Most people seem to be writing these (and I'm hoping it will make me get my writing head on as I need to finish this essay for tomorrow when my 'editor' will make it look better).
I really wasn't up for Edinburgh this year, not to say the last two years we've been there have been bad, cos they haven't... I just don't see the benefit in it. You pay a load of money, don't see it returned, and for us there's no real advancement in doing it - we aren't going to get nominated for anything etc...So I literally dragged myself there this year.
Day One
Myself, my mum, Jade and Sean all piled into my little Corsa and headed up to Edinburgh. Stopping half way for an expensive breakfast (which was not up to Jades standards at all)
.When we arrived it was peeing it down... so naturally myself and my mum threw Jade and Sean out as soon as we could to go and flyer in the rain. We went to find the hotel we were going to be staying in... an hour later we had to ring the hotel to find that we'd driven past it once in a huge one way system... seriously though, you'd think the Caledonian Hilton Hotel would be a little more obvious!
Finally we parked and headed in with the CSz kit to meet Sean and Jade. But surely, you must be asking yourself, You, Sean and Jade can't make a CSz show! Well no, Ross was there as well. And lovely Micah from CSz Richmond also came to our rescue, with my mum as Ms Voice.It was an interesting show, about half full, Jade and Sean had done a great job flyering. Micah was a good sport and agreed to come back and play again!That night I slept on a window ledge to let my mum and jade have the beds - single beds! in this day and age! It wasn't too bad, but I did wake up with carpet burns. Sean got the fouton.
Day Two
SaturdayGot up early to sneak all four of us out of the 2 person room at the Hilton... I can't imagine they really mind that much - considering we turned the man with the free w
ine away at the door.We loaded up the car and headed out, said goodbye to my mum (as a side note, I am really gutted that I hard saw her this visit... she lives in America and I don't see her much... she was going to be in the UK for a further week, but I was in Edinburgh... really poor planning here) and headed towards where I would normally park in Ed.Sat in the car for an hour as it was chucking it down.
Jade ventured out for a fag.Brave.We eventually left the car and went up to the mile to watch the Stand Players - our first visit of three while we were up there, after this we went to flyer and meet up with everyone else who'd got in that day - Steph, Rach,
Sam, Daisy, Derek, Brendan and Tav.Sean left straight after the show to meet Kirsty in Carlisle so we were missing him already.Felt a bit bad saying HI then thrusting flyers into all the newcomers hands and sending them off... but I knew that if we didnt' get cracking there'd be no one sat there... plus, Jade needed a break ;) and they did a great job!Even though most were knakkered for one reason or another, the show was great! Nearly full and took a great collection on the door.
myself and tav decided it was the decent thing to do to go and buy groceries... now, aparantly EVERY SUPERMARKET CLOSES AT 8pm!!
Seriously
We went past two of the biggest Morrisons I've ever seen, and they were shut!In the end we found a little newsagents and stocked up there...
Day Three
Sunday
The flyering regime was in full effect today... and it showed, another pretty much full show! The show went great, and Tav reffed - he's getting pretty good you know, go Tav!
Afterwards we all assembled and ate nachos - this would become our daily ritual...Ross left us today, loser! Something about his birthday and wanting to be with his fiance or s
ome tripe like that ;)This evening myself and Tav went to watch the The Late Night Impro Fight - I don't know where the Scat Pack get their energy, seriously. Then I think back to my Theatre days and how I always had about 5 projects going on at once, and realise that I'm just old... or lazy... or both.Anyway, I enjoyed the show, even if the room was a weird shape - I'm just a stickler for symetry (sp). The reason we were watching was not only to support the Scat Pack, but also because we were both going to be in the show later in the week, so we knew what to expect... in fact we soon discovered we knew EXACTLY what to expect, as they were playing all our games! Ah well.
Day Four
Monday
We'd lost Ross, but were joined by Micah from Richmond again, and Rob! Yay.What a fun show! Tav reffed again... did I tell you he was getting good?
I really wasn't up for Edinburgh this year, not to say the last two years we've been there have been bad, cos they haven't... I just don't see the benefit in it. You pay a load of money, don't see it returned, and for us there's no real advancement in doing it - we aren't going to get nominated for anything etc...So I literally dragged myself there this year.
