Originally published on Unofficial Mills in August 2009. This page has been restored from the Unofficial Mills archive.
Scott Mills: The Musical – our Edinburgh 2009 liveblog
In August 2009, Scott Mills took one of the most ambitious ideas in the show’s history to the Edinburgh Festival: Scott Mills: The Musical.
Unofficial Mills was there for the very first night.
Jono travelled from Norfolk to Edinburgh on 11 August 2009, documenting the journey, the Festival and the opening performance live on Twitter as it happened.
It turned into a day involving very little sleep, several trains, Scott Mills fans, Chris Cox, stolen posters, the mysterious Posh Radio 4 Lady, The One That Doesn’t Speak, a member of Blue and rather more wine than originally planned.
Many people from the Unofficial Mills community were in Edinburgh too, turning the opening night into something of an unofficial site meet-up.
Below is the original Twitter liveblog, restored from the archive and grouped into sections to make it easier to follow. The wording has largely been left as it appeared in 2009.
Monday 10 August: One more sleep
22:01
Tomorrow I’m going up to Edinburgh to see Scott Mills: The Musical. Follow my tweets throughout the day!
22:58
Night Twitter… see you in five hours for the journey to Edinburgh.
Tuesday 11 August: The journey begins
04:28
Morning! Just woke up to @gregjames in bed (so to speak!)
05:16
Awful night’s sleep. Fell asleep at two. Woke up every half hour till half five.
05:17
The journey to the train station begins.
05:26
Well I’m in Sheringham boarding the first train. Receiving grunts from fellow passengers.
05:28
@CraigVenables It’s a late night show so there’s not much to worry about. Just want to make a day of it.
05:32
My heart sank when the lights went out and the train stopped. We seem to be off now.
06:00
Most suited song on iPod is “Sleepyhead” by Passion Pit. But what a tune.
06:46
Hello Norwich. Newspapers purchased. Next train is to Peterborough. Not quite Edinburgh.
07:41
Can someone look any more like my ex? Freaked me out A LOT.
08:34
Loving the sum total of one toilet in Peterborough. Pleasant and sunny though.
08:37
@thewebguyuk It’s an interesting place. The announcer sounds very confused.
08:42
From Peterborough to Paris for £80 return? Cheaper than bloody Edinburgh!
08:43
“If you don’t wish to travel on this train please do not board the train”. Oh right?
08:50
Excellent. A phone charger. Should make this four hour journey better.
08:54
@glitzy I’m arriving about half one. Why isn’t @kizmok tweeting this news?!
08:56
Pleasant person sitting next to me with book. All fine. Could have been someone with a huuuge newspaper.
09:52
Dozing in and out of sleep. Watching person next to me cross stitch.
10:24
Train doesn’t smell good. “Train guard please contact the driver”.
10:39
@paul_fernley Staying a few streets away at someone’s off of my site. Handy!
11:11
@al86shaw No, only in Newcastle, a while to go yet!
11:18
@al86shaw I believe there is but it’s all very hush hush.
11:24
Turns out the girl next to me is from Norfolk too. She’s still stitching.
11:27
Weather isn’t so nice up here… Half an hour until arrival.
11:59
“Especially for younger ones I’d like to inform you you’re now in Scotland”. Why only the younger ones?
12:02
Hope they’ve got the banners out especially for my arrival.
Arriving at the Edinburgh Festival
13:09
Wet and lost. Paula’s bad with maps.
13:12
Do you think I’m the special guest? How rubbish would that be for them!
13:27
I’ve found the courtyard!
13:37
Posters are up at the booth!
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
13:58
Trying to find food. Settling for the indoor cafe in the courtyard. Too miserable.
14:51
We’ve just been to the Dome to get our tickets for Chris Cox tonight.
15:14
There’s a REALLY good Chappers lookalike here in a coat. I don’t know if it’s him from the musical. I want a picture!
15:20
If only looks like him from the side.
15:33
We’ve worked out where the studio is. There’s a big old microphone in the window.
16:03
Nooo! @kathyclugston passed me again without saying hi!
16:37
@KingTutsWWH Last saw @kathyclugston heading for the beer tent. Shocking.
