Today started off bright and early with a Traverse Through Time talk. Our time and space changed from the Red Lecture Theatre to the Cairns Lecture Theatre, so finding the space upstairs in Summerhall was quite interesting but the talk went really well. Today we had the first of a two part series with the original six founders of the Traverse Theatre, Richard Demarco, Jim Haynes, Sheila Colvin, John Calder, John Martin, Sean Hignett and moderator Catherine Robins. Richard Demarco is quite a character...quite. a. character.
After the talk I ran back to the flat to grab lunch, then went back to Summerhall for our group show, This Side of Paradise. I've noticed that a lot of the Summerhall shows have a certain creepy tone to them, and this was no exception. The show was a physical theatre piece with no dialogue and an extremely well put together soundscape. It began in the dissection room, filled with smoke and very little room for the audience to stand. We were then ushered into the display room where we sat in small wooden chairs built in an arc shape. The show continued and got increasingly creepy with every moment that passed. The light cues were right on target because while we were focused on a performer in the far corner, another creeped right in front of our faces and scared the literal crap out of us. Well played, well played. Then Sam dropped her water bottle down on the stage...not so well played.
Right after the show I met up with Bob, Amy, and Jordan of Bedtime Solos and brought them up to the fourth floor of Summerhall for our group talk back. We talked for about an hour about the show, their company in Kansas City and the role of the actors and tech on stage.
It started to rain on our way back to the flat, but we've been pretty lucky with the weather so far so I can't complain. Sam, Ali, Kate and I were getting ready to head to Gryphon to shadow Kekoa (the Gryphon venue manager) when I got a call on my UK phone from an unrecognized number. I'm trying to conserve minutes so I almost didn't answer, but at the last moment I picked up and it was Mrs. O'Keefe! I'm not sure why it came up restricted when I have the number in my phone, but she and her husband arrived in Edinburgh this morning. They briefly stopped by our flat but we had to rush out soon after to make to Gryphon to in time to meet Kekoa. It amazes me how small the world is sometimes...talk about a coincidence. We're trying to set up a time for lunch/coffee over the next few days. Pretty cool since, after all...she's the reason I even know the Fringe exists.
Kekoa took us to the cafe next to Gryphon to talk, and each of us tried a different flavor tea. We talked about how artists think and how venue managers handle situations that arise. He has some of the craziest stories about people he's dealt with! We then went back to the venue to see a puppet version of Northanger Abbey. From there we ran back to quickly make dinner and head out to Just the Tonic at the Caves to see This Was Your Life. It is by the same group that did Snakes! The Musical, and it was absolutely hilarious. The stage was so tiny and the venue was so muggy and gross, but the actors did an amazing job, and there's really nothing to criticize. Their audio had issues in the middle, but they pushed through without a problem. Chances are it wasn't even their tech's fault--there's only so much power that can be run through these makeshift venues, if another show is drawing too much of the power then less is available without blowing the system.
And tonight we went to a place called Hive. Met some cool people, had a great time. The sun is coming up so I should probably go to sleep...Traverse again in the morning!
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