. Kewl intimate bar and bijou quality to the venue, a former and very splendid, dark 'masonic' lodge. Universal Arts will be using some other venues under the Assembly marketing flag, so seek them out... more shows below

Company: Rocket @ Demarco Roxy Art House
venue :: number 115 - 2 Roxburgh Place
see links :: http://www.rocketvenues.org/rocket_2006/index.php?id=31
http://www.rocketvenues.org/rocket_2006/
category :: Music
Comment: Anything 'Demarco' has always been a centre of thought provoking and ground breaking work. United with 'Rocket' since 1999 you will find some of the best work from both 'student' to 'fully professional' ends of the spectrum under this roof and be suitably awed. Despite the 'hard to navigate' website, 2007 information is at the links above.

Company: The Green Room - New in 2007
venue :: number 274 - 37 Guthrie Street
see links :: http://www.thegrv.com
http://www.thegreenroomvenue.com/
category :: Various
Comment: A fringe re-incarnation of Edinburghs highly popular but ill fated 'Left Bank' and 'Octopus Diamond.' A venue with an existing art house and indie music following, lets see what they do to the place for the duration of the Fringe. The website is rather slow to load or respond and is clunky, so best to drop in and get a program. With spaces on three or more floors this compact venue has an extensive and very full program and has intentions of maintaining the hanging out traditions of its predeccessors..

Company: Sweet Venues
venue :: Various the ECA and Grassmarket
see links :: http://www.sweet-uk.net
category :: Various
Comment: :: We never fail to be impressed by the generally high quality of Sweet shows and level of service to the press

Venue: C Venues
venue :: Various locations
see links :: http://www.CtheFestival.com
bars :: C+3 easiest bar at the fringe to get served at, with free late night jazz; bar C ground floor, hub of young thesps social life and very accessible, acceptable music policy, busy, last fallback at the fringe after 3am curfew venues close.
Comment: Aladdins cave of goodies for all tastes, we dig out some of their darkest stuff one way or the other. Press desk most helpful and accessible at the fringe so far encountered which makes it easy to cover their shows so we tend to see quite a few here.

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Raz-Mataz - Razzle Dazzle
venue :: C
see links :: http://www.raz-mataz.com
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 09 08 07
Comment: Recommended
Review :: to follow shortly

3 silver bats

Dracula... a variation by Bo List - Chance Theatre
venue :: Zoo Southside
see links :: http://www.chancetheatre.info
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 10 Aug 2007
Comment: The world premiere of Chance Theatre’s 'Dracula…a variation,' which has some interestingly dark twists promised in its publicity...
Review :: to follow

4 gold bats

My Filthy Hunt
venue :: The Zoo :: Venue 124 :: 140 The Pleasance
see links :: http://www.horizon-arts.co.uk
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 11 08 2007
Comment: Promising artwork on the flyer, loads of degenerate, thrill seeking sex and violence, the critics will be shocked! Includes physical theatre and said to be quite haunting...
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

Midnight Carousel
venue :: C Central
see links :: http://www.the-establishment.net
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 12 08 07
Comment: Ok take a look, differs every night though!
Review :: to follow

2 gold bats

Phaedre
venue :: C at Craigmillar Castle venue 379 - depart by C Central bus
see links :: http://www.offstage.org.uk
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 12 Aug 2007
Comment: Wow!
Review :: To follow

5 gold bats

Limbo - Real Circumstance with York Theatre Royal & Strawberry Vale Media/Escalator East to Edinburgh
venue :: Smirnoff Underbelly
see links :: http://www.realcircumstance.com/limbo
category: Theatre
Comment :: Dark taboo intergenerational relationship love story.
Review date :: 15 Aug 2007
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

Dracula - Black & White Rainbow
venue :: C
see links :: http://www.cthefestival.com/
http://www.blackandwhiterainbow.com inactive link
category: :: Theatre
Review date :: 07 08 2007
Review :: to follow

3 silver bats

The Bacchae - Black & White Rainbow
venue: C
see links :: http://www.blackandwhiterainbow.com inactive link
category: Theatre
Review date :: 14 Aug 2007
Review :: to follow

2 silver bats

Darkness Within - Outside In Theatre
venue :: C
see links :: http://www.oit.co.uk
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/scotland
category :: Theatre
Comment :: nominated for the Big Issue Freedom of Expression Award 2007; compelling reflection of society's younger victims of circumstance and deprivation
Reviewed date :: 15 Aug 2007
Review :: to follow

