Edinburgh day 1

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 17:59

Another Edinburgh festival, here we go. This year I’ve brought up a show that is, on the surface, about the excuses that we’re always given for the demise of a relationship. Another relationship/heartbreak/anger in anguish kind of show but this time with that Jason John Whitehead twists. One thing that has preoccupied me while I’ve been writing the show has been the five stages that we go through when recovering from the demise of a relationship. These stages, or a variation of these stages, are applicable to any physical or psychological event that might be traumatic. I even found people who have inserted their own stages in to the process, but in my opinion; drink loads, listen to Emo music, make angry phone calls, and cry do not really qualify for their own stages. The stages that I’ve concentrated on, and the most universally used, are; SHOCK, DENIAL, BARGAINING, DEPRESSION, ACCEPTANCE.

Of course I’m sure you can picture how these are defined in relationships, deaths and even an old lady dropping her souvenir royal wedding dish, but I’ve also realized that I went through these five stages when contemplating a visit to this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

I’m sure you can imagine my initial reaction when my agents told me that the Ed Fest was just around the corner, especially since I could’ve sworn I was just drinking under the gaze of that frikkin purple cow just a few months ago,……nope, it’s been a year.

SHOCK- No! It can’t be time. Already? Really? No way? What happened to 2011? Oh my, another Edinburgh Festival

DENIAL- Well, I’m not going, no way. Its too much work, it's too long a month. I’m happy with my career, I don’t really need to go to Scotland to be judged like some student handing in his homework. It’s not going to help my drinking problem any. Oh, I shouldn’t go.

BARGAINING- Ok, maybe I’ll just go for a week or so. I’ll just book in a short run. I’ll just go up and announce myself to the industry that I still exist but keep the run to 9 nights so that I don’t drive myself crazy and for the most part I can avoid the media’s mind games.

DEPRESSION- Dammit! I’m going to have to go for the whole month. What’s the point of putting the uniform on if you’re not going to get in the game!?! Oh man, I was liking the ass imprint on my couch, now I’ve gotta go to Scotland. It’s probably going to rain and I’ll be told of heat waves everywhere else in the world

ACCEPTANCE- Actually, who am I kidding? I love it! Working every night to a crowd that wants to see you. Catching up with friends who are normally isolated around the world working solo like myself. The same bed for a month!! (most likely) ….and Stand Up Comedy. I love Stand Up Comedy! GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!