Based on the best-selling books by Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto, Les Petits Theatre Company are bringing their latest adaption to the Edinburgh Fringe ‘Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs:The Magic Cutlass‘. Audience members young old join Flinn as he attempts to rescue his kidnapped friends who have been forced to hunt for the Magic Cutlass by his nemesis, the tyrannical Mr T-Rex. In our ‘Meet the 2019 Performers’ Les Petits give us their top tips for Fringe first-timers and tell us more about their show!
Can you introduce yourself and your show?
I’m Fiona Porritt, Assistant Creative Producer of Les Petits, and we’re very excited to be bringing Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs: The Magic Cutlass to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year.
What is the top reason people should see the show?
There are many! But a special mention must go to the brilliant pirate dinosaur puppets, crafted by Max Humphries. Some as big as 9ft tall.
What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you?
It’s when you perform a show which attracts that ‘word of mouth’ appeal. Our dinosaurs can usually be found roaming in the Pleasance Courtyard, which can get people’s heads turning…
What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers?
– Talk to everyone you meet and make connections.
– Make sure you see other people’s work and take the time to appreciate the festival as a punter.
– On the other side of the scale, make sure you plan to take time out and relax – go for a swim or take a trip to the cinema.
For those that haven’t read the book, can you explain who Captain Flinn is?
Captain Flinn is a normal boy who gets to have amazing adventures with his friends. When we first meet Flinn, he’s performing in his school play with his pals Pearl and Tom. Suddenly their old nemesis, Mr T the T-Rex, appears and kidnaps the children forcing them to hunt for the secretive Magic Cutlass.
Do you have a favourite song from the show?
I’m a big fan of the number ‘Dastardly Dinosaurs’ where each of the pirate dinosaurs take turns to introduce themselves.
Pirate dinosaurs sounds like great fun! Is there a favourite dinosaur amongst your audiences?
Definitely Diplo the diplodocus. He may not be the brightest of the bunch (and has the problem of being seasick when he spends most of his time at sea), but I’d say he’s probably the most kind-hearted of all the dinosaurs.
The show involves a hunt for the magic cutlass. What magical powers does the sword have?
Ah, well at this point it’s a bit of a mystery, though if you happen to see Mr T the T Rex in the show, I’m sure he’ll tell you what he thinks…
How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?
Be sure to follow us on Facebook (@LesPetitsTheatreCompany), Twitter (@PetitsTheatre) and Instagram (@PetitsTheatre). Info about Flinn and all our shows can be found on our website too
Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show?
Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs is on at 10:45am, 31st July to 19th August (not 13th), Pleasance One, Pleasance Courtyard.
‘Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs: The Magic Cutlass‘ is on at the Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance One/ Venue 33) at 10:45 every day from July 31st-August 12th, and from August 14th-19th. Tickets available from theFringe box office.
It is never easy being the little sister of a successful older brother, even more so when that brother happens to be a global megastar!
From a very young age, Nicola has been determined to prove to her four older siblings, and the world, that she is more than just a little sister. But wasting all that time incessantly seeking her siblings’ approval and searching for new ways to hide the fact that one of her brothers is mega-famous meant she could never quite find her place in the world. Until now.
In this wonderfully engaging interview we meet Nicola (and her friend ‘Geraldine’), and find out what motivated her to write ‘Superstar’, and how she is preparing for the Edinburgh Fringe.
Nicola is an amazing new talent and we very much hope that we, and many of you EFC readers, will be able to see her perform in August!
Thanks again Nicola for an amazing interview and all the best for your Fringe Run!
Nicola Wren is performing ‘Superstar’ every day at 17:30 from August 1st-11th and August 13th to 25th at the Underbelly, Cowgate (Venue 61 – Iron Belly). Tickets available through the Fringe Box Office
Today in our ‘Meet the 2019 Performers series’, we hear from Steve Taylor of the Blue Fire Theatre Company, who will be bringing his show ‘Kemp’s Jig’ to theSpace on the Mile this August.
