Edinburgh Festival Diary: The anti-Israel protester heckling Gordon Brown at the EIF

At the newly refurbished King’s Theatre, a generally extremely well-behaved audience had watched discussions between Brown, and a US-heavy panel of filmmaker Ken Burns, lawyer and social justice activist Bryan Stevenson and journalist Amy Goodman - despite the event falling a good half hour behind its billed two hour running time.

Hosted by EIF director Nicky Benedetti and Harvard professor and author Sarah Lewis, the Global Ideas Stage - a new, book festival-style project for the EIF - mixed high-level discussion on human rights and American independence with surprise musical interludes, including an opening performance of Amazing Grace, performed initially from the Dress Circle by jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, also Benedetti’s husband.

While Marsalis’ balcony performance had been met with gasps of delight and applause as the musician made his way down and through the stalls, the Circle-based protestor did not have the same warm reception, prompting tuts from the audience.

“I oppose the genocide,” he shouted, adding that he believed genocide in Gaza had been excluded from the event’s discussions.

Ms Lewis stepped in, ignoring the disturbance to introduce Benedetti, who was about to close the event with a violin performance.

But the protestor was not to be deterred.

“I feel totally silenced,” he shouted, adding “Free Palestine”.

“Gordon Brown, you should be ashamed.”

The EIF has come under criticism in recent months, both for its continued sponsorship by Edinburgh fund manager Baillie Gifford - a small anti-Israel protest formed outside its Hub headquarters last week - and for its choice of America as the theme of this year’s programme. Ms Benedetti has repeatedly insisted that the festival will look at “America” from all angles.

Ms Benedetti continued her performance as Brown and the panel watched from the stage.

Short notice

At one Fringe show, The Second Best School Shooting, on at The Pleasance, an understudy was given just four hours to pack her bags and fly from the US to Scotland after the original cast member was unable to perform.

Understudy Rachael DeBoer, who took over the role of Parker, said: “I fell in love with this play last spring, when I was cast in a limited engagement in Los Angeles. When I got the call to understudy for the world premiere at Edinburgh Fringe I was thrilled.

“About four hours before my flight to Scotland, I found out I would be stepping in immediately - in the opposite role I’d previously played. Once the shock wore off, I quickly became so excited. And determined. I care so much about this project, and its activism, on a deeply personal level. I’m honoured we are taking this story, and this issue, to an international stage - and I get to be part of it.”

Theft stops show

At Gilded Balloon’s Patter House, a laptop belonging to one of the production team of musical Girlz was stolen from the venue - forcing yesterday’s show to be cancelled.

The laptop apparently held all of the technical cues - sound and lighting - for the show, which was nominated for Best Musical at last year's Fringe.

“Due to technical difficulties beyond our concern, Gilded Balloon have had to cancel our 2.25 performance today,” the performers said in on Instagram, adding that they planned to hold an extra mid morning show later in the Fringe.

Seriously? Who would do that? As if it’s not hard enough for Fringe performers as it is.