Issue #22 - Weekend 28th & 29th August - FREE

MORE INSIDE...The Pleasance Times award nominations - Get voting!

Lee Nelson interview

The Great British Weekend

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OVID’S MEtaMORphOSES wINS CaROl taMBOR’S BESt Of EDINBuRgh awaRD

Ovid’s Metamorphoses has been awarded the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award 2010. The award, which was first presented in 2004, is given to one show each year. Ovid’s Metamorphoses is the seventh production ever to receive the prize, which includes an all-expenses-paid transfer to New York in January 2011.

The award was presented on Friday morning at The Scotsman’s final awards ceremony, and is considered one of the highest accolades of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Not only is there a large prestige value associated with the award, but it also provides an invaluable career progression step for all those involved.

Ovid’s Metamorphoses’s run in New York will coincide with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters convention, which brings some 4,000 producers and presenters to New York City.

The Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award pays for all costs associated with transferring the show to New York, including flights, set and props transportation, visa expenses, accommodation in New York, publicity and theatre expenses.

“We are absolutely thrilled” said director, Peter Bramley. “In fact, we were thrilled just to be nominated, particularly considering the calibre of all the other nominated shows.”

Peter, who also runs the company – Pants on Fire – is now concentrating on booking tour dates for the rest of the year. “We’re starting with a three week run at the Croydon Warehouse, and then hopefully we will be touring elsewhere before the New York run.”

Ovid’s Metamorphoses has achieved great success and acclaim during their

run at the Festival. The show is an actor-musician extravaganza which relocates Roman mythology to 1940’s wartime Britain, utilising projection, puppetry, physicality, lighting and much more to tell each story. It provides an exploration of man’s inextricable link with nature and the universe at this, a time when the Earth is beginning another metamorphosis.

Cast member Alex Parker explained the appeal of the show’s content; “the stories are still fully relevant, despite their 2000 year age.” For many in the company, this is their first experience of the Festival Fringe. Alex spoke for many in saying that “it certainly was daunting coming up here, but it’s been far better than we ever could have expected.”

For now, the company are trying to control their excitement. “We are going to keep calm for now, then celebrate properly at the end of the run.”

STOP PRESS:As if Ovid’s Metamorphoses had not

achieved enough success throughout the festival, the company have received another award. After being nominated for a Musical Theatre Matters - Best New Musical award, Ovid’s Metamorphoses did not win the category. Instead, so impressed were the judges with Ovid’s Metamorphoses that they created a new award, Editor’s Choice, specifically to recognise this fantastic production. The award will be presented at a later date.

Ovid’s MetamorphosesPleasance Dome

4-30 Aug 12:00 (Midday)

thE gREat BRItISh wEEkEND

lEE NElSON’S wEll gOOD INtERVIEwHolla Pleasance people, this is Lee Nelson. Qualitee.So Lee, are you in a relationship? What’s your longest?I’ve been with Amber two year now innit. Feels like a lot longer. She’s a glamour model, yes! And she’s having her second boob job done in a couple of weeks time. Having the left one done this time, even ‘em up. Yeaah. Before that the longest relationship I’d had was 6 minutes. I’m a lot better now.Are you in love?It don’t take much for me to fall in love, I gotta be honest. Normally about half a pill. I’ve been in love most weekends. We’ll go and love tonight love, we’ll hit the clubs and do something.How old when you lost your virginity?Aaah that’s embarrassing. I

was a lot older than all of my mates. But I don’t care. I weren’t in a hurry, I was waiting for the right girl. And I happened to meet her when I was seven.How old were your mates?Mostly five or six.Have you got any tattoos?I’ve got my little boy’s name, my missus’ name… me and Amber are the same, we’re both forgetful. She likes me.What’s the furthest you’ve travelled?That’s an ‘ard one man. I once fell asleep on the central line and ended up in West Ruislip, which is like zone six or somethin. Didn’t know where I was, so I sat it out until the next train took me back. I’m a Bermondsey boi tho.Do you have any hobbies?

I’ve got hobbies. As a kid I remember I had a train set, I used to love smashing that up. But y’know just like normal, drinking, smoking, dogging. I got xbox. Oh yes. I’m in love with that. I got Grand Theft Auto, that is the best game ever. People keep saying it’s a bad influence. I just wanna say for the record, Pleasance people, that when I went to San Andreas, nicked that car, sold that coke and killed that hooker, I thought of that long before the game. So I’ve got a clear conscience.If you could meet anyone dead or alive, who would it be?I think I’d go Little mermaid. I don’t know if I’d know how to do it with her, but I’d give it a try. You don’t know what’s down there do you? We’d film it all and that.

And what is your favourite movie?Too many to choose from; me and Amber have made so many. The first one – she was like “oh no, I don’t wanna do it, don’t be stupid, nobody watches youtube” – …4 million hits on youtube, yeaah!Pleasance people! Spread the love, catch me in my show or on tour or on the telly.

Lee Nelson’s Well Good Edinbra Show

Pleasance Courtyard4-30 Aug 22:20

The Great British Weekend (Are We Nearly There Yet?) is a groundbreaking new piece of site-specific theatre by Hannah Eidinow, made possible by The Vauxhall Collective and supported

by Pleasance. This one-off event, taking place at The Mound in Princes Street Gardens on Saturday, is aimed at creating a dialogue (both online and in person) about your ‘Great British Weekend’.

