Grand Finale

It was a full schedule today. Four shows, and the logistics of getting from one to the other all seemed to line up. The main obstacle was crowding on the sidewalk. Many people stroll very casually – and then there are folks like me, who are trying to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. It's funny. On the trail there was no need to rush and my pace was more leisurely. Once I'm back in the city, I start walking like a New Yorker all over again.

The first show was in a small upstairs space the size of my hotel room. There were probably around 20 people in the audience, and the performer got laughs from all of us. That's a great thing to accomplish at 11:00 in the morning. The big finish was him singing a song about how all of us are just pieces of s*** – while dressed in a poop costume. It was perfect.

Many of the buildings employ vertical space because the spaces themselves don't have a huge footprint. The second show was up about six flights of stairs in an attic space, and was not as well attended. The gentleman performing was a poet and storyteller, and it was a nice change of pace. He said the best work of fiction that came out of his neighborhood was the government-printed bus schedule. 

He then related a story about being selected to appear on the British version of America's Got Talent. He did not win. Like many shows, there was no charge for admission. At the conclusion, the artists solicit donations. There is always a big bucket for cash and they all use cashless technology as well.

I had time for lunch before the next show. I'd been disappointed with the fish and chips I had prior, but today’s was a good send-off. I'm not usually a big fan of brown food but this was delicious. My table was by the window. I'm not sure if the passersby were on display, or if it was me, like a puppy in a pet store window.

The third show was by a comedian named Ian Stone. His venue had the most seats of any that I saw during the festival. There were probably more than 200 people in a large space above a popular bar. His humor was topical and political. It wasn't necessary to know all the British politicians who he referenced. They could easily be swapped for the politicos in any country.

His show was also free to attend. He humorously pointed out three exits at the end of his performance. There was one exit where he would be seated to collect any contributions. The other two doors, he warned, were guarded by a Scottish motorcycle gang, and anybody that went through those doors did so at their own risk. The comedian also made it very clear that he was not looking for people to throw coins in his bucket. He liked being paid, but coins were too cumbersome.

As I was taking my seat for that performance a gentleman sitting next to me asked if I had other shows to go to. I told him I had a tight time frame between the completion of this show and going to see the musician, Paul Weller. It turns out that Ian and Paul are long-time friends, and the comedian had actually penned a history of Paul's '70s band, The Jam.

I was not familiar with the music of Paul Weller, but understood that he was a very popular musician. His show took place in a merchant association building with huge portraits of Queen Anne and Prince Philip on the walls. I couldn't understand any of the lyrics. But the beat and the music were terrific and he had the crowd going the entire time.

Overall the Fringe Festival was a complete delight. It was well organized and the volunteers did a great job coordinating everything from tickets to trash. It's the type of atmosphere where you don't have to walk into any performance hall to see incredible things happening in front of you.

Now I'm back at my hotel and it's time to pack. This will probably be the last installment for this journey, unless something interesting happens on my return to the United States. I'm really hoping this is the last installment. It's time to be home. I'll give it a few weeks before I start thinking about my next time out on the trail.