16:38
Fake Chappers looks mysterious in his coat. A drug dealer edge to him.
16:40
Saw the Madonna look alike. Is that grey tshirt man here too? (For @kingtutswwh)
16:41
If we see @kathyclugston we’re getting her drunk. Imagine drunk Dear Scott at half six.
17:07
Tom Deacon is putting on a show. Imagine that Tom Deacon inches away.
Scott arrives
18:06
Woo we’ve just seen @kathyclugston and Scott Mills. They seem nervous and excited.
18:08
Scott’s dad aka Bruce Willis will be visiting too!
18:17
We just stole a poster for photo purposes. Sorry Scott Mills The Musical.
19:35
Just bumped into Kirsty and Helena from Unofficial Mills.
19:36
Just had a really cool tattoo. But not actually a tattoo. It’s Superman stylee.
19:36
Few problems but me and Paula are now at Chris Cox’s gig. Front row. Good idea?
19:38
Two hours till Scott Mills The Musical.
20:38
We’re loving the magic of Chris Cox.
Waiting for Scott Mills: The Musical
21:07
The Hoff could well be here. He’s in the programme.
21:07
Des O’Connor has been credited in the programme. Eh? I presume it’s not really the singer…
21:08
I won’t give away too much because I want you to see it all online. But I’ll give hints to build up the excitement!
21:09
Zane, Moyles, The Hoff, Parf Daddy are all covered in the story.
21:13
My Twitter is being awful. But we’re at the front of the queue and waiting! Has Twitter been hacked again!?
21:13
Fifteen minutes until Scott Mills The Musical commences.
21:16
Tickets and programme!
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
21:19
Scott will play The Hoff and a new DJ. If you didn’t already know…
21:28
Turn your screen around. But that’s the queue. I’m at the front!
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
21:29
So many geeks from Unofficial Mills here. VERY cool and it’s like a big happy family.
21:31
It’s open and we’re in! Front row and in the centre.
21:35
Live Lounge on stage.
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph
Inside the first performance
21:43
Posh Radio 4 lady narrates. The Hoff appears in video form. Pizza Guy is in it.
21:47
Bev from the Daily Record and Sam the Internet Guy are in too.
21:50
Plenty of miming from The One That Doesn’t Speak too…
21:52
You’ll have to guess what’s happening here.
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
21:55
@Jobarnes72 It’s online from tomorrow!
22:04
Watch out for a great rendition of YMCA.
22:05
Don’t worry… you can SEE all this from tomorrow afternoon online!
22:10
Expect all the usual Mills sound effects too.
22:14
TOTDS has his own song. How does that work? With the Posh Radio 4 lady’s help!
22:16
Could that be an actual member of the boy band Blue?!
22:21
@misscorsham Couldn’t possibly say! I’ll tell you who when it’s announced tomorrow!
22:32
Chappers’ song reveals his passion for… dancing?
22:34
There’s parodies of Susan Boyle and The Apprentice.
22:36
Gasp. The One That Doesn’t Speak speaks!
22:39
The story also reveals why Jo Whiley is moved to weekends…
22:40
And expect The Ladies Bras to be in there too!
22:46
It’s self-obsessed, it’s camp and it’s cheesy. It’s Scott Mills The Musical.
22:47
Really can’t give much more away but the first part will be online from tomorrow!
22:48
General impression is that Joe did not disappoint.
After the show
Wednesday 12 August, 00:13
Our party continues elsewhere. Just met so many people from the musical cast AND the website!
02:20
Back at a lovely girl’s place called Helena. We spent the night out with her. Crashing at hers for a few hours.
02:21
My battery died but the night became more drunken as it went on.
02:22
RT @mikeredding: @glitzy That’s @jonoread stood behind Scott isn’t it?
02:23
A BIG thank you to all you geeks who kept me drunk tonight. Especially Jo, Helena, Kirsty and Paula.
02:24
Lots of pictures to share tomorrow afternoon. Really enjoyed today. So many people I met. Please watch the musical online.
02:25
And it was Anthony from Blue tonight. Different celebrity every night.
02:28
@bigcox Loved your show. So many people from the site were there and were VERY positive.
