Edinburgh Adventures part 1

The buzz and empowering atmosphere found at the fringe is nothing short of electrifying. I once described the experience like going to a buffet table covered in yummy, interesting, nutritious food. Although there's lots on offer and pretty much everything catches your eye, you are faintly aware that this is your last chance to try and experience everything on the table. Consequently you over pile your plate and gorge yourself in a theatrical, musical feast leave you feeling bloated with songs and plot lines and slightly nauseous from the amount of money that has been wrenched out of your wallet.

Participating in the Fringe is, so far, a very different experience. You don't overload your plate because you're terrified of being worn out. You wake up every morning convinced that a female octopus called Ursula or something less exciting, like a cold, has crawled down your throat and spitefully stolen your voice. Thus, each day starts with a flurry of hot water, steam, menthol and multivits followed by a trip to a local cafe to sit in silence and contemplate life. Sleep is precious and fiercely guarded. So are afternoon naps and flyering intervals spent sipping tea and chewing raw ginger.

The 10 of us in the production are sharing a flat in the centre of Edinburgh, just a stones throw away from the Udderbelly and C Venues. It's an incredible location. As a group we are an assortment of flavours and textures, some of us are night owls, others are morning birds. A few of us jump at the chance to party all night, whereas other prefer quiet nights in, dancing to jazz in the grubby kitchen and listening to Elgar's Cello Concerto on the sticky, leather sofas.

I'm beginning to appreciate each and every individual personality in the house. They've all grown on me like ivy and mould (in a good sense) and now I'm not quite sure how I did Edinburgh without them. We are a unit, a team and a family and so whatever the critics have to say about our humble opera, however successful our production turns out to be I know I will come away with some cracking stories, great flyering techniques, newly acquired musical knowledge and some brilliant video footage of Jack dancing, my sloth impression and Gemma cooking pasta.