5 silver bats

Yesterday, When I Was Young - Hope Theatre Company
venue :: C soco
see links :: http://www.hopetheatrecompany.com
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 14 Aug 2007
Comment: Brilliant, wait till I write the Review!
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

Paria
venue :: Sweet ECA
see links :: http://www.myspace.com/bigpictureperformance
category :: Theatre
Comment :: Not on the edfringe site
Review date :: 17 Aug 2007
Review :: to follow

4 gold bats

The Bitches' Ball - Penny Dreadful
venue :: Assembly @ Hill Street Theatre
see links :: http://www.pennydreadfultheatre.co.uk
http://www.universal-arts.co.uk/
category :: Theatre
Review date :: 17 Aug 2007
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

XXX Anonymous - Theatre Lab Company
venue :: Sweet ECA
see links :: http://www.theatrelab.co.uk
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 18 Aug 2007
Comment: Great value and hilarious, bawdy romp around bizarre modern sexual fixations!
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

Odyssey - Livewire Theatre Company
venue :: Venue 45
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 18 Aug 07
Review :: to follow

5 silver bats

The Matrix: The Pantomime - Two Shades of Blue
venue :: Augustine's, venue 152
see links :: http://www.twoshadesofblue.org.uk
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 19 Aug 07
Comment: Funny haha!
Review :: to follow

4 silver bats

Cabaret Auschwitz - Playfellows
venue :: Zoo Southside
see links :: http://www.playfellows.co.uk
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 21 Aug 2007
Comment: One of the best things I have ever seen in this genre, 'cabaret engagee!' Pay homage to the memory of Block 24, 'the most clever cabaret in all Europe.'
Review :: to follow

4 gold bats

Class - Class Stage Productions
venue :: Augustine's V 152
see links :: http://www.class-stage.co.uk preview trailer here
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 22 Aug 07
Comment: Raunchy farce with a bit of social comment for all those left behind by Thatchers Britain and Blair's New Labour or those succeeding in spite of them..
Review :: to follow

4 gold bats

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Famished - Dastardly Productions
venue :: C
see links :: http://www.famishedthemusical.com
category :: Musicals & Operas
Reviewed date :: 09 08 2007
Comment: Recommended
Review :: to follow shortly

4 silver bats

Hamlet Q Jones: The Musical True-Crime Story of a Really Depressed American Teenager ... And His Extremely Dysfunctional Family
venue :: Rocket @ Demarco Roxy Art House
see links :: http://www.rembiko.com flash rich website
category :: Musicals & Operas
Reviewed date :: 15 Aug 2007
Review :: to follow

3 silver bats

Jihad The Musical - Silk Circle Productions
venue :: C
see links :: http://www.jihad-the-musical.com
category :: Musicals & Operas
Reviewed date :: 21 Aug 2007
Comment: Amazing how taking the piss out of Americans and their war can be made into family entertainment; a real morale booster, should be used to entertain our boys in the field, they could die laughing at the memory of this show.
Review :: to follow

3 gold bats

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I'm a stranger here myself: The songs of Kurt Weill - Allison Farrow/ Dell'arte Productions
venue :: Sweet ECA
see links :: http://www.allisonfarrow.com
category :: Music
Reviewed date :: 07 08 2007
Comment: You can always rely on Kurt Weill for a really dark musical journey starting in 1920's Berlin, now lets see if chanteuse Allison Farrow lives up to her press notices. Ends on 12th so get there fast.
Review :: to follow

4 gold bats

Silhouette Antoinette Presents 'Let Them Eat Cake'
venue :: The Jazz Bar
see links :: http://www.myspace.com/silhouetteantoinette
category :: Music
Reviewed date :: 21 Aug 2007
Comment: Quintessential auditory heaven, show just short of perfection, support this pretty, talented, hot, young rising star.
Review :: to follow

4 gold bats

Meow Meow in Beyond Glamour: The Absinthe Tour - EXTRA DATES
venue :: The Spiegel Garden
see links :: http://www.meowmeowrevolution.com
category :: Music
Comment: Worth a look if only to see if it lives up to the hype. We have been denied access to this show as well as Amanda Palmer.
Unrated

