Issue #10 - Weekend 13&14 Aug (1st Edition) - FREE

Pro Comedians

SCOTSMAN FRINGE FIRSTS: » The Table interview The Real MacGuffins

» Quick Questions: Fit for Purpose

THE TABLE

Pro WrestlersVs

Patrick Monahan, Andrew Maxwell, Brendon Burns, Angelos Epithemiou,

Adam Riches, Abandoman, Rich Fulcher, Nick Helm, Humphrey Ker, Frisky &

Mannish, Jessica Ransom, Max & Ivan

Dan 'The Hammer' Head, Rishi Ghosh 'The Prince of Mumbai', Max Voltage 'The Human Dynamo', 'Man Mountain'

Johnny Moss, 'The Human Hate Machine' Dave Mastiff

<-- RUSSELL KANE:“I remember when my daddy first read to me from the Holy Book. He said “Son, all the

answers you need are in there”. Well, daddy, God rest your soul, you were almost right.

Because some of those answers lie in the ring, and the righteousness of the people will

be resolved in the ring!”

PAC 'The Man Gravity Forgot': -->I spend most of my year in Japan, battling some of the most

extreme fighters in the world. I’ve honed my high-flying skills

to the point where there is no-one on the planet who can do

what I do. I’ve never been to Edinburgh before, so I’m looking

forward to stepping into the ring and showing the Pleasance

Grand why they call me ‘The Man Gravity Forgot’.

THE WRESTLING

ONE NIGHT ONLYPleasance courtyard

Monday 15th august, 23:00

COLIN HOULT (As Thor):People of Midgard! Tis I, Thwor! God of Thwunder! Thou hast heard of my legendary adventures, thou knows of my epic strength and prowess, thou may have seen me drinking a can outside Londis, shouting at people! Aye!

Dan The Hammer Head:I’ve got a metal plate in my skull, which means I’ve got

the hardest head in pro wrestling. Before Monday’s match

I’ll slam my head through plate glass windows, reinforced

doors, even brick walls.

2401OBjECTS&

FRINGE FIRST AWARDS: 2401 OBJECTS & THE TABLE

dan: -then eventually we worked together on a short film, and enjoyed it so much that we started writing some material together. Matt was sort of the guy who lives in the corner. He asked us to let him do some comedy with us because he had no friends. Jim: It’s handy to have a stage manager. And Matt cleans and cooks too.Mark: do you guys gig a lot?dan: We try to do a gig a week. We do a monthly residency. If you’ve got a regular gig, it pushes you to write stuff. And with Edinburgh you’ve got to get a full hour’s worth of material. That’s the only way you can really fine tune it. Mark: We all enjoyed watching your web videos last night.dan: Those were fun to make. A BBC director came to see us last year, and then sorted out a weekend for us to film some sketches.Mark: they’re great, we just kept on clicking through.dan: But the live stuff we just adore. The kick, the immediate feedback.

The Real Macguffins, Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 (Not 16) 16:30

Two Pleasance shows have won a prestigious Scotsman Fringe First award. Analogue’s 2401 objects and Blind Summit’s the table have both been awarded the Festival’s longest-established prize.

The award recognises new writing at the Festival Fringe, supporting creativity and originality. In this first round of selection, 2401 objects and the table impressed judges with their writing, production design and performance.

THE TABLE MEETS THE REAL MACGUFINS

Director and performer of The Table Mark Down meets relentlessly unpredictable sketch trio, The Real MacGuffins (Dan, Jim and Matt):Mark: Why are you called ‘the real Maguffins’?dan: We’re Hitchcock fans. He used the term to mean ‘fake plot device’ distracting from the true story.Jim: And then a Scottish guy on The Royal Mile last year added that it also means “a wee nothing.”dan: ‘The Wee Nothings’.Mark: your shows are comprised of constant sidetracking, then?Jim: The shows are themed, and we’ve certainly got more of a through-line this year-Mark: [Interrupting] –but really they’re about us. Our dynamic, our relationship, me. And Matt trying to mess it up.Mark: how do you write the sketches?Jim: Usually one person takes an idea away, writes it, then we all feed in ideas afterwards. This show

