1. How would you describe your company?
Solo performer telling autobiographical story.

2. Describe your show in 9 words.
Growing up with an international con artist mother.

3. Nine essential items you packed to bring to the Fringe.
Music, water bottle, rain-coat, humor, condoms, lube, more humor, cocaine, more water

4. Describe an ideal day for you at the Fringe.
Flyer, flyer, flyer,flyer, flyer, flyer, perform, pass out.

5. First nine words spoken in your show.
Ay gracias pro venir, que lindos estan todos!

6. Describe the ideal audience member for your show.
Anyone with a mother.

7. What has been your funniest experience (intentional or otherwise) on stage?
People walking in 45 minutes late to the show and I said: “I’ll start over”

8. Can you describe your show as a :- food, drink, smell, colour, animal, a school subject, a sound, a form of clothing and a piece of stationery?
Bitter chocolate, Pisco sour (Peruvian cocktail), lavender, A boa constrictor, Crime 101A, wind chimes, a woman’s scarf, legal paper.

9. Can you recommend another show you have either heard about or have already seen?
Cabaret Whore

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A true story of growing up with an international con artist mother and our adventures from Peru to California and then New York. A sons journey to save his mother.

No Parole – Family is a Life Sentence is on everyday till the 30th (not on 24th) at the Laughing Horse @ Espionage at 14:15 and is part of the Free Fringe.

1. How would you describe your company?
Critically acclaimed, award-winning, international band of inventive vagabonds

2. Describe your show in 9 words.
True tales of Las Vegas childhood: professional gambler father

3. Nine essential items you packed to bring to the Fringe.
Playing cards
Party dresses
False eyelashes
Vitamins
Business cards
Vegas Swag
Camera
Earplugs
Cafe du Monde coffee from New Orleans

4. Describe an ideal day for you at the Fringe
Yoga, vegetarian haggis, perform, beer, late show, Silent Disco

5. First nine words spoken in your show
“Did everyone who wanted some cheeseball get some cheeseball?”

6. Describe the ideal audience member for your show.
Considers self lucky, likes games and unusual theatrical forms

7. What has been your funniest experience (intentional or otherwise) on stage?
The Wire’s Lester Freamon storms onstage, gambles for whiskey.

8. Can you describe your show as a :- food, drink, smell, colour, animal, a school subject, a sound, a form of clothing and a piece of stationery?
Food: Vegas Cheeseball
Drink: Highball
Smell: Vegas Cheeseball
Colour: Red
Animal: Vegas Cheeseball
School Subject: Differential Calculus meets Home Economics
Sound: a slot machine jackpot
Clothing: cocktail dress
Stationery: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas-patterned Post-It Notes

9. Can you recommend another show you have either heard about or have already seen?
Dead Cat Bounce, Sirqus Alfon’s EUROTRASH, Frisky and Mannish

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A cocktail party cross-bred with a quiz show, packed into a breakneck hour of true confessions, interrogations, blackjack bootcamp, Vegas tunes and cheeseballs. Free nightly giveaway of real Vegas prizes + party favours for all attendees!

You can chance your ‘Luck’ everyday till the 31st at the Underbelly’s Hullaballoo at 20:10. Go gamble!

1. How would you describe your company?
Two man Victorian comedy magic duo with spectacular beards.

2. Describe your show in 9 words.
Magic, mystery, whimsy and no white rabbits in sight.

3. Nine essential items you packed to bring to the Fringe.
Tea, playing-cards, soap, biscuits, boggle, umbrella, tailcoats, hammers, nails.

4. Describe an ideal day for you at the Fringe.
No flyering, sell out show, cup of tea afterwards.

5. First nine words spoken in your show
Magic, it’s all around us really. You’ve just got…

6. Describe the ideal audience member for your show.
Willing to take part, squeamish and good speaking voice.

7. What has been your funniest experience (intentional or otherwise) on stage?
Man reading with reading glasses borrowed from a woman.

