Monday night was my best night yet Fringe-wise. In the afternoon I had the first of my guest spots for Louise Fazackerley and her show ‘Love is a Battlefield/Council House Poetry’ and there was a first good outing for Rob the Clob in Edinburgh (more to come from him.)

After that I spent the afternoon talking about poetry and class and northern-ness over lunch before nipping up Arthur’s seat with a bottle of wine.

Back down before the sun and straight to the Banshee Labyrinth for a series of back to back poetry slams.

This is poetry at its best – a packed, rowdy cave beneath a pub filled with fast and loud poetry, funny and sad poetry, cheers and hollers for poetry, a big old celebration of poetry. First there was the Say Owt Slam, up from Yorkshire. Next was Hammer and Tongue’s slam, with a spot at the Albert Hall for the winner (not me) and finally, from Newcastle, Jibba Jabba had their nightly outing, with guests and open mics. There were some incredible sets at all three and I’ve never enjoyed three straight hours of poetry quite as much as that (there was time for pints in-between times).

Today there’ll be a little more of the same. The Banshee is the place to be.

Another show recommendation while we’re at it. Go and see Love in the Time of Gilmore Girls. A one man show that is both funny and heart-wrenching – detailing the grand gestures and failings of one hopeless romantic. It’s a show that is charming, real and a little difficult to watch. Think Simon Amstell meets The Office.