This blog is about to enter its ninth year of production being founded in July 2005. However, before I update my copyright declarations it is time to look back at the top 10 posts of 2013, I am restricting this only to posts that were written in 2013 as other two of my Olympic history posts and my first look that the 2020 contenders are in the list. The latter obviously was a push at the selection of Tokyo (which I predicted in that 2012 post) came closer.
So in traditional reverse order here are my top 10 hits that were written in 2013.
10. Dear John Pugh you asked about errors in your reasoning it was a year in which I took a few of our parliamentarians to task over their reason for not supporting the parties policy position on marriage equality, first out of the box in this year's top ten was John Pugh.
9. When Church turns on its own in April after the second debate on equal marriage in Stormont, when David Ford amongst others took a stance that look beyond that which their churches advocated, some in his own congregation rose up against him taking a stand For Everyone.
8. Why the Drewitt-Barlow's going to court have got it wrong #equalmarriage in August the gay couple who paved the way for surrogate co-parency here in the UK said they would take the Church of England to court if they could not be married in their local parish church. I argued about why this was the wrong approach.
7. In response to Simon Hughes after the third reading on Same-Sex Marriage in the Commons Simon wrote about his reasons for his abstention on Lib Dem Voice. I just had to respond and it appears that you lot went to have a read.
6. Lembit, Brent Central and women only short lists in September just after a confluence of events I end up making a totally un-me-like conclusion, warning there is some satire in my conclusion, but some of the points are valid.
5. Some thoughts on the Tom Daley reactions earlier this month Olympic diver Tom Daley came out about his current relationship. There were all sorts of comments erroneous and downright wrong that I decided to write about.
4. I like Steve Chalke cos he is a nice guy back in January Baptist Minister and Oasis Trust Founder Steve Chalke broke from the main Evangelical Christian tradition in this country with comments about homosexuality. It hasn't sparked a flood tide of others doing likewise but the conversation within our churches goes on.
3. Feeling sorry for Mexican Congresswoman's Sex Life in August Ana María Jiménez Ortiz surprising came to my attention,
when obviously trying to avoid sounding homophobic in saying guys
shouldn't marry, came out out only those who have sex facing each other
should be allowed to marry. I can imagine divorce cases filed when the
husband suggested some other positions, and same-sex couples trying to
prove that they only had sex facing each other.
2. Say Hello to the Belfast cultural revolution this rant against news that a portrait showing a same-sex kiss from an exhibition in Belfast (before any of us saw the actual picture since added) raised my heckles in good old fashion.,
1. Reponse from the Royal Ulster Academy quite happy for the response that came from the outrage of my number 2 post is actually the top post. That is a rather unique position but good for the story that people appear to have read both. Although over 150 more people seemed to read this rather than the original rant.
2013 wasn't a year that I was able to give a great deal of time to my blog especially considering the job that I moved into in February. I hope that productivity and intensity can be picked up as we head into 2014.
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Monday, 26 September 2011
Initial thoughts on 'The Importance of being awkward'
Now you may ask how I as a Liberal Democrat could have been looking forward to a book by such a Labour stalwart. Well of course in 2005 I stood for the seat of Linlithgow and Falkirk East which took the majority of the retiring Father of the House's seat within its boundaries. As I wrote in a letter to Tam, which I intended to give to him on election night* if he were there, I hoped his beekeeping wouldn't keep him from telling his own tale. Finally over 6 years later here it is.
I'm still in the chapters of his early life but already I know this book will be inimitable Tam. Here are just a couple of extracts.
During the Second World War along with other six-to-eight year old at Edinburgh Academy Preparatory School Tam was evacuated to Grantown-on-Spey.
Alas my time at school came to an end when I suddenly got searing pains in my tummy. It was my appendix and the situation was urgent, the local surgeons having gone off to the British Expeditionary Force in France. What to do? my mother was out of contact. Mercifully, the local vet was available and willing to deal with my perforated organ. Had the vet not taken rapid and decisive action, and the teachers accepted responsibility, there would surely have been no me to tell this tale.The second is the tale of the guides for the House of the Binns, the first country house in the Scottish National Trust gift and the ancestral home of the Dalyells. After a sucession of military guides things changed in 1953.
When my father died in 1953, my mother, alone in the house as I was at university, decided that she would rather have seasonal students. The first of these students was the sun, then at Edinburgh University, of the minister of St. Michael's in Linlithgow and a distinguished future moderator. The guide was therefor the future leader of the Liberal party, the first Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and much else, Lord Steel of Aikwood.
David became a great favourite of my mother's and was extremely kind to her. He accepted the wearing of the specially measured black uniform with its silver buttons with aplomb but understandably forgot to tske the baton with him when showing parties of visitors round the house. The baton was 'de trop' to a younger generation and remains on show beneath my father's portrait.This is just a taster as I only started to read the book yesterday as a birthday gift from my brother but I shall share more later on, I trust.
*As it was it got posted to the House of the Binns and I still have the kind response from the man in pride of place.
Saturday, 1 January 2011
My Top Fifteen Blogposts for 2010
It's that time of year to see just what you have been reading on my blog in 2010.
Normally this would be an easy task. Not this year, as well as blogging here, I was also blogging at the old address as well as the potential shift to WordPress which although didn't happen did get some hits.
To make things worse in July I changed the template on the old site and forgot to reattach google analytics. So I have almost a month of missing data.
However, I've spent so much of my life working with numbers, so I can work this out right. Here are the top 15 (as far I can tell).
Normally this would be an easy task. Not this year, as well as blogging here, I was also blogging at the old address as well as the potential shift to WordPress which although didn't happen did get some hits.
To make things worse in July I changed the template on the old site and forgot to reattach google analytics. So I have almost a month of missing data.
However, I've spent so much of my life working with numbers, so I can work this out right. Here are the top 15 (as far I can tell).