8. Can you describe your show as a :- food, drink, smell, colour, animal, a school subject, a sound, a form of clothing and a piece of stationery?
Cake, tea, cigars, mahogany, rabbit, maths, gasps, top-hat, fountain-pen.

9. Can you recommend another show you have either heard about or have already seen?
Lilly Through The Dark at Bedlam is absolutely awesome.

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Join Morgan and West for an hour of Victorian Comedy Parlour Magic. Thrilling tricks, marvellous magic, fantastic facial hair and at least four types of biscuit! 5pm Gilded Balloon.

Bamboozlement! is at the Gilded Balloon Teviot, everyday till the 31st at 17:00. Go see them now!

1. How would you describe your company?
Like a swan; calm on top, paddling madly underneath

2. Describe your show in 9 words.
A dark twisted noir horror inspired by Alfred Hitchcock

3. Nine essential items you packed to bring to the Fringe.
Umbrella, cello tape, staples, lots of money, swimming trunks (never used), naive students to work on your street team, coat, a never say die attitude and pasta

4. Describe an ideal day for you at the Fringe
Big breakfast followed by a great review and show

5. First nine words spoken in your show
“Tick tock, tick, tock, ticked the clock as Ernest….”

6. Describe the ideal audience member for your show.
Anyone over the age of nine who likes thrills

7. What has been your funniest experience (intentional or otherwise) on stage?
Going on stage and welcomed by a power cut..

8. Can you describe your show as a :- food, drink, smell, colour, animal, a school subject, a sound, a form of clothing and a piece of stationery?
Food – Dark Chocolate
Drink – Bourbon
Smell – Fear
Colour – Black
A School Subject – Philosophy!
A Sound – Wind whistling
A Form of Clothing – A black long flowing cloak
Piece of Stationery – Sharp dangerous scissors

9. Can you recommend another show you have either heard about or have already seen?
Palace at the end – Traverse

You now have 30 words or less to plug your show to our readers!
Inspired by the likes of Poe, Tim Burton and Hitchcock, ‘Ernest and the Pale Moon’, combines live music, physicality and great storytelling all from the team behind ‘The Terrible Infants.’

Catch the fantastic ‘Ernest and the Pale Moon’ everyday till the 31st, at 14:20 at the Pleasance Courtyard. And don’t forget to read our review here!

1. How would you describe your company?
The Noise Next Door are an energetic comedy troupe who turn short-form improvisation into fast paced, gag-fuelled comedy for the masses, not just improv fans.

2. Describe your show in 9 words.
Comedy without maths.

3. Nine essential items you packed to bring to the Fringe.
A lightweight waterproof coat – it rains here.
A good book – for the TV-less flat.
Multi-vits – gotta keep that immune system rocking on.
Brightly coloured ties – otherwise we’d have to perform looking like waiters.
Sanderson Throat Specific Mixture – a dastardly medicine to save our voices.
Martin the raven – moral support.
T-shirt with Trainspotting opening monologue on it – to TOTALLY fit in.
A diary – to be filled with our emotional journey.
A strict diet plan – fried food, fried food, cake.

4. Describe an ideal day for you at the Fringe
Waking up around 11, grabbing a traditional Scottish breakfast, catching a few shows of varying qualities, not having to flyer (now that would be ideal), rocking out a show to a packed house then hitting a bar somewhere and making friends with total strangers.

5. First nine words spoken in your show
Earth has been destroyed, we’re the only known survivors…

6. Describe the ideal audience member for your show.
Michael Clarke Duncan

7. What has been your funniest experience (intentional or otherwise) on stage?
At the Brighton Fringe in 2008 we were improvising a scene in which Ghengis Kahn had his head chopped off. Ghengis (white tied Charlie) slammed his head onto a cabaret style table in the front row of the audience to represent a grizzly death and then… well, his head caught on fire. It turned out the table he had chosen had been home to a little tealight candle which, when mixed with excessive styling wax, set his hair ablaze causing mild screaming from the audience. Matt (green) and Tom (yellow) didn’t miss a beat and included the extinguishing of his head into the scene.