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Fringe Sunday on the Meadows - Festival Fringe Society
The Meadows Aug 12 more http://www.edfringe.com/shows/detail.php?action=venues&id=113
http://www.edfringe.com/shows/detail.php?action=shows&id=4610

Fringe Australia
venue :: Spiegel garden venue 87
see links :: http://www.edinburghguide.com/edgforum/viewtopic.php?t=5316
category :: showcase
Reviewed date :: 20 Aug 2007
Comment: RSVP media and guests event
Review :: to follow

2 gold bats

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Sorry, Love! - Pasodos Dance Company
venue :: C
see links :: http://www.pasodos.com
category :: Dance & Physical Theatre
Reviewed date :: 09 08 2007
Comment: Recommended
Review :: to follow shortly

4 gold bats

A Nocturnal Suite
venue :: C soco
see links :: http://www.theliminalspace.org
category :: Dance & Physical Theatre
Reviewed date :: 15 Aug 2007
Review :: to folow

4 gold bats

Title: Siren - Ray Lee
venue :: Out of the Blue Drill Hall
see links :: http://www.invisibleforces.com
category :: Dance & Physical Theatre
Reviewed date :: 19 Aug 2007
Comment: Unmissable; nothing like this seen on earth before!
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

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Bodies in Time & Space - BIG picture performance
venue :: SWEET ECA: SWEET UPSTAIRS
see links :: http://www.myspace.com/bigpictureperformance
category :: Theatre
Reviewed date :: 08 Aug 2007 11.00
Comment: Performance-Workshop at edfringe.com and the Sweet website says its from a dance and physical theatre Company. I met one of the cast and it sounds very promising. 'A dance of light and dark,' they say, so lets see who wins...
Review :: Barely time to get a shave before stumbling out into the bright sunshine to what I thought I was seeing at the Sweet venue, not a stones throw from my flat. But no - I have booked myself into a performance workshop by mistake, which shows how rushed I have been of late! Ok it happens, I try to make noises about Reviewing but the whole room wants me to join in and I don't want to be a 'stick in the mud!' So I say, 'ok' and within moments we are all barefoot on the stage doing warm ups of some inner creativity stirring Zen kind! That's all fine with me as my body needs a stretch due to the stupid o'clock hours I have been spending hunched over a hot PC though I have only had four hours sleep. I manage to find my 'inner monkey' and later, my 'inner unicorn' but I can't seem to do the uninhibited shouting parts nor the primal scream that comes from being a Unicorn extending his erm horn! No matter, before long the staff have blindfolded me and left me in a corner of the stage. This is actually quite pleasant and seems to sharpen your remaining senses of perception no end. They surprise me by splashing water into my hands and not long after pressing a piece of modelling clay into it as well... It all goes on in that vein with movement, artwork, painting, mixed media, writing with your less dominant hand, the clay and some interesting interactions between your unconscious, your self and the others. Everyone who signed up seemed very nice sincere and arty; the debrief ends with a quick and painless presentation exercise. It is a fun experience and a good way to unwind at a number of levels and start the day. If you can throw off your inhibitions then go for it. Worth attending if you are planning on going to 'Six Women Standing in Front of a White Wall.'

3 gold bats

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Songs For Swingin' Leaders II - Frank Sanazi & The Iraq Pack
venue :: The Bongo Club
see links :: http://www.franksanazi.com

Unpicked Fruit
venue :: The Jazz Bar
see links :: http://www.anitagovan.com

Luminescent Orchestrii - Music to Make You Dance, Kiss and Scream
venue :: The Spiegel Garden
see links :: http://www.myspace.com/luminescentorchestrii

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Includes Burlesque not listed somewhere above..

Voodoo Vaudeville
venue :: Assembly @ George Street
see links :: http://www.voodooo-vaudeville.com
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: Wed 08 Aug 2007
Comment: They say 'cabaret, chaos, comedy, glamour, filth and art,' I say, 'wryly humorous, weird, sexy and recommended.' Our sardonic Review will follow in due course...
Review :: to follow

4 gold bats

The Absinthe Monologues - Tax Deductible Theatre Company
venue :: Zoo Southside
see links :: http://www.taxdeductible.co.uk/
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: 11 08 2007
Comment: Free Absinthe with this show, yum! You will leave highly offended and with a sore head. If only the flyer was more legible.
Review :: to follow