- Chinese Deathly Whispers (2494 views) from March 2009 but the picture is still scoring high on Google Images
- Fife Council: Child Snatchers (856) in January
- One Small Step for Sinn Féin: Why Iain Dale is Wrong (827) Yeah the days of taking on the blogfather when he gets things wrong and him linking back to you to up your views may be gone. This one from October may be the last time I can rely on the Dalester to boost me.
- Applying for a postal vote deadline (797) Being ever the helpful candidate I was keeping people informed of the deadlines on the way to the election. Sadly not all of the people who read this could have voted for me they were from all over the country.
- A is Airbrushing Part ii (731) Remember the days when us Lib Dems were at the Tories throats all the time? Well when David Cameron said in his New Year Message that he would spell out just what the Tory policies were I start a series looking at just that. This was a little bit of 'after' work done on a campaign poster.
- About me (711) Yeah I added pages to the blog this year and quite a view people looked up my profile. Which tells you a little bit about who I am. I'm guessing the No 2 AV looked this up too, but just forgot how to spell my name.
- 15 Albums (633) One of those Meme's that sometimes allow us bloggers to fill a spot without thinking. Although for the blogpost I did go the extra mile and pull images of the 15 Albums that inspire me.
- Tory Bear Pop Pyschiatry Gone Political (528) When Harry Cole was still hiding behind a blue bear rather than a man pretending to be an 18th Century Terrorist he did sometimes go off on one. So I took him to task.
- Who I am not (509) This is a fun page I added. This is all the other Stephen Glenn's online that I am not. Yes there is one that more of me, or at least named like me.
- Where's the Reader's Digest Draw When They Need it? (472) With the news of the demise of Readers' Digest I asked where was the letter from Champagne to announce that they had won the prize draw to pull them out of trouble.
- Kong Hei Fat Choy 2010 (449) My annual look at China's Human Rights record on Chinese New Year always seems to make this list.
- ***BREAKING*** Ashok Kumar MP Found Dead (370) Never a nice occasion when you look on one of the news websites and see a Breaking headline that you know is going to dominate. As a top blogger you urge is get something out on your blog, but then knowing you will have to update as more facts come along. Seeing this blog was in its infancy when this first happened in similar shocking circumstances I knew just what to do and how to do it sensitively.
- Short List for Livingston Labour (311) following on from the above was the fact that the shortlist to replace the disgraced MP for Livingston Jim Devine was getting drawn up. He'd been one of the top stories on this blog in 2005 (see above).
- Prime Minster Clegg (295) When someone joked about the possibilty of Nick Clegg being Prime Minister, I said why not? Of course we have seen him at the dispatch box during PMQs since as Deputy Prime Minister Clegg.
- Comedian Jason Wood Dies Aged 38 (282) Another of those sad occassions.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
My Top Ten Blogposts of 2009
This will now be my 800th 803rd Blog Post of 2009, indeed it is the 99th 102nd of this very productive month (of course I go a write three more while coming up with my shortlist). The leanest month was June when there were still 37 blogposts, may have been down to post election syndrome, but that still an average of just over one per day. December was the most productive. Even if it meant one particular Saturday scouring You Tube and coming up with posts for when I thought I might not be so readily online over the holiday period.
However with the Orwell Awards and the end of the year it is a good time to reflect on the best of that selection from this year. Not all of my best writing comes when I am happy, nothing like a good rant eh.
Speaking of Orwell of course 2010 sees the last time Big Brother will appear on our screens. So in the words of Davina McCall here are my best bits.
10. Friday Blog Love: Where I Agree with Tony Blair -taking a look at an interview with the former Prime Minister about the progress on gay issues in the 15 years that Attitude had been around.
9. The 3.5% Growth Myth - You know when something grates with you as not sounding right here is how I fisked the budget but I didn't do that just once, but twice because of one little phrase.
8. Letter to my Sixteen Year Old Self - A recent one from only the other week but one I though about for a while. Of this one Paul Walter said "Well done Stephen. This concept does my head in a bit, but when I read letters like yours it makes sense of the idea."
7. Votertragedyapproachesgordonisatrocious - Regular readers will of course know that down through the years I've messed around with songs and made the words topical, this one is the not the tune you are expecting from Mary Poppins but the title came to me after and had be laughing all the more.
6. West Lothian Question for Sky Election Debate - Being a political activist and candidate in this neck of the wood does mean that one giant and one intervention in Parliament always manages to seep in. So on a subject I believe I've blogger five times on a monthly basis this year two Linlithgow sons Tam and Alex both get a mention.
5. Secularism Shouldn't Cold Shoulder All People of Faith - When the National Secularist Society said that people of religion from our pluralist society shouldn't be allowed in the House of Commons I played devil's advocate, that is if a man of such staunch Ulster Protestant stock can take on such a Roman Catholic role.
4. The Hardest Word Lacking Feeling: Jan Moir has Spoken Again - Of course following the tragic loss of Stephen Gately I could have more or less filled a top ten of stories that mentioned Jan Moir. Not bad for just over 2 months on the public consciousness. This is where I fisk her unpology*.
3. It's Not the Champagne that is Story - David Cameron got himself into a right Pickle, when he was caught breaking campaign manager Eric's embargo on senior Tories being seen enjoying to much bubbly at conference. I said it wasn't so much the champagne in a recession that was the story but the control that the freedom this, freedom that Tory party wanted to exercise.
2. Tour of Argyll and Bute Take 2 - During the MPs expenses scandal the Torygraph did make a number of stupid statements. One was that Alan Reid the Lib Dem MP should not be allowed to claim expenses for staying at B&Bs in his constituency while visiting constituents during the summer recess. I took just one example of the alternative proposal of getting Alan back to his constitueny home at the end of the day. Take one was actually not me but Caron who was having all sorts of techy issues, so I just jazzed her point up with illustrations etc.
1. Why I Still Need to Go To Church - The title was to a counter point to Caron's piece but considering she opening admitted to this making her cry, each of the times she had to go back a read it, I think it stands up there as my blog post of 2009. It is actually the one I'm most delighted to have written.
