THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL | WEEK ONE ISSUE | WWW.THREEWEEKS.CO.UK ThreeWeeks EDINBURGH ALSO INSIDE… SARAH KENDALL JANE BOM-BANE Queue here for the spaceship, with Rhys Darby GAEL LE CORNEC PLUS John Fleming | Lynn Ruth Miller | Marek Larwood | The Ruby Dolls | Casual Violence | Hannah Gadsby Mother Africa | Carol Tambor | The Pajama Men & Drennon Davis | Barry Ferns | and lots of new reviews START POINT For all the latest festival news as it breaks www.ThreeWeeks.co.uk/news This story belongs to Lionel Richie, naturally Contents Avid Fringe fanatics will know newer to the Fringe those memories ThreeWeeks 2012 wk1 the name Barry Ferns, but are hidden, and so I thought it would even casual Fringe fans will be great to be able to walk around the S P Festival and have those memories told know who I am talking about to you as you go”. Lynn’s Letter 04 if I say “he’s the bloke whose He continued: “The Fringe has shows always include the changed remarkably in the last 30 Fleming’s Fringe 04 name ‘Lionel Richie’”. And, years and to most that history is inaccessible. This audio tour is meant indeed, technically he too is I N now officially named after the to invite listeners through the looking ‘Hello’ making music man. glass into the alternate reality that is Sarah Kendall 06 the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. People Once again this year Ferns has just download the MP, get themselves Act To Act: Pajama 06 several Fringe projects on the go, to Hunter Square outside the Tron pub, Men chat with including a daily show - come rain, and they’ll be directed down a specific come shine – at the top of Arthur’s route”. Drennon Davis Seat. And that’s not the only outdoors And what memories will we get to Casual Violence 07 venture this year, though the other one share? “The tour will illuminate the won’t require him personally to brace listener with memories from Arthur those rain storms only Edinburgh can Smith, Simon Munnery and other C O muster up during August, because Fringe regulars from over the last 20 Ferns has gone virtual, and has put years. And it will also invite people to Quick Quiz 08 together a Fringe-themed walking take part in the Fringe themselves via Rhys Darby 08 tour of Edinburgh that you can follow some fun Fringe-y participations - if by downloading an MP3, turning they so wish!” Comedy Reviews 09 your iPhone on outside The Tron, and You’ll find the ‘This Audio Tour Hannah Gadsby 10 following the instructions that follow. Belongs to Lionel Richie’ download “I’ve been to so many Fringes now in the iTunes store, or click the link at Marek Larwood 11 that all the streets and venues are www.ThreeWeeks.co.uk/2012LR. Ferns’ dripping with soggy memories for main show is at The Hive at 4pm daily, T H me, as I’m sure they are for all other the Arthur’s Seat show is at 1pm, and performers and Fringe regulars”, look out for details of other happenings Theatre Reviews 12 Ferns tells ThreeWeeks. But for those at www.thisbelongstolionelrichie.co.uk. Gael Le Cornec 13 Playwrights lined up News Bites C A FMN to lead debate on Book Festival to host World The Ruby Dolls 14 for Traverse’s breakfast media at the Fringe Writers’ Conference Cabaret Reviews 14 Fancy some brand new writing Stevenson, Alan Wilkins and poet and The Festival Media Network, the trade This year’s Edinburgh International novelists Janice Galloway and Andrew organisation of independent media Book Festival will include the over breakfast? And we mean P H really new – probably fresher Greig are among those who will write that cover the Edinburgh Festival each Edinburgh World Writers’ Conference new short works during the Festival August, has announced it will again 2012-13, being staged in association Mother Africa 16 than the breakfast rolls also itself, for the breakfast readings stage its annual debate about the role with the British Council, and inspired being served up, and they’ll be programme that kicks off on 14 Aug. of media at the Fringe this August, by an historic gathering of writers in Physical Reviews 16 prepared on the morning. Though this year, for the first time, though this time as part of the Fringe 1962. It will see 50 literary types from Later this Festival, the Traverse two extra writers will be added to the Central programme. 