8. Can you describe your show as a :- food, drink, smell, colour, animal, a school subject, a sound, a form of clothing and a piece of stationery?
Pick ‘n’ Mix, limited edition vanilla Coca-Cola, fresh laundry, cerulean, honey badger, bushcraft, “mewaaaaa”, ties, naked man pen where when you write he’s got clothes on but when you turn it up he doesn’t have any clothes on.

9. Can you recommend another show you have either heard about or have already seen?
The Penny Dreadful’s show The Never Man is ace. If you can get tickets, get tickets.

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A new future, a new horizon…Welcome to OtherWorld. Audience suggestions are transformed into fantastically funny scenes, songs and scenarios, creating a brand new world every night.

The Noise Next Door: OtherWorld is playing at C Chamber Street till the 31st of August, every night at 22:40. Too miss it would be aver, very daft thing to do… Go get tickets now!

1. How would you describe your company?
Just me and 3 fantastic volunteers – manic, passionate, low-budget.

2. Describe your show in 9 words.
Charming yet saucy spoof lecture on relationships and sex

3. Nine essential items you packed to bring to the Fringe.
Blu tak, vitamins, cheque book, tesco clubcard, sunglasses (surprisingly essential this year!), cagoule (less essential than last year), balloons, glitter (see the show), face wipes (to remove the glitter)

4. Describe an ideal day for you at the Fringe.
Sunny and involving friends, beers and good audience numbers

5. First nine words spoken in your show.
Anyone fancy a love heart? what does yours say?

6. Describe the ideal audience member for your show.
Open-minded, happy to interact,in a good mood

7. What has been your funniest experience (intentional or otherwise) on stage?
Singing Moloko’s Sing It Back with lesbian go-go dancers

8. Can you describe your show as a :- food, drink, smell, colour, animal, a school subject, a sound, a form of clothing and a piece of stationery?
Chemistry lesson with pervy teacher who talks about herself

9. Can you recommend another show you have either heard about or have already seen?
All That Gomez, Cabaret Whore, Clutching At Straws – great!

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Hot on the heels of sellout previews at Camden Fringe and Cambridge Comedy Festival, former Funny Women Finalist investigates the science of attraction and sexual chemistry.

Rosie Wilby: The Science of Sex plays at Sweet Grassmarket everyday, at 18:15. What you waiting for!? Go catch it.

Hot on the heels of finishing the Buxton fringe and gaining an award in the process Tom Crawshaw, Yaz Al-Shaater and Michael Grady-Hall bring Play On Words to Edinburgh. They explain, “The show is all about confusion and the different ways in which it can be interpreted. That’s why we interchange the roles each night” but also Yaz adds, “Truth is, its just really fun as well”.
Not many acts at this year’s festival would even dare to change roles every night “well it gives us variation” Michael says “different things can be funny each night that’s why we like the uncertainty that comes with playing a different role”. Tom comments “people often get stuck in a rut with a show, where as we want to make it as diverse as possible, something that helps challenge us”.
Brining back a show is always a bit of a risk but that does not seem to faze these guys “well we have different ideas this time of how the play should unfold, but we also wanted to try and iron out some of the more difficult and complicated ideas”. Yaz further explains “the first idea was experimental this one feels like a finished product”.

So what are they expecting from the future? Yaz tells us “we’ve all gone separate ways since we grew up together – acting, directing and philosophy – so we all have different aims when we’re developing shows, but most importantly we want to keep the ideas fresh as possible”. And what is their main philosophy? “Audience interaction is so important to us. We want to give them an interactive experience something which they can feel part of”.
Being mini veterans of the fringe doesn’t seem to affect them either “it feels like we come up here with a challenge every year and that is to try and better last year’s show”. Michael says “It’s always enjoyable when you look out onto the audience and people are holding their sides because they are laughing so much” and Tom recalls gleefully, “one of our productions managed to bring them to tears” an achievement they all seem proud of.