* Surely this is the blogging word of the year and destined for the Oxford English Dictionary being used even outside Lib Dem circles I note. Wonder is any other word in the OED has its origins of usage from a felinophobic Elephant.
However with the Orwell Awards and the end of the year it is a good time to reflect on the best of that selection from this year. Not all of my best writing comes when I am happy, nothing like a good rant eh.
Speaking of Orwell of course 2010 sees the last time Big Brother will appear on our screens. So in the words of Davina McCall here are my best bits.
10. Friday Blog Love: Where I Agree with Tony Blair -taking a look at an interview with the former Prime Minister about the progress on gay issues in the 15 years that Attitude had been around.
9. The 3.5% Growth Myth - You know when something grates with you as not sounding right here is how I fisked the budget but I didn't do that just once, but twice because of one little phrase.
8. Letter to my Sixteen Year Old Self - A recent one from only the other week but one I though about for a while. Of this one Paul Walter said "Well done Stephen. This concept does my head in a bit, but when I read letters like yours it makes sense of the idea."
7. Votertragedyapproachesgordonisatrocious - Regular readers will of course know that down through the years I've messed around with songs and made the words topical, this one is the not the tune you are expecting from Mary Poppins but the title came to me after and had be laughing all the more.
6. West Lothian Question for Sky Election Debate - Being a political activist and candidate in this neck of the wood does mean that one giant and one intervention in Parliament always manages to seep in. So on a subject I believe I've blogger five times on a monthly basis this year two Linlithgow sons Tam and Alex both get a mention.
5. Secularism Shouldn't Cold Shoulder All People of Faith - When the National Secularist Society said that people of religion from our pluralist society shouldn't be allowed in the House of Commons I played devil's advocate, that is if a man of such staunch Ulster Protestant stock can take on such a Roman Catholic role.
4. The Hardest Word Lacking Feeling: Jan Moir has Spoken Again - Of course following the tragic loss of Stephen Gately I could have more or less filled a top ten of stories that mentioned Jan Moir. Not bad for just over 2 months on the public consciousness. This is where I fisk her unpology*.
3. It's Not the Champagne that is Story - David Cameron got himself into a right Pickle, when he was caught breaking campaign manager Eric's embargo on senior Tories being seen enjoying to much bubbly at conference. I said it wasn't so much the champagne in a recession that was the story but the control that the freedom this, freedom that Tory party wanted to exercise.
2. Tour of Argyll and Bute Take 2 - During the MPs expenses scandal the Torygraph did make a number of stupid statements. One was that Alan Reid the Lib Dem MP should not be allowed to claim expenses for staying at B&Bs in his constituency while visiting constituents during the summer recess. I took just one example of the alternative proposal of getting Alan back to his constitueny home at the end of the day. Take one was actually not me but Caron who was having all sorts of techy issues, so I just jazzed her point up with illustrations etc.
1. Why I Still Need to Go To Church - The title was to a counter point to Caron's piece but considering she opening admitted to this making her cry, each of the times she had to go back a read it, I think it stands up there as my blog post of 2009. It is actually the one I'm most delighted to have written.
* Surely this is the blogging word of the year and destined for the Oxford English Dictionary being used even outside Lib Dem circles I note. Wonder is any other word in the OED has its origins of usage from a felinophobic Elephant.
Sunday, 30 August 2009
Fringe Review - Lady Bug Warrior #edfringe
Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons 20:05 (Last show was last night)
Vicki Ferentinos is the Lady Bug Warrior, so big is her personality that our paths kept crossing even from a distance for much of this fringe, and I did feel somewhat guilty for not turning up to see her show. However, when Graeme Sharpe put out a call on Twitter for anyone to turn up for her last night I joined him, Adam Sawers and Andrew Gourley of the cast of Slice of Saturday Night. They turned up dressed as a Lady Bug tribute act, much to Vicki's delight (it was also their fourth time seeing the show).
The premise of the show is how she unearthed her inner superhero through a quirky, witty look at the characters that have made up, or influenced her life. The costume changes are merely an aide memoire that this is someone different in her monologue or observations about life, impoliteness and her failings as an Italian American from New Jersey, but told though her new found philosophy of telling the truth to herself as a Lady Bug Warrior.
My sides never stopped splitting as noted by Mr Sharpe, not for the first time this Fringe, I have a big laugh. It wasn't just the things she said but the way she said them and the hour just flew by. It wasn't so much a sprinkling of one liners but a flowing of observational humour and some short vignettes thrown into the mix. The set was minimalistic and wanted to get a starring role when it wobbled on the last night, but that was all part of the charm.
It was the sort of show you wouldn't know just how it would work from the description, even from Vicki doing her own flyering, but when you got into that room you saw just how well it did work.
Before we knew it us last nighters were given a special addition a hastily put together ode to Scotland. Which while telling the stereotypical stuff done by Vicki was delivered superbly and fresh.
Vicki will be flying home, not a favourite pastime, shortly having had a great time over here in Edinburgh, even with our weather this month. She certainly has lightened up a large number of peoples' day by her presence.
Vicki Ferentinos is the Lady Bug Warrior, so big is her personality that our paths kept crossing even from a distance for much of this fringe, and I did feel somewhat guilty for not turning up to see her show. However, when Graeme Sharpe put out a call on Twitter for anyone to turn up for her last night I joined him, Adam Sawers and Andrew Gourley of the cast of Slice of Saturday Night. They turned up dressed as a Lady Bug tribute act, much to Vicki's delight (it was also their fourth time seeing the show).
The premise of the show is how she unearthed her inner superhero through a quirky, witty look at the characters that have made up, or influenced her life. The costume changes are merely an aide memoire that this is someone different in her monologue or observations about life, impoliteness and her failings as an Italian American from New Jersey, but told though her new found philosophy of telling the truth to herself as a Lady Bug Warrior.
My sides never stopped splitting as noted by Mr Sharpe, not for the first time this Fringe, I have a big laugh. It wasn't just the things she said but the way she said them and the hour just flew by. It wasn't so much a sprinkling of one liners but a flowing of observational humour and some short vignettes thrown into the mix. The set was minimalistic and wanted to get a starring role when it wobbled on the last night, but that was all part of the charm.
