Thursday 5 August 2010

It's All Happening in Edinburgh at the Festival

This month sees Edinburgh's annual festival and fringe, the world's biggest arts jamboree. Most of the acts come from outside Edinburgh, outside Scotland, but one at least - Shakespeare's The Tempest updated and set on a boat in Leith, features music by an Edinburgh friend, and there is also my performance at Blackwell Writers at the Fringe - free entry, nibbles provided - between 18:00 and 19:30 on Thursday 26 August.

Walking down the Royal Mile, one can't help be struck by the stars on show. There's a bloke who looks a bit like Leonardo di Caprio with a pot belly: there's a woman who, if you squint, looks like an older Tilda Swinson. It's fun trying to work out what people do in real life. The tough, wiry, deeply tanned middle aged woman striding up the street in polo shirt, shorts and sandals is a round the world sailor if I ever saw one: perhaps Laura Dekker will get lost in the Southern Ocean and this woman will rescue her? Those men sweeping the street - they look like bin men but they don't fool me, they are undercover police, special branch, and have glocks in their dustcarts. But what are they undercover for? Is there an ongoing bank robbery or hostage situation? I look round the street, alert for trouble. How exciting!

Aye, it's all happening in Edinburgh at the Festival!

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