includes one sketch about Oedipus. We’re slightly terrified that Berkoff might come and see it… he famously enjoys watching people make light of work that he’s taken seriously and spent a long time making.Matt: We wrote it after punning the title with ‘needy puss’.Jim: Which I think was Berkoff’s inspiration too, although-dan: [Interrupting again] -we’re petrified. Don’t print this. He might read it.Mark: how did you all meet?dan: Long story. Jim and I were once lovers. We met doing a comedy workshop with Gordon Anderson (who directed Catherine Tate).Jim: We became great mates, I went to his wedding, stalked him for a while-

2401 objects creates the human story of Henry Molaison to match his status as one of the most examined neurological case studies in history. Working with Dr Jacob Annese - the surgeon who dissected his brain into 2401 slices - Analogue have created a performance which blends scientific and human strands into a fascinating and illuminating profile.

Pleasance Courtyard, 3-28 August (Not 16, 23) 16:40

the table has been stunning audiences with its faultlessly beautiful puppetry and performance, not to mention comic brilliance. Comprising three sections, the table showcases Blind Summit’s impecable dramaturgical creativity and ability to create magical visual effects using little more than cardboard and paper. You’ll be enthralled. The Table, Pleasance Dome, 3-28 August (Not 15) 22:00

L to R, Matt, Jim & Dan are The Real MacGuffins

@ThePleasance#pleztimes

RT @hollyTBurrowsRecommends you see Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes @ThePleasance 12.30pm everyday. They just got invited to perform in Amsterdam!

RT @thepleasanceCongratulations to Blind Summit @1blindsummit for The Table and Analogue @Analogue_ with 2401 Objects, on winning Fringe Firsts today. Yay!

RT @rphillipskerr Culture Show to see Spent on my recommendation for a piece on the dark side of the Fringe. Press office kicking it in the dick @thepleasance

PRESENTEd By ONE OF OuR COMEdy ACTS ANd FEATuRING THEIR SPECIAL GuESTS, INCLudING:Idiots of Ants, Nick Helm, Jeff Leach, Katherine Ryan, Benny Boot, Isy Suttie, Josh Widdicombe, Kate Copstick and a regular daily message from Angelos Epithemiou. EPISOdE 4Joe Lycett, Matthew Crosby and The Comedy Reserve

EPISOdE 5 Jeff Leach, Katherine Ryan, Preview: The Wrestling

Catherine O’Shea, WriterWhat’s your show about?Fit For Purpose profiles a mother and daughter from Somalia who arrive in the UK only to be put straight into Yarlswood Detention centre. It’s 2010, and concurrent with a mothers’ hunger strike inside the centre. how did you research the topic before writing?I conducted interviews with everyone I could find who has a stake in the issue of detention centres; lawyers, border controllers, campaigners and the detainees themselves. We’ve worked with organisations like the All Africa Women’s Group too, who directly support women in these prisons.how does your play address the issues of family detainment?We follow a human story, connecting with the mother/daughter relationship. Our set creates a necessarily oppressing atmosphere,

but their journey provides an engaging personal connection.What journey has the show taken up to this point?The play has been in development for four years, although this is its premiere. There has been a reading at the SOHO Theatre and also a few workshops at Rada. Now, with the support of Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Special Reserve Fund, we’re able to bring the show here to Edinburgh. do you have any specific political purpose?Here in Scotland, there’s been such a big outcry against detainment that they no longer detain families. That’s brilliant news, of course. Whereas in England Nick Clegg claimed that his government had ended child detention but they haven’t. We’re trying to tackle that issue.

Fit for Purpose, Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 Aug (Not 15) 12:45

/ Free ticketed debate about the show, 15 Aug 12:45

QUICK QUESTIONS: FIT FOR PURPOSE

FUNDRAISING FOR THE PLEASANCEYou can support us in a number of ways:

2. Become part of “Pleasance History”We would be delighted if you joined our celebrity alumni on this extraordinary 231-ft long ‘Bayeux-esque Tapestry’, charting the history of the world according to the Pleasance. You will also receive a very beautiful portrait. All we need is a passport photo! And if you don’t have one immediately, it doesn’t matter, because you can always send it to us later!