It was the sort of show you wouldn't know just how it would work from the description, even from Vicki doing her own flyering, but when you got into that room you saw just how well it did work.
Before we knew it us last nighters were given a special addition a hastily put together ode to Scotland. Which while telling the stereotypical stuff done by Vicki was delivered superbly and fresh.
Vicki will be flying home, not a favourite pastime, shortly having had a great time over here in Edinburgh, even with our weather this month. She certainly has lightened up a large number of peoples' day by her presence.
Fringe Review - Peter Duncan's Daft and Dangerous #edfringe
Pleasance Beyond 18:30
Yes Blue Peter's Peter Duncan is on the fringe with his Daft and Dangerous show. He's is doing a self deprecating look back over his whole career from his first nude appearance on the cover of a baby's knitting pattern. It is a real cabaret performance with audience participation. He mixes, humour, song, a Blue Peter make, pantomime, video playbacks and his tightrope skills learnt for playing Barnum.
Even seeing as it is a one man show, ok with interaction from his tech guy and pianist, he also uses the screen to interact with Brain Cant and Andy Hamilton, as God and the Devil. The reminiscences are some that all of us can share to differing degrees. Last night, and probably most nights, my audience shouted out 'Not that One' when Peter's scene from Flash popped up on screen.
As well as doing his own career he does an excellent transformation into Charlie Chaplin's little tramp, the star of cabaret discovering the character who would make his big, and a song sung as the late Danny La Rue about the plot of musicals.
But this is an hilarious rump and one where the talent is sweating because he is still an action man. It also may have been advisable for Richard Bacon to watch his fellow former Blue Peter presenter before doing his 10 minutes of stand up, because Peter did not have a silent room. Even we he is singing and walking the tightrope for his Grand Finale.
Yes Blue Peter's Peter Duncan is on the fringe with his Daft and Dangerous show. He's is doing a self deprecating look back over his whole career from his first nude appearance on the cover of a baby's knitting pattern. It is a real cabaret performance with audience participation. He mixes, humour, song, a Blue Peter make, pantomime, video playbacks and his tightrope skills learnt for playing Barnum.
Even seeing as it is a one man show, ok with interaction from his tech guy and pianist, he also uses the screen to interact with Brain Cant and Andy Hamilton, as God and the Devil. The reminiscences are some that all of us can share to differing degrees. Last night, and probably most nights, my audience shouted out 'Not that One' when Peter's scene from Flash popped up on screen.
As well as doing his own career he does an excellent transformation into Charlie Chaplin's little tramp, the star of cabaret discovering the character who would make his big, and a song sung as the late Danny La Rue about the plot of musicals.
But this is an hilarious rump and one where the talent is sweating because he is still an action man. It also may have been advisable for Richard Bacon to watch his fellow former Blue Peter presenter before doing his 10 minutes of stand up, because Peter did not have a silent room. Even we he is singing and walking the tightrope for his Grand Finale.
Saturday, 29 August 2009
Fringe Review - Pippa Evans - Your Evenings Entertainment #edfringe
Eek just found this still as a draft and it should have been published on the 15th. But having sent Ruaraidh to see the show it's a shame that mores haven't seen my review of this show.
Pleasance Beside 18:20
Pleasance Beside 18:20
Even the build up to this show at The Pleasance's 'premier porta-cabin' is used for comic effect, the normal dour safety notices are springled with joke. Then when the lights finally go down we are introduced to the first of Pippa's three character of the night, the recently widowed cabaret performer. She sings some of the songs dedicated to her late man, including her part of their favourite song together, classic as you try and work out the rest of the words.
The songs are comedic, as are the characterisations. Pippa may well turn out to be the Victoria Woods of the new generation of comediennes. Her 'guest' performer from the states has turned her back on meat, depite some of her other violent lyrics. She asks for like minded people in the audience so I was the brave veggie to put my hand in the air (Update so was Ruaraidh) and ended up having a song sung to us, which eventually leads to her craving a Big Mac by the closing bars.
This show may have been in the porta cabin beside the Courtyard but there is nothing temporary about the act you will witness. Even Mr Horton of Horton Meats the show's sponsor (a poor unknowing member of the audience) gets a cameo role. In my case he was sat beside me and did a splendid job of reading out the letter 'he' had left in the dressing room. Get along to see it, you really will enjoy this evening's entertainment.
The songs are comedic, as are the characterisations. Pippa may well turn out to be the Victoria Woods of the new generation of comediennes. Her 'guest' performer from the states has turned her back on meat, depite some of her other violent lyrics. She asks for like minded people in the audience so I was the brave veggie to put my hand in the air (Update so was Ruaraidh) and ended up having a song sung to us, which eventually leads to her craving a Big Mac by the closing bars.
This show may have been in the porta cabin beside the Courtyard but there is nothing temporary about the act you will witness. Even Mr Horton of Horton Meats the show's sponsor (a poor unknowing member of the audience) gets a cameo role. In my case he was sat beside me and did a splendid job of reading out the letter 'he' had left in the dressing room. Get along to see it, you really will enjoy this evening's entertainment.
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Fringe Review: Daniel Sloss -Teenage Kicks #edfringe
Pleasance 10 Dome 19:00
When you turn up to stand up with someone who knows the talent the safest place to be is cowering in the corner. So last night when Callum and I turned up to seen the teenage comic we obviously chose the sensible option and sat front and centre under the mike stand, after all what is the point of stand up if the comic doesn't engage you directly.
Don't be put off by Daniel's age. Obviously has he says his reminiscences are confined and he can't boast of his sexual conquests of women half his age but that doesn't mean that there isn't material to fill the hour; and what good material it is. He bounces, shuffles and runs through a string of material, of life for a teenager, both on the stand up circuit and in Fife. All good stuff, even defending his picture of Fife being rough against claims that St. Andrew's is in Fife and therefore posh. Yes he says there 'they beat you up with golf clubs instead of scaffolding poles'.
