Fringe First award to me for staying sober for the entire weekend

Meow meow - those are her shoulders not her knees - or are they?

Fringe madness kicked off yesterday by heading to Teviot and the Underbelly. It was hoaching – not an inch of space on the Royal Mile, The Mound or  Princes Street on the way up. Not the place for the claustrophobics convention. So got to The Underbelly in time to queue for Flawless the dance troup from Britains Got Talent, on in the upside down purple cow. My overiding feeling is that it was like an homage to Michael Jackson as the hour unfolded with Jackson after Jackson reference and hit. You can tell these guys are nice, they are. They are talented but they need tightening up. The narrative wasn’t strong enough to hold the attention in my opinion but this may just be becuase I have been spoilt over the past few years seeing so many similar acts. There were points where the audience didn’t know whether to applaud of not –  there was a sort of awkward is this the end of this routine ? pause.  Still great for the youngsters and fans of the TV series. However Flawless it was not.

Hung around to see The Magnets. A joy. Vocal gymnastics from the beat box king of the world, a bass voice which sent shivers through the entire floor and accompanying talent who had the audeince, rapt, laughing, singing, shouting from start to finish. The energy and creativity to arrange everything from Lady Ga Ga to the theme from Zulu for an accapelo group is outstanding. Bloody good.

Sloped off to Princes Street Gardens for something Well Hung & Tender – the top class burger joint next to Assembly Tent in the Gardens and a walloping great burger it was to for  £4 lashed with cheese and fried onions. Just the job but beware I bought myself a half pint of lager to go and sit on the grass and enjoy with my food but you’re not allowed out of the enclosure with booze. I didn’t leave it though – I just left my friends.

Last show of the night the remarkable Meow Meow, a force of nature in the shape of a rather voluptuous dirty voiced tour de force who had every man in the place in love with her and every woman smiling by the end. The moment when she crowd surfs and removes most of her clothing and changes into another rathger glam. number is hilarious. Cabaret, humour and sex  in the same show? Of course it’s a winner.

Then we slid home, burgered but not wined. A Saturday night at the fringe returning quiet and in control…..of course it can’t last…..tonight we’re off again…..gulp!

AlisonsDiary

Writer & broadcaster.

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