Day One
Myself, my mum, Jade and Sean all piled into my little Corsa and headed up to Edinburgh. Stopping half way for an expensive breakfast (which was not up to Jades standards at all).When we arrived it was peeing it down... so naturally myself and my mum threw Jade and Sean out as soon as we could to go and flyer in the rain. We went to find the hotel we were going to be staying in... an hour later we had to ring the hotel to find that we'd driven past it once in a huge one way system... seriously though, you'd think the Caledonian Hilton Hotel would be a little more obvious!
Finally we parked and headed in with the CSz kit to meet Sean and Jade. But surely, you must be asking yourself, You, Sean and Jade can't make a CSz show! Well no, Ross was there as well. And lovely Micah from CSz Richmond also came to our rescue, with my mum as Ms Voice.It was an interesting show, about half full, Jade and Sean had done a great job flyering. Micah was a good sport and agreed to come back and play again!That night I slept on a window ledge to let my mum and jade have the beds - single beds! in this day and age! It wasn't too bad, but I did wake up with carpet burns. Sean got the fouton.
Day Two
SaturdayGot up early to sneak all four of us out of the 2 person room at the Hilton... I can't imagine they really mind that much - considering we turned the man with the free w
ine away at the door.We loaded up the car and headed out, said goodbye to my mum (as a side note, I am really gutted that I hard saw her this visit... she lives in America and I don't see her much... she was going to be in the UK for a further week, but I was in Edinburgh... really poor planning here) and headed towards where I would normally park in Ed.Sat in the car for an hour as it was chucking it down.Jade ventured out for a fag.Brave.We eventually left the car and went up to the mile to watch the Stand Players - our first visit of three while we were up there, after this we went to flyer and meet up with everyone else who'd got in that day - Steph, Rach,
Sam, Daisy, Derek, Brendan and Tav.myself and tav decided it was the decent thing to do to go and buy groceries... now, aparantly EVERY SUPERMARKET CLOSES AT 8pm!!
Seriously
We went past two of the biggest Morrisons I've ever seen, and they were shut!In the end we found a little newsagents and stocked up there...
Day Three
Sunday
The flyering regime was in full effect today... and it showed, another pretty much full show! The show went great, and Tav reffed - he's getting pretty good you know, go Tav!
Afterwards we all assembled and ate nachos - this would become our daily ritual...Ross left us today, loser! Something about his birthday and wanting to be with his fiance or s
ome tripe like that ;)This evening myself and Tav went to watch the The Late Night Impro Fight - I don't know where the Scat Pack get their energy, seriously. Then I think back to my Theatre days and how I always had about 5 projects going on at once, and realise that I'm just old... or lazy... or both.Anyway, I enjoyed the show, even if the room was a weird shape - I'm just a stickler for symetry (sp). The reason we were watching was not only to support the Scat Pack, but also because we were both going to be in the show later in the week, so we knew what to expect... in fact we soon discovered we knew EXACTLY what to expect, as they were playing all our games! Ah well.Day Four
Monday
We'd lost Ross, but were joined by Micah from Richmond again, and Rob! Yay.What a fun show! Tav reffed again... did I tell you he was getting good?
Highlight of my day had to be a mystery 
guest in the crowd! Tom Kirk! He was one of our original players back in 2001! He's such a sweetheart, it really made my day. My dream is that he will graduate from Lancaster and move to Manchester, then I can steal him back.Afterwards we retired for more nachos and Sam and Tav got ready for The Late Night Impro Fight. 
It's fair to say Tav wasn't on form, I think he may have just been a bit out of practice as I was just making him ref his arse off... but he regained it in the guessing game! lol... I suppose with guessing games,they work so much better if you know each other... you learn things about each other and you know what each other will 'get'... also there are tricks of the trade which I think were not really being used.. anyway, it was hilarious!!! Sam was also great, as were everyone else in the show! Was getting quite excited for my go later on in the week.Starting to get tired now, even the piemaker delights aren't keeping me concious... looking forward to John arriving this week...