IN FIVE WORDS

Favourite thing about your show?
Being drenched in sprite.

Favourite thing about the Festival?
Opportunity to see many shows.

Where can we find you when you’re not performing?
Brookes Bar, Pleasance Courtyard, Sleeping.

What are you most looking forward to once it’s all over?
Next year.

If you wish to cry or laugh along with Play On Words you can catch them everyday during the festival at the Pleasance Dome at 13:20.

Who are you?
I am René van Meurs, a 23 year old Dutch stand-up comedian. One of six comedians who are storming the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year with the Amsterdam Underground Comedy Collective. I have been doing stand-up since 2006, joined Comedytrain (Holland’s famous Comedy Collective) in 2008 and this year is my first run on the Fringe.

What is your show about?
Basically it’s an hour of the finest Dutch stand-up comedy, performed in English of course. The Amsterdam Underground Comedy Collective did the Fringe for two years now, and they have definitely raised the bar for us. The first run, back in 2007, had Holland’s mega comedy stars on board, with The Times even picking Hans Teeuwen to be the find of the festival. In 2008 Hans Teeuwen and colleague Micha Wertheim did two hour-long shows, but this year it’s back to stand-up comedy line-ups. The team consists of six comedians, all young and upcoming talents on Holland’s comedy scene. You won’t recognize any of our names, don’t even try to pronounce them, but trust me: we are ever so funny.

Is comedy international? Or is comedy lost in translation?
It’s definitely an international thing, I mean, we all laugh at little kids being chased by chickens, slipping and falling with their faces in horsepoo… or old ladies tripping over their own boobs or men getting hit in the sack by the boomerang they threw themselves… right? Especially when it’s being exaggerated with those funny squeaky sounds. Those things, and especially the sounds, are international.

But indeed, it is difficult to perform in a different language than your own. So in a certain way, it’s like the Paralympics of comedy. But Dutch people have always been very good when it comes to their languages, so don’t try to outsmart us by putting on some fake accent. Nine out of ten times, we recognize it as being fake, imitate it and then use it against you.
Besides it’s not really about the jokes being funny. It’s more the person on stage that has to be funny himself. If the one on stage is funny, he can make everything funny… just by speaking his (funny) mind. So in a way, translation doesn’t really come into play on stage, but more while you prepare.

Why are Dutch people funny?
Drugs, mainly. And because we have all been hit in the head by a windmill wearing wooden clogs, carrying tulips while aborting a baby.
No, Holland is a country with few taboos left. That makes it possible to say almost about everything. It gives comedians the opportunity to really speak their mind and let their audiences know what they think, what bothers them and what makes them tick. And I don’t mean that it has to be a political or social. Anything goes, there’s not much left that you can do that makes an audience hate you. Because of the freedom of speech, nothing should be held back, which allows you to make everything funny.

Who are better at telling jokes, the Dutch or Brits?
Dutch comedians generally outplay their British colleagues when it comes to performing in Dutch. But obviously, that’s a clear thing. But on the other hand, Dutch comedians performing in English… that actually works out quite well (as we will prove). As a matter of fact, I like to challenge anyone to come see us Dutch guys perform in English and then have their say.

How do you come up with the jokes that form your stand-up routine?
Again, drugs, mainly. Honestly? I’m not a regular when it comes to drugs. I like the occasional beer, but that’s about it. When I come to think of it, especially for a Dutch guy, I’m more of a stand-up comedian light.
I can only speak for myself, but most of my bits actually happened to me the way I tell them on stage. I’m not much of a political comedian, more an observational one with a slight twist of absurdism. So basically everything I do, see or hear can make out quite the funny material.

Finally, can you tell us a typical Dutch joke?
I don’t think there’s much of a typical Dutch joke. I do remember this ‘mop’ (as we call jokes in Dutch) from the time I was a kid. Everyone used to tell it and it would always make everyone burst into laughter.

“Ik ken nog een goeie mop… twee tieten in een envelop.”

