Wednesday August 8th, 2012
I had a premonition about today, I really did. I also did not take it personally that there were only 3 people in the audience. According to the box office staff, the first Wednesday of the Fringe is traditionally a slower day. Monday and Tuesday are 1/2 price days, so that brings lots of locals in. People that take a couple of days off to see a bunch of shows, and then head back to work on Wednesday.
One of the three people in our audience, was a reviewer. He told Neal "Full marks for carrying on, a lot of companies will cancel if there are so few audience members." He did actually laugh several times, and I believe his publication is called 'Stages'. There is no Sardi's here to hang out in while the reviews come in, so instead we did laundry. Clean socks tomorrow! Yay!
21A went very well, and we had 9 people for that show. Afterwards Glenn and I roamed Edinburgh in search of a key shop that could duplicate our flat (apartment) keys. Neal has one set and Glenn and I have been sharing the other set. This means that we've been manacled together since last Wednesday. That sounds a bit harsh. Stuck together? Burdened with each other? How about, comforted by the company of each other, but yearning for some 'alone time'.
We managed to find a key shop about a 1 mile walk from where we're staying. Neither of the fellows working there were Judy Garland fans, but I left them two free tickets anyway. The thing about having a show on, is that you always need to remember to 'market' your show. That does not come naturally to Glenn or myself. But we're learning and trying. Neither one of us wants the show to be the end all and be all of our day. So, we're trying to promote 'The Property Known As Garland' ..... in moderation.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I asked at the Surgeon's Hall box office tonight and found we'd sold 8 tickets for tomorrows show.
On our way back from the key errand, we were both hungry and stopped to look at a sandwich board type sign, outside of a book shop. I was reading out loud what kind of food they had (we were both hungry), when a fellow came outside and urgently told us to come inside the shop.
"Come in for 5 minutes, there's the most amazing reader giving such a stunning performance, this will change your life, just 5 minutes!" Well..... Glenn and I looked at each other, and knowing how hard it is to perform for a small audience, we figured we'd go in (for 5 minutes since we were both hungry). We sat down and listened to a man read the most boring list you've ever heard in your life. It was a list, it was trivial and it was endless. At one point we both noticed the fellow who had urged us inside start laughing. The reader (who kept reading his list) was also smiling. Was it Candid Camera or something? We're we being made fun of?
Well..... Glenn had had enough so he made a move to leave. I followed. The man who had solicited us to come in the shop followed us out of the bookstore. He immediately started denigrating the reader. "He's been reading for 2 1/2 hours the most worthless 18th century drivel." and "This is a spoken word event and I just want to burn the whole place down."
Glenn replied "You don't need to burn the whole building, just burn that book he's reading."
Walking away we both agreed it was a surreal, but funny experience.
I spotted a Sainsbury's (grocery store), and we each got a sandwich, crisps (potato chips) and a dessert croissant for supper. Walking back towards the apartment we found a beautiful park to sit and have our meal. Children were running back and forth on the very green lawn and we heard from a stranger that it had rained for 6 weeks straight here this summer. I suppose Scottish kids run in the rain when that happens. They'd have to.
We saw a really fun magician tonight, 'Houdini to Potter'. The show is in the exact same theatre that we're performing in. (Surgeon's Hall, Theatre 3) Glenn and I were both called up from the audience to be a part of the show. Very fun.
Tonight was the first night I didn't wear my t-shirt that has my show poster on the front and the back. I've been wearing it constantly, to promote the show. I have my pink long sleeved t-shirt on instead, and it feels really nice.