Based on the life of Will Kemp, Kemp’s Jig tells the story of the ‘celebrity comedian and superstar of the Elizabethan stage’ who performed a ‘Nine Days Wonder’ in which he morris danced from London to Norwich. Kemp’s Jig brings this story to life – ‘Fans of Upstart Crow or Shakespeare in Love will enjoy cheering the maverick Kemp on his way! ‘
Kemp’s Jig will be performed August 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 13th, 15th, and 17th at theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39). Tickets available now from the Fringe Box Office.
Flyering can be your best and worst experience of the Fringe. At its best it allows you to interact with your future audience and get bums on seats. At its worst it can mean hours stood on the Royal Mile, in the rain, engaging with disinterested tourists who question your environmental and performance credentials. But it can be a positive experience and strategy is key – here are our top tips for flyering at the Edinburgh Fringe!
Flyer with a friend
Flyering in the rain, tired from an after-show party in Brewhemia, getting harassed by a vocal lady visiting from Tunbridge Wells on how your show is a copy of one she thinks she saw in Ipswich in 1972 is never fun. Shared with a friend it can be!
More of your team out flyering means more engagement with potential audience members. You have heard the adage about buses come along in threes? That happens when you are flyering on the Royal Mile too, and after being ignored for 10 minutes you can guarantee that the three large family groups all wanting to know about your show will all converge simultaneously. Easier to handle as a group.
Visually too , a friend or group will give you so much more presence when flyering. Of course, it’s not always possible to have more than one person there. If not, offer to support another act if they will support you back in return. You will make a new friend, and learn their flyering techniques!
Branding is key
Does your flyer branding match your poster branding? And your poster branding match our website branding? And your website branding match your social media branding? And your social media branding match your Fringe listing branding? Consistency is key! If you saw an airline company handing out orange flyers on the Royal Mile, I would wager you would instantly know which one! And you could guess the exact shade of orange their poster would be too, without even seeing it right? Big companies know the importance of using consistent fonts, colours, images and messages in their branding and you should too!
If you need help on this, engage with a professional (graphic) designer. Because an amateurish flyer will equate in people’s minds to an amateurish performer that they do not want to invest their time and money in coming to see.
Don’t ignore the men in suits!
This tip came from our founder who walks the Royal Mile during Fringe on a lunchtime. It astounded him that a suit was a flyer repellent to such an extent that he walked past one University group 16 times (he counted!), before they engaged with him and gave out a flyer.
What had not occurred to the Uni group was that people in business wear are actually the best people to engage with! For one, they are much more likely to live in Edinburgh and therefore come and see your show at some point over the course of its run. Secondly, they are likely to work in an office; and in Edinburgh offices over August one of the main topics of conversation is the Fringe! Telling office boy ‘Calum’ about your show and giving him 10 flyers to put in his office kitchen is likely to result in far more ticket sales and awareness of your show than talking to tourist ‘Dave’!
Location, Location, Location!
Targeting can be key! Whilst flyering on the Royal Mile is a must for any first-time Fringe performer and great for building brand awareness, you will quickly learn there are other (better) locations!
Does your show cover a niche or will it appeal to a specific demographic? Then head to where that demographic will be located! Does you show have a religious theme? Perhaps flyer outside a busy church when the congregation is leaving? Does you show have an LGBT theme? Maybe head down to Edinburgh’s Pink Triangle and flyer to punters leaving CC Blooms or The Street? Late night comedy show? Head to the Grassmarket mid-evening and flyer people leaving the pubs.
Perhaps head places too where you know you will have a captive audience! I am amazed I have never seen anyone flyer commuters waiting at tram or bus stops yet. Perfect if you want to give them a mini gig whilst they wait!
#TakeAPhoto and #SustainableFringe
There are environmental concerns around flyering and the inevitable waste it produces. Our environmental writer, Matt Turner, offered some great tips for the Fringe last year for performers to reduce their environmental impact. You can read his article here.
