Nick, Tim and Thos talk to various writers and performers bringing their shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Shows include Head, Big Bruvva, Departure Lounge, Happyland and Apocolypse: The Musical.

Great episode!

Departure Lounge = best thing I have seen in AGES!

Hey, im kicking myself for not going to The Fringe this year :( And this podcast made me even more jealous! haha You mentioned in passing that there was some Jason Robert Brown work there? Which shows? If you say Parade I may have to go cry in the corner and missing that one! :unsure:

JRB is at the fringe is the form of Songs For A New World (2 companies) and The Last 5 Years....

Saw Songs for a New World done by American High School Musical Theatre project(or something similar)at Rocket@De MArco Roxy Arthouse...awful!!! The kids were variable, some nice voices, but bad bad direction and proved that this just doesn't work with youngsters. Add in all the annoying parents & friends from other American schools, and well...not my fringe highlight! :o

Having seen this last year by Theatrespot in the same venue and practically the same seat and been blown away, it was a bit dissapointing! :(

I just finished MD'ing Songs For A New World for a group of 18 year-olds doing their National Diploma, and it worked pretty well. While not kids as such, still certainly young and inexperienced, and they managed to give a surprisingly mature delivery.

I can see how it would benefit from being performed by adults with some life experience, but I don't think that stops younger ones from having a go, especially if that means having to research and workshop some subjects and experiences they've not had to deal with.

In case anyone wants to enjoy a small slice of Edinburgh in London, I am pleased to say that Jet Set Go - the Cabin Crew Musical, by Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary, which was one of the highlights of the Fringe for me, is to be performed here in September. It will be on at the venue called Theatre 503 (above the Latchmere Pub), 503 Battersea Park Road, London SW11 3BW between Tuesday 2nd and Saturday 6th September 2008. All performances start at 8.00 pm. If you are looking for a melodic, funny and touching musical stuffed full of the Fringe joi de vivre, then I can recommend it.

I will also be showcasing Jet Set Go in a later episode of MusicalTalk, because I think it is jolly good!

Thos

Mat...Ok maybe I didn't quite mean it couldn't work with youngsters..just not these ones maybe! The programme notes & opening scene actually suggested that they were making SFANW relevant to their ages & experiences, but it kind of veered away from this and mixed up a bit...I think these kids were possibly just a bit too young (I'd guess quite a bit younger than 18) and their voices not developped enough to deal with the music.