02:29
@glitzy I was going to pose but chose to smile in the background! Haha.
02:30
Also Beccy would like to thank Unofficial Mills for her card. She seemed amused by it.
02:32
Goodnight Twitter and Edinburgh. Best sleep some of this drunkeness off.
Wednesday morning: The journey home
06:57
Morning Edinburgh Waverley. Just about with it enough to catch this train to Peterborough.
06:58
@kathyclugston Lovely to meet you at last. I look forward to reliving your performance. Enjoyed chats with your R4 friend too!
06:59
I’m not usually a skank but I’m in last night’s clothes, I smell of drink and I have a horsey voice. Woo.
07:09
Wine anyone?
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
07:12
Zane, Whiley Minogue and The Hoff. But do they have the ‘on board’ factor?
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
07:23
A few more stars from the musical.
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
07:30
Her milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. @kathyclugston aka Posh Radio 4 Lady.
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
07:35
The One That Doesn’t Speak – the award winning mime artist.
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
08:08
Thought there was a tornado heading for Edinburgh. Turns out it was a smudge on the window.
08:18
Meeting Scott’s dad last night was a little surreal. Not good with films but he seems to really look like Bruce Willis.
11:11
Get me out of this Peterborough station cafe. DAB radio cutting out and three workers having an argument in front of us.
11:33
@bigcox Oh no. Everyone I spoke to were big fans. I’m glad I told them about it!
11:35
@beccyhuxtable Yeah, I stole your eyes. Sounds like an awful chat up line. You had the card round the wrong way too.
11:35
@beccyhuxtable PS Happy actual birthday!
11:37
Fed up with using my phone to tweet. Get me back on the computer!
11:41
It sounds sad but last night was exactly why I do Unofficial Mills. Meeting some great people from there, having a laugh and an excellent time with the musical team.
12:01
I have the ‘text us your views 81199’ song from last night’s musical stuck in my head now.
Originally accompanied by a Twitpic photograph.
The musical goes online
15:02
@xForeverX16x It’ll be up when they’ve finished editing it all.
16:43
Check out Scott Mills the Musical. Part 1 is now online.
17:41
We’re looking for your snaps of Scott Mills the Musical and the Edinburgh experience – check out my snaps too!
Thursday 13 August: The reaction continues
00:45
Statistically Unofficial Mills has been pulling in over 5,000 unique visitors a day this week thanks to the hype of the musical (I presume!)
00:59
Check out @officialvernonk failing to get the “on board” factor break dancing for the judges.
12:10
Is it just me that thinks @kathyclugston aka Posh Radio 4 Lady is giving Chappers a run for his money with wit on @scott_mills’ show?
12:15
If you’re in Edinburgh do check out @bigcox. Didn’t get enough time to tweet how outstanding he was but he’s the hottest ticket in town!
14:57
Musical fans can find out why Whiley was moved to weekends tomorrow on the video. Plus Susan Boyle makes an appearance and there’s a good parody of The Apprentice!
23:30
How brilliant are Kirsty’s photographs from Scott Mills The Musical on Unofficial Mills?
Scott Mills: The Musical at Edinburgh
Scott Mills: The Musical was staged as part of Radio 1’s presence at the Edinburgh Festival in August 2009.
The production took the people, running jokes and features surrounding Scott’s Radio 1 show and turned them into an intentionally ridiculous musical, with Scott and members of the team appearing alongside performers and surprise guests.
The opening performance included Anthony Costa from Blue, while familiar names and characters referenced during the show included Chappers, The One That Doesn’t Speak, Pizza Guy, Jo Whiley, Zane Lowe, Chris Moyles and David Hasselhoff.
Kathy Clugston, familiar to listeners as the show’s “Posh Radio 4 Lady”, provided narration.
For Unofficial Mills, however, the trip became about more than seeing the musical. A sizeable group of people who knew each other through the website met in Edinburgh, some for the first time.
“It sounds sad but last night was exactly why I do Unofficial Mills. Meeting some great people from there, having a laugh and an excellent time with the musical team.”
Written the morning after the opening performance, that tweet probably sums up the trip better than anything else on the page.