THURSDAY 14 JULY 2016 THREEWEEKSEDINBURGH.COM | THISWEEKLONDON.COM
  Hello again! Another Thursday and another TW Weekly bulletin for culture hungry Londoners, and everyone getting all kinds of excited (and, possibly, nervous) about the upcoming Edinburgh Festival.

For our Edinburgh Festival readers, our coverage of this year's Fringe officially kicks off now, with our first interview and column of the year, the former with actress Amée Smith about her decision to do a comedy solo show this summer, and the latter from Samantha Baines, who is crazy for space at the moment.

Don't forget, if you are putting on a show at this year's Festival, then make sure you fill out this show logging form so we have you in the system.

And as the Fringe approaches, make sure you check out this week's advertising offers to get your shows in front of thousands of potential ticket buyers. If you've been in touch with our ad team already and are awaiting a response, they are working their way through all the enquiries and will try to be back to everyone in the next 48 hours.

We'll have more Edinburgh Festival interviews and columns for you next week, plus the first helping of one-liners from the TW news team. And don't forget we'll have a neat stack of Edinburgh Festival style Three To See tips for you all later this month.

For those of you in London, there's a great week of comedy, theatre, music and other goodness happening in the capital over the next seven days, and I've tried my very best to distill it down to Three To See each day. Though a top tip is Rosie Wilby's show at the Southbank Centre's Festival Of Love - check out my interview with her about it below.

Have a great week!

Caro Moses
Editor, ThreeWeeks Edinburgh and ThisWeek London
 
AMÉE SMITH: IT'S ALL ABOUT HER
Amée Smith is a proper actress: she trained at Rose Bruford College Of Theatre And Performance and you might have seen her performing in a number of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, including 'Acts Of Redemption' and 'Knightmare Live'.

This summer, however, she is heading up to Edinburgh with her very own solo show in the comedy programme, which draws on her past experiences of being in a doomed relationship with a comedian... we caught up with Amée, to find out more about 'Relax, It's Not About You'. Read the interview here.

'Relax, It's Not About You' is on at Underbelly Med Quad from 3 – 29 Aug.



SAMANTHA BAINES: EIGHT MIND-BLOWING SPACE FACTS YOU NEVER KNEW
Award-winning comedian (and 'Call The Midwife' alumnus) Samantha Baines brings her debut solo hour to Edinburgh this year, and promises to share her passion for science, rip the lid off sexism in space, and impress Brian Cox. Get yourself a little insight into the sort of facts you can expect her to dole out. Read Samantha's exclusive column here.

Samantha Baines performs '1 Woman, A Dwarf Planet And 2 Cox' at Pleasance Courtyard from 3 – 29 Aug.
With so many shows taking place at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, how do you stand out from the crowd?

Simple, by making sure your publicity is right there on the page as people work out what shows they are going to see via the ThreeWeeks magazine and daily bulletin, or in the brilliant Edinburgh reviews app iFringe. CLICK HERE for details on the various cost efficient ad packages available. Meanwhile, this weeks deals!
   
THIS WEEK'S IN PRINT ADVERTISING DEAL: special rates on our preview edition, hand-delivered to thousands of Edinburgh homes, from just £250!

This is the big Festival guide that we deliver direct to thousands of homes around Edinburgh, as well as distribute via all the key Festival venues at the start of August.

And we have a limited number of ad slots that we are offering at these super special rates...

Sixth page for just £250! Save £150.
Quarter page for just £350! Save £150
Half page for just £650! Save £350.

We currently only have two of each slots available at these special rates, so get your bookings in now! Email Sam at TW.advertising@unlimitedmedia.co.uk to book your slot.
   
THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL ADVERTISING DEAL: get a banner advert in the TW Daily email and the iFringe app for a whole week for just £150!

We still have a small number of our digital combo packages available. For just £140 you get a banner in both the TW Daily email and in rotation on the iFringe app for a whole week.

The TW Daily lands in over 10,000 inboxes daily, and iFringe had about 10,000 users on iPhones alone at Festival 2015.

We can also offer this same package for the FULL FESTIVAL - so four weeks - for £450. Slots are limited, book yours by emailing TW.advertising@unlimitedmedia.co.uk.

All prices exclude VAT. Click here for more info on slots.
ROSIE WILBY: THE CONSCIOUS UNCOUPLING
One of my most very favouritest multi-taskers – Rosie Wilby – will be performing her latest show at Southbank Centre this weekend. She might be one of your favourite multi-taskers, too, if you have experienced her work as a musician, music journalist, stand-up, or writer, heard her on the radio, or seen her at Glastonbury.

It's been a few years since we last spoke to her (about her Edinburgh show 'Rosie's Pop Diary back in 2011) so I thought it was high time we caught up a bit. Read the interview here.

Rosie performs 'The Conscious Uncoupling' on 16 Jul as part of Southbank Centre's Festival Of Love. See this page here for more info.


