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Topic: Attending JAM Sessions (that was certainly a pun intended)

Message 1 / 6
Sarah FalkFeb 7, 2007
 

 
I'm being given a great opportunity to study abroad in Lancaster, England all of the next academic year, and as I'll no longer have a damned ocean separating me and the blessed country of QI and Just a Minute, I'd like to know if anyone has information on attending recordings of JAM.

I know that they tape yearly at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August--is that typically all at one time, or spread over the three weeks?

Story: I made up my mind yesterday that I just had to go to the Fringe this year, and was put into a depressive state of shock when I realized that my study abroad dates (October 2007-June 2008) didn't cover any Augusts at all. However, I just found out about a fantastic opportunity offered by Lancaster University to take a "pre-sessional" program that runs from August-September, something I'd want to do anyway, and that intersects nicely, especially when Lancaster is so close to Scotland! I wouldn't be available during the last week of the Fringe, however, and since it's still too early for them to know anything for certain about recording dates for JAM or other shows (like Bill Bailey! Paul Merton! Rich Hall!), I was wondering if there was some historical norm I could go by.

Otherwise . . . what other time of year, exactly, do they tape? And how does one go about finding tickets when the theaters seem to jump all over the place?

 
<<<<   307   >>>>

Topic: Re: Attending JAM Sessions (that was certainly a pun intended)

Message 2 / 6
Dean BedfordFeb 7, 2007
 

 
On Thursday, February 8, 2007, at 10:05 AM, Sarah Falk wrote:

> I'm being given a great opportunity to study abroad in Lancaster,
> England all of the next academic year, and as I'll no longer have a
> damned ocean separating me and the blessed country of QI and Just a
> Minute, I'd like to know if anyone has information on attending
> recordings of JAM.
>
> I know that they tape yearly at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in
> August--is that typically all at one time, or spread over the three
> weeks?

It's usually around August 20th, they record two shows in one day. If
you're thinking of making a special trip to Edinburgh, I'd try and get
tickets in advance though I'm not sure what sort of luck will you have.
The JAM sessions are one of the few parts of the Festival that are free
so you can imagine what sort of demand they are in.

As to other shows - London shows are booked through the BBC Booking
Office http://www.bbc.co.uk/whatson/tickets/ For other shows, you can
write to the BBC's Light Entertainment Radio section and they will help.

 
<<<<   308   >>>>

Topic: Re: Attending JAM Sessions (that was certainly a pun intended)

Message 3 / 6
DaveFeb 7, 2007
 

 
I love the fringe episodes, they always seem to find the players in
high spirits and when they get the right mix of guests they are some
of the very best shows. The point of this is I have listened to them
a lot, and do seem to remember Nicholas referring to the audience
having 'queued outside for hours'. From this I have always assumed
that, with the shows being free, its a first come, first served
basis - hence the long wait outside.

However, Dean is of course right - check in advance. If you can find
any info please post it up here because I'm eager to visit a live
recording or two myself.

Oh, and may I be the first to welcome you to the UK(prematurely).

--- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@...>
wrote:

>
>
> On Thursday, February 8, 2007, at 10:05 AM, Sarah Falk wrote:
>
> > I'm being given a great opportunity to study abroad in Lancaster,
> > England all of the next academic year, and as I'll no longer have

a

> > damned ocean separating me and the blessed country of QI and Just

a

> > Minute, I'd like to know if anyone has information on attending
> > recordings of JAM.
> >
> > I know that they tape yearly at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in
> > August--is that typically all at one time, or spread over the

three

> > weeks?
>
> It's usually around August 20th, they record two shows in one day.

If

> you're thinking of making a special trip to Edinburgh, I'd try and

get

> tickets in advance though I'm not sure what sort of luck will you

have.

> The JAM sessions are one of the few parts of the Festival that are

free

> so you can imagine what sort of demand they are in.
>
> As to other shows - London shows are booked through the BBC Booking
> Office http://www.bbc.co.uk/whatson/tickets/ For other shows, you

can

> write to the BBC's Light Entertainment Radio section and they will

help.

>

 
<<<<   309   >>>>

Topic: Re: Attending JAM Sessions (that was certainly a pun intended)

Message 4 / 6
Dean BedfordFeb 7, 2007
 

 
On Thursday, February 8, 2007, at 04:38 PM, Dave wrote:

> I love the fringe episodes, they always seem to find the players in
> high spirits and when they get the right mix of guests they are some
> of the very best shows. The point of this is I have listened to them
> a lot, and do seem to remember Nicholas referring to the audience
> having 'queued outside for hours'. From this I have always assumed
> that, with the shows being free, its a first come, first served
> basis - hence the long wait outside.
>
> However, Dean is of course right - check in advance. If you can find
> any info please post it up here because I'm eager to visit a live
> recording or two myself.
>
> Oh, and may I be the first to welcome you to the UK(prematurely).

yes there was a long queue the year I was there (2002) _ I arrived very
early as given that I had flown around the world principally to see a
JAM recording I wasn't going to miss out! They actually turfed everyone
out after the first show and brought a new crowd in for the second which
they don't usually do, and though I would guess there was around a
thousand people in the theatre - someone else may know the seating
capacity - they still didn't have everyone who had arrived seeing one of
the shows.

I do remember though it was a beautiful warm Edinburgh day. And it was
very pleasant standing in the sun waiting that morning. The panellists
actually wandered round beforehand mixing with the crowd a little,
especially Nicholas. Greg Proops was sitting at a bar upstairs holding
court, shouting at the others to join him. Clement arrived and really
was shaped like a bowling ball - he is shorter and fatter than you
imagine. He seemed the shyest of them. Paul was in his semi-disguise at
the time - he had grown a bushy beard and wore dark glasses obviously to
avoid recognition, but he still chatted with people and I remember how
pleased he seemed to catch up with Nicholas, Clement and Ross Noble
again. I think they are very good friends.

