ED2011 Columns ED2011 Comedy ED2011 Week3 Edition

The Noise Next Door: Bad bits, best bits

By | Published on Wednesday 24 August 2011

The Noise Next Door

The Noise Next Door are wonderful, it is official. ThreeWeeks say so. And here they are, to offer their worst – and best – Edinburgh experiences.

THE BEST BITS

No Second Glances: “Oh look. A six foot black man in a glittery, purple, lycra one-piece with a dragon mask on his head and bananas for shoes”. Wear this in London and you’d be stoned. But during the Fringe people get away with being batshit crazy and it is accepted as the norm.

The Audiences: It’s such a pleasure to play to intelligent, comedy savvy audiences day in and day out. People have journeyed to Edinburgh specifically to see shows – they want to be there and they want to see you. You know that they’re just going to ‘get it’. As in the get the show, not a punch in the face.

Nyam Nyam: The finest Italian eatery outside of Italy. On our very first day here this year we walked passed Nyam Nyam’s spot on Nicolson Square to find it was no longer there. Granted he was drunk, but one of our members shed genuine tears in the middle of the road. Luckily we found out that this delectable establishment has moved to South Clerk Street and continues to provide infectiously tasty and affordable homemade pastas, pizzas, risottos and ice-creams. Go there – your mouth will applaud you.

THE BAD BITS

The Heat: How can a city so cold and wet have venues hotter and stuffier than the core of the sun? It’s ridiculous. Unless you’re lucky enough to play the EICC on a regular basis, you and your audience are destined to sweat over each other for 60 minutes. There is of course a solution. If you’re not bothered about anyone hearing your show, you can turn on 19 whirring fans and a clunky air conditioner from the 1980s.

The Name Game: What’s your name? What’s his name? Is he a name? I know that name. Should I know your name? I’d like to be a name. Name, name, name, name, name. Namedrop, namedrop, namedrop. Who cares?

Umbrellas*: Stupid umbrellas. With their sharpened metal teeth bobbing up and down, digging into the heads of unsuspecting comedians and making it impossible to pass. IT’S NOT EVEN RAINING. They don’t work in the wind, are nigh on impossible to share and make people dawdle. Wear a coat, grow some balls and let your head get damp.

*These are not the views of all of The Noise Next Door. Just the little Red One who is affected by umbrellas predominantly due to his lack of height.

The Noise Next Door’s show ‘Their Finest Hour’ was performed at the Pleasance Courtyard during Fringe 2011.

LINKS: www.thenoisenextdoor.co.uk



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