FRIDAY 15 JULY 2016 >>

Ctrl Alt Delamere | Bloomsbury Studio | 15 Jul (pictured)
Top class Irish comedian Neil Delamere is heading back to the Edinburgh Festival this summer after a break of a couple of years, and he's popping by the Bloomsbury Studio this week for a preview of his new show, from which you can expect much hilarity and Delamere's customary tall tales. "Includes tips on how to survive a bobsled ride and how to pretend you're enjoying a trip in an astronaut training centrifuge" says the blurb. How could you turn all that down? Here's the link.

Friday Night Freaks | Udderbelly Festival | 15 Jul
I would have recommended this for the comperes alone – the utterly brilliant EastEnd Cabaret – but the fact is that the line up of acts joining them is also a thing of wonder – Card Ninja, Carey Marx, Ria Lina and David Mills: it's a win win win win win situation. For more info on the show and to book tickets, visit the Udderbelly website here.

The Fix | Union Theatre | 13 Jul-6 Aug
Michael Strassen's acclaimed production of John Dempsey and Dana P Rowe's 1997 politics-and-mob musical 'The Fix' returns as the first show to be staged at Union Theatre's all new, state of the art home. Expect high production values, dark and brutal comedy, and a timely look at the US political machine. See the venue website here for all the details.


SATURDAY 16 JULY 2016 >>

Exposure – The Musical | St James Theatre | 16 Jul-27 Aug
So, music theatre lovers, this sounds like it might be a treat for you – a brand new and glossy looking British musical about a young photographer dealing with a potentially fraught commission. Seven deadly sins, the cult of celebrity, a depiction of the price of fame and some strong language and scenes of a sexual nature... Sounds fun, no? See this page here for info.

Something Happening For Kids | The Place | 16 Jul
Hurray, something is happening for the kids! And thank goodness for that, because it's Saturday. To be fair, there are probably things all over London today that are happening for kids but this one wins because of its title, and also because it's a full day of dance-y fun, workshops, activities, performances and surprises. Head this way and scroll down to the timetable thing to see what's happening. Brilliant.

Jane Postlethwaite – Made In Cumbria | Museum Of Comedy | 16 Jul (pictured)
This is today's Edinburgh preview, mostly selected on the basis that I used to live in Cumbria. No, not really, I selected it on the basis that Jane Postlethwaite is an excellent character act, though to be fair, that might actually be because she is from Cumbria, because Cumbria is brilliant. Plus, she's only bloomin sponsored by Romney's of kendal-mintcake fame. Sweet. See the venue websitehere for more info.


SUNDAY 17 JULY 2016 >>

Citadel Festival | Victoria Park | 17 July
To be honest, I am not sure you need us to recommend this, you've probably already seen publicity material for it and thought "wow, look at that line-up, I am definitely going to go to that". But, you know, it's probably worth mentioning just in case you somehow missed it. There are loads of amazing music acts, and comedy acts, rappers and writers, plus roller disco, sports, stuff for kids and loads more. See the festival website to find out about it all, right about here.

Miniaturists 58 | Arcola Theatre | 17 Jul
Hurrah that it be that time again: the latest instalment of short plays from The Miniaturists is due to be performed over at the Arcola Theatre today. They've been doing it for many years and they are very, very good at it. Go, appreciate the art of short theatre at its best. This month's playwrights are David Byrne, Stephen Sharkey, Michelle Sewell, Luke Courtier and Daniel Janes. See the venue website here for all the info.

Knightmare Live | Udderbelly Festival | 17 Jul (pictured)
This is headed northwards later in the summer, edfringe-goers, but here's a chance to see it if you're not going to make it up to Scotland this year. It's not a new show, but I've been assured that they are making it better every year, and it really is something you ought not to miss, because it's a delicious nostalgia fest for those of a certain age – an interactive live version of the eighties game show. Hurrah. Head this way to find out more.


MONDAY 18 JULY 2016 >>

Bridget Everett | Soho Theatre | 16-30 Jul (pictured)
I must confess that I haven't seen American cabaret and comedy star Bridget Everett in action, but she's very popular, and she's done all sorts of high profile stuff – credits include 'Inside Amy Schumer', 'Girls', and her very own TV special. It's one for those of you who enjoy the brash and the bawdy – the blurb promises songs that will make you "laugh, cry and cringe" in a "a fast-paced, high-octane, roller-coaster comedy ride" from this bold and riotous New York performer. See the venue website here for more info.

#Festival46 | King's Head Theatre | 18-30 Jul
So, today is the start of something special: the King's Head Theatre's festival of new writing for 2016 begins, and there is an amazing-looking line up of twenty shows, all rotating in a rep-y manner. Today you can see 'A Haunting', about a boy's relationship with a ghost, and/or 'Phoebe', about a girl trying to find her missing brother, but don't just take those two into account, look at this page here for a full list of what's on over the next week or two.

