Wednesday and Thursday 11 & 12

First my apologies that the day numbering system has failed. The fact is I'm sooo tired that I'm not sure what day it is! I mat a man today who was at a gig I guested at last week or the week before and I had no recollection of him. My apologies sir, whoever you are.

Ok Wednesday.
Stopped off a Piera's coffee shop on Bank street. She ran the salsa classes in the Dome that I guested at. Nice Italian coffee.  There may be the chance of doing a Mambalsa showcase on a boat party on the Firth of Forth next Tuesday. Good start to the day!

Chatted to Grace and Wilma  who's mother was a dancer in the Tilla girls and father was one of the iconic comedy group the Crazy Gang.

Camden Comedy was a little quieter due to warmth and sunshine 35 in but as the Irish say wow! What a crack!










Mambalsa had a massive two in, but what a lovely two they were. No such thing as a small audience!

Totally wiped so went back to digs.




Thursday
Early start and a jog up Arthurs Seat with a flag.
At first I thought I would just do a selfie, but then I realised this trip is all about reaching out. I asked for help and ended up teaching Mambalsa at the summit.

Myrtin and Jenny AKA Tango lady (sorry if names are wrong)

Camden Comedy very quiet 25in :-(
Sunshine and no flyerers! various excuses but now I know how important they are and will fix for the following days.
Flyered Dara O'Brain :-) That sentence is about as brief as my conversation with him.
Got a Tango lady to dance Mambalsa in a dingy ally
Had a nice chat with PBH as in the man Peter Buckly Hill at the venue and he's going to perform at Camden Comedy.
Mambalsa Show had seven. All but two were there for some other reason but they got something out of it so that how it goes.

Rona and Jill in the Pilgrim

Lovely family meal with Helen, her son Sean and his flat mates and Megan.

Tuesday Fringe day 11

Lovely run down to the Waters of Leith and out to Muffayfield home of Scottish Rugby. Selfie moment :-)
I'm thinking a serious attempt on Arthurs Seat is on the cards for this week.

Camden show went well with Kyle headlining and I saw Alex's act for the first time which was great. about 40 in so solid numbers on what should be a quiet day.
Mambalsa had six in five were a family from a show (sorry I lost the flyer) about the Scottish referendum. Only at the end was in formed that the elderly man was a former ballroom champion.

After my show it was raining so I popped in to see a ramdom one man show which was very good.
Then some blob time before a long form improve show. Then back to the flat for a glass/s of wine with Helen :-)

Camden Comedy Marketing Dept (note air poster)

The future of flyering!

Sunset after improv.

A fairly straightforward day at the Fringe.

Monday Fringe Day Ten

Monday, a quiet and reflective day deriving from moon day, as in night, as in stay in bed!
I got up with the speed of a galloping sloth. A beautiful day with fluffy white crowds over Edinburgh.
I cancelled the flash strut in favor of going to St Andrews fair and having an executive management meeting to review an access the my Fringe so far.

Bad points:
The Flash strut is not working out as the intro sequence of the TV series Fame suggest it would!
To be honest anything in the real world thing based on the opening sequence of a TV series, and a 1970's series at that, doesn't deserve to work.
The main problem is people or lack of them. Yes there are hundreds of people in the royal mile but at 10am not enough of them
want to join in. Also on the days where I've had more than two couples, there have been a massively improved response compared to single or couples based struts.
My plan is to move it to 5pm so I gain an extra hour's admin time. I also gain passing trade for the dance.
Camden Comedy had 35 which is not bad for a Monday!

Mambalsa show had twelve, including the lovely Piera who teaches salsa in Edinburgh and I talked into allowing me to do a tight ten showcase at her class.
The show went well if a little more chatty than I;m currently with but hay ho.
Dinner was half a bagget and a large spoon of red pesto. ummmmm!
The show case went well to a room of 18. Got the mambalsering i no time.
Digs for a coin count, glass of red and a chat with Helen :-)
Fliss tells me the boilers broken at home and that I'm missed:-)
Two idears:
One is to get locals to offer accommodation at discount prices to Fringe visitors who also pay a voluntary contribution to Helen's charity 'Rowan Alba'.
The other is to gather fellow Quest Comedy practitioners, and ride the PR show case wave of publicity. Quest Comedy: Uplifting real life projects told by the people that do amazing things.
I'll think I'll Tweet Tony Hawks and see if he'll share my e-fler and maybe come? What's the worst .....

