Georgie goes home. BOO!!! Canadian visitors. SOLD OUT!!! and that effing Half Price Hut.

You know the first thing I remember hearing when I got here?

And it came from Alan Cumming....first.

“You’ll sleep when you are dead.”

Holy effing shitbags was there NEVER a more true statement...I go to bed exhausted and exhilarated and I wake up exhausted and determined.

It is kinda like having kids, I think, this fringe...more of a challenge to those past their 20’s.....

My feet hurt....I woke up in the middle of the night in our tiny bed with a fucking charlie horse...and I have had to invest in a VAT of concealer.

But again...it is amazing...It is the single most exciting....tiring....maddening....puzzling...thrilling...exciting thing I have ever done.

George left today...and I walked across Waverly Bridge away from the Airlink bus so sad.

I do not know what I would do without him...

He is my biggest supporter, my best, dearest love and friend and my tree.

He spent 3 hours a day at the Half Price Hut (all of the people who worked their knew him by name) and another 2 on the mile selling the show.

He sold AT LEAST 25 tickets a day....half my house.

Then he would spend another hour making my dinner while I napped.

He is the captain of the team....and if it isn’t clear enough...I am so in love with him I could spit.

And he loves having his picture taken as a monster....

....because he wasn’t allowed to make faces in pictures as a child...and he has decided it is his new thing.

The shows are very exciting for me.

I have never had the opportunity to do it so many times in a row...refining my thoughts and the comedy...and the songs...it is a pleasure and a blessing.

Working with the young Wayne Gwillim every night is also a blessing and a gift.

I never EVER have to worry...he is always there and supporting and following and...he is playing like a star...and all the gentlemen love him...and the ladies, too.

Hey Wayne’s MOM!!!

He still is rocking it.

But he does wake up every morning and look at me accusingly and tells me that He cannot stay up that late again.

Like he has no free will at all.

He is awesome as we play the Royal Mile...wishing that we were a 12 person accapella boy group (You should see the effing crowds they get! I get people with babies...new demographic)....

Look at us go!

Sidebar: Yesterday I went to an Adelaide Fringe Festival info session and they were serving Bloody Marys at 10:30am.

Those Aussies are kooka.

There have been A TON of Canadians at the show this week!It has been crazy...There have also been relatives and people who George and I spent hours convincing to come to the show...there is nothing like winning someone over and then having them enjoy the show.

I have never experienced such immediate gratification...because sometimes you have to work people hard for their 5 Quid...that is UK talk....Anyway...here are all the people from the last few days!!!

The Blackman SISTERS!!!WWOOOO WOOO!!! All the way from London TOWN!

Donna, Katrina and Sam...fuck they were hard to win over...took me one and a half hours...but they loved it!!!

Here is the same group with Grant and Tim from CANADA and Rob Harris my new flyering buddy and friend.

Also, here is my cousins (thru Georgie) Deb and David!

Since we last talked I have sold, sang and slept!!

That is pretty much it....BUT I have had great results....

Two more 5 Star Audience Reviews on Broadway Baby....

Really enjoyed Sharron Matthews

Rating:5.0

Reviewed by Wayne Redwood

August 24, 2010

My wife and I had the pleasure of catching Sharron Matthews last night. She is a wonderful, charming and funny performer, who doesn’t take herself too seriously, but has an amazing powerful voice. We debated how much of the stories she was telling about her life and experiences were actually true, but agreed that the songs she chose to sing to accompany the stories, mostly recognizable hits of the past few decades, were wonderful. We loved this show.

Wonderful Show

Rating: 5.0

Reviewed by Rene Darlington

August 21, 2010

In some way, the show began in the lobby at Surgeons Hall, when a woman in a gorgeous pink frock and a big smile made her way around the gathering crowd. “Are you here to see my show? I’m Sharron Matthews - so nice to meet you. Thank you so much for coming!” Once we made our way into the theatre, the dialogue with the audience continued, with Sharron greeting people as they took their seats, asking some for their names, talking to them and making us all feel comfortable before she began. It is a warm start to this Canadian cabaret performer’s Edinburgh debut, and paved the way for a lovely show.A good part of the show comprised classic songs from the 70s to present-day, reinterpreted to fit her tales about aspects of her life, explaining her journey to superstardom. It got off to a strong start with a trio of songs by Kiss, Britney Spears and Nirvana performed with tremendous gusto. Another medley mixed Shirley Bassey and Madonna. Her beautiful rendition of Radiohead’s Creep has followed me since the show, in a haunting wonderful way. Her Disco Medley covered about a dozen of the best-known disco hits of the 70s and 80s including the Bee Gees and Donna Summer, and had the crowd nodding their heads in recognition, and smiling as song after song became part of the medley. Before we knew it, the hour had flown and she was telling us it was her last song - a rousing version of Bohemian Rhapsody.She was well accompanied by a young chap named Wayne, who did not miss a beat in terms of her patter or his playing. He was excellent.This was a wonderful assured performance from start to finish, and one of my Edinburgh Fringe highlights. I urge you to try to see Sharron Matthews Superstar before she returns to Canada.

AND One new 5 Star Review from Comedy Reviewer.....

Who the hell is Sharron Matthews? That’s what I thought when I was asked to go check out the Canadian cabaret performer but after a tremendous show I certainly know all about her now. That world domination part suddenly doesn’t seem so far off. Expect songs, stories and lots of laughter in this feel good fun packed 50mins. Sharron is a born entertainer and this is obvious from the off, not only is she very funny but she has a cracking voice and you can’t help be mesmerized when she belts out hits from legends like Shirley Bassey to Radiohead. The clever part is the way she fuses songs in to one another witch not only makes for a great melody of tracks but also cleverly helps tell her stories. As a comedy show its very good but I refuse to review this just on comedy alone, this is cabaret and as that it’s excellent. Brace yourself world Sharron Matthews is taking over.

ComedyReviewer - 9/10

Edfringe - 5 Stars *****

WAYNE’S MOM!!! Did you see how Wayne was called a chap? LOVE IT!

Richard Ouzounian also wrote a really nice write up in the Star yesterday!!!

Some take the high road, some take the low road, but our Toronto performers are all winding up covered in glory at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

Kristen Thomson’s I, Claudia has received glowing reviews from every front, receiving accolades like “touching, funny, sharply observed and poignant.” She was also nominated for The Stage’s award as “Best Solo Performer.”

Sharron Matthews, with her modestly titled Sharron Matthews Superstar has proven to be a real favourite, with five star notices from many reviewers. Kate Copstick, the outspoken critic from The Scotsman, wrote simply, “How f---ing good are you??? Wow!”

Anthony Black’s Invisible Atom walked off with the Herald Angel award for Best Production, while Alon Nashman’s Kafka and Son has been hailed for its “emotional depth” and “refreshing honesty.”

Matthews herself describes the non-stop excitement of the Edinburgh Fringe scene as “a raging river, so fast and furious that you just have to hold on or you will get swept away!”

But for the time being, it certainly seems like Matthews and her colleagues are being swept onward and upward by a tide of critical and popular success.

So much press!!!

I THANK THE UNIVERSE!!!

Now, if I can just get a few more reviewers.

But as a result of all the hard work of Georgie on the mile and the half price hut, and the showcases AND word of mouth we were SOLD OUT LAST NIGHT!!!

IT WAS FUCKING AMAZING!!!I have 4 more shows left and who knows what will happen but I sold sold sold for about 4 hours today.

HAVE I MENTIONED THAT MY FUCKING FEET HURT!

Time for NAPPING!

I am gonna see theatre in the next couple days...FINALLY!

CHOW FOR NOW!!!