Day Five
Tuesday
First day on the mile today... it was WEEING it down! Tav did a stellar job reffing this, but when it's chucking it down, people don't really want to stand still... however... got to see how Replay at Bernies works in the rain! ;)
The show again went great... we've had nothing but great shows so far! And a good crowd.Steph l
eft yesterday so we were down another bod... they're dropping like flies!
guest in the crowd! Tom Kirk! He was one of our original players back in 2001! He's such a sweetheart, it really made my day. My dream is that he will graduate from Lancaster and move to Manchester, then I can steal him back.Afterwards we retired for more nachos and Sam and Tav got ready for The Late Night Impro Fight. 
It's fair to say Tav wasn't on form, I think he may have just been a bit out of practice as I was just making him ref his arse off... but he regained it in the guessing game! lol... I suppose with guessing games,
Day Five
Tuesday
First day on the mile today... it was WEEING it down! Tav did a stellar job reffing this, but when it's chucking it down, people don't really want to stand still... however... got to see how Replay at Bernies works in the rain! ;)
The show again went great... we've had nothing but great shows so far! And a good crowd.Steph l
eft yesterday so we were down another bod... they're dropping like flies!Soon to be replenished with some John Cooper tomorrow. It's been really great playing so much, felt very comfortable with Tav reffing, so that's great stuff. He leaves tomorrow morning though so I suppose I will have to don the stripes once again... ahh well...
Rach and I went to watch Oklahomo - which was hilarious! We just loved it, Sam came along for the ride, but am not sure how much he liked it ;) It was basically a load of gay men singing in a choir dressed as cowboys... but I seriously loved it!
Was missing my mum a bit though... she costumed a production of the same name back in Wisco a little while ago - small world.Sam disapeared after the show to go to hospital to get his stitches looked at.. he arrived back at the flat a bit later having walked into a pyschiactric hospital... fail.
Day Six
Wednesday
The man arrived today! 4 hours earlier than he told me! He just walked into the living room of where we were staying... was a very lovely surprise, but meant that the bedroom wasn't tidy at all!Also meant that he would now have to do flyering ; ) muahaaaFlyering went great, the show went great, was good to have John there... and he was taking notes as he was about to ref the next day!
There were a load of Houston teenagers in the crowd, they watch CSz all the time in Houston aparantly... although Stephen Bennett didn't recognise them, so I think they are liars
Day Seven
Thursday
Flyering good - show good - collection has now made it up past the 'programme ou
tlay' point... so I'm chuffed, didn't think that would happen.
Rach and I went to watch Oklahomo - which was hilarious! We just loved it, Sam came along for the ride, but am not sure how much he liked it ;) It was basically a load of gay men singing in a choir dressed as cowboys... but I seriously loved it!
Was missing my mum a bit though... she costumed a production of the same name back in Wisco a little while ago - small world.Sam disapeared after the show to go to hospital to get his stitches looked at.. he arrived back at the flat a bit later having walked into a pyschiactric hospital... fail.
Day Six
Wednesday
The man arrived today! 4 hours earlier than he told me! He just walked into the living room of where we were staying... was a very lovely surprise, but meant that the bedroom wasn't tidy at all!Also meant that he would now have to do flyering ; ) muahaaaFlyering went great, the show went great, was good to have John there... and he was taking notes as he was about to ref the next day!
There were a load of Houston teenagers in the crowd, they watch CSz all the time in Houston aparantly... although Stephen Bennett didn't recognise them, so I think they are liars
Day Seven
Thursday
Flyering good - show good - collection has now made it up past the 'programme ou
tlay' point... so I'm chuffed, didn't think that would happen.John reffed for the first time today - it was interesting. This evening we went to watch Richard Herring - he's the only person I've seen every year I've been up to Edinburgh, he lets me take pictures, which I did again... Today Rachel and Daisy were feeling very bold and went downtown and got tattoos! Madness!
