Issue #12 - Tuesday 16th August - FREE

cul-de-sac: uP TO scRaTcH

ReMeMBeRING FRee FRINGe aT THe VOOdOO BaR, 2009:

» 5 Reasons why Pope Benedict is a Bond Villain

» Top tweets » Full daily listings

JaMes acasTeR, JOsH WIddIcOMBe & NIck HelM ReMINIsce aBOuT FRee FRINGe FaIluRe

Creative experimentation reaps its rewards. Itch: A Scratch Event creates and trials new scripts, sketches and characters at Pleasance London and Edinbrugh, all with the help of live audiences. Now, Cul-De-Sac has emerged from the Itch trials to bring its twisted take on Stepford Wives to Pleasance throughout August.

Itch has long provided an enthralling breeding ground for comics to air their dramatic writing. Previous participants have included Hardeep Singh Kohli, Russell Kane, Jack Whitehall, Jenny Eclair and many more. Today, the event returns to Edinburgh with new writing by Fred Macauley, Phil Nichol, Hattie Hayridge and others.

This year The Comedians Theatre Company aren’t just trialling new work at Itch, but also unveiling the results of previous trials. Mathew Osborn’s newly written play, Cul-De-Sac began life at Itch and has now blossomed into a full-bodied, freshly-cut ‘suburban lawn’ of a play.

Top Left, Mike Hayley as Clovis in Itch / Bottom

right, Mike Hayley in Cul-De-Sac

#flyerface is backflyerface.tumblr.com

Terry Alderton vs Craig Hill

James Acaster vs Henry Paker

[Continued on Page 3...]

RE-LIVING THE VOODOO BAR

“Thankfully, it was because of that show that we all became friends,” offers Nick positively. James adds a sourer note that it closely resembled “the solidarity felt between car crash victims.”

“I tried to visit The Voodoo Bar recently,” says James, wistfully, “but I never made it because gales buffeting against me along Princes Street seemed an omen against my quest.” Nick tried the same trip along memory lane, “I phoned up once, but never got through… perhaps we imagined the whole thing.”

Nick, James and Josh have staggered their Pleasance shows this year so you can re-live The Voodoo Bar 2009 in one sublime evening without having to go to The Voodoo Bar itself (or 2009.) Josh adds that for the full experience “audiences should be sick in a bucket and carry that into each venue.”

James Acaster: Amongst Other Things, Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 Aug (Not

16) 21:45 / Nick Helm: Dare To Dream, Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 Aug (Not 17) 16:00 / Josh Widdicombe: If This Show

...and a bucket of sick spent an Edinburgh Festival Fringe together. Two years on, three of the four have solo shows at Pleasance. They organised a reminiscing session in memory of 2009 spent at Edinburgh’s least-known venue, The Voodoo Bar.

“How long would you say that bucket of sick stayed at the back of the room?” opens Nick. “The smell really was horrible”, replies Josh, “but it was at least two weeks before we picked up the newspaper that was covering it and discovered the source.”

Nick sets the scene; “It was 2009. We three decided to do a show, and to call it Acaster, Helm and Widdicombe, Live at The Voodoo Bar. Just simple, our names, alphabetically, and the location. But it had an unfortunately ‘Live at the Apollo’ ring to it.”

“Except the Apollo doesn’t have decaying balloons on the walls,” chips in Josh, “and the lights aren’t smashed. They even managed to display the wrong Free Fringe logo; that’s like using an IRA symbol on Ian Paisley’s birthday card.”

“Live at the Apollo also got an audience,” joins in James, “you’ve got to hand it to them, they got that right at least. We didn’t. We did get that guy coming to see us… my Mum’s friend, who was supposed to be supporting us. Josh, compering,

asked if anyone had seen comedy before, to which he replied ‘no, and I still haven’t’. ”

“That joke’s matured with age,” admits Josh, “I find it quite funny now. Hey, do you remember that plane-spotter guy who was friends with sheep?” [The three share a chuckle, then a sigh.]

Nick further explains the trio’s predicament. “The Voodoo Bar was on a triangle of roads which locals told us were the quietest roads in Edinburgh and, specifically, that ours was the quietest of the three.” A lone audience member confirmed to James one night that “nobody’s heard of this place.”

LISTEn TO THIS In FuLL On THE Pleasance PodcastTODAy...

Josh Widdicombe, Nick Helm and James Acaster (Photo: Idil Sukan), BELOW: The Voodoo Bar

JAmES ACASTER, JOSH WIDDICOmBE, nICk HELm...

