Edinburgh Report, Week One

Posted by lukewrightpoet Category: Diary Entries

I’ve been in town for a week now. I’ve performed five Cynical Ballads and three Aisle16 R Kool!s. It’s been a good week. Lots of 4am stumble-homes and new friends. The shows have largely gone well, the fourth Cynical Ballads was tough and last night Aisle16 R Kool felt a bit trickier than usual, but on the whole I’ve really been enjoying it.

The reviews for Cynical Ballads have been fantastic!

The List gave me 5 STARS and said: “The real deal … exquisite hour … John Cooper Clarke has said of the poet: ‘He must be on some kind of dope’. Whatever it is that Luke Wright has been ingesting, artists of all genres need to get it bottled right now.”

Whats On Stage gave me 4 STARS and said: “(the poems) conjure modern British life in an expertly observed, lovingly critical and (in the best sense) patriotic style, in a show with ideas and intentions far larger than the small, attentive Underbelly audience that Wright will surely soon outgrow.”

Chortle gave me 4 STARS and said: “this impresses for its poignant literacy”

I was particularly chuffed with the List review as Brian Donaldson (a very experienced Fringe reviewer) has seen my previous shows and commented on how this one is a step up for me. That’s what I think about the show and it’s great to have that recognised in print.

My crowds are building too, we were only three seats short of selling out yesterday and I’m pretty hopeful for today as well. However, I have been reminded of what a slog the Fringe is. I’m not even a quarter of the way through yet and I’m shattered. Perhaps a little less stumbling home at 4am is in order. But I know that even if you get plenty of early nights the process of performing that same piece of work everyday tires you out in a way that lashings of sleep and your five-a-day cannot counter. This is a tough fight, but right now we’re bearing up ok.

Over and out.

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