Patrick Monahan

Patrick Monahan's Game On

What is your show all about?

I'm not sure, I'll let you know at end of festival or when I've read the reviews! Its all about street and playground games, our favourite ones and our lost childhoods! A bit like Peter Pan but about a kid growing up in north east of England.

Where and when can we see it?

The Balcony, Gilded Balloon, 9.30pm every night except 16th - failing that, come down Leith Walk any evening, catch me on me way home and I'll go into detail about the show!

Do you love Edinburgh or is it a chore?

The first week's great - chat to everyone, everyone chats back - until the reviews come out. Second week, everyone starts to pretend they haven't seen you. Come the third week, everyone you once knew and loved is walking round in a daze of hatred and dread, licking shop windows and lampposts just to be left alone!

What will you be doing with the other 23 hrs of the day?

Wondering what I'll be doing for the rest of the 340 days to the next Edinburgh Festival! Thinking, "Wow, this year 'thingy' did a show on that, maybe next year I'll come and do a show like this with big flashing lights and overheard projector and moving stage!" When I've finished thinking, I'll probably go to Edinburgh Zoo and on those late night ghost walks - they're fantastic!

What's the best thing you've ever seen on the fringe?

A young child hanging out of a twelve storey block in old town - suddenly he slipped and fell but as he was falling fast and furious to the floor, half-way down the building suddenly a bloke in a blue outfit and cape came flying through the air and saved him! That was the best thing I've ever seen on the fringe - August 12th 2002 - I hadn't slept for 3 days in a row previous to that - it was lucky I saw it all!

What's the worst thing you've seen?

This hairdressers off Nicholson Street - he charged me £3.60 for a haircut, when I looked in mirror afterwards I guessed why it was so cheap - it looked like he'd cut my hair with a blunt bread knife!

What's the most curious thing that's happened to you in Edinburgh?

I made money from the show I did in 2003!

If you could persuade one VIP to come to your show who would it be? Why?

Theirry Henry (Arsenal football player) and Ricky Learman (a kid I went to school with 19 years ago). Because I mention them both in the show - Henry because I could get him to act out the famous scene when I first saw him play and Ricky because I haven't seen him for 19 years and miss him and wonder what he's up to now (THE SOUND EFFECT OF TEARS FALLING, HITTING KEYBOARD).

If the Edinburgh fairy could grant your wish, what would your wish for?

An audience and world peace because if less people are at war, there's more money left over to come and see the Edinburgh shows!

What advice do you have for first time Edinburgh punters?

Take risks, go and see all different types of shows and make sure you see every show that has a performer in it with the first name Patrick!