Published by METRO
Weather forecasters are, as usual, predicting a mixed bag for Edinburgh over the course of the month. However, there’s one place it’s guaranteed to be raining, and that’s directly over Ed Reardon.
You’ll find this 50-something misanthrope (portrayed by Christopher Douglas) darkening the doorways of the Pleasance Courtyard, undoubtedly resentful at having to cross the border and leave behind the comforts of his one-bed flat in Hertfordshire and his cat, Elgar.
As if enough things haven’t gone wrong for him, the poor guy. You see, Ed’s one and only novel was dishonourably transformed into a poor Hollywood film, and he’s recently been forced to prostitute his writing services on classic works such as Kevin Pietersen’s Big BBQ Book and Shed 22lb In A Week The Vanessa Feltz Way to make ends meet.
Of course, he did write that episode of the short-lived wartime drama Tenko back in the 1980s, which makes him a writer of great talent and integrity. It’s the modern world that has continued to thwart his literary pursuits, after all, and those 12-year-old imbeciles in charge of everything who have prevented good things happening to him.
That’s what Ed will tell you, but he won’t stop there. He’ll let the many other forces that plague him be known, too. Only, such frustrations might be delivered with a little more gusto when he takes to the stage, because I doubt he’ll be allowed to smoke his pipe. He may, however, be consoled with some Chilean merlot during the show.
Aside from his Radio 4 programme, which is about to enter its eighth series, there’s no saying, really, what to expect. Ed’s never before taken his angst to the Fringe.
His debut run will be an attraction for his many listeners, and also perhaps young hipster sorts who wish to see what a variety of bohemian looks and sounds like.
