Alison's Diary

Aug 10 2008

MONDAY

The Fringe is in full swing.

I'm off to see Surviving Spike, a play about the life of Spike Milligan starring Michael Barrymore and Jill Halfpenny at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh. Not sure what to expect but one hour and 45 minutes later pal John and I leave the theatre very impressed by the show, especially Jill who is a magnificent actor. She not only narrates the piece but stars in it - and is on stage non-stop for the whole play. By the end, as Barrymore shows Spike in his frailer moments, he has all but turned into the legend himself. If you liked the Goon, it's a must-see. It is a fascinating insight into his life and the demons that drove him and those around him to distraction.

TUESDAY

I hear on the QT Lily Allen's brother Alfie is turning up at the Gilded Balloon to do a surprise performance in Somewhere Over The Westway, an urban punk panto version of The Wizard Of Oz.

Dynamite gets wind of it and is off like a shot for a good stare at the star, who has had huge success in the West End with Equus.

Meanwhile, I interview Fiona O'Louchlin, an Aussie comic who has five kids and a relentless thirst for performing. She has me hooting with laughter and inadvertently during the interview we let a few choice words slip, which end in an on-air apology to Ofcom.

After we take care of that, we head to the bar and drink two lime sodas - no additions. Go home and tell Dave I've had a night at the Fringe with no booze. "Would you like a glass of wine?" he asks, by way of response. "Aye, go on then,"

I say. Well, I knew it couldn't last.

WEDNESDAY

On my radio show I have writer Chris Hannan who is celebrating the huge success of his book Missy in the States. He previews some of the great stuff that's on at the Edinburgh International Book Festival but does not mention that he is performing there on August 19 - how modest. There are workshops for budding novelists, classes on how to write for film, radio and TV, not to mention the famous authors.

The other thrust of the interview is that within the mayhem of the Fringe, the book festival is somewhere you can sit quietly and get your breath back as it has a calm, tranquil air about it and is a great place to take kids. So if the festival season is driving you mad, check it out in Edinburgh's west end at Charlotte Square.

THURSDAY

Never mind Botox, look at the two musicians, below, I mentioned last week. They are two of the original Dizzy Gillespie All Stars.

On the left, legendary sax player James Moody is 83 and Slide Chapman, his trombone-playing pal, is 76 - I look older than both.

I could barely pay attention to what they were saying as I was so distracted by the firmness of their jaws. It seems a wind instrument is the elixir of life - or at least of a firm facial muscle. Admittedly, I'm familiar with wind production but mainly of the type brought on by too many oatcakes.

I decide to dig out my dusty sax and take it up again. Last time I had to give up as the dog howled every time I blew it. But that dog has gone to the jazz combo in the sky so I feel the time is right.

FRIDAY

We go to Banchory to meet up with pals Tracy, Graeme and their kids.

We have a great night. Tracy and I, below, don't see each other enough but when we do within minutes we are hysterically laughing. We have known each other since we were about five and clearly revert to that tender age when we meet. We decide to stick to spirits until Dave offers us a glass of wine. We eat - our saving grace - then sit outside until the sun disappears behind the hills. It's a beautiful setting. It was exactly a year ago that we were here at Raemoir with my mum and dad, watching the folk musicians Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain in this garden. A lot can happen in a year. We don't dwell on that too much but, suffice to say, Tracy's father Doug and my dad were the best of pals so we raise a teary eye to both of them and hope they are doing the same to us wherever they are.

SATURDAY

Dave and Graeme go fishing on the River Feugh in Aberdeenshire.

It is a beautiful spot and the wee boys go in for a chilly dip.

Graeme catches a salmon then unhooks it and sets it free to swim again. His face is in a permanent grin from that moment on. Tracy and I tire of watching them pretty quickly so slip off to the Finzean Farm Shop, which is bursting with locally produced fruit and veg. We sit, stuff our chops with homemade cake and sip tea. I hear about Tracy's recent filming episode. She is going to be on Wanted Down Under as they are hoping to emigrate to New Zealand. Luckily, I was in Majorca when they were making it or I'd have been her pining pal on the show. I still have a few months left to talk her out of it as I'll miss her terribly. Sob.