3 gold bats

Michael Jerrarde 'Gifted' - Cameron Blair
venue :: The Green Room
see links :: http://www.michaeljerrarde.com
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: 11 07 2007
'Do you watch Most Haunted? Do you really believe that Derek Akhora is really having a chat and a cup of tea with people who haven't passed over? Well it's not just the dead that want to throw stones at him, but if I was dead, I probably would make the effort to find a really big rock. Michael Jerrarde though, isn't just a clairvoyant, psychic, and mediums he's also a comedian. But can he really do it? Well, probably not, as he's the comic creation of Cameron Blair. Michael Jerrarde is a comic parody of all your favourite TV psychics and mediums. It's an interesting enough idea, and there are some worthy laugh out loud moments, but this show relies very heavily on audience participation that ran out of steam in this hot room.' By Dee Custance

3 gold bats

Andrew O'Neill - Futuristicelectodeathninja9000
venue :: Underbelly
see links :: http://www.andrewoneill.co.uk
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: 11th Aug 07
'Andrew O'Neill is a young fast-talking cockney death-metaller. In spots of this new enjoyable show he gives us renditions of this croaky shouting down the mic but also breaks out into jolly Londoner songs and jigs while peppering the show with bullets of clever one-liners. His strongest material though is the more conceptual idea of a personified universe doing his first stand-up gig in a black sparkly jacket, and informing us that we are all unreal, we don't exist and we are in fact the product of the imagination of a child with a brain tumour who is fastly approaching death. He's not afraid to touch the untouchable subjects like the absurdity of Madeline McCann, terrorists, religion or vegetarians that eat fish, which you have to give him credit for. O'Neill is thoughtful and fast thinking, but thin, both in appearance and in quality.' By Dee Custance

3 gold bats

Late Night Lounge with Reggie Watts
venue :: The Green Room
see links :: http://www.reggiewatts.com
http://www.myspace.com/reggiewatts
http://www.thegreenroomvenue.com
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: 11 08 07
Review :: 'Before Reggie Watts did comedy, he was a sound engineer, and thus the transformation began. He may have at some point voluntarily stuck his fingers into the mains to achieve his impressive huge floppy afro, and channeled an eccentric French renaissance aristocrat into a black American sound sampling musical comedy genius from New York. His look and style is one that cannot be matched or compared by anyone else on the festival circuit. Watts makes live sample's his own voice, composing as he goes, rhythms and beats, knitting tunes together such as 'The Fuck Shit Stack' and 'I'm Gay' and rapping with poetic lines regarding the beauty of fellatio. Don't expect the formulaic set-up punch line for your laughs. Do expect laughter from delight and obscurity of his unique art. But the joy doesn't end there at this late night after party. Watts is but the perfect host to showcase the best of the alternative comics at this year's festival. Guest acts such as the highly regarded David O'Doherty, God's Pottery, and Kristen Schaal, made an appearance in this arena of pure freedom and collaboration to make this night a weird nuclear fission of comedy. This show is truly unusual and hugely entertaining.' By Dee Custance

5 gold bats

Hannah Gadsby is Wrong and Broken
venue :: Gilded Balloon Teviot
see links :: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ORUdvdGC8Q
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: 12th Aug 07
'Deadpan Tasmanian Olittle bit lesbian', Hannah Gadsby, brings us her Adelaide Raw comedy awarding winning show to the Gilded Balloon. She is a relative newcomer to comedy, coming second in last year's So You Think You're Funny competition. But she is a find on this year's fringe. Her show mainly is an analysis of her mother's torturous upbringing and her abuse of growing up in a small incestuous town which sounds like someone clearing their nostrils through gritted teeth. In her dark depressing pear-shaped world, she stole her brother's imaginary friend from the toilet and liberated him. Gadsby has a slow cynical turn of phrase, which infects the audience with laughter. She's definitely going to be a hit in the coming future.' By Dee Custance

4 gold bats

Funny Women at the Fringe
venue :: Laughing Horse @ Ego
see links :: http://www.funnywomen.com
http://www.funnywomen.co.uk/
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: 13th Aug 07
'If you have suicidal tendencies, but can't decide, then this show will probably send you over the edge. This is a bad idea for a gig. Its not that the women aren't funny, its more that the audience who attend are close to death. The room is too big and the audience too spread out, so any strained laughs that are achieved waft up into the rafters and evaporate. Material that is even vaguely pre-watershed is met with silence, and leaving everyone feeling awkward, like you've just caught your grandfather masturbating. This is where top class female comics come to die.'