Soon everyone in CSz worldwide will be tattood!! John seemed to be thinking about it too... scary. I really do find the permanancy of the whole thing more scary than the needles.After Herring we head
ed to the Late Night Impro Fight for the last time... me and Rach were playing tonight... was good fun.I made a very tasteless joke about the holocaust... but, hey.... it wasn't a brown bag type of show ;) I also kept wiping off my '-' (minus) off the chalk board... I think I was last ... hehe.Was very nice of them to let us join in, and their pianist is a genius! nuff saidDidn't sleep great - the floor is really crap to be honest... John and I have already decided that tomorrow night we are bagsying a bed
Day Eight
Friday
Flyering on the mile was great fun today! Rach once again did a fantastic job at reffing the stage on the Mile. It seems like we've been here forever, but yet hardly here at all.It's very obvious that everyone's really benefitted from playing so many shows in sucession - and so pleased and excited that Jade and Rob stuck around for an extra two days!! I know that wouldn't have happened last year - in fact, I'm pretty sure we lost people very early on.I was back to reffing again today, and you know what, I'm actually enjoying it again... I stopped enjoying it a while ago, hence hardly doing it... but today was great.The audiences are just so up for it! It's great.Collection was great again.. really chuffed.
Day topped off with the influx of Liz Bradshaw and Rach and Dan! Loads of pals here in this fair city now
Day Nine
Saturday - FINAL DAY
And I'm actually sad! I didn't want to come this year for many reasons, but this has been by far our best year up here... some of it must go to the people, and some to the new venue, pretty much none to the weather ;)
Everyone has been so great! Was a shame Jade couldn't play our last show ;) We were the originals Jade!! What happened!?!?!? Funny as well, this is the first year I have done the entire run!The last show was amazing. Pretty much full, a very very healthy take on the door. Lots of friends in the audience. A great response (barr two people walking out as soon as I said 'family friendly' it truly is their loss). It's been so great to see and play with D+D again after not hardly seeing them for yonks! They've come on leaps and bounds! Everyone steppe dup so much this week, I am actually a little emotional about it all.Straight after the show we did our last notes session, Sam had a pie, and we all went home.John and I finally got home, via 3 stops in Chorley, at midnight... and the flat stank of cat piss.Ahh well.x
Soon everyone in CSz worldwide will be tattood!! John seemed to be thinking about it too... scary. I really do find the permanancy of the whole thing more scary than the needles.After Herring we head
ed to the Late Night Impro Fight for the last time... me and Rach were playing tonight... was good fun.I made a very tasteless joke about the holocaust... but, hey.... it wasn't a brown bag type of show ;) I also kept wiping off my '-' (minus) off the chalk board... I think I was last ... hehe.Was very nice of them to let us join in, and their pianist is a genius! nuff saidDidn't sleep great - the floor is really crap to be honest... John and I have already decided that tomorrow night we are bagsying a bedDay Eight
Friday
Flyering on the mile was great fun today! Rach once again did a fantastic job at reffing the stage on the Mile. It seems like we've been here forever, but yet hardly here at all.It's very obvious that everyone's really benefitted from playing so many shows in sucession - and so pleased and excited that Jade and Rob stuck around for an extra two days!! I know that wouldn't have happened last year - in fact, I'm pretty sure we lost people very early on.I was back to reffing again today, and you know what, I'm actually enjoying it again... I stopped enjoying it a while ago, hence hardly doing it... but today was great.The audiences are just so up for it! It's great.Collection was great again.. really chuffed.
Day topped off with the influx of Liz Bradshaw and Rach and Dan! Loads of pals here in this fair city now
Day Nine
Saturday - FINAL DAY
And I'm actually sad! I didn't want to come this year for many reasons, but this has been by far our best year up here... some of it must go to the people, and some to the new venue, pretty much none to the weather ;)
Everyone has been so great! Was a shame Jade couldn't play our last show ;) We were the originals Jade!! What happened!?!?!? Funny as well, this is the first year I have done the entire run!The last show was amazing. Pretty much full, a very very healthy take on the door. Lots of friends in the audience. A great response (barr two people walking out as soon as I said 'family friendly' it truly is their loss). It's been so great to see and play with D+D again after not hardly seeing them for yonks! They've come on leaps and bounds! Everyone steppe dup so much this week, I am actually a little emotional about it all.Straight after the show we did our last notes session, Sam had a pie, and we all went home.John and I finally got home, via 3 stops in Chorley, at midnight... and the flat stank of cat piss.Ahh well.x
