AUGUST 28
Whirlwind month, but I'm back on deck

So it has been a few weeks...I apologise for my absence, but I have been away in Edinburgh immersing myself in all things Fringe Theatre as both a producer and a critic. Getting the flu in the middle of the tech run did not help either! Edinburgh was a whirlwind week. Wet, rainy, packed with arty people! I just wish I could have had more time. Alas I was up there to produce a wonderful little show called Recycled Dreams set around a photocopier in an office, a fly on the wall glimpse into three offices worker’s lives for half an hour of their day. The show is about to tour the country to all Legal & General’s offices as part of their CSR programme. For more details on the show please go to www.recycleddreams.net. I know I know a shameless plug, but I don’t usually do it so you can forgive me just this once. Plus Wayne does it ALL the time! If you are in the UK the show is having a public performance on 28th September 2008 and you can book tickets on the site listed above.

I wish I had got to see more shows in Edinburgh, but the nature of being a producer on a small show ensures that you play every role except that of the director and the actors. So in short I was costume designer, lighting and techie, PR, marketing, venue liaison, stage manager, logistics manager, usher, flyerer, sponsorship manager, rehearsal scheduler etc...etc...It made for a very exciting week and it has definitely inspired me to pursue producing as a possible future career option. We will hopefully take Recycled Dreams to the Brighton Fringe Festival next year!

The one show I did see in Edinburgh was Cannibal The Musical, a production I saw a concert version of down at the Camden Fringe Festival before it made its way up to the Fringe Festival.

Adapted from the creator of South Park and Team America, Trey Parker’s 1996 student cult film of the same name, Cannibal The Musical tells an embellished version of the real life tale of Alferd ‘Alfred Packer’, the only American ever to be convicted of cannibalism.

It was a pity that this production, entirely suited to an intimate venue was staged in a huge 480 seat music theatre venue instead. This one element caused a domino effect on the production as a whole. Unlike at the Etcetera theatre in Camden where this rough and ready South Park style musical thrived, the audience in Edinburgh was seated so far from the stage that the jokes in many places fell flat. Not many of the songs are belters and so need the closeness of an intimate space to have any real effect. It is disappointing, because the cast are an exceptionally talented bunch. James Topping (Blood Brothers, 39 Steps) is brilliant as the hapless Packer. He has a beautiful singing voice and a knack for physical comedy and conveying humour through song. BBC Voice of Musical Theatre winner Aimie Atkinson is strong as Polly Pry, and sings her beautiful solo ‘This Side of Me’ with great passion, except unfortunately because of the venue her voice gets lost in the space and the ends of her lines are cut off and fade out. This is disappointing as she held the audience spellbound at the Etcetera.

This show has a future, perhaps even on the West End in a smaller venue like and despite its haphazard style a bigger staging and costume budget wouldn’t go astray.