There are a number of ways you can get involved with the show, and then we look forward to

welcoming you to the free event on Saturday.

First off, you can tweet about your own Great British Weekend using the hashtag #greatbritishweekend. Tell us what you do, where you go, who you go with and why weekend getaways are such a British institution.

We’re also accepting photographic evidence of your weekend excursions. Upload your images to

YFrog or Twitpic, then tweet about them using the #greatbritishweekend hashtag. We’ve also got a Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/The-Great-Brit ish-Weekend where you can share photos and stories with other weekenders.

The Great British WeekendThe Mound

(Next to National Gallery)28 Aug 14:00

@ThePleasance#pleasancetimes

RT @charliejamisonMade it from pleasance dome to courtyard in 6 mins. Surely that deserves a prize. New lungs, maybe..?

RT @greatnebHere for bo burnham and Charlie brooker is at the end of my row. There’s a keyboard and a rubber chicken. Good signs. (@ Pleasance Dome)

RT @chrisgradyRachel rose reid at the pleasance is storytelling at its finest. Wonderful. Catch it if you can or when she tours. A very special talent.

RT @pimpmyspeechAnyone in Edinburgh, I recommend seeing Radio Hoo Hah at The Pleasance - two very funny ladies...

plEaSaNCE tIMES awaRDS

THE NOMINATIONS:

Most Inventive Show Title

Seann Walsh – I’d happily punch myself in the face

Emo Philips – Please Witness My Act

David O’Doherty: Somewhere Over The

David O’DohertyJimmy McGhie – The All Powerful Warrior Who

With His Endurance And Inflexible Will To Win

Goes From Conquest to Conquest Leaving Fire In

His Wake Silly Billy Bum Breath

Strikes Back

Best Flyering Technique“Excuse me, could you

hold this for me”Pre-meditated (or

spontaneous) nudityLying Outright

Parents (Ben’s Dad – Idiots of Ants)

Food That’s Got Us Through The Festival

Baguette ExpressPiemaker

Black MedicineHaribo

Mosque KitchenCourtyard Nachos

The Nightingale Award for Tweeting Excellence

ReveriePappy’s

The Penny DreadfulsSarah Bennetto

Best HairMaff Brown

Radio HooHahTom Wrigglesworth

Terry Alderton

Best Show PosterPenny Dreadfuls

John-Luke Roberts Distracts You From A

MurderOdyssey

Ginger and BlackArthur Smith

Running on Air

Funniest Customer Queries

“Hello. I’ve got a very poorly puppy. Is it OK if I pop him in a bag and bring him along to the

show?”“Does the Pleasance do

costume hire?”“Do you reckon I’ve got time for a a No.2 before BBC Comedy Presents?”

“Do you take cash payments?” (Asked over

the phone)

Most Commonly Mispronounced Show

Hans Tewene / Hans Teeuwen

Tim FitzhiGam / Tim Fitzhigham

Devero / DerevoCambridge Floodlights /

FootlightsDan Ackopolski / Dan

AntopolskiBob Urnham / Bo

Burnham

Spotted: The Best Celebrities

(Non-Fringe-Performers)David MitchellRichard BaconFrank Skinner

Stephen MerchantChristopher Lee

Kimberly from Girls AloudAlistair McGowan (As

Himself )Josh from Hollyoaks

Charlie BrookerAlun Armstrong

Jimmy Carr

Best Fringe VenuePleasance Courtyard

Pleasance DomePleasance at Ghillie Dhu

Throughout the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, judges scout out the very best talent for numerous awards. The main few, including the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Fringe First, Musical Theatre Matters, Carol Tambor and Total Theatre Awards, all hold massive prestige value and can propel careers to dizzy heights of success.

In light of the success of these awards, The Pleasance Times have put together nominations for our own very special set of ten awards. Please vote for your favourite by tweeting answers with the hashtag #ptimesawards, or email times@pleasance.co.uk with your votes and ‘Awards’ in the subject line. Nominations close midday Sunday.

SatuRDaY 28thAFTER HOURS

Pleasance Dome 00:40ALEx ZANE

ANDREW MAxWELLROB DEERING

JIMMY MCGHIENICK HELM

BBC COMEDY PRESENTSPleasance Dome 23:00

CHRIS RAMSEY MCDANIEL SLOSS

SEYMOUR MACENICK HELM

MICKY FLANAGAN

THE DAVE HILL EXPLOSIONPleasance Courtyard 23:00

EMO PHILLIPSDAVID O’DOHERTY

Please note that all line-ups are subject to change. Check the Box Office for the latest information.

ITCH: A SCRATCH EVENTPleasance Courtyard 14:00

HATTIE HAYRIDGE (RED DWARF)

MICK CULLINAN (DEAD CAT BOUNCE)

CAREY MARxALAN FRANCISSTEVE MCNEILSEGUE SISTERS

CLOVIS VAN DARKHELMPHIL NICHOL (HOST)

ROB DEERING’S BEAT THISPleasance Dome 23:30

SIMON EVANSSTEVE HALLANDI OSHOGUY PRATT

RONNA AND BEVERLYPleasance Courtyard 17:45

JAMES BACHMANASH ATALLA

STORYTELLER’S CLUBPleasance Courtyard 22:00

JOHN-LUKE ROBERTSTOM BELLBEC HILL

JAMES DOWDESWELL SARAH BENNETTO AS HOST

PLUS AN ExTRA SPECIAL SECRET GUEST!!!