The laughs do come think and fast as did the audience engagement. We counted at least 10 people directly drawn in to the humour. Of course when he launched into bowlers I did heckle, he'd already established I was old, merely getting older and now but my 30 year on again, off again bowling career down to a mid-life crisis.
Yeah he tells one wank joke, but as he says he's a teenager and the show is an hour long what did we expect. He's already a 2 year veteran on the circuit but there will be a bright future for him. There are still tickets for some of the remaining shows he told up later. If you haven't already try and get along and experience teenage live, you own, your kid's as well as Daniel's through the masterful comedic phrasing and physicality that is Daniel Sloss.
You know at this stage I wish I'd started to issue star ratings at the start, but I haven't so just go. You know you want to.
When you turn up to stand up with someone who knows the talent the safest place to be is cowering in the corner. So last night when Callum and I turned up to seen the teenage comic we obviously chose the sensible option and sat front and centre under the mike stand, after all what is the point of stand up if the comic doesn't engage you directly.
Don't be put off by Daniel's age. Obviously has he says his reminiscences are confined and he can't boast of his sexual conquests of women half his age but that doesn't mean that there isn't material to fill the hour; and what good material it is. He bounces, shuffles and runs through a string of material, of life for a teenager, both on the stand up circuit and in Fife. All good stuff, even defending his picture of Fife being rough against claims that St. Andrew's is in Fife and therefore posh. Yes he says there 'they beat you up with golf clubs instead of scaffolding poles'.
The laughs do come think and fast as did the audience engagement. We counted at least 10 people directly drawn in to the humour. Of course when he launched into bowlers I did heckle, he'd already established I was old, merely getting older and now but my 30 year on again, off again bowling career down to a mid-life crisis.
Yeah he tells one wank joke, but as he says he's a teenager and the show is an hour long what did we expect. He's already a 2 year veteran on the circuit but there will be a bright future for him. There are still tickets for some of the remaining shows he told up later. If you haven't already try and get along and experience teenage live, you own, your kid's as well as Daniel's through the masterful comedic phrasing and physicality that is Daniel Sloss.
You know at this stage I wish I'd started to issue star ratings at the start, but I haven't so just go. You know you want to.
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Fringe Review: Marc Hogan -Actions Speak Louder than Birds #edfringe
Cabaret Bar, Zoo Southside 19:15
So what makes a corporate speaker become a stand up at the Fringe?
The influence of Dave Gorman? No.
Copious amounts of alcohol and an open mike? Well possibly but not in this case.
A bet for £1? Could be!
Yeah Marc Hogan himself persuaded me in the Fringe Box Office queue to go and see his show. He wasn't speaking directly to me but to he people stood behind me. But it was enough for me, even if a PowerPoint presentation based comedy show is a bit of a busman's holiday. But hey I like Dave Gorman and the guy in the queue was funny.
Funny he remained. He basically did a presentation on how to give a presentation, but was self-deprecating on the number of jokes included. They were not merely confined as his 'agenda' stated to the slot between 19:50- 19:55. Along the way we learnt about safer sex, and how cuddling Koala's may not be be best idea to remain STD free, as well as an interesting way to determine Good and Evil from the side of their entrance. The latter brought up some interesting observations. Who'd have thought it of Mary Poppins?
But as Marc said when taking the best last year a pound was a lot of money. However, with the credit crunch maybe hitting on corporate luxuries maybe corporate presentations may dry up, to a sigh of relieve from many desk jockeys. However, even with the box office's share of the takings taken out I'm sure that the original £1 bet is the least of Marc's financial rewards for this show, though there were still a few empty seats last night so I suspect tickets are still available, so get along and have a right old laugh.
UPDATE: I found through backlinks that Marc has a blog about his endeavour, and has linked to this blog. If I tell him that I was the person he looked at to his extreme right on Saturday he will know just why he got such a 'good' review off me.
So what makes a corporate speaker become a stand up at the Fringe?
The influence of Dave Gorman? No.
Copious amounts of alcohol and an open mike? Well possibly but not in this case.
A bet for £1? Could be!
Yeah Marc Hogan himself persuaded me in the Fringe Box Office queue to go and see his show. He wasn't speaking directly to me but to he people stood behind me. But it was enough for me, even if a PowerPoint presentation based comedy show is a bit of a busman's holiday. But hey I like Dave Gorman and the guy in the queue was funny.
Funny he remained. He basically did a presentation on how to give a presentation, but was self-deprecating on the number of jokes included. They were not merely confined as his 'agenda' stated to the slot between 19:50- 19:55. Along the way we learnt about safer sex, and how cuddling Koala's may not be be best idea to remain STD free, as well as an interesting way to determine Good and Evil from the side of their entrance. The latter brought up some interesting observations. Who'd have thought it of Mary Poppins?
But as Marc said when taking the best last year a pound was a lot of money. However, with the credit crunch maybe hitting on corporate luxuries maybe corporate presentations may dry up, to a sigh of relieve from many desk jockeys. However, even with the box office's share of the takings taken out I'm sure that the original £1 bet is the least of Marc's financial rewards for this show, though there were still a few empty seats last night so I suspect tickets are still available, so get along and have a right old laugh.
UPDATE: I found through backlinks that Marc has a blog about his endeavour, and has linked to this blog. If I tell him that I was the person he looked at to his extreme right on Saturday he will know just why he got such a 'good' review off me.
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Fringe Review - A Slice of Saturday Night #edfringe
The Space @ The Royal College of Surgeons (no more 16:45 slices remaining)
Well it is Saturday night, or at least early evening when I finally catch my slice of Saturday Night, by the Why Not Musical Theatre Company.. As the audience walk I'm greeted by a frozen cast tableaux one of whom has his trousers down by his ankles revelling his Union Jack boxers, only once we are all seated does the music begin and the cast all complete preparations for their night at Club a-Go-Go.