This year, groups such as Staging Change are asking performers to think differently about flyering. Firstly they are asking potential audience members to snap a photo of flyers instead of taking them. On social media they are campaigning on this issue using the #TakeAPhoto hashtag.
Secondly, they are asking performers to make sure that their flyers can be recycled and to include the below graphic on their flyers.
Two small changes but potentially one big impact!
Stand out from the crowd!
If you have props and a costume, use them to help you stand out from the crowds in busy places such as the Royal Mile. They also help you with the unified branding of your show.
Gimmicks can help too – free food, people ‘dead’ on the ground advertising a crime thriller, free hugs, giant robots and fake arguments were all spotted on the Royal Mile by our team last year. Only use gimmicks though if they help you promote your show. If people walk away without a flyer and a perception your £10 a head show at the Pleasance is a free Street Show, you have given out the wrong message.
Use a #Hashtag
If you have gone to the trouble of bringing your costume and props along, people will invariably want a ‘Kodak moment’ with you. Use that opportunity to spread awareness of your show! Choose a short and memorable hashtag that relates to your show, print it on your flyer, then ask every punter who takes their photo with you to use the hashtag when they share the photo on their social media. A great way to track interest in your show!
Flyer outside the Half Price Hut
Need to bolster your ticket sales? A good place to stand would be close to the half-price ticket sale huts, such as the ones next to the National Gallery. That is because you will be pitching to punters who have yet to buy tickets and as such will be more willing to take a chance on an unknown show.
Engage!
It sounds obvious but a smiley welcoming face will encourage people to talk to you about your show! Standing around checking your phone or chatting with your co-stars will not! The personal interaction you get from chatting to punters may well spark a personal connection for them to your show (‘oh – I didn’t realise you were from my hometown!’), that may further encourage them to actually come along!
Make every flyer count
Flyers cost you in both time and money and you want to make your investment make a return in ticket sales. In can be tempting to hand one out to every stranger walking past, whether they want a flyer or not. Despite all your frantic efforts, 99% will end up discarded. So how do you change that and increase the conversion rate of flyers handed out vs resultant ticket sales?
Most importantly, be selective in who you hand your flyer to. Only give them to people you have engaged with and seem interested in your show. Your success rate has just doubled!
But how do you further that success rate? I talked last year with a stand-up comedian who had a great take on flyering and a method that actually worked.
”Every year I spent hundreds on copy and thought the more I spent on poster and flyer design would equate somehow into ticket sales. I was totally wrong. Don’t get me wrong you still need to spend money on getting a professionally designed product that reflects your personal brand. But you know what – this isn’t an art show! And this was my biggest revelation one evening drinking in the Tron. I was talking to a guy who had come to see my show. Had he come along to my show because he liked my flyer design? Nope! He came because I had forgot to put my Twitter account name on my flyer so I had jotted it down on the back, he started following and ended up in the audience. So the next year I omitted more stuff from my flyer, and took along my lucky pen. I had worked out that my two best marketing buddies were 1) my banter and 2) my pen. By omitting those details, punters talked to me more and felt they were getting info others didn’t have. It gave value to my flyer. That human interaction and jotting down details that were personal to the punter meant they were far less likely to throw away my flyer. And far more likely too to look up the show info & website address if they had ‘asked’ for them (even if I prompted them!) So no snazzy gimmicks, giant puppets, nakedness, free biscuits or flash mob singing! Just a simple pen and I saw my follow through on flyers increase by 40-50%!”
Today we have the pleasure of talking to Isabelle Kabban, writer and performer of Love (Watching Madness). Her show tackles the complexities of loving someone with a mental illness and is billed as, ‘ A moving, funny and relatable insight into how it feels to care for someone who can’t always show that they care for you.’
Can you introduce yourself and your show?
I’m Isabelle, I’m the writer and performer of LOVE (Watching Madness). I’m also the artistic director of SpeakUp Theatre.
What is the top reason people should see the show?
It’s about the absolute strength and love of two women at different points in their lives. Whether you love someone with mental illness or not it’s an incredibly important story that every single person can relate to.
What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you?