1 silver bat

The Bad Film club - Nicko and Joe
Venue :: Pleasance Dome 11.30pm
see links :: http://www.badfilmclub.com
category :: Comedy
Comment :: brief description: in a cinema, 3 comedians with mics and pointers watching a truly awful film, heckling it and slagging it off - audience also encouraged to heckle. V funny and fun
Review date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

5 gold bats

The Witching Hour III - Panda
Venue :: Underbelly
category: Comedy
Comment :: Ghost stories told, fantastically presented, I lept out of my skin and properly screamed. Also have a guest comedian reading a famous ghost story
Review date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

5 gold bats

The Very Near Future - Free - Antony and Donnchadh
venue :: Laughing Horse @ Berlin
see links :: http://www.myspace.com/antonymurray
http://www.myspace.com/donnchadhcomedy
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Comment :: Showcasing the stand-up talents of these two young fresh faced comedians, both deadpan and intelligent.
Review date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

4 silver bats

X-FILES IMPROV - DEAN HAGLUND
venue :: The Lot, venue 24
see links :: http://WWW.DEANHAGLUND.COM
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: 18 Aug 07
Review :: to follow

3 gold bats

Henry Rollins - Gilded Balloon Productions and Regular Music
venue :: Gilded Balloon Teviot
see links :: http://21361.com/
http://www.gildedballoon.co.uk
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date :: 22 Aug 2007
Comment: Wow!
Review :: to follow

5 gold bats

Andrew Lawrence - Social Leprosy for Beginners & Improvers - Chambers Management
venue: Pleasance Courtyard
see link: http://www.myspace.com/andrewlawrencecomedy
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

3 gold bats

Tom Stade - Setlist - The Stand Comedy Club
venue: The Stand Comedy Club II
see link: http://www.thestand.co.uk
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

3 gold bats

Bevan and Browne are Terrified - FREE - Bevan and Browne/Laughing Horse Free Festival
venue: Laughing Horse @ Berlin
see links: http://www.bevanandbrowne.com
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

4 silver bats

Tony Law 'Revenge of the Dog of Time' - Mick Perrin for Just for Laughs Live
venue: Gilded Balloon Teviot
see links :: http://www.tonylaw.co.uk/
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

4 gold bats

Russell Howard - Adventures
venue :: Pleasance Courtyard
see links :: http://www.russell-howard.co.uk
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

4 gold bats

Pappy's Fun Club
venue :: this show has moved from Just the Tonic @ The Caves to C soco urban garden.
see links :: http://www.pappysfunclub.co.uk
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

5 gold bats

Terry Saunders - Missed Connections
venue :: Underbelly's Smirnoff Baby Belly
see links :: http://www.terrysaunders.co.uk
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

2 gold bats

Yes, Comedy - PBH's Free Fringe
venue :: The White Horse
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

3 silver bats

Adam Hills: Joymonger - Adam Hills
venue :: Assembly @ George Street
see links :: http://www.offthekerb.co.uk
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

2 gold bats

Lawrence Leung Learns To Breakdance - Australian Comedy Management
venue :: Assembly @ George Street
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

4 gold bats

Maeve Higgins: My News - edcom7
venue :: Assembly @ George Street
see links :: http://www.edcom7.com
category :: Comedy
Reviewed date ::
Review :: to follow by Dee Custance

3 gold bats

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Some Pix of Events we have covered

Pix 1 | Pix 2 | Pix 3 | Pix 4 | Pix 5 | Pix 6 | Pix 7 | Pix 8 | Pix 9 | Pix 10 | Pix 11 | Pix 12 | Pix 13 | Pix 14 | Pix 15

Some Streetpix from the Royal Mile and environs...
Pix 1 | Pix 2 | Pix 3 | Pix 4 | Pix 5 | Pix 6 | Pix 7 | Pix 8 | Pix 9 | Pix 10 | Pix 11 | Pix 12 | Pix 13 | Pix 14 | Pix 15 | Pix 16 | Pix 17 | Pix 18 | Pix 19 | Pix 20

Andrew Brown Unofficial Freelance Fringe Photographer
His photo-blogs are kewl :: http://fringe-photographer.blogspot.com/

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Free Shows and Other Stuff

The Fringe Website said 185 free shows in 2007... then the page was taken down!
http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=1553&area_id=62
The Times Monday July 30 2007. In an article by Mike Wade titled '33,609 shows and six days to go; let the party begin' quoted 33,609 performances in 250 venues and the number of free shows was increased to 304. In addition 250,000 tickets are said to have been sold ahead of the event.

