It didn't help that it was pouring ...

Another day at the Fringe and another four shows sat through and variously enjoyed or endured.

First up was Helen Keen's It is Rocket Science. Utterly entertaining mix of science and the history of rocket science assisted by inventive props and audience participation in an abbreviated version of the cold war.  I got to be on the Russian side which definitely won over the US side in enthusiasm and participation.

Out into the rain and across to the Zoo venue for a show in the vaults. Dusk on the River Nile, oh what can I say? I wish I could praise this if only because the young cast worked hard and screechingly to convince the audience of their passion for the words and actions. It simply didn't work for me, or for the several members of the audience who removed themselves early from the pain of carrying on till the end.

More rain and some shelter in the Pleasance Courtyard before squeezing into a packed room for Gyles Brandreth's One-to-One story telling. Gratuitous name-dropping and all round general raconteurship by the master of anecdotal wit.

A gap for drinks then the Underbelly for Toby Hadoke Now I Know my BBC.  I'd seen his Moths Ate My Dr Who Scarf and remembered it only for its unremarkableness a few years ago, but gave his new show a try.  He's still unremarkable, moderately inoffensive and by and large makes his case for keeping the BBC.  His emphasis and pedantry regarding the correct usage of the apostrophe is what will stay with me and I suppose I better scour this post for ill-usage of said grammatical device.

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