This blog will not change your life, nor will it inspire you do great things. If it does, you win 5 house points. This is mostly about the ridiculous month, formerly known as August, Edinburgh; and what I managed to achieve whilst I was there.
It goes without saying I had a stonkingly good time operating the two shows I was up there with, Max and Ivan The Reunion and Birthday Girls: 2053. It’s probably worth mentioning what my job entails, through the medium of GIF and Meme.
This is what operating Lighting and Sound (and the occasional disco ball, smoke machine, or strobe light) is like in my eyes:
Given that I did 51 shows over the month and countless 15 minute spots, Qlab (a programme what makes music, video, and other magic happen) only crapped out on me once the whole month. There must be some omnipotent power looking over me…
If we’re really stripping back what I did, I pressed a combination of 300 buttons everyday, over the whole month that’s 7650 buttons. All my fingers are still intact.
That about covers it, so here is an anecdotal list of all the things I managed to accomplish with the 20 hours a day I had spare:
– NOT FLYER. Pretty much most people’s dream whilst at the Fringe. If all my shows require of me, is to press buttons with immense accuracy for 60 minutes straight (see above), I count it as a blessing; mainly because I’m the worst flyerer known to mankind. My enthusiasm for it being on the same level as hers…
– Turned my body clock upside down. If you struggle to keep up with what day of the week it is in Edinburgh, you’re doing it right. You doing it more right if you think breakfast should be consumed at 3pm.
– Eating roughly one meal a day, the other two consisting of alcohol at 10pm and 4am. I should mention that the times I did eat, it was a two person portion of tortellini (I beg to differ on that) or an 8 slice take out pizza. I have no shame, or diabetes, so good times all round.
– Deciding that attending a free bar on an empty stomach was a good idea. I mean it was, for the first 5 drinks at least.
– Saw The Table for the 5th time. It’s puppetry, on a table. You can judge me if you’ve seen it at least twice (you won’t). And, hey, Blind Summit thought it was okay…
– Got approved for a Career Development Loan (this will mean very little to anyone else) but it means I get to learn how to be a better Stage Manager and by proxy, a better button presser, watch out for updates. It made me do a happy dance, like this.
– For the fourth year in a row I have successfully avoided walking up Arthur’s Seat. I can only imagine it being just as busy as the Royal Mile, but with a better view. *£10 to the person that gets me up it.
– Saw all these cracking shows:
For my summary of the shows, follow the #seenit project Blackshaw been working on, on Twitter. Or you know, Google them.
– And when I wasn’t seeing shows, I was becoming addicted to Breaking Bad. Which I’m pretty sure you’ll agree, is a worthwhile pastime. If you’ve not yet succumbed to the glory that is Breaking Bad, get on board. Fast.
Oh and I also drew this picture of a duck in one of the scripts.
I have now since fully recovered from this way of life, I’ve started eating vegetables again and now see both 8am and 8pm each day. I am however, ready and raring to get back there next year.
*This is a legally binding bet, I’m good for it. Ask the people who gave me my loan.
Blackshaw Theatre 