I am overdue for an update here. Worry not, the lack of activity on here does not mean I am going through a crisis. Although if I were going through a crisis at Edinburgh Fringe, history would confirm that I’d be writing on here more, not less. See my tortured ramblings from August 2011, 2013, and 2018.
The lack of activity on this site has been due to me working the day job for the first week, with 7.30am starts, doing my show, then another six or seven hours of work in the afternoon and evening, with a finish around 8.30pm-9pm. I was doing something similar last year, but this year hasn’t felt quite as draining for some reason.
Anyway, I am pleased to report that my run of gigs from Monday to Thursday this week was the best of the run so far, with Monday’s show amongst my largest audience ever for the show, with 68. I believe the record is still 76, which was achieved in Newcastle in 2017 and again at my late-night shows in Edinburgh in 2019.
Not bad considering the show was only ever conceived to hopefully get double-figure audiences every day. Can I go bigger still? I am working on that. In fact, I have a larger gig booked in less than a week that I will reveal more on in future entries.
Along with having bigger audiences, one of the main reasons for the improvement has been adjusting and adapting the show. Bits that weren’t working as well have either been scrapped or rewritten. And what turned into a request for the squid jokes from an old hack friend, who came on Tuesday, has resulted in the routine now becoming central to the show again.
Ideally, the new material would have gained similar reactions. But there simply wasn’t enough time to refine it to a level where it could compete against a routine that was honed over four years initially and continues to get a great reaction from most audiences, but not all. It wasn’t always appreciated in Manchester.
I have refined my new routine about comparing Chappell Roan’s music with an item you’d find in the shower. I’m pleased to report that I’ve found another couple of punchlines that are now getting reliably big laughs. I feel that segment just needs a stronger ‘topper’ and it’s close to gold, still less than a month after I first wrote it. What is the routine? The only way to know is to see my show.
Now, onto the Oasis section of this post. Yesterday, saw a massive influx of bucket hats into Edinburgh city centre. This is not an exaggeration. It was the highest concentration of bucket hats I have ever seen. People were mostly wearing them. There were also two people selling them at the exit of the train station in Edinburgh.
Because this weekend is when Oasis are playing two of their three Edinburgh dates that, unfortunately, coincide with the Fringe. The result is that accommodation is much more expensive this year, which means that Fringe goers are priced out entirely, or there is a lack of rooms.
I compare the situation to Buckeroo. The issues at Edinburgh Fringe are not solely down to Oasis. They have been bubbling under the surface for years now. Prices have been getting absurd for some time. And adding the bucket hat to the Buckeroo has caused everything to be chucked off this year.
That said, although I had expected a quiet Friday, I still had 38 people in. So, about half my capacity. That was higher than I anticipated. And it was a fun show, marked out by the first show I have ever done where my trusty Facts Bell did not ding once. I found out on stage that it had broken. So, despite the best efforts of a lady called Sue in the front row to fix it, the bell remained silent throughout. But the show still went really well, and people seemed to really enjoy it. And that is the best you can hope for, regardless of how many people are in the room or if your vital prop fails you.
This morning, I am going into town early to go to a kitchen supplies shop before my show to restore the Facts Bell to its full dinging glory.
How To Win A Pub Quiz 2025 runs at The Stand Comedy Club at 11.45am until 25 August (apart from the 11th).