Live art

So where was I? Ah yes, Stockton! Well, I left there Saturday, heading for the station with a friendly taxi driver who called me ‘pet’, caught a train to Darlington and learnt all about the footie from the Middlesborough supporters, just about made the connection at Darlington, arrived at Edinburgh Station 9pm and got transported through the rain-soaked city by a friendly taxi driver who called me ‘pal’. Picked up keys, found my flat, set off into the night in search of new venue Summerhall for the midnight-to-dawn show Hotel Medea.

‘If Stockton can’t come to Las Vegas, Las Vegas can come to Stockton!’ So says Johnny, star of Johnny’s Stuntshow, who’s revving up the Friday night crowd here in Market Square – the epicentre of the Stockton International Riverside Festival. Well, more than that: the epicentre of Stockton – apparently there’s been a market on this site since the 14th century.