But when they get going you are toe-tapping along with them intermingled with an hilarious mix of lyrics from the Heather Brothers. If you ever wanted to hear a song about premature ejaculation song with total professionalism and comic expression and timing, amongst other teenage angst, this young production certainly shine. There is the hesitancy of shy love, the over confidence that a girlfriend will forgive all indiscretions and the bravado that one can pull any girl 'even frigid Brigid'.
Of course while the boys are over compensating for lack of wham bam thank you ma'am, the girls are trying to appear more innocent than they are. But they can rely on Eric de Vene their host to help out his regulars with some advise, if not always sound. Advise for the guys on how to cope with tenting in the groin through dance steps, or that the best way to keep the girl is the 'pork pie'.
All to glorious music the tunes of which are strangely familiarish but the lyrics most certainly are not. Or at least not when you first hear them, me I'm still humming them.
However, no matter how much you like this review sadly I was one of those indulging in the last Slice of Saturday Night for this fringe. But I will be looking out for their future productions. If they are of this standard I'll be back.
Well it is Saturday night, or at least early evening when I finally catch my slice of Saturday Night, by the Why Not Musical Theatre Company.. As the audience walk I'm greeted by a frozen cast tableaux one of whom has his trousers down by his ankles revelling his Union Jack boxers, only once we are all seated does the music begin and the cast all complete preparations for their night at Club a-Go-Go.
But when they get going you are toe-tapping along with them intermingled with an hilarious mix of lyrics from the Heather Brothers. If you ever wanted to hear a song about premature ejaculation song with total professionalism and comic expression and timing, amongst other teenage angst, this young production certainly shine. There is the hesitancy of shy love, the over confidence that a girlfriend will forgive all indiscretions and the bravado that one can pull any girl 'even frigid Brigid'.
Of course while the boys are over compensating for lack of wham bam thank you ma'am, the girls are trying to appear more innocent than they are. But they can rely on Eric de Vene their host to help out his regulars with some advise, if not always sound. Advise for the guys on how to cope with tenting in the groin through dance steps, or that the best way to keep the girl is the 'pork pie'.
All to glorious music the tunes of which are strangely familiarish but the lyrics most certainly are not. Or at least not when you first hear them, me I'm still humming them.
However, no matter how much you like this review sadly I was one of those indulging in the last Slice of Saturday Night for this fringe. But I will be looking out for their future productions. If they are of this standard I'll be back.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Fringe Review: Johnny Meister + the Stitch #edfringe
The Spaces @ The Royal College of Surgeons 20:35
This is a fast, frenetic drama carried out as two monologues by the young stars John Travers as Johnny Meister and Brain Markey as David 'Stitch' Brown. That someone can bring together the humour, pathos and poetry of a Belfast brogue in a mark of the genius of Rosemary Jenkinson the writer, and the two young stars are able to hold the audience draw them in (even those for which the slang is not native) and excite and lead them on a emotive journey. To do that in isolation for most of the hour is true greatness in the writing and brilliance of the acting.
The world these two bad lads inhabit is a little mixed up to say the least there are drugs, underage sex, sex with MILFs, fights and drink. But despite wanting to stay out of each others paths they are inextricably linked in so many ways. Their lives are brutal, yet both want to be a father. There is an amazing amount of poetry through the play, couplets of fierce Belfast tones, the street talk of the fighters on the streets. The hoola hoops* they encounter, the tatty crisps. young lads going on the tare.
The stars move the show along both physically by their movement around the stage at the end they were both dripping sweat having given it their all. You are drawn into their world through their language (no doubt the Americans would want to subtitle it). By letting us inhabit their space, learning of the conversations they have, what makes them tick, what riles them, what burns them up, the audience is taken on a roller coaster so luxuriant that the end, though you see it coming, still hits you by surprise; while doing the same to the characters both figuratively and narratively.
This show is only on for the week so the last night is tomorrow, but if you see the show or the Jigsaw company in anything, anytime give it a try. It deserved a bigger audience than it got tonight, but you would never have told that from the standard of the acting. They could have been filling the Waterfront Hall with all the gusto they give their performance, indeed with this show they deserve to fill the Waterfront in Belfast many times over.
This blog hasn't been giving stars put it it did I'd need a few constellations for Johnny Meister and the Stitch.
*Celtic fans
This is a fast, frenetic drama carried out as two monologues by the young stars John Travers as Johnny Meister and Brain Markey as David 'Stitch' Brown. That someone can bring together the humour, pathos and poetry of a Belfast brogue in a mark of the genius of Rosemary Jenkinson the writer, and the two young stars are able to hold the audience draw them in (even those for which the slang is not native) and excite and lead them on a emotive journey. To do that in isolation for most of the hour is true greatness in the writing and brilliance of the acting.
The world these two bad lads inhabit is a little mixed up to say the least there are drugs, underage sex, sex with MILFs, fights and drink. But despite wanting to stay out of each others paths they are inextricably linked in so many ways. Their lives are brutal, yet both want to be a father. There is an amazing amount of poetry through the play, couplets of fierce Belfast tones, the street talk of the fighters on the streets. The hoola hoops* they encounter, the tatty crisps. young lads going on the tare.
The stars move the show along both physically by their movement around the stage at the end they were both dripping sweat having given it their all. You are drawn into their world through their language (no doubt the Americans would want to subtitle it). By letting us inhabit their space, learning of the conversations they have, what makes them tick, what riles them, what burns them up, the audience is taken on a roller coaster so luxuriant that the end, though you see it coming, still hits you by surprise; while doing the same to the characters both figuratively and narratively.
This show is only on for the week so the last night is tomorrow, but if you see the show or the Jigsaw company in anything, anytime give it a try. It deserved a bigger audience than it got tonight, but you would never have told that from the standard of the acting. They could have been filling the Waterfront Hall with all the gusto they give their performance, indeed with this show they deserve to fill the Waterfront in Belfast many times over.
This blog hasn't been giving stars put it it did I'd need a few constellations for Johnny Meister and the Stitch.
