I popped over to Edinburgh this week to soak up some of the Fringe before it winds down for another year. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the largest arts festival in the world and has been going since 1947. My first ever professional job out of drama school was a play called Stars on at the Traverse Theatre as part of the Fringe I've been hooked ever since.

Last year, there were over 3,000 shows to choose from so one can be excused from not seeing them all! All of the actors in Scotland seem to disappear for the month of August, so if you want to see your pals, pay a small fortune on that train and head east! My first stop was to see Wendy Hoose by Johnny McKnight on at the Assembly Rooms. James Young and Amy Conachan are a pair of mismatched lovers in the play for Random Accomplice/Birds of Paradise and are a fantastic duo. It's not your average love story and therein lies it's brilliance, Johnny's script hits modern dating bang on the head and throws up some mortifying moments that most of us singletons can relate to. I didn't want it to end.

Glasgow Times:

A few pints and a fish supper later, it was off to the Assembly Hall to catch the runaway hit of the festival; Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas. This is the show that I've heard the most buzz about and who can resist a diva? Three backstage make up girls entertain us with songs and stories about Hollywood divas. Doris Day and Dolly Parton feature of course, but we also get an insight into the lives of Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli - it can't carry diva in the title and not cover that pair! There's a hilarious Julie Andrews skit that had me in stitches - she was F-bombing about all of the nanny roles she's so well known for and sick fed up of being saccharine sweet. Genius. I can't not mention the real divas of the show: Frances Thorburn, Gail Watson and Clare Waugh, who play all of the roles to perfection. It is a joyous show, the girls all have sensational voices and the harmonies are so tight you couldn't slip a fag paper between them. I clapped so enthusiastically I spilled my beer and drowned the poor woman sitting in front of me (Sorry again!).

Glasgow Times:

We couldn't let Edinburgh have all the fun now, could we? My brothers and sisters congregated at the weekend to celebrate Glasgow's Gay Pride. I only got along on Sunday to soak it up, but what a day! The sun was shining, Taps were Aff as far as the eye could see and thankfully we had rainbow flags to do a bit of sunburn prevention. I have to confess, I've never really taken part in Gay Pride. I am a proud gay all year round and thought it was something you left the baby gays to revel in. I was so wrong.

It was a brilliant day on Glasgow Green. Man, woman, child and dug were out in force to show support for the LGBT community and I loved it. What a joy to see parents raising their kids with an awareness that our world is different and diverse, that our differences should be celebrated and nurtured, not vilified or mocked. It gladens my heart. I bumped into the lovely Natalie and her family - they are daily vloggers and have their own YouTube channel: "We're The Millers" (www.youtube.com/c/werethemillers2) Their message of support was ringing out loud and clear, her boys Caleb and Blake looked adorable and were lapping up the sunshine. Keep up the support guys, it's not going unnoticed. Sunday night ended with some wee band called Texas headlining. Sharleen Spiteri seemed to be in her element in front of her home crowd. Hats off to the organizers, you really pulled it out of the bag! Sunshine, fun and a whole lot of equal love. Happy Pride. #behappy 

 

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