3. Simply donate your own amountTEXT: plez33 to 70070(for any amount up to £10)

BY TELEPHONE: Please call us on 0207 619 6868

ONLINE: Please visit www.pleasance. co.uk/islington/support-us

IN PERSON: Complete the Gift Aid form on the back of the Fundraising leaflet and drop it into Reception at any of our box offices in Edinburgh and London, or pop it in the post.

1. Adopt a Pleasance cobblestoneFamous for its cobbled courtyards, the Pleasance is the bedrock of great theatre and comedy. You can look after these very foundations by adopting your own pet cobblestone! We promise to provide you with regular updates on how it’s getting along.

SATURDAY 13th

Please note that all line-ups are subject to change. Check the Box Office for the latest information.

AFTER HOuRSPleasance Dome 00:40

AXIS OF AWESOME, PHILBERTO, CHRIS McCAUSLAND, NOISE NEXT DOOR ,

ROB BECKETT

AMuSEd MOOSE COMEdy AWARd SHOWCASE

Pleasance Dome 16:00GARETH RICHARDS, MARCUS LUCONT,

KERRY GODLIMAN, MATT GREEN, JIM CAMPBELL, JESSICA FOSTEKEW,

SUNNA JARMAN

ARTHuR SMITH’S PISSEd-uP CHAT SHOW

Pleasance Dome 21:40CLIvE MANTLE, HARDEEP SINGH

KOHLI, LUKE WRIGHT

CHORTLE PRESENTS: FAST FRINGE

Pleasance Dome 18:40SALLY-ANNE HAYWARD - MC, RACHEL

PARRIS, CARL DONNELLY, IAIN STIRLING, JAMES DOWDESWELL,

BOB & JIM, HARI KONDABOLU, INEL TOMLINSON, MERYL O’ROURKE, TOM

DEACON, NAT LUURTSEMA, TONY LAW, DAvE EASTGATE

MERVyN STuTTER’S PICK OF THE FRINGE

Pleasance Courtyard 13:00ETHERDROME, DEANNE SMITH,

TRANSLUNAR PARADISE, CUTTING THE CORD, MEN OF WAR, SNAILS AND KETCHUP, OUT OF THE BLUE

NICHOLAS PARSONS’ HAPPy HOuR

Pleasance Courtyard 14:30JIMEOIN, KATHERINE RYAN, BARRY

CRYER

Pleasance BytesPleasance Courtyard, 12:00

JULIAN SANDS

THE SHOWCASE SHOWPleasance Courtyard 13:10

Mc – SIMON MUNNERY, CARL HUTCHINSON, MATT PRICE, SEGUE

SISTERS, STUART GOLDSMITH

STORyTELLER’S CLuBPleasance Courtyard 22:00

CRASH & BURN TALES: ANDREW BIRD, TONY LAW, CRAIG CAMPBELL, AMY BUTTERWORTH, WITH SARAH BENNETTO & JAMES DOWDESWELL

THE WRESTLINGPleasance Courtyard, 15 Aug, 23:00

RUSSELL KANE, PATRICK MONAHAN, PAC, ANDREW MAXWELL, BRENDON

BURNS, ANGELOS EPITHEMIOU, ADAM RICHES, ABANDOMAN, RICH FULCHER, NICK HELM, HUMPHREY KER, FRISKY & MANNISH, JESSICA

RANSOM

VIVE LE CABARETPleasance Courtyard 22:30

DES O’CONNORSTEPHEN K AMOS

TIM vINERAYGUNS LOOK REAL ENOUGH

LISA LOTTIEHUSTLE

MAT RICARDOTHE KITSCH KATS

EDD MUIR - FRAYED KNOT CIRCUSGYPSY & vIvA - THE vIvE SHOWGIRLS