@ThePleasance#pleztimes

RT @LRWORKSActress Pauline Knowles is Scotland’s National Treasure. Watch her in Fleeto & Wee Andy. Superb. @thepleasance @thestage @thelist #edfringe

RT @HenryRabyPoetry For a stand-up show beyond mundane easy gags packed with pathos at @edfringe chck out @mattrudge 7.15 @ThePleasance

RT @NoiseNextDoorYou can now purchase TNND DVDs at @ThePleasance Merchandise and Information desk. There’s extras on it and everything. #edfringe

RT @Jack_Roberts_Just chilling @ThePleasance with my bro bungo!

PReseNTed By ONe OF OuR cOMedy acTs aNd FeaTuRING THeIR sPecIal GuesTs, INcludING:Joe Lycett, Matthew Crosby from Pappy’s, Jeff Leach, Katherine Ryan, Tom Price, Dan Clark, Kate Copstick and a regular daily message from Angelos Epithemiou. ePIsOde 6 (yesterday)Benny Boot & Hannibal Buress

ePIsOde 7 (Today)Nick Helm, Josh Widdicombe & James Acaster

[continued from cover...]The cul-de-sac may seem idylic

– there are harmonious families, beautiful children and lawnmowers humming softly – but when Tim meets neighbour Nigel, he begins to suspect that something is up. Mystery abounds; mystery that curtain-twitching alone won’t solve. “There’s something rotten in the cul-de-sac. And you know it!”

Cul-De-Sac starrs Alan Francis, Toby Longworth and Mike Hayley.

Hayley, who made a name for himself as the irresistibly absurd Clovis Van Darkhelm at Itch events in 2010, is thrilled to be part of the progression from Itch to this full-length production.

Look out for Cul-De-Sac at the Courtyard, and help spot next year’s success at Itch, today only.

Itch: A Scratch Event, Pleasance Courtyard, 16 Aug 14:45 / Cul-De-Sac,

Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 Aug 15:15

EXPOSED: 5 REASONS wHy POPE BENEDICT IS A BOND VILLAIN

1. He has a creepy German accent.2. He lives in a huge mansion, filled

with priceless artworks.3. He never goes anywhere without

a gang of uniformed henchmen.4. His public name sounds perfectly

innocent (Pope Benedict) but his real name sounds diabolical (Cardinal Ratzinger).

5. He’s the head of a sinister organisation which is hell-bent on taking over the world.

Pope Benedict: Bond Villain, Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 Aug (not 16), 20:45

By ABIE PHILBIn BOWmAn

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.

TUESDAy 16th

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

cHORTle PReseNTs: FasT FRINGe

Pleasance Dome 18:40JIMMY MCGHIE MC, MATT

TILLER, JIM SMALLMAN, LAURENCE CLARK, PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON, MCNEILL &

PAMPHILON, DANNY PENSIVE, SCOTT AGNEW, LE GATEAU

CHOCOLAT, SCOTT AGNEW, SAM SIMMONS, TERRY ALDERTON,

LATE NIGHT GIMP FIGHT, MARK WATSON

ITCH: A SCRATCH EVEnTPleasance Courtyard, 14:45

FRED MACAULAY, PHIL NICHOL, HATTIE HAYRIDGE, RICH

FULCHER, PIPPA EVANS & RUTH BRATT (SHOWSTOPPER!), THE

SEGUE SISTERS & MANY MORE

JuST FOR LAugHS SHOWCASEPleasance Courtyard, 23:00

COMPERE: TIM RABNETT, ERIC LAMPAERT, JOEL DOMMETT,

CHRIS MARTIN, GARETH RICHARDS, JIMMY MCGHIE,

CHARLIE BAKER

MeRVyN sTuTTeR’s PIck OF THe FRINGe

Pleasance Courtyard 13:00PASSION FLOWER, TOM STADE,

JOANNA NEAHY, FLEETO,RIOT, SUNDAY IN THE PARK

WITH GEORGE, JOE STILGOE

NIcHOlas PaRsONs’ HaPPy HOuR

Pleasance Courtyard 14:30ED BYRNE, ALI COOKE,

THE MAGNETS

THe sHOWcase sHOWPleasance Courtyard 13:10Mc – DANNY WARD, MATT

GREEN, SHAZIA MIRZA, LUKE BENSON, THE BOY WITH TAPE ON

HIS FACE

VIVe le caBaReTPleasance Courtyard 22:30

DES O’CONNORWILL HODGSON

JOHNNY ELECTROLUxMAT RICARDOFRANK SANAZI

EDD MUIR - FRAYED KNOT CIRCUSHUSTLE

GYPSY & VIVA - THE VIVE SHOWGIRLS

PLUS ONE GUEST TBC