The Laughing Horse Free Festival 2007!
"Laughing Horse Comedy return to Edinburgh in 2007 with over 130 free Fringe Shows in 10 Venues that are all free for Performers to hire, and free for audiences to watch,.." they say!
http://www.laughinghorse.co.uk/fringe2007/
by http://www.laughinghorse.co.uk/
Free Admission to all shows!

The Free Fringe by Peter Buckley Hill
"The Free Fringe: bringing free comedy to the Edinburgh Fringe since 1996,.."  they say! Venues as as follows, Canon’s Gait Pub, Royal Mile; White Horse, Canongate; The Outhouse, Broughton Street Lane; The Phoenix, Broughton Street; The Mercat Bar, West Maitland Street, EH12; The Ivanhoe, South St David St., just off Princes Street, opposite the Scott Monument; The Hudson Club in the Hudson Hotel,on Hope Street in the West End more here..
http://www.freefringe.org.uk/ 2007 Site
http://www.myspace.com/freefringe
More about Peter Buckley Hill here :: Peter Buckley Hill personal Myspace

Fringe Sunday on the Meadows - Festival Fringe Society
The Meadows Sunday Aug 12
http://www.edfringe.com/shows/detail.php?action=venues&id=113

Bank of Scotland (EIF) Festival Fireworks Display
Sun 02 September
21:00hrs BANK OF SCOTLAND FIREWORKS CONCERT, Princes Street Gardens, (Sponsor Bank of Scotland)
Not part of the Fringe but identified with it anyway, since the days they ran concurrently. Free if you stand in the street or find some other high point with a view, usually Calton Hill. If it rains and there is low cloud you may see very little but on a clear night it can be quite spectacular. See http://www.eif.co.uk/

The Usual Dark Places to Hang-out Free till 1am, 3am or 5am
'Mostly dark because its at night!..'

Spiegeltent International :: The Spiegel Garden - Venue 87
Free Entry to The Spiegel Garden and Bar http://www.spiegeltent.net/
2007 Edinburgh Fringe Season PReview Information at their Newsletter
http://www.spiegeltent.net/index.php?action=view_letter&newsletter_id=409
The Spiegel Garden at Edfringe
http://www.edfringe.com/shows/detail.php?action=venues&id=42
The Spiegeltent will also play host to the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival from 27 July - 5 August 2007

Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance http://www.pleasance.co.uk/

C Venues Bars, Chamber Street http://www.cthefestival.com/
C Soco :: Tented Encampment + Bars at the site of the Old Town Fire Gap Site
C - Bar :: C Venue bar, usually popular with the young theatrical companies and main fall back after the 3am bars shut, usually open till 5am
Cip Bar :: C Venue 3rd Floor cocktail bar with live jazz every night from 12pm or so all, free and the easiest bar to be served at anywhere at the fringe
C Central :: (Cabaret Bar, Piano Bar, Bridge Bar) Carlton Hotel North Bridge

Underbelly Bar, Cowgate http://www.underbelly.co.uk/
Caves Bar at Baby Belly, off Cowgate http://www.underbelly.co.uk/
Bar listings page for all the Bellies
http://www.underbelly.co.uk/edinburgh/underbelly_cowgate/bars.php

Check out the Nightnews Clubs and Pubs Area for some of the best, alternative friendly, year round, local Edinburgh pubs and cafes...

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More Information and Ticket Sales

Official Website : http://www.edfringe.com
Full details for nearly everything in the Fringe Program, website or at the venues..