It would mean opening up conversations, meeting and connecting with other emerging companies, seeing shows that are exciting hidden gems and eating a deep fried Mars bar every single day. Selling out shows would be the dream too!
What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers?
–
You can never take too much Berocca!
–
Go to Mosque Kitchen every day. Affordable curries can get you through anything.
–
See as much as you possibly can and don’t be afraid to go for something
different. Edinburgh Fringe is the one time of year where you can see a
life changing show at 10am so appreciate it and relish the weirdness of
it all. Make friends with strangers in queues
and get their recommendations.
Your production is a one-woman show investigating the complexities of loving someone with mental illness, specifically a bipolar disorder. For audience members who are unaware of the condition, how does it impact someone, and the ones they love?
Bipolar is a mood disorder where typically someone’s moods can go from intense highs to very dark lows. These can last months or just a matter of hours depending on the person. What people don’t often talk about is that in between these states there are a lot of other symptoms that can have a huge effect on the sufferer. They might get intense irritation, hallucinations or might get fixated on certain ideas. Everyone’s experience is really individual and that is key.
Like any illness it’s really hard watching someone you love go through it. I think the hardest part is the fact that it will always be there. That person may have months or sometimes years of feeling better and living a more ‘normal’ life (whatever that means), but it always seems to crop up again. For me, personally, it’s meant that I live a lot of my life feeling quite anxious, worrying about my mum and how she might be feeling. Despite this, it’s really important to remember that even if it’s hard for a family member or loved one it will always be a million times harder for the sufferer because they are battling with their own brain every single day.
What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?
In the end there is only room for love.
Are there specific challenges of performing on your own on stage, particularly a highly emotive show such as Love (Watching Madness)?
As an actor it’s such an amazing challenge
being on stage alone. It almost forces you to push even further for that
connection with the audience because they’re all you’ve got.
I do really struggle with nerves. Five minutes before the house opens I’m always like “Izzy why didn’t you choose a more normal and less scary career for yourself?” But my amazing director Ruth Anna Phillips has prepped me so well. She has created a really specific pre-show routine for us to do which gets me super focused and helps me to feel more comfortable in the space and able to use my nerves in a constructive way. We’re also best friends so we trust each other a lot which helps.
It is very tiring but, to be honest, I just feel so lucky every time I’m able to perform the show – having paying audience members willing to spend an hour of their time watching you is amazing. I wish I could do it every day.
We understand your theatre company is
passionate about outreach and that you have run workshops to accompany
performances. How was that experience and how did people with mental
health challenges respond to your play?
Ruth and I ran a workshop for a company called the 888 Collective who help people with mental health issues get back into employment. It was honestly one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. It was so incredible to give these people an opportunity to let go, have fun and channel their experiences into something creative. Ruth is a movement director so specialises in connecting people with their bodies. We spend so much of our life completely disconnected from ourselves we have forgotten how to play, so her giving people the opportunity to do that was amazing.
Audience members have been incredibly moved by the piece. I think it has
really spoken to a lot of people because it’s put their own experiences
on stage in front of them. That, for me, is what theatre is about so
it’s really special.
How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?
Social media! Follow us on Twitter @SpeakUpCogs or on Instagram @speakupstandup
Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show?
Bunker Three at Pleasance Courtyard from 31st July – 26th August. The show is on every day (except 18th August) at 11.35am.
Love (Watching Madness) will be performed daily at the Pleasance Courtyard at 11:35 from August 1st-17th and from August 19th-26th. There will be a preview show on July 31st. Tickets available from the Fringe Box Office.
We are very excited to meet today A Slightly Isolated Dog who will be bringing their show ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ to Edinburgh this summer – a ‘bonkers rendition’ and comedy retelling of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic with ‘joyous with audacious performers’.
A Slightly Isolated Dog are Fringe veterans, and their show ‘Don Juan’ received 4 and 5 star reviews last year, as well as fantastic audience feedback. This year the group are back all the way from New Zealand with ‘Jekyll & Hyde‘.