*Celtic fans
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Fringe Review: Scratch - The Reduced Edinburgh Fringe Impro Show #edfringe
Pleasance Baby Grand 20:15
I suppose after doing reviews of the two shows I saw last night I should really back track and do the one I saw on the first night of the previews. After sweet talking the flyer for a bit I did manage to get tickets for myself, LYS President Ruaraidh Dobson and Kieran Leach to see an improvisation show.
Some people say you should never expect much if you've been given a free ticket, but then that is just how I got to see Michael McIntyre's first ever fringe show so I'm never that way inclined. The premise of the show is simple, one Fringe Festival programme is available for members of the audience to rip a page out of a circle a show they would like to see, but are sitting in a different venue. In fact if you want a grand tour of the fringe it is as good a way as any to take a high speed sightseeing tour, just don't expect the real things to bear any resemblance to what you may see in this show.
The Scratch team mix up the ways they set up the sketches, including one three parter that they will come back to throughout the night. Of course with improv one of the best ways to tell how good it is happens to be seeing how hard the performers themselves are trying to prevent themselves corpsing* just look at Peter Cooke making poor Dudley Moore crease up when he improvises. There were numerous times this lot were fighting to stay in the scene, if you colleagues don't quite see it coming despite setting you up it's good.
Even the keyboard player was bemused at some of the directions the sketches veered off in and often looked into the audience as perplexed or laughing as loud as the rest of us. Considering one of our party was being a grumpy guts, saying he'd walk out if it was no good, yet came away after staying the whole way and liking the show I think speaks volumes for the work these guys did.
Improv is hard but they did at times make it look effortless, at times darn awkward but their persevered, at times just downright funny, especially when imagined props were forgotten or transferred to another character.
*That is laughing on stage and breaking down the fourth wall of this being some bizarre reality.
I suppose after doing reviews of the two shows I saw last night I should really back track and do the one I saw on the first night of the previews. After sweet talking the flyer for a bit I did manage to get tickets for myself, LYS President Ruaraidh Dobson and Kieran Leach to see an improvisation show.
Some people say you should never expect much if you've been given a free ticket, but then that is just how I got to see Michael McIntyre's first ever fringe show so I'm never that way inclined. The premise of the show is simple, one Fringe Festival programme is available for members of the audience to rip a page out of a circle a show they would like to see, but are sitting in a different venue. In fact if you want a grand tour of the fringe it is as good a way as any to take a high speed sightseeing tour, just don't expect the real things to bear any resemblance to what you may see in this show.
The Scratch team mix up the ways they set up the sketches, including one three parter that they will come back to throughout the night. Of course with improv one of the best ways to tell how good it is happens to be seeing how hard the performers themselves are trying to prevent themselves corpsing* just look at Peter Cooke making poor Dudley Moore crease up when he improvises. There were numerous times this lot were fighting to stay in the scene, if you colleagues don't quite see it coming despite setting you up it's good.
Even the keyboard player was bemused at some of the directions the sketches veered off in and often looked into the audience as perplexed or laughing as loud as the rest of us. Considering one of our party was being a grumpy guts, saying he'd walk out if it was no good, yet came away after staying the whole way and liking the show I think speaks volumes for the work these guys did.
Improv is hard but they did at times make it look effortless, at times darn awkward but their persevered, at times just downright funny, especially when imagined props were forgotten or transferred to another character.
*That is laughing on stage and breaking down the fourth wall of this being some bizarre reality.
Fringe Review: Marcus Brigstocke - God Collared #edfringe
Richey Hall, Assembly 20:40
It wasn't until I started to hear Marcus speak for this long on a religious theme that I realised just how much he sounds like the Rev. Steve Chalke, Baptist Pastor and often TV Godspot personage. I recall me and my friend Rob performing a skit about Chalkie in front off him in Nurneburg in 1992. But I digress.
As the title of the show suggests Marcus does indeed talk about one of those things you shouldn't talk about, religion, and does so more or less for the entire set. For the more sensitive among you look away now.
He has a go at all belief systems especially atheists and worshipers of the iPhone. For Richard Dawkins whose book The God Delusion is on the stage he gives the following review:
Oh but don't think because you're agnostic that you are going get away from Brigstocke's tongue lashings, oh no. For most of you he says you haven't done enough research, which clearly he himself has as the content of the show bears out.
But he meanders through the various belief systems use of buses, the Humanist's with their "There is probably no god" slogan, the Christian response and the muslims.....yeah we all groaned at the third one too, at least once everyone caught up.
Brigstocke manages to lead us through his theme though linking comedy, with tragedy. With personal familial anecdotes as well as observation. If you are of faith, of none or just not sure you'll still laugh even when the humour is directed at you.
I know this is a popular show and close to, if not already sold out. But if you have a ticket, hold unto it, not like Callum Leslie who decided to drop his in the already tight gap between shows requiring search and recover, and enjoy the show. Though as it is premiering in Edinburgh you may catch it around the country later.
UPDATE: Damn you Marcus Brigstocke! I didn't sing "I am C., I am a C.H. I am a C.H.R.I.S.T.I.A.N." at all last night. But haven't been able to get it out of my head since I wrote this review.
It wasn't until I started to hear Marcus speak for this long on a religious theme that I realised just how much he sounds like the Rev. Steve Chalke, Baptist Pastor and often TV Godspot personage. I recall me and my friend Rob performing a skit about Chalkie in front off him in Nurneburg in 1992. But I digress.
As the title of the show suggests Marcus does indeed talk about one of those things you shouldn't talk about, religion, and does so more or less for the entire set. For the more sensitive among you look away now.
He has a go at all belief systems especially atheists and worshipers of the iPhone. For Richard Dawkins whose book The God Delusion is on the stage he gives the following review:
"When I started reading it I was an atheist when I finished I was agnostic."
Oh but don't think because you're agnostic that you are going get away from Brigstocke's tongue lashings, oh no. For most of you he says you haven't done enough research, which clearly he himself has as the content of the show bears out.
