Bussmann's holiday

If anyone's up in Edinburgh this year (I'm not, the whole concept revolts me***), they have to go and see Bussmann's Holiday, which has got fantastic reviews (update: some in this very comments thread - thanks Swiv). Jane herself talks about the show here.

The other reason people have to go and see it is because when I was but a fledgling new-born comedy writer, begging people to find space to squeeze sketches onto Smack The Pony (the 'not quite kissing on the doorstep/that's it that's the whole bag of tricks' one was in the recent 'Best British 50 Comedy Sketches of All Time' show, but I don't want to go on about it*), Jane and her then writing partner David Quantick were kind enough to take me out for a pint after one rehearsal/workshop thing and talk to me about the world of comedy, people I should probably try and have meetings with, and people I probably shouldn't try and have meetings with.

Of course I woke up in the same pub an hour later with a thick feeling in my head, a very dry mouth and a wallet down, but they left my library card, and for that I will always regard them with a certain fondness. I took it as a mark of respect, a salute, if you will, from two wordsmiths to another of their tribe, and repaid the favour a week later by burning down their moped.

DQ by the way, popularized the phrase 'not got past the aardvark stage**' as a description for comedy writers who still think random lists of items from either the London Zoo spotters' guide or the Argos catalogue count as an actual script, and for that he will always have the thanks of a grateful nation.



* Apparently it was though.

** Also described as 'monkey whimsy'.

*** sorry Marsha - I'm guilty of using 'Edinburgh' as shorthand for the 'Edinburgh Fringe Festival', which means I've become exactly the sort of ghastly person I'd be worried about bumping into if I were to go up there oh no this sentence doesn't make sense.

I know loads of people who are either going up there this year, or even putting on a show. Those people are all lovely and talented and gorgeous. But the idea of spending a week dodging one million shit stand-ups or Cheltenham Ladies' College doing their production of 'Reservoir Dogs' fills me with the nasty shudders. Of course it might be a wonderful experience, I wouldn't know, I'm never going.

Anyway, if you are going, make sure you see Jane Bussmann's show. Was my point.


UPDATE: Actually, now I've realised how many people I know (even if only from comments on this blog) are going, I kind of wish I was going too. I AM SO FICKLE. I hope everyone who's going has a great time. Apart from Cheltenham Ladies' College. I HATE THEM SO MUCH.