Our interview really captures the fun and engaging nature of the group and we are sure that fans new and old will be wanting to see A Slightly Isolated Dog this summer.
Watch our video below to see more about the show and find out where Hyde and Dr Jekyll hang out in Edinburgh when not on stage. Waiters and Waitresses of Dough Pizza beware – My Hyde is on his way!
All the best for Edinburgh guys, and hope you end up in Business next to Dr Jekyll and not Economy next to Mr Hyde on your flight over from New Zealand! #hepushesitdown
‘Jekyll and Hyde’ will be performed at 3pm every day from August 1st-18th and August 20th-26th at Venue 3 (Assembly George Square Gardens – Piccolo Tent). Tickets are available from the Fringe Book Office.
Today we meet Christopher Watts of No Borders Performance. His show – ‘Bleeding Black’ – explores the darker side of ‘hyper-masculinity’ against the backdrop of growing up playing rugby in New Zealand. Bleeding Black will be performed every day from August 2nd-10th, August 12th-17th and August 19th-24th at the Greenside@Nicolson Square (Fern Studio). Tickets available through the Fringe Box Office.
1. Can you introduce yourself and your show (Bleeding Black) ?
Hi! My name is Christopher Watts and I am the writer and performer for Bleeding Black, produced by No Borders Performance. Bleeding Black tells the story of a young New Zealand man called Sam, who struggles to grow up in a culture where rugby and hyper-masculinity bleed into social structures.
2. What is the top reason people should see the show?
Because there seems to be something entertaining about watching a guy exercise himself to death onstage. But also Bleeding Black tries to answer questions we find uncomfortable to address about our social attitudes.
3. What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you?
A West End transfer? 4 star reviews would go down well, and happy audiences! If I manage to make a bit of money, that’s a good bonus!
4. What are your 3 top tips for first timers to the Edinburgh Fringe?
Tip 1 – See everything you can! It is such a unique festival and it’s so rare to see such a variety in one place.
Tip 2 – Go everywhere you can! Even outside of August, Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities to explore. During August, you will never run out of things to do.
Tip 3 – Make it fun! The fringe is stressful, but we all get to the end eventually. And it’s gonna feel so much better at the end if you make every day as fun as you can.
5. Your show’s description reads : ‘Bleeding Black explores the darker side of that identity, where hyper-masculinity bleeds into everyday life, affecting everybody in ways that are often ignored or overlooked.’ What is hyper-masculinity?
I see it as a kind of subset of toxic masculinity. Where toxic masculinity encapsulates all masculine behaviour that harms society, hyper-masculinity focuses on overt behaviour such as aggression, and physical dominance. In the case of Bleeding Black, this comes through in the rugby culture which prioritises strength and physical dominance, and creates an aggressive attitude through the behaviour of coaches and supporters.
6. You describe your show as a ‘black comedy’. This is often said to be the most difficult form of comedy – is building empathy with the audience key?
Absolutely! My job as the actor is to make the audience laugh, while telling an at times horrible story. I find the best way to do this is to make the audience like Sam early on and want to be on his side. If I achieve that, when the darker elements of the comedy come through, the audience is fighting to decide if they should feel sorry for Sam, or if they should turn against him.
7. How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?
There are regular posts on the Facebook page, and Instagram is starting to kick off. There are two short seasons being performed in Palmerston North and Wellington, New Zealand, in the weeks before the fringe. In fact, I fly to Edinburgh less than 24 hours after my final NZ performance! Once in Edinburgh, I’ll be joining the absolute masses on the mile and in George Square, flyering the show with every ounce of courage I have.
8. Do you have a target audience for our show?
Everyone, but mainly sports nuts. The great thing about this story is that, though it’s about kiwis and rugby, it’s universal. Scotland loves rugby, England loves football, America loves NFL, Canada loves ice hockey. Physical sports create the same kind of environments all over the world.
9. We all need a laugh – tell us your favourite joke!
I’ll keep it rugby focused and see if I can get the Scots on my side. What do you call a Welshman in the world cup final? Nigel Owens. Or how about “Remember boys, rugby is a team game. So all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Jonah.”
10. Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show?
Of course! I’d be stupid not to. Bleeding Black is on at Greenside Nicolson Square, venue 209 at 4:20pm. Every day from August 2nd-24th, except Sunday 11th and 18th.
Today we meet Michelle Kholos Brooks. Michelle wrote Hitler’s Tasters, a dark comedy centered on a group of young girls who tested the Führer’s food for poison. The New Light Theater Project will be performing the play at the Greenside@Infirmary Street at this summer’s Fringe. The team behind the play have already started an active marketing campaign on social media, and it is clear they are very excited about the production and the story they have to tell!
Can you introduce yourself and your show (Hitler’s Tasters) ?
My name is Michelle Kholos Brooks and I wrote this dark comedy called, Hitler’s Tasters. When I first heard that Hitler used young German women to test his food for poison, I thought, “Isn’t adolescence hard enough?” And what do girls discuss as they wait to see if they will live through another meal? Like all girls, throughout time, they gossip and dream, they question and dance. Deliberately anachronistic, and stretching across time, Hitler’s Food Tasters want to love, laugh, and above all, they want to survive.
What is the top reason people should see the show?
Hitler’s
Tasters offers a human face during a horrible time. The girls who were
forced to be Adolph Hitler’s food tasters are not simply sepia toned
people in history. If they came of age
in 2019, these girls would be taking selfies, posting on Instagram and
searching for love and meaning. They are us. If we can humanize and
understand people of the past, perhaps we can avoid catastrophic
mistakes in the future.
What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you?
We’re
really excited to share Hitler’s Tasters with an international audience
and just getting that opportunity feels like an accomplishment. Also,
we have six women sharing one bathroom
so “success” means everyone lives to see the end of the festival.
4. Have you performed at the Fringe before? What is the worst rumour you have heard about performing at the Edinburgh Fringe?
None
of us have performed at the Fringe before! The worst rumour we’ve heard
is that our show could get lost in the mix. But there’s only 4,000
other shows so what could possibly go wrong?
People
often question whether they would kill Hitler if they could travel back
in time. Do you think the world would have been a better place if the
tasters had failed and Hitler had been
poisoned, or better to let history take its course?
Honestly,
if I had a time machine, I would go back and buy some of Hitler’s
paintings. He was a frustrated artist and many historians wonder how his
life would have played out had he been
a successful painter. I would say, “You’re brilliant! Your use of light
and color is groundbreaking! Don’t lose your focus, spend every hour of
every day painting!”
You
describe your show as a ‘dark comedy’. This is often said to be the
most difficult form of comedy – is building empathy with the audience
key?
A
dark comedy is definitely challenging. Sometimes people want to laugh
but the material is so dark that they’re afraid they’ll look
unsympathetic. However, sometimes laughter doesn’t happen
just because something is funny. Sometimes it’s a deep realization of
truth. I’ve heard it said that our greatest defense is to laugh in the
face of fear.
I
agree that building empathy is essential. The audience absolutely has
to be invested in the characters in order to be able to laugh and cry
with them. Our goal is for you to feel deeply
when you see Hitler’s Tasters. Whatever gets you there is okay by us.
How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?
The
women of Hitler’s Tasters have put together a fantastic social media
campaign! Follow us on twitter and Instagram #ht_theplay. We have a
Facebook page and website.www.hitlerstasterstheplay.com
Check out all the videos the girls have put together, including behind
the scenes show footage and a fundraising campaign that was by all
accounts, successful AND adorable. Also, before Edinburgh Fringe we will
perform in Chicago and at a pre- Fringe festival
in New York, so we are building on our audience that followed us from
New Light Theater Project’s previous run in NYC last fall.
And you should check out our Hitler’s Tasters vegetarian cookbook! Look for it when you come to see our show!
In your research for your show did you come across any interesting facts about the girls or Hitler’s diet?