Incidentally it's two sleeps till I see Ross's show live. I don't know
whether the excitement shows. :-)

As to the tickets or first come- first served, I can't be sure but my
recollection is that last year the Fringe Festival's website was saying
about a month ahead that the shows were booked out. However I notice
that this year it just says "arrive early, entry not guaranteed". But it
doesn't even have a date yet so maybe details are still to come.
http://www.edfringe.com/shows/detail.php?action=shows&id=JUSTA

The Fringe website would be a good place to keep an eye on anyway.
http://www.edfringe.com/index.html?r_menu=global&static=true I see the
message board has lots of accommodation available for example. It might
not be that way if you go looking in late July!

 
<<<<   311   >>>>

Topic: Re: Attending JAM Sessions (that was certainly a pun intended)

Message 5 / 6
DaveFeb 7, 2007
 

 
RE: Paul's disguise - that was the year he was auditioning for the
part in the new Hardold Shipman musical!

--- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@...>
wrote:

>
>
> On Thursday, February 8, 2007, at 04:38 PM, Dave wrote:
>
> > I love the fringe episodes, they always seem to find the players

in

> > high spirits and when they get the right mix of guests they are

some

> > of the very best shows. The point of this is I have listened to

them

> > a lot, and do seem to remember Nicholas referring to the audience
> > having 'queued outside for hours'. From this I have always assumed
> > that, with the shows being free, its a first come, first served
> > basis - hence the long wait outside.
> >
> > However, Dean is of course right - check in advance. If you can

find

> > any info please post it up here because I'm eager to visit a live
> > recording or two myself.
> >
> > Oh, and may I be the first to welcome you to the UK(prematurely).
>
> yes there was a long queue the year I was there (2002) _ I arrived

very

> early as given that I had flown around the world principally to see

a

> JAM recording I wasn't going to miss out! They actually turfed

everyone

> out after the first show and brought a new crowd in for the second

which

> they don't usually do, and though I would guess there was around a
> thousand people in the theatre - someone else may know the seating
> capacity - they still didn't have everyone who had arrived seeing

one of

> the shows.
>
> I do remember though it was a beautiful warm Edinburgh day. And it

was

> very pleasant standing in the sun waiting that morning. The

panellists

> actually wandered round beforehand mixing with the crowd a little,
> especially Nicholas. Greg Proops was sitting at a bar upstairs

holding

> court, shouting at the others to join him. Clement arrived and

really

> was shaped like a bowling ball - he is shorter and fatter than you
> imagine. He seemed the shyest of them. Paul was in his semi-

disguise at

> the time - he had grown a bushy beard and wore dark glasses

obviously to

> avoid recognition, but he still chatted with people and I remember

how

> pleased he seemed to catch up with Nicholas, Clement and Ross Noble
> again. I think they are very good friends.
>
> Incidentally it's two sleeps till I see Ross's show live. I don't

know

> whether the excitement shows. :-)
>
> As to the tickets or first come- first served, I can't be sure but

my

> recollection is that last year the Fringe Festival's website was

saying

> about a month ahead that the shows were booked out. However I

notice

> that this year it just says "arrive early, entry not guaranteed".

But it

> doesn't even have a date yet so maybe details are still to come.
> http://www.edfringe.com/shows/detail.php?action=shows&id=JUSTA
>
> The Fringe website would be a good place to keep an eye on anyway.
> http://www.edfringe.com/index.html?r_menu=global&static=true I see

the

> message board has lots of accommodation available for example. It

might

> not be that way if you go looking in late July!
>

 
<<<<   314   >>>>

Topic: Re: Attending JAM Sessions (that was certainly a pun intended)

Message 6 / 6
Sarah FalkFeb 7, 2007
 

 
The 20th! Oh, my, that's cutting it a little close. Lancaster's
pre-sessional program starts on the 23rd. Well, I assume that even if
they taped the very day before, it wouldn't be too much of a hassle,
but I only hope that it doesn't intersect. Actually, though, the only
days that overlap are the last four, so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I think the ticket system must be similar to QI's. They offer free
tickets, but it's still "first come, first served": If you get there
early enough, you can get in even without a ticket if there isn't a
full house; if you have a ticket, you can get booted if you arrive too
late. Really, though, the main reason for me to go to the Fringe would
be to see JAM, so I'd queue 10 hours earlier if I had to. Otherwise,
it's all for naught, right?

I completely understand the flying-across-the-world thing, since I'm
planning my May QI escapade along the same slightly-insane train of
thought; however, Florida to the UK doesn't seem to compare with New
Zealand to the UK! (Just remember, though, that my mother still
supports me there is a danger that I may be disowned. The things I do
for love--of British comedy . . .)

Thanks bunches for the info. I'll look into accommodation, and maybe
things will work out. Do you know how soon before the Festival they're
going to release/know taping dates?

--- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@...> wrote:

> It's usually around August 20th, they record two shows in one day. If
> you're thinking of making a special trip to Edinburgh, I'd try and get
> tickets in advance though I'm not sure what sort of luck will you have.
> The JAM sessions are one of the few parts of the Festival that are free
> so you can imagine what sort of demand they are in.
>
> As to other shows - London shows are booked through the BBC Booking
> Office http://www.bbc.co.uk/whatson/tickets/ For other shows, you can
> write to the BBC's Light Entertainment Radio section and they will help.
>