Steve Cardownie: Laurel and Hardy walk into a pub ...

One of the great things about Edinburgh in August is never knowing who you might bump into.

Imagine my surprise when, as I was sitting in The Albanach on the High Street, who should walk in but Laurel and Hardy.

On speaking to them I learned that the two actors were Wayne Kilsall and David Shaw, who both hailed from The Isle of Man, where they had been performing their show for the last two years.

Happenstance had brought them together and they wanted to bring their successful show to the Fringe as they both “loved the festival” and wanted to perform here.

They told me that they were huge fans of Edinburgh and “it’s fantastic atmosphere” and were planning to take their show to the United States one day.

After a short rendition of the song, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, from the film Way Out West – which propelled Laurel and Hardy to number two in the charts in 1975 – they returned to their refreshments.

Their show, The Laurel And Hardy Story, runs until 18 August, starting at 10.40am in The Space Triplex Studio on Hill Place and must be worth a visit.

ps I know what you are thinking, which one out of the three is the biggest clown? Ha, ha!