I knew that Hitler was a vegetarian, but what I didn’t realize was that he was a bit of a selective vegetarian. He was particularly fond of pigeon. Yuck. Also, he did not like to eat meals with his cabinet, preferring to eat with his secretary or someone with whom he didn’t have to talk strategy and world domination. He had a lot of stomach issues.
What key message do you hope comes across to your audiences?
My most idealistic self hopes that audiences come away with a little nudge—a reminder that complacency is dangerous. We should never forget that Hitler was elected democratically. We should never forget that when there was no one left to destroy, he eventually turned on his own.
Lastly do you want to tell us where and when we can see the show?
Yes, please! We are going to be at the Olive Theatre @ Greenside Infirmary. Hitler’s Tasters runs from August 2-24 and our time slot is 18:35. We’ll look for you there!
Hitler’s Tasters will be performed at the Greenside@Infirmary Street from August 2nd-10th, 12th-17th and 19th-24th. Tickets available from the Fringe Box Office
It’s a warm Summer…or should we say Spring day, so what better activity could there be than creating some pie charts and pivot tables? Who wants to play volleyball on the beach? Not us! We wanted to break down the stats following the big release of Fringe shows this week.
Overview
You can now buy tickets for 1757 shows, 703 of which are comedy shows. The largest nation represented at the Fringe is England with 984 shows, followed by Scotland (471) and the US (95). As we now have between a half and two-thirds of all shows released, we can start playing with the stats as to how Fringe 2019 is shaping up.
Types of Show
Comedy accounts for 40% of all shows so far, followed by theatre with 24%. Perhaps this shouldn’t be a surprise – it can be far easier to put on a solo stand-up comedy show than to organise a cast and props for a theatrical play. Whilst 40% for comedy is still high, it does dispel the myth that the majority of Fringe shows are ‘stand-up comedy’. In fact just 405 of the 1757 shows are classified as stand-up comedy shows (or 23% of all shows so far).
The breakdown by country is given in detail below. Surprisingly, there is a significant difference between the types of shows England, Scotland and the USA bring to the Fringe (the three biggest countries by artist).
England – Comedy is King (or Queen!) for the English with just over half the shows (an incredible 504 so far) having the sole aim of making us laugh. For the country that brought us the Beatles and the Spice Girls, music is perhaps underrepresented accounting for just 7% of English shows.
Scotland – the contrast with England is very stark in Scotland’s offerings this year. Just 19% of shows are ‘comedy’ , with ‘music’ being the biggest show type, accounting for 33% of all Scottish shows. The diversity of Scottish shows is also greater, with better representations from ‘events’, spoken word’, ‘dance’ and ‘children’s shows’. Perhaps the reasoning here is that the Fringe is on Scottish home turf so it is easier to stage more complex shows such as ‘exhibitions’ and ‘musicals’. But it should also be easier for Scots to stage less complex shows such as solo stand-up shows too. Perhaps the difference is cultural and Scottish audiences frequent music gigs more than comedy nights throughout the year than in England, with the result that there are greater numbers proportionally of musicians in Scotland wanting to stage shows than comedians? Probably the subject of a doctoral thesis for someone – any volunteers?
USA – The US is as different again to England and Scotland with theatre productions dominating. Again, this could be cultural with every smalltown hosting at least one theatre/ drama company.
Venues
There are so far 181 confirmed venues, 26 of which are hosting 20 or more shows. With the latest release, the Pleasance Courtyard is hosting the most shows, followed by the Space @Surgeons Hall. It is expected though that other venues will break the 100 mark once the final batch of shows are released.
(note (1) some operators have multiple venues and these are listed separately below. (2) A venue can host multiple spaces for performances within the same venue).
