#172 Pasta duvet of love
Fork. Walk. Pork. Talk.
25 JUNE 2025
Hello.
Since we last spoke, I’ve flown a return trip across the Atlantic Ocean on a wild and wonderful adventure to visit Edmonton, Canada and, more specifically, the incredible Rapid Fire Theatre.
Experiencing Rapid Fire’s facilities, I was struck by the fact that, in all my years traveling, I’d never seen an improv theatre custom built from the ground up with our beloved art form in mind. Look at this thing, what a beauty!
And if that wasn’t enough, the Edmonton improv community is dynamic, warm-hearted and supremely talented to boot. It was such an honour to be part of their festival, Improvaganza, and explore their fair city. Consequently, all my recommendations are Edmonton-based this week.
Have fun!
Rule of three
[Noodles] Noodle Feast
All week I was being told how great the hand-pulled noodles were at Noodle Feast - a Northern Chinese restaurant set in the kind of out of town industrial unit that would house a Screwfix in the UK. On the final day, courtesy of the wonderful Gordie & Joey, I finally had a bowl of them and LET ME TELL YOU, they did not disappoint. Like a delicious folded heap of edible laundry smothered in chili oil. Like having your tongue wrapped in a pasta duvet of love. Like if the phrase mouth feel was made manifest in noodle form. Apparently, they are called lamian noodles and this is how you make them.
[Urban green space] The River Valley
The North Saskatchewan River Valley in Edmonton (less than ten minutes walk from the theatre) is the largest urban green space in North America and it is beautiful. In a profound opening ceremony for the festival, elder and story-holder Lewis Cardinal described to us the indigenous concept of manito, spiritual power that can pool around and enrich certain locations. I loved this idea. It reminded me of the concept of thin places in Christian theology - essentially points on the map where the barrier between the physical and the spiritual world seem stretched and permeable - where art thrives and stories find their endings. What a perfect place to hold an improv festival.
[Snack] Head Cheese
Before eating a head cheese Bánh mì from Nhon Hoa, I stupidly asked what in fact head cheese was. Dear reader, never ask this question. The description I was given almost made me drop my sandwich. I’m afraid to google it, just in case I get pictures. What I was told was:
You put a pig’s head in a tub of water and skim off whatever floats to the surface. Then you compress that substance and slice it, before serving it like a kind of fucked-up paté.
PLOT TWIST: it tasted amazing.
Apparently it’s very popular in the Netherlands so perhaps I should seek it out while I’m here in Amsterdam?
Spotlight
We were a little overwhelmed by all the wonderful, affirming responses we received after launching The Pretend Company’s Improv Actor Training programme last week. It’s always a bit of a gamble to put something new out into the world and then wait to see if it resonates with anyone. If you missed the announcements you can get all the details here:
The Pretend Weekend Intensive
The Pretend Company: Improv Actor Training
It’s a big commitment in both time and money so I’d like to make myself available for questions, queries and concerns. Simply, reply directly to this newsletter and I’d be more than happy to jump on a call with you. This offer is good right up until the deadline on 8th July.
Radio contact
I am very lucky.