Which literally translates as: “I know this really good joke… a pair of tits in an envelope.”
Haha, I still love it. I admit, it is crazy to put tits in an envelope, but I guess that used to be a typical Dutch tradition. Maybe we should introduce that in Edinburgh.

IN FIVE WORDS

Favourite thing about your show?
Let Brits burst into laughter

Favourite thing about the Festival?
Being able to perform abroad.

Where can we find you when you’re not performing?
In the Underbelly’s bar, drinking.

What are you most looking forward to once it’s all over?
Using my own language again.

René van Meurs and the Amsterdam Underground Comedy Collective are playing at the Underbelly from the 6th till the 30th (not 17th) at 21:30.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background in directing?
My background is actually not in directing—that’s a fairly new enterprise for me. I am a dancer at heart. I grew up in Paisley and began dancing when I was four years old, which means I can’t really remember a time when dance wasn’t part of my life. I joined the McLaughlin School of Irish Dance in Glasgow when I was eleven and studied with James McLaughlin who is a big name in the business and in my opinion, the best. I have always had an interest in theatre being part of PACE Youth Theatre in Paisley, performing in shows in high school and producing shows at University. When I got to University I began the Irish Dance program there and taught the beginner’s and advanced classes for six years. Halfway through that time I founded the Siamsoir Celtic Dance Company (http://www.siamsoir.co.uk) because I saw the opportunity to do something more. We spent two years establishing ourselves and then premiered our first show “The Battle for Eire” in 2007 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Directing the company and directing a show are two very different experiences for me. I’d say that my role as Company Director is much more in my comfort zone because of my foundation in dance, but directing a show challenges me, and I embrace that. I produced a recital and a musical at St. Andrews so I had a little experience in theatre, but putting together a piece of physical theatre with two casts (Irish and Contemporary dancers), and live music in the case of Battle for Eire, I don’t think there’s anything that can fully prepare you for that. At the end of the day directing is about storytelling. Before I ever thought about creating and writing a full-length show, I was telling stories in my choreography, and I think that is what got me here.

How would you describe the show?
The plot of CELTIC CALEDONIA: The Curse is based on the battle between the Picts and the Gaels, and features a few historical figures alongside the fictional. When all the magic has died in the land of Eire (Ireland), the Celts abandon their barren home and take to the seas. They arrive on the shores of Caledonia with the promise of a new life, only to encounter the Pictish clans already in residence. Threatened by the new arrivals, the Picts are forced to summon ancient mystical forces in order to protect their land and their culture. There’s a wonderful mystical element and a love story between the characters Cruithne and Cinead. It’s an all around crowd-pleaser. “Celtic Caledonia” is actually a continuation of “The Battle for Eire.” The character Erin appears in both.

What was the inspiration behind it?
‘Battle for Eire’ was inspired by Yeat’s poem The Stolen Child (‘Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild. With a faery, hand in hand , For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand’.)
On a more general note with Celtic Caledonia I wanted to pay homage to my two great loves—Irish dance and Scotland. Telling a story of my homeland through the art of dance means a lot to me, and I hope that it will mean something to every person who experiences the show. I think that anyone who loves this place, loves our history and our heritage, will be affected by the story we tell.

How do you feel it is coming along?
There’s a great quote in the movie ‘Shakespeare in Love’ where one character turns to the other backstage, just as they’re about to open a show, and asks, “How will it be all right?!” And the other character looks at him and says, “I don’t know. It’s a mystery.” I think that’s true of all theatre. Working with two casts is especially challenging. We work separately for most of the rehearsal process and only come together in the last couple weeks. Those all-day sessions can be grueling, but it’s great to see everything fall into place. It always comes together at the last minute. We don’t know how, but we know it’ll happen, and it always does. I was incredibly pleased with our opening show (a piece of set fell down, but there always has to be something!) and I know it’ll only get better each day.