Jen Kirkman – I Know What I'm Doing And Other Lies I Tell Myself | Soho Theatre | 18-23 Jul
Another Soho show, another US import, and this is one that we interviewed quite recently, look. But that was at the end of last year, and now the script-writing, book-penning stand up is back with a new show, that's based on – but doesn't use content from – her latest tome, 'I Know What I'm Doing & Other Lies I Tell Myself' . Go on, treat yourself to some time with this multi-talented woman. Book here.


TUESDAY 19 JULY 2016 >>

Watching Glory Die | Cockpit Theatre | 19-23 Jul
An intriguing and dramatic title, isn't it? Well, it sounds like an intriguing and dramatic play tackling some pretty serious issues, from award-winning playwright Judith Thompson. Described as "the riveting journey of three women bound together in impossible circumstances", the piece draws on the tragic real life story of incarcerated teenager Ashley Smith. For more info, see the venue website here.

An Evening With An Immigrant | Soho Theatre | 19-23 Jul (pictured)
Talking of award winning playwrights, the excellent and internationally renowned Inua Ellams heads to Soho Theatre this week to tell tales from his life through the medium of poems, stories and anecdotes. The son of a Muslim father and a Christian mother, he moved to the UK from Nigeria aged twelve, later spent three years in Ireland, and then returned to London to begin a career as a writer and graphic designer – his experiences, some of which were documented in his Fringe First winning play 'The 14th Tale', should make for a very interesting evening. More info here.

Dirty Dancing | Bussey Building | 18 Jul
Have you been to one of these Rooftop Film Club screenings, yet? I haven't and I'm gutted, because the idea of cocktails, panoramic views and watching a film on top of a roof, not altogether surprisingly, appeals to me hugely. I picked 'Dirty Dancing' because I had a sad thought about Patrick Swayze the other day... but there are others on tonight, and until the 31 July. See the website here for info on all the events.


WEDNESDAY 20 JULY 2016 >>

Kiri Pritchard McLean and Holly Burn | Battersea Arts Centre | 20 Jul
Don't think we have had an Edinburgh preview for, ooh, at least a day, so here's your latest fix. The excellent Kiri Pritchard McLean (silent partner in Gein's Family Giftshop) offers up an early showing of 'Hysterical Woman', which she describes as an "inadvisably ambitious debut hour", while the always-fabulous Holly Burn demos her latest set, a theatrical comic monologue about the over-optimistic expectations of generation Y. Here's the link you need.

Alice In Wonderland | Abney Park | 13-31 Jul
Can't quite believe I didn't recommend this earlier in the run, but there you go, it somehow slipped away from me. I love outside shows, 'Alice' is a perfect tale for it, and Abney Park is an excellent place for it. Remember to dress sensibly though, high heels won't help when you have to stay on your feet for the whole performance. Oh, and while this is probably suitable for older children/teens, it's not recommended for under tens. See this page here for info, and this page here for tickets.

Abandoman – Life + Rhymes | London Wonderground | 20 Jul
Aaand, yes, Abandoman heads north to the fair Scottish capital in a couple of weeks time too, so I guess we have to admit that this is another edfringe preview. You should probably go to this date as well as to at least one in Edinburgh, though, because it's a clinically proven fact that you can never have too much Abandoman. Head this way for more info.


THURSDAY 21 JULY 2016 >>

How To Win Against History | Ovalhouse | 21-23 Jul
"A fierce and fabulous costume drama musical about Henry Cyril Paget, the 5th Marquis of Anglesey. Born in 1875, poised to inherit the Empire, he instead burned brightly, briefly and transvestitely; blowing his family's godlike wealth putting on sparkling, diamond-studded plays... with him in them... to which nobody came. When he died, his family burnt every record of his life they could find, and carried on as though he'd never been." – tempted? I'll bet you are. See this page here for all the details.

Rachel Parris – Best Laid Plans | Leicester Square Theatre | 21 Jul
The highly talented Rachel Parris presents a preview of her new show which features songs, stories and stand-up about NOT having it all... I promise you can expect brilliant musical comedy from this skilled performer and improviser. But you may know that already, if you've seen her perform solo, or as one of Austentatious. Anyway, just go. She is good. Follow this link.

I'm Doing This For You | Battersea Arts Centre | 21-23 Jul (pictured)
Dark but funny, hilarious yet humiliating, this show from Haley McGee which blends story telling, live art and improvisation explores just how far a person would go to end her own loneliness. I think this is something a pretty large number of people will relate to, but I would expect the ending to be hopeful. For more info and to book tickets ,see the venue website here.
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL SHOWS: Fill out the Show Logging Form here and send press releases to TW.edinburgh@unlimitedmedia.co.uk.

LONDON SHOWS: Send press releases and details of any interview opportunities to the team at TW.london@unlimitedmedia.co.uk.
© UnLimited Media, a division of 3CM Enterprises Ltd

ThisWeek London | ThreeWeeks Edinburgh
UnLimited Media, Kemp House, 152 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
t: 020 7099 9050 (editorial) 020 7099 9060 (sales)

publishing@unlimitedmedia.co.uk | complaints@unlimitedmedia.co.uk