'Blofeld's show, like his life, is populated with Technicolor characters.'
Daily Telegraph
'What really makes this show extraordinary is Blofeld's rich and fluid delivery… don't miss this perfect catch.'
**** ThreeWeeks
After his celebrated 2009 Fringe debut, Henry Blofeld, the voice of cricket and Test Match Special, returns with a learned friend – The Antiques Roadshow’s John Bly, for three nights only.
Two of the best-loved broadcasters and TV presenters of the generation join forces to prove they are indestructibly young at heart. These self-proclaimed ‘old farts’ will put the world to rights through the medium of anecdotage, drawing on their incredible lives and careers to hilarious, poignant and fascinating effect. All this and they can also lay-claim to being Fringe’s newest and oldest double act at the same time!
It seemed such a good idea at the time. The Edinburgh Festival – wow! On stage with Henry Blofeld, fantastic! But what about that audience, described to me by my radio interviewer as ‘tough’. Do they really heckle and throw things? Then the interviewer reminded me that Blowers and Bly were both the newest and the oldest act on the Fringe. Hmmm. Blowers will chuckle when I tell him. But our show is not scripted, so what happens if we dry up? No chance of that with Blowers. I say something that will wind him up for a week and he runs like a clock for a fortnight. He’s so great to work with – and to play with too. We laugh together as much off stage as on.
I’m thinking all this as I mentally pack my bags for the umpteenth time, and I still don’t know which and how many shirts to take. I don’t care what anyone says, however much you look forward to a gig, as soon as you start preparing for it there’s that little knot in the stomach. Like Blowers I’ve been doing after-dinners and ‘evenings with’ one-man shows for years, plus my own show on ITV, various bit parts in other people’s and thirty years on the Antiques Roadshow, so you would think I have got used to the mixed feelings of anticipation, but no, coming to the Edinburgh Festival and the knot’s getting a little tighter!
And with all this rambling I still haven’t decided which shirts to pack. But suddenly I can’t wait to get off that train in Edinburgh and get swept up in the palpable atmosphere of pumping adrenalin, surrounded by people who are creating it and like me going through all those emotions while walking around looking or trying to look at ease. I’m now thinking of all those other wonderful acts and spectacles to see, thinking of all that talent gathered in one place – the greatest and most celebrated arts festival in the world, The Edinburgh Festival. And with my chum Blowers, I’m going to be part of it for a few glorious hours….oh Away Dull Care and bugger the shirts.
Ahead of seeing his show with Henry Blofeld, get a taster of John Bly’s extraordinary background in the antiques trade at his family business’ official site.
Blowers & Bly: Bold, Bald & Belligerent
Venue 150 at EICC
12 - 14 August
Start time 19:40
Running time 70 minutes
Tickets £15 (£14 concessions)
Online Bookings:
Venue | Fringe | Comedy Festival
Phone Bookings:
Venue 0844 847 1639
Fringe 0131 226 0000
Blowers' Tour Website
'Blofeld's show, like his life, is populated with Technicolor characters.'
Daily Telegraph
'What really makes this show extraordinary is Blofeld's rich and fluid delivery… don't miss this perfect catch.'
**** ThreeWeeks
After his celebrated 2009 Fringe debut, Henry Blofeld, the voice of cricket and Test Match Special, returns with a learned friend – The Antiques Roadshow’s John Bly, for three nights only.
Two of the best-loved broadcasters and TV presenters of the generation join forces to prove they are indestructibly young at heart. These self-proclaimed ‘old farts’ will put the world to rights through the medium of anecdotage, drawing on their incredible lives and careers to hilarious, poignant and fascinating effect. All this and they can also lay-claim to being Fringe’s newest and oldest double act at the same time!
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It seemed such a good idea at the time. The Edinburgh Festival – wow! On stage with Henry Blofeld, fantastic! But what about that audience, described to me by my radio interviewer as ‘tough’. Do they really heckle and throw things? Then the interviewer reminded me that Blowers and Bly were both the newest and the oldest act on the Fringe. Hmmm. Blowers will chuckle when I tell him. But our show is not scripted, so what happens if we dry up? No chance of that with Blowers. I say something that will wind him up for a week and he runs like a clock for a fortnight. He’s so great to work with – and to play with too. We laugh together as much off stage as on.
I’m thinking all this as I mentally pack my bags for the umpteenth time, and I still don’t know which and how many shirts to take. I don’t care what anyone says, however much you look forward to a gig, as soon as you start preparing for it there’s that little knot in the stomach. Like Blowers I’ve been doing after-dinners and ‘evenings with’ one-man shows for years, plus my own show on ITV, various bit parts in other people’s and thirty years on the Antiques Roadshow, so you would think I have got used to the mixed feelings of anticipation, but no, coming to the Edinburgh Festival and the knot’s getting a little tighter!
And with all this rambling I still haven’t decided which shirts to pack. But suddenly I can’t wait to get off that train in Edinburgh and get swept up in the palpable atmosphere of pumping adrenalin, surrounded by people who are creating it and like me going through all those emotions while walking around looking or trying to look at ease. I’m now thinking of all those other wonderful acts and spectacles to see, thinking of all that talent gathered in one place – the greatest and most celebrated arts festival in the world, The Edinburgh Festival. And with my chum Blowers, I’m going to be part of it for a few glorious hours….oh Away Dull Care and bugger the shirts.
Ahead of seeing his show with Henry Blofeld, get a taster of John Bly’s extraordinary background in the antiques trade at his family business’ official site.