What aspects of the performance do you think the audience will enjoy?
We put a lot of emphasis on the “fusion choreography” in our shows. It’s rare to combine Irish and Contemporary dance, and I think it’s really interesting visually, but what do people remember most? After “The Battle for Eire” we always had little girls coming up to us who wanted to talk to the faeries who wore these gorgeous costumes made by our designer Anna Pohle. I think it’ll be the same for the Sorceress and the Drow in “Celtic Caledonia.” Audiences enjoy magic; they enjoy spectacle, and tales of good and evil. It’s Lord of the Rings done Riverdance style. What’s not to love?

What are the challenges in directing a physical theatre performance?
I am always struggling to keep my choreography fresh. Thankfully the dancers contribute steps and ideas, but it’s still a lot of work. One of the other big challenges is making sure that the story is compelling. If the story doesn’t work then the dancers (including myself!) have trouble getting into character. You can lose your audience if it’s not convincing.

Do you have any directing plans for the future?
Of course! I’m already planning Siamsoir’s show that will premiere at the Fringe in 2011. ‘The Battle for Eire’ and ‘Celtic Caledonia’ are definitely linked and I would like to finish the trilogy with this third show. After that, I want to produce all three shows consecutively so that people will have the opportunity to see the whole story in one sitting or in one week – I haven’t decided on the details but that would be a wonderful project.
In the meantime Siamsoir will continue as a performance act, available for private and public bookings, so my directing efforts will be focused on that for the next year or so.

IN FIVE WORDS

Favourite thing about your show?
My dancers.

Favourite thing about the Festival?
The incredible teamwork behind it.

Where can we find you when you’re not performing?
National Trust Scotland (my work)

What are you most looking forward to once it’s all over?
Starting on the next project!

Celtic Caledonia – The Curse is playing from the 5th till the 15th, at 11:30am, at C Venue in Chamber Street.

Bethany Black (Britain’s only Goth, Lesbian, Post-Op Transsexual stand up), returns to the Fringe this year following her debut smash show in 2008, and having been gigging for 5 years, she’s got a lot to say. This year she presents “Love and a Colt 45,” the latter of which represents copious amount of alcohol, not a firearm. “It’s really about facing up to your problems and not blaming them on anyone else,” she explains, “and forgiveness, it’s all about forgiveness. Jesus, that sounds lame.” Her final attempt: “it’s an hour of stories about why I shouldn’t have alcohol or be allowed in a relationship.”
Based on her early experiences of drinking Colt 45 lager as a teenager, and her experiences when considering herself to be more in love than she really was, it seems she spotted the similarities in people’s behaviour/stupid decisions – or at least hers. As far as she’s concerned, alcohol and love cause the most stupid decisions – but which is worse. “Neither any more,” she says, seeming relieved, “I’ve got all sorts of scars that I know are a direct result of drinking. However I also believe I once wrote the creepiest and most clingy text message to someone, ever!” On that note, it would seem that she has a real wealth of decisions which form part of her hilarious show. “Every time I bought a drink, took any drugs or said ‘I love you’ when I meant ‘My life’s not worth living without you and I need you to make all my decisions for me and in return I’ll do everything that you ever ask of me’. They’re not the same thing no matter how often I mistook them for the same thing.” There’s also that apparent element of ‘Alconoia’ running rife: “it’s that alcoholic paranoia,” she tells me, “that feeling when you come round from a night’s drinking with a crushing fear that any information from the previous night that’s revealed to you may cause you do die of embarrassment”.

(Editor’s note: Bethany’s bad decisions continue, as she seems to have decided to ignore our “in five words “request!)

IN FIVE WORDS

Favourite thing about your show?
The ending, I really like the ending.

Favourite thing about the Festival?
Seeing comics who for the rest of the year only walk from their flat to their car, all nearly having a heart attack on the first couple of days.

Where can we find you when you’re not performing?
Wandering around trying to find vegan food.

What are you most looking forward to once it’s all over?
Going to France to visit my parents, and not having to worry about what other people think of me for a few weeks.

Bethany Black is playing from the 6th till the 30th (not on the 17th) at 23:35 at the Underbelly. Don’t miss her!