But he meanders through the various belief systems use of buses, the Humanist's with their "There is probably no god" slogan, the Christian response and the muslims.....yeah we all groaned at the third one too, at least once everyone caught up.
Brigstocke manages to lead us through his theme though linking comedy, with tragedy. With personal familial anecdotes as well as observation. If you are of faith, of none or just not sure you'll still laugh even when the humour is directed at you.
I know this is a popular show and close to, if not already sold out. But if you have a ticket, hold unto it, not like Callum Leslie who decided to drop his in the already tight gap between shows requiring search and recover, and enjoy the show. Though as it is premiering in Edinburgh you may catch it around the country later.
UPDATE: Damn you Marcus Brigstocke! I didn't sing "I am C., I am a C.H. I am a C.H.R.I.S.T.I.A.N." at all last night. But haven't been able to get it out of my head since I wrote this review.
Fringe Review: Pappy's Fun Club World Record Attempt #edfringe
Pleasance One 19:20
You turn up and wonder is is possible that you will truly see 200 sketches before 20:20, the time not the year. But when the Troupe open with a song which they themselves sing is too long, and is more suitable for Sesame Street than the Edinburgh Fringe you do start to panic for them just a bit.
However, soon they find some sort of momentum, if that is indeed what it is but the odd distraction, from a Time Machine and the group’s newest friend Dean, who is a bit out of his time, Eon even. It would make you worry about the record attempt if you weren’t too busy laughing to keep an eye on their time.
The time machine does allow the guys to ask advice of record breakers Robert Pershing Wadlow and Pauline Musters, the world's tallest man and shortest women, who are brought to 2009 convenienly rather than us travelling to their time. They advise was not to become a world record holder as it only leads to loneliness. Surely there is some potential Rom Com value in that.
However, also to assist them in their task last night the boys called upon Terry Quaker founder of the church and porridge oats company. Who is also a close friend of the founder of the Christian faith.......Terry Christian. However, he turns out to be not quite what you'd expect but just what one of the cast expected. He attempts to sabotage the show. But......
No I won't spoil it for you. However, inviting Terry Quaker is probably the sort of thing you don't want to do again, but as the lads said, in a masturbationary joke, it is a long festival, and this is a sketch show not reality.
UPDATE: As a blogger I was impressed to find that the team and one of their members Matthew Crosby have blogs of their own. They even have done a comedy show via Twitter.
You turn up and wonder is is possible that you will truly see 200 sketches before 20:20, the time not the year. But when the Troupe open with a song which they themselves sing is too long, and is more suitable for Sesame Street than the Edinburgh Fringe you do start to panic for them just a bit.
However, soon they find some sort of momentum, if that is indeed what it is but the odd distraction, from a Time Machine and the group’s newest friend Dean, who is a bit out of his time, Eon even. It would make you worry about the record attempt if you weren’t too busy laughing to keep an eye on their time.
The time machine does allow the guys to ask advice of record breakers Robert Pershing Wadlow and Pauline Musters, the world's tallest man and shortest women, who are brought to 2009 convenienly rather than us travelling to their time. They advise was not to become a world record holder as it only leads to loneliness. Surely there is some potential Rom Com value in that.
However, also to assist them in their task last night the boys called upon Terry Quaker founder of the church and porridge oats company. Who is also a close friend of the founder of the Christian faith.......Terry Christian. However, he turns out to be not quite what you'd expect but just what one of the cast expected. He attempts to sabotage the show. But......
No I won't spoil it for you. However, inviting Terry Quaker is probably the sort of thing you don't want to do again, but as the lads said, in a masturbationary joke, it is a long festival, and this is a sketch show not reality.
UPDATE: As a blogger I was impressed to find that the team and one of their members Matthew Crosby have blogs of their own. They even have done a comedy show via Twitter.
Friday, 3 July 2009
Patrick Hannan: A Useful Fiction First Impressions
On Tuesday I finally received a promised review copy of Patrick Hannan's book A Useful Fiction: Adventures in British Democracy I was hoping it would live up to the adventure element of the sub-title. Well it certainly has in what I have read so far. Take the opening three paragraphs:
'If you want to find out what Britishness is there are some obvious places
to for an answer. Top of the list is the British, perhaps, is the British Council, the United Kingdom's leading cultural messenger abroad. If they don't know, who does? And who better to consult there than the chairman, Neil Kinnock, a man who over many years has been on a long journey around questions of national identity within Britain and outside it; forty years of travelling from denim-clad, red-haired, endlessly loquacious, Welsh scourge of the establishment to an unexpected terminus as the neatly-suited, bald-headed, ex-Eurocrat, the Rt. Hon. Lord Kinnock of Bedwelty. So I went to the council's offices in a street which, on the borders of the Mall, Whitehall and Trafalgar Square, is at what is more or less the centre of gravity of establishment Britain. In Kinnock's office on the sixth floor you felt you could almost lean out and touch the Houses of Parliament.
'As we drank tea I asked him: "What does the British Council say Britishness is?"
'His answer was unexpectedly succinct: "It never does."'
Well apart from throwing in a early reference to tea that Arthur Dent's creator would be proud of. The descriptive language of Baron Kinnock of Bedwelty's journey has indeed proved the sign of things to come. His later retelling of how he was corrected on the length of the Irish issue brought a smile to this Ulsterman. He also tells us that King Lear was a play about devolution. That even John Major's measure of Britishness was one he was born too late for. Plus points out that while marrying a Roman Catholic leads to forfeiture of your place in the line of succession there is nothing to prevent Prince William marrying a Muslim, Hindu or Scientologist and still eventually succeeding in the steps of his Grandmother up to the throne.
The themes that I've seen him explore thus far have been done with enough tongue in cheek to make valid points. Enough explanation so that people who aren't as anoraky as me can follow what he's saying.
I hope to finish the rest of the book over the weekend and give a full and proper review next week once I've completed it.
What I can say 5 chapters in is well worth a read.
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