25 different countries debate issues at M Theatre will once again invite party last minute, talent scouted from Now in its third year, this event the Book Festival’s Charlotte Square U a plethora of writers to create the Fringe community by Traverse brings together editors and publishers Gardens base, and also live online. Jane Bom-Bane 18 brand new works for breakfast Artistic Director Orla O’Loughlin and from each FMN publication with The topics up for debate will be playwright, director and Traverse performers, promoters, publicists and based on those discussed at the 1962 Music Reviews 18 time staged readings, this year Associate Artist David Grieg (pictured audience members, to discuss the event, and amongst the questions to under the title ‘Dream Plays below), who are overseeing the role the media plays at the Edinburgh be asked will be if literature should (Scenes From A Play I’ll Never breakfast theatre venture. Festival, how the performer and press be political, whether there should be M O Write)’. Details of each new play created will communities can better work together, a ‘national literature’, and what the Musical Reviews 19 Sue Glover, David Ireland, Douglas be posted on the Traverse’s website and how arts criticism is changing in future of the novel holds, while other Maxwell, Nicola McCartney, Johnny and social media ahead of its reading. the digital age. sessions will look at ‘style vs content’ McKnight, Lynda Radley, Gerda LINKS: www.traverse.co.uk ThreeWeeks Co-Editor Chris and censorship today. Among the C S Cooke says: “As a publisher, it’s great writers due to take part are eminent to get the input of the wider fringe Egyptian writer Ahdaf Soueif, Nigerian Children’s Fringe 20 community on the role of the festival author Chika Unigwe, American writer media, and to share our ambitions, and Nathan Englander, Turkish author Elif explain the challenges of running a Shafak, Denmark’s Janne Teller, and P H grass-roots independent publication. Scotland’s own Ian Rankin and Irvine Photo Page 21 And by being part of the Fringe Welsh. Central programme this year, opening Book Festival Director Nick Barley up our debate to the whole festival told ThreeWeeks: “The Writers’ community, I’m looking forward to this Conference is a fantastic opportunity A E event even more”. for Edinburgh audiences to meet and Carol Tambor & Reviews 22 The FMN Media At The Fringe mingle with a phenomenal line up debate will take place on 22 Aug at of international authors, and to get Fringe Central at 2pm. Entrance is involved in a debate which we believe C L free, but you can book places via will reverberate around the globe”. www.edfringe.com. FMN members Tickets are available from Shows Guide 23 are Broadway Baby, Festival Previews, www.edbookfest.co.uk while the FringeGuru, FringeReview, Hairline, debates will be webcast at www. ThreeWeeks and Whatsonstage.com. edinburghworldwritersconference.org. www.ThreeWeeks.co.uk twitter.com/ThreeWeeks WEEK ONE | WWW.THREEWEEKS.CO.UK | PAGE 03 S P START POINT WantFor all to the know latest about festival hot newsshows as first? it breaks Getwww.ThreeWeeks.co.uk/news mini-reviews via Twitter by following www.twitter.com/twittique Lynn’s letter to Edinburgh: Make the very most of it trouble; you put forth your most S P COLUMN creative effort to make your show spectacular because you believe A broken foot meant Fringe deep down in your heart that you legend Lynn Ruth Miller have something extraordinary to give CARO WRITES… to the whole world and Edinburgh had to cancel her foray in August is THE only place where Oh, hello Week One. to Edinburgh this year. that world actually comes to see you You caught me by surprise. So we invited her to pen a whether they have heard of you or And yet, I feel as though I’ve been at the letter to everyone at the not. Edinburgh Festival 2012 for about ten Fringe with some words of I am going to miss all of you, your years already. It’s funny how it does that wisdom for performers, and enthusiasm, your belief that the arts to you. And it’s extremely common, first show tips for all. are where the answers are. I ache for timers, to be already-deathly tired by the excitement, the laptops failing and the fireworks exploding in the the first official day of the Fringe. Way back in 2005, when I first sky as I fight through the crowds Now, I’m in two minds about how to brought comedians from San on High Street and the Cowgate, advise you to deal with that problem of Francisco to the Edinburgh Festival the Grassmarket and George Street early-days-fatigue. I’m inclined to think I had no idea I had suddenly and determined to sing my song to that the best thing is to take the odd unexpectedly entered the most You only have ten days to see Sarah actually cancel one of my own shows anyone who will listen.