Press Office & Press Clash Diary
http://www.edfringe.com/area.html?r_menu=global&id=34
See what the press is covering next...
http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=1396&area_id=34

Basic Show information and Ticket Sales
For full information on a show visit http://www.edfringe.com/ and type the name of the show into the search box at the top right of the front page. For shortened Information and to book tickets, type in the name of the show into the searchbox of the 'shows & tickets' section ~ go there
These search boxes will give different initial outputs

24 Hour Box Office
Call 0131 226 0000

Half Price Ticket Sales, Offers and Two for One Ticket Sales
Look for the Half-Price Hut and E-Ticket booking tents
The Fringe usually has exclusive 50% off tickets, 2 for 1 ticket deals and there are also many ticket deals published in the local daily newspapers.

Supplementary Company & Venue Pre-Event Information
More information, including press releases, may be found at venue websites which may have links to production company websites. Here are some of the main venues
Aurora Nova :: http://www.auroranova.org/ :: Probably some of the best shows at the Fringe..
Spiegeltent :: http://www.spiegeltent.net :: Great outdoor ambience
C Venues :: http://www.CtheFestival.com :: Friendly and welcoming...
Underbelly :: http://www.underbelly.co.uk :: Some fabulous events spaces
Gilded Balloon :: http://www.gildedballoon.co.uk/
Assembly Rooms :: http://www.assemblyrooms.com/
Pleasance :: http://www.pleasance.co.uk
Rocket :: http://www.rocketvenues.com :: Demarco-Rocket and always interesting
Sweet Venues :: http://www.sweet-uk.net
Hill Street Theatre :: http://www.universal-arts.co.uk/ :: Fabulous venue and excellent shows
The Lot :: http://www.the-lot.co.uk
Bongo :: http://www.thebongoclub.co.uk/
Greyfriars Kirk House :: http://www.paradise-green.co.uk
Ex-Holyrood Tavern :: Now at Holyrood Too @ Faith, 207 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 IJD :: http://www.rarebirdsprod.com/ :: Tradition of good value pub/night-club micro-venue..
Theatre Workshop :: http://www.theatre-workshop.com
George Sq Theatre :: http://www.festivals.ed.ac.uk/ :: ... the University is the largest venue owner on the Fringe
Traverse Theatre :: http://www.traverse.co.uk/ :: Expands into more venues during the Fringe..
The above are well known venues but this list is not exhaustive...
BienVenue Management will organises performance space at the Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel :: http://www.bienvenue.org.uk/ :: seems new for 2007..

Sources of Reviews
There are multiple media supplying Reviews on-line, on the radio and in print, in newspapers and in free sheets
ThreeWeeks in Edinburgh :: http://edinburgh.threeweeks.co.uk/
Edinburgh Guide :: http://www.edinburghguide.com/festival/
The Stage :: http://www.thestage.co.uk/edinburgh/ :: Can be scathing..
British Theatre Guide :: http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/index.htm :: see the fringe index
Broadway Baby :: http://www.broadwaybaby.com/ :: With added podcasts!!
Edinburgh Festivals :: http://www.edinburgh-festivals.com/Reviews.cfm :: consolidated Reviews from the Scotsman, Evening News, Scotland on Sunday which are local media.
The Skinny :: Skinnyfest :: http://www.skinnymag.co.uk/
Fringe Review :: http://www.fringeReview.co.uk :: ..written by experts
Edinburgh Festivals' LJ :: http://community.livejournal.com/edinfestivals :: ...written by everyone
See also :: The List :: Metro :: Scots Gay :: The Herald :: The Times :: Sunday Times :: The Guardian :: in print and on-line

Fringe Awards
Tap Water Awards :: http://www.tapwaterawards.org/
Official Edfringe Listing of 2007 Fringe Awards - tbc
Official Edfringe Listing of 2006 Fringe Awards :: http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=955&area_id=53

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2007 Press Releases
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE LAUNCH 2007 PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/NightNews-Media/message/539
Jan 2007 Edinburgh Fringe Official Press Release Fringe Director Paul Gudgin departs after most successful Fringe ever...
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/NightNews-Media/message/519

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Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
http://www.edinburghjazzfestival.co.uk

Edinburgh International Festival
http://www.eif.co.uk

Edinburgh Film Festival
http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk

Edinburgh International Book Festival
http://www.edbookfest.co.uk

Edinburgh Art Festival
http://www.edinburghartfestival.com

Edinburgh Military Tattoo
http://www.edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk

T on The Fringe
http://www.tonthefringe.com

Edinburgh Mela (Intercultural festival)
http://www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk/

More about Edinburgh Festivals
http://community.livejournal.com/edinfestivals/profile

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