Shut Up Play

Back again at the Fringe, Tempo Shut Up Play, were a delight to run into on the High Street. They had caught up with me last year armed as all Japanese tourists are perceived with cameras and I'd taken one or two photos too.

This year their random wandering was curtailed to more visits to the High Street stages. Of which they took full command of in my forays into their realm.

The yellow rain-coated Japanese troupe had made a point of saying "Hi" when they saw me on their first day on the mile and every day from then on and on their last I got another big hug from their leading lady.

Someone I ran into said they had a fantastic show. The problem I have is that I run into to many groups with fantastic shows. And never on at the right time or within my time I allocate to see shows. Maybe next time.

But again with shows with style and a bit of humour on the High street. I'll give them an Andrew 5 star rating. Stepping on to a stage is not always enough. Adding a bit of magic like Tempo Shut Up Play is what is required.

I Think I Need a Doctor

Dominating the High Street and a great many days of photographs from through out this Fringe were the cast from ZigZag Creations. Their daring to stand on the High Street dressed stunningly was always going to be a great draw to the many photographers who prowled and stalked.
I complimented Kate the director on such a stunning array of costume (or lack of it maybe) and such a beautiful and elegant cast.

I was sad that they were not a cast here for the full run. But very probably glad that they did end their run early. Or too many days would have been dominated by so many shots of them promoting their show on the Royal Mile.

Kate had said that their shorter run came down to cost, but she did let me in on an idea that she has for 2010. Zigzag Creations will be back, bigger and longer in 2010, and I'm sure their show will rock the High Street.

Not since 2007 and Foul Play Productions The Devil Chess A Burlesque, has a cast taken the High Street and given it a shake. Just like James Bonds martini. And of course Mr Bond wouldn't mind the presence of a few beautiful women in fact I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

Get Up Stand UP

Comedy, music and a little bit of political awareness. Well that's what Tony, Ann and team were flyering about during the Fringe.

They are Fringe stalwarts, with a few years under their belt. And the beauty is they're a bit like me. They don't mind wadding in to tell people off who make to much noise. Or are disrespectful of how the street "works."

A few minutes every day I did like to wander up and say "Hi."

On one occasion when Rex Boyd was around I just had to introduce Tony to him, as only just the day or so before I'd been telling Tony that I believed that Rex was one of the finest comedians on the comedy circuit at the moment.

Of course they'll be back pink t-shirts and all. A nicer couple on the street I doubt not, and always a great team working with them.

Rain Man

What more can I say about Rain People but brilliant.

But more importantly for me I became their regular supporter during the last week of their run.

Their show was that good.

The two principal female dancers, confusingly Masha. With each their own personality and style which showed in the performances I watched. Were a magical pair Masha 2, I'll call her as it was in the second part of the week I saw her performance on stage told me that on the last night when she stepped on stage and she saw me sitting had the biggest smile inside because I was there to see their last performance.

And she made my day just after when entering from back stage she came bounding over to give me the biggest hug I've ever had from anyone at the Fringe.

At run end I was there to the finish. Deconstruction of props, sets and everything else. Then it was a few moments relaxation and the chance of a celebratory glass of wine.

The cast in the space of the week had become good, or I should say great friends. Sasha the "language" of the group as she was called one day when Svetlana the director took her out of the room for a few minutes

"Our director has taken our language" I was told, but we struggled on each of the cast understanding a little of what I had to say, and communally a translation was formed for each side.


Over the glass of wine I was given an honour, I could not have asked for. I was made part of their company, an honouree "Rain Person or Rain Man.

And on their last evening in Edinburgh before their trip home, they made time to meet me in my regular haunt during the Fringe the City Cafe. It was the last chance for us all to say our good byes. I'd taken in one of there posters and I asked all to write a little something, which Sasha kindly translated on the night before she left.

Final goodbyes were said during the night and I'd like to say I was pretty close to shedding a tear at the loss; for the moment of new found friends.

I do like to make friends during the Fringe, everyone I meet on the High street and spend a bit of time chatting to I consider worthy of a place on my blog. And another face or friend to look forward to seeing the next year.

And it is great to run into people at the Fringe, who you've met over previous years. Maybe that's why people let me take photos, and some of whom I can now consider good friends.

And why my party goes down so well. Who else can show their holiday photos as a slide show and have a hundred or more people turn up. And some of them wanted me to do it again. Crazy people!

Why This Year was Different

Over the last few years it's been a few days in before I feel I've taken photos that match or better work I've produced in years past.

This year I was lucky I feel that I hit the ground running.

People may like what I do, but it's about what I like. What I want a photograph to be.

James and Gordo, two new performers to the High Street in one show before the Fringe officially started gave me images I consider my best work this year.

James one day was having a bad day, a day or so later so I thought what better way to cheer him up than give him a copy of one of the prints I'd done for display in The City Cafe.

The shots I got made my Fringe worth while. They gave me images to aim for for the rest of my time on the High Street. So I must thank them for allowing me the chance to shoot them. Because without them my Fringe year might not have been as good as I feel it has been.

My Top Twenty

What I like and what everyone else likes will of course be completely different. But that's what photography is. I record images I like. Not every shot my best. But it's most of the time just about recording moments.

So this year having been asked what were the best or greatest moments on the High Street I thought what better way to show this was with a top twenty.

Hope you like my choices.

That's almost one shot a day during the Fringe official

Should I Mention The Weather

Wet all the people that visit Edinburgh in August don't know the meaning of the word wet.

It's just that August has been a little wet in recent years; look back to 2008, where we had just 4 sunny days out of the 21 for the Fringe.

This year we faired so much better. It might have rained in parts of days, but overall it was drier and warmer, amazingly.

I did carry my trusty brolly, most days. And even kept my "dry-as-a-bone" on when the sun came out, just not wanting to tempt fate. It did seem to work.

On one of these wet days I did get my new personal best for "bollard balancing", but that's another story.