Sunday Fringe Day 9

So what's special about Sunday?
In the world of Fringe nothing! It's just Fringe day nine.
I was late for the Strut and half harted so I slunk off to a coffee shop where I chatted to a couple of ladies from London about the Fringe.
Camden Comedy was rammoed. Turned away a group of ten.
Starting early to do extra chatting before the start is a great start!
Struan opened well, Robin Morgan smashed it! Joseph 'Mr Spooky' was spooky and David Mullholland headlined which was nice because he hosted my first gig with Kate Smurthwaite several years ago.  I got complimented for my material and riffing (chatting) although the Bob Marley stuff was poorly positioned in the show and not as good as the Edinburgh rant material.

Mambalsa Show went well with 10 in including the ladies from the coffee shop :-)
note to self (thank's Eddie)
IT'S ABOUT HAVING CONVERSATIONS NOT DISHING FLYERS!
I got through 3500 flyer for the Mambalsa show and am going to run short.
Effectiveness virtually zero unless there's been a conversation about the show/project.
More chat less dish!
Interestingly with only Lulu and I flyering mainly pushing Camden in the morning, therefore no real flyering. My Mambalsa audience has been around ten each day with a half coming from the brochures and the others coming from personal contacts or local salsa scene.

Amazing roast lamb with Helen and friends who's a suburb cook and host.
here's Monday......

Satuday day 8

It was great to meet Simon and Jenny for a dance in the street.

Camden Comedy was RAMMMMMED! The room holds 50 we had 60+
I'm really enjoying the audience riffing (chatting) and I'm now starting early to get more time.
Barry Ferns opened which fluffed everyone up even more. Mark Tomilinson and Daniel Offen looked like a Proclaimers tribute act. Two acts no showed so I stuck my head out in the street and saw David Sonos a superb pro from Canada who has supported Camden Comedy throughout. I was ok with dragging out some more material and riffing away but David smashed it. Right headliner right time.
Full bucket and many compliments. 'Wow what a ride'

Mambalsa show had about ten audience, including Helen my land lady who's CEO of Rowan Alba, a charity that tackles homelessness in Scotland. The bucket, meager as it, was went to the charity :-)

It was Saturday and week two of the Fringe so I went to see a couple of shows. Nymphomania, a one woman biographical show by Alex Dallas. Fantastic performance and touching story.


Then Shawn Buswells show.  It was his show last year that inspired mine. It's in the 'Quest' style of comedy like Dave Gorman and Tony Hawks. I'm calling it Quest comedy until we find a better name and Shawn suggests we ask the audience, which I shall do. btw I bumped into Michael Burdett who does a show about Nick Drake another quest comedy show.

Here's a jolly bunch of Proclaimer flash mobbers reminding me that we're in Scotland!
face book video
Here's me eating the national dish, chips! And a pick of Cowgate pub on Cowgate!

Best dance joke ad lib.
East Coast Swing? Isn't that now called Virgin East Coast Swing?
The Arizona Two Step is like the Texas Two Step but more jumpy due to the scorpions!

Day Six- Thursday

Thursday deriving from 'Thor's Day' god of Thunder!
And it's raining now so it's blog time :-)
Over tubed into town on a beautiful morning, the best day in Edinburgh for months by all acounts.
PopUp Srtuting was slow so I went to flyer the Virgin bucket shop which was quite effective. On the way back someone caught my I and I slipped into the shtick of "If you catch my eye you have to have a flyer' This ends with me dancing Mambalsa to a lovely lady who had just arrived on the train. SHe picked it up instantly and we danced in the sun under the Scot Memorial.

Comedy show a bit quiet 25 in. I put this down to the fantastic weather.
I was about to go into my 'I'm a dance teacher blah blah' and asked if there were any dancers in. A man said he was into East Coast Swing and said isn't that now called Virgin East Coast Swing? Good laugh.

Mambalsa show 11in New flyerers doing a grand job! Three Cerocers, two French salseros, John from one of the shows. Good show with great people.

4.30pm another Mambalsa Strut with Charlie and some of the team from Rent (show) the pics and video say it all.

Evening.
Went salsering with Helen my lovely landlady who had been on the 1-Day Intensive Salsa Course as had Charlie. A Cuban band was on led by Nino of Salsa Celtica fame. Good to see him again. Brian was there from Cafe Baile as was my favorite salseros who came on the first strut, Charlie and the afternoon stut crew and some professional contact of Helen's who I mambalsa'ed. The club was text book salsa with all the good and bad that brings. Eye whipping long hair flailing around. Move that only fit in a TARDIS. Bar staff clearing unfinished drinks and A serly door lady who in true money laundering style said 'no receipt' But good dancing and great band and great company. Oh and beer!
It was Thor's day so I had to get hammered. Rolled in at 4am after stopping off at Helen's favorite local Carters bar.
Good morning Edinburgh and thank you for raining!!