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Do you ever, (perhaps even quite regularly), dream of a life where you’d be able to fit in loads more art, gigs, plays, comedy and culture than you currently do?

Probably. But other than when enjoying the blessed headspace of a brief sojourn beside a scenic coastline, or attempting to stay ‘off grid’ and immerse yourself in an exciting new culture-heavy conurbation, there’s rarely the time, or budget, available to entertain such pleasures on the regular.

This time every year, seemingly all of the 300+ shows at Camden Fringe reach out to us with the offer of coming along and reviewing their work. And wouldn’t it be a delightful, rich and stimulating existence for Camdenist’s miniscule extended family if we could just say ‘yes’ to doing that for all of them?!

Sadly, the hours needed to attend, sup tempting post-show drinks, and finally write vaguely intelligibly about what had been seen make the shear volume, let alone the threadbare economics of it all, impossible and overwhelming.

I thought about how to address that this week, when attending the whirlwind one-woman show, A Lady Does Not Scratch Her Crotch, over at Highbury Corner’s Hen & Chickens Theatre, to write an all-too-rare rare review.

Do read the review and go to the show this weekend (Sat 17th and Sun 18th), as it’s loads of fun; brimming with fondly remembered pre-teen angst and the baffling process of learning to be a proper lady against the hormonal tide of forbidden erotic exploration.

The play’s writer/actor, Celeste, had asked nicely if a review was possible as part of a partnership, and well, yes, of course it is. But juggling deadlines and freelancers and clients elsewhere at the same time revealed how stretched things are, even just to achieve one such visit.

There’s a conversation bubbling away out there around the once-radical idea of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) - just paying everyone a monthly lump sum, regardless of any employment or needs - rapidly becoming necessary if AI does turn out to start eradicating millions of service jobs.

With that financial runway, and little else to do, would we go to the theatre every night? Would we start to create our own art; become more fit and healthy; write lovely newsletters(!) or study stimulating new subjects? Or would most of us, finally freed from the wolf at the proverbial door, end up on the sofa scrolling through Tik Tok and getting high?

Trials seem to suggest people do dedicate themselves to the kinds of meaningful pursuits that have never been bestowed with proper economic value; things like care and community work, and yes, creativity. I’d definitely like to think I’d make more time see quirky stage shows in stuffy pub theatres, but I also have a feeling I’d end up being just as busy. Perhaps even more so, with 300 shows to go see in a month.

What do you think?

📊 This week's one-click poll

THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR

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FOOD + DRINK

🍛 Camden’s latest street food vendors you’ve probably not tasted - yet

It’s been a while since we grazed the impressive food line-up at Hawley Wharf and the cobbled railway arches of the sprawling Market’s opposite. That’s basically because it’s so often rammed, but if you take a trip on a weekday, or wait until the summer hordes have subsided in a couple of short weeks from now, here are three recent newcomers that look worth a bite…

🥘 Curry on Naanstop does 100% Halal Mumbai-style streetfood in West Yard, bringing their superior dosa, keema and chaat offerings to the Camden Town line-up, having proved such a hit at popular spots like Seven Dials Market already.

🍢 Claiming to be London’s first Persian-influenced streetfood joint, Patog specialises in charcoal-flamed kebabs, (including vegan ones), tasty Khoresh rice bowls and their famous value lunch boxes. You’ll find them up on the second floor at Hawley Wharf.

🌭 Gourmet hotdogs and delightfully filthy burgers are the stock and trade of Tropidog, who are now serving their sauce-slathered American BBQ classics - all with a happily Latino flavoured twist - on Water Lane at Hawley Wharf. The meal deals are a safe bet, and there are churros if you wish to go all-out, too.

FESTIVALS

🤷🏻‍♀️ Bollywood does Camden + KX is live

Camden Market continues its recent South Asian odyssey with a two-day Bollywood Festival tonight and tomorrow (16th & 17th August) including the Bollywood Brass Band this evening from 5.45pm and DJ Boby Friction from 6.15pm at the Amphitheatre in North Yard, alongside Indian food, arts and more.

Then on Saturday, expect the mighty Raja Kaasheff & Rubayat Jahan live in concert, stilt-walking Maharajas, henna art, Akademi dance and loads more all day, celebrating the colourful, loud and proud movies of the subcontinent.

🎶 The fabulous free annual 12-day Summer Sounds music festival in King's Cross got off to a flyer last night, and promises plenty of top draw entertainment (for nada) in the days ahead. This Saturday 17th sees London Show Choir performing vocal belters in Coal Drops Yard from 6.30pm. Then Sunday 18th is a big celebration of Brazilian culture including live music from Alvorrada and Olays, plus capoeira in the afternoon and an interactive Taru drumming circle for the whole family, too.

💡 Camdenist is back at HowTheLightGetsIn 2024

HowTheLightGetsIn returns 21st-22nd September to Kenwood House promising a line-up that looks bigger and better than ever, with Sam Harris, Sadiq Khan, Clare Chambers and Yoshua Bengio all just announced. As the world’s largest ideas and music festival, you’ll also see Carla Denyer, Slavoj Žižek, John Bercow, Philippa Gregory, Nadhim Zahawi, Ruby Wax and loads more, too. With debates, talks, comedy, and live music across the weekend, you will listen to the world’s top thinkers give their views on the most urgent issues facing society today.

STAGE

From circus and al fresco Shakespeare to Fringe theatre and basement stand-up

🎭 Unswervingly long-standing outdoor theatrical champions The Lord Chamberlain’s Men bring their summer production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to the leafy surrounds of Kenwood House this Sunday 18th August for a one-night-only experience, taking place on the gorgeous landscaped lawns.

📱 Phone behemoth EE are taking over HERE at Outernet this weekend (Sat 17th & Sun 18th) for an immersive sales pitch that boasts the accomplished Revel Puck troupe in EE Home Presents: The Circus. Their show promises jaw-dropping stunts from awe-inspiring acrobats in this impressive subterranean event arena, where guests are invited to hyper-realistically join a family juggling work, family, activities, and home life during the long summer holidays. Robust WiFi and plentiful devices to the rescue…

🤣 St Pancras Community Association are running a series of standup nights as part of The Camden Fringe where for only a fiver you can guffaw along to a properly diverse range of talents on August 17th, 21st and 24th. All happening at their Plender St HQ in Euston.

💓 He promises it’s a funny show, regardless of Andrew Coleman’s Heart Problems seeing him rushed to A&E, plus his subsequent relationship breakdown. The only way to find out if that’s true is to see his standup at Aces & Eights tonight, August 16th, or next Saturday 24th. Plus there’s a bonus show at the Museum of Comedy on Sun 25th, too.

⭕ We like the sound of The Circle of Everything, a slightly different Camden Fringe show incorporating aerial dance, live painting and moving images. Integrated into the performance is live Japanese Enso painting - a spiritual practice where the artist paints their piece in one masterstroke, one breath and with no corrections afterwards. The painting will remain on stage as an art installation for the audience to see up close after the show.
It takes place at The Cockpit Theatre this Sunday, 18th Aug.

MUSIC

🎶 Live bands and top DJs to catch ‘round ‘ere

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