Venue
Count of Venue
Pleasance Courtyard
132
theSpace @ Surgeons Hall
103
Gilded Balloon Teviot
66
Underbelly, Bristo Square
56
theSpace on the Mile
53
Greenside @ Infirmary Street
47
Assembly George Square
Studios
43
theSpace on North Bridge
43
Acoustic Music Centre @ UCC
39
Assembly Rooms
39
Monkey Barrel Comedy
38
Just the Tonic at The Caves
37
Pleasance Dome
36
Underbelly, Cowgate
33
theSpaceTriplex
32
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose
31
Greenside @ Nicolson Square
31
theSpace @ Niddry St
31
St Andrew’s and St George’s
West, George St
30
PQA Venues @Riddle’s Court
26
Assembly George Square
25
Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre
24
Just the Tonic at The Mash
House
22
Laughing Horse @ The Counting
House
22
The Jazz Bar
22
Assembly George Square
Gardens
20
Show Length Finally – ever wondered what is the most popular duration of show? The EFC team did, and our best guess was 55 minutes. We were wrong! For comedy, the most popular timing is 1 hour exactly.
You will be relieved to hear that the shows listed below as 3 hours and above are all compilation shows. In fact, the longest solo show we could find was Daniel Sloss X at 2 hours 30 minutes. Great if you have a good seat and do not want to do a ‘Fringe run’ between venues to catch another show!
John worked in television production roles for 15 years, but his calling came in 2003 when he won the 25th International Mr Leather competition in Chicago. He went on to start a successful comedy career which has seen him perform from Florida to Australia. He returns to Edinburgh this summer with his show ‘Monster’; a show about sex and sexuality ‘which laughs in the face of shame and guilt’.
1.
Can you introduce yourself and your show (John Pendal: Monster)?
I started comedy in 2010
and this year I’m taking a solo show to the Edinburgh fringe called “Monster”.
It’s about trying to separate sex and sexuality from guilt and shame.
This is my 4th
solo show. My last three shows have been performed in Atlanta,
Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Edmonton (Canada), Fort Lauderdale, Melbourne, Oslo
and Rome.
2.
What is the top reason people should see the show?
I don’t pick on the
audience – so if that puts you off going to see comedy come and see me!
My aim is for everyone
to feel better about themselves afterwards, so it really doesn’t help if I make
fun of latecomers or people who need the toilet mid-show.
3.
What does a ‘successful Fringe run’ mean to you?
My aim is to have
performed a show that I’m proud of, as well as I can, for a whole month without
falling ill. To that end I try and eat a handful of spinach with lunch and
dinner (hot or cold in sandwiches, omelettes, beans of toast, stir fry) … but I
usually end up compromising in week 3 by having a pizza with mushrooms on it,
or persuading myself that pork crackling is a vegetable.
4.
What 3 top tips have you got for Edinburgh Fringe first timers?
Wait as long as possible
to do your debut hour. You’ll get a lot of press attention for your first solo
show, so get as good as you can before cashing that in.
Be happy about three
star reviews, it means you deserve to be there. You can get a good quote from a
three star review.
Finally don’t share
accommodation with the person you’re also doing a show with – if you have a
tough day you need to come back fresh tomorrow to lift each other up again.
5.
Your show is about ‘sex, sexuality, shame and guilt’. It sounds heavy but you
describe the show as a comedy. How do you make that work?
You can make jokes about
any subject. In fact, the tougher the subject matter the bigger the laugh you
get when a joke breaks the tension.
I start by working out
what my emotional response is to each bit: am I angry, frustrated, incredulous,
sad or happy? Audiences don’t mind if you alter facts to make a story funnier,
but I think they can smell when a performer isn’t being emotionally truthful.
Once I know what my
attitude is going to be that makes it much easier to twist the story to make it
funny.
6. Sexuality
is ever evolving. Do you think leather and the leatherman scene will fade into
history or will it endure? What do you think will be the popular scenes
(fetishes) for gay guys in 20 years’ time?
Each generation makes
their own rules. I think the biggest change in the immediate future is how we
define clubs and spaces that used to be male or female only with our evolving
understanding of gender. Some events are embracing this with play areas that
are all-genders or “male identified only”, but allowing people to be adults and
choose for themselves which areas they go. Other clubs are really struggling
with this issue.
7.
How are you promoting your show in the run up to the Fringe?
