Our Edinburgh Festival 2018 Recommendations
Today’s blog post is all about our time at the Edinburgh Fringe, including fun, fish and friendships!
Vintage Vibes are incredibly lucky to have the support of several Fringe shows this year. We’ve been amazed by the response from shows from all across the UK that align with our mission to eliminate isolation and loneliness in the local community.
Below we’re telling you our Edinburgh Festival 2018 Recommendations. An exciting array of performances ranging from comedy to music to theatre; from solo performers to ensemble casts.
These shows have been providing our charitable partnership with AMAZING support; collecting donations at performances, showing us love on their social media channels and sharing our details in their programmes. We are a teeny tiny project so this is a HUGE deal for us! We can’t thank the performers and their management enough!
Please do consider supporting the performances this year. You’ll have a great time plus feel warm and fuzzy for supporting us and the city!
VIOLET
Time: 9.55pm (1hr 10mins)
Dates: Aug 9-14, 16-18
Venue: ZOO Southside – Studio
Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/violet
This Poor Michelle production was a joy to watch. Violet is a heartwarming tale of two generations and a blossoming friendship in a seaside town. Don’t let the late time put you off, it’s well worth a watch.
REVIEW:
“An absolutely brilliant show. Brilliant writing, brilliantly performed.The young lady concerned is clearly very, very talented. I have been doing fringe for about 12 years. This would almost certainly be amongst my top 5 of all my time.
Well done to everyone.” Peter Louch
AND BEFORE I FORGET I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU
Time: 2pm (1hr)
Dates: 10-26
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard – Beneath
Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/and-before-i-forget-i-love-you-i-love-you
This powerful solo show takes us through the deeply personal journey of living with dementia and loneliness. The performance by Pip Upton, based on his own experiences, will move you, make you think, and entrance you.
REVIEW:
***** The Stage
“Beautifully constructed one-man show shedding light and love on the frailty of the human condition” (click here for full review)
When The Friendship Has Sailed
Time: 6.30pm (1hr)
Dates: Aug 10-13, 15-27
Venue: C venues – C aquila – studio
Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/when-the-friendship-has-sailed
This show is a joyful look at making friends as an adult and appreciating those you love. This journey of trials, tribulations and singing gold fish made us laugh and shed a tear – what’s not to love?! It shows how loneliness can impact on any age, and how difficult it can be to make the first step – but how ultimately worth it that leap can be. We left with the biggest smile on our faces and a (goldfish) song in our hearts.
REVIEW:
“Really fantastic, entertaining and hilarious show. Raised real and moving issues about loneliness in a very clever way. Highly recommended.” Caitlin (audience member)
Old Souls
Time: 5pm
Dates: Aug 10-12, 14-19, 21-27
Venue: PQA Venues at Riddle’s Court
Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/old-souls
This show brought to life the essence of Vintage Vibes – matching someone older and lonely with a volunteer. It’s a soft and lovely comedy about a blossoming friendship between Rosie and Vera, which challenges your expectations of what an “old woman” and a “young girl” should be. Bound together by laughter and irish coffee we loved seeing their relationship grow and them become n essential part of each others lives.
REVIEW:
**** The List
“Predictable but charming, Old Souls is at its heart an exploration of the universality of friendship and the need to grasp onto experience to lead a fulfilled life. The friendship between Rosie and Vera is heartwarming, with the usual exchange of life lessons; imposter syndrome and the fear that accompanies any life development are dealt with eloquently and cheerfully, and the consideration of the possible loneliness of old age is moving but sympathetic.” (see full review here)
Adventures in Dementia
Time: 1.45pm
Dates: Aug 11-12, 14-19, 21-26
Venue: Laughing Horse @ Espionage
Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/adventures-in-dementia-steve-day
Disclaimer: We haven’t had a chance to see this exciting show yet, but we are delighted that Steve has offered to do a show in collaboration with Vintage Vibes (date TBC).
Steve’s dad has Alzheimers. There’s nothing he can do about it except remember the way he was. Steve has also been deaf since his teens but has new hearing aids so now he’s gone through all the music of his youth. It reminds him of his dad. There’s nothing else for it but to defy dementia, with music, songs and laughter. Laugh, cry, sing along if you want. If you like bittersweet comedy about deafness and memory loss then this is the show for you.
REVIEW:
“Loved the show today, wary of the subject but handled with sensitivity and good humour. Good 70’s childhood anecdotes. A lovely way to honour “Burt Reynolds”.” Elvira (audience member)
HOW TO KEEP TIME: A DRUM SOLO FOR DEMENTIA
Time: 10.15am
Dates: Aug 11-12, 14-19, 21-26
Venue: Summerhall
Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/how-to-keep-time-a-drum-solo-for-dementia
Disclaimer: We haven’t been able to see this performance yet, but have heard fantastic things about Antosh’s innovative approach to discussing dementia.
What happens when memories disappear? Where do they go – and can we get them back? Using just his voice and a Roland TD-4KP electronic drum kit, Antosh Wojcik explores the effects of inherited Alzheimer’s on speech, memory and family. Poems become beats become glitches in time in a mesmeric display of live drumming and spoken word.
Music and memories… A poetic show on the impact of alzheimers on family and self. Solo drumming performance from Antosh Wojcik. You can’t skip a beat!
REVIEW:
*** The List
“Wojcik is a likeable, engaging actor, as well as a brilliantly skilled drummer across many styles, and he sets a nicely thoughtful pace throughout this rewarding, reflective hour of music and memory.” (see full review here)
We want to thank all the shows that are supporting Vintage Vibes from the bottom of our hearts. It makes us feel all warm and fuzzy to know that there are people all across Edinburgh trying to tackle loneliness and isolation in local older people. You are amazing. Thank you.