The Edinburgh Fringe is almost upon us and already I've seen people on Twitter complaining that it's become even more expensive yet again. The same is also true for us comics, as even the most frugal 4-week run won't see much change out of ten grand. Indeed I reckon this is probably why I'll be the envy of almost every other comedian at the fringe this year.
On the whole, I'm not really someone who gambles on dogs or horses. I don't think I've ever so much as set foot in a bookies. I don't even believe in buying lottery tickets. Yet there's something I find irresistible about spending thousands upon thousands of pounds to go up to Scotland for four weeks every year and work my arse off in order to lose loads of money. Maybe it's the hope that I'll be somehow 'discovered' and shoot to stardom? Maybe it's the prospect of all the various tantalising awards? I'd probably be horrified if I ever stopped to actually work out the statistical probabilities of either of these happening to me. Yet every year I take a punt on the Edinburgh Fringe.
So where does the money from all your pricey tickets go? Well obviously the venues take their cut. Then there's the producer, the publicist, the flyers, the people who give out the flyers, the posters, the peope who put up the posters, the fringe entry fee, the advertising... and that's before you even get down to the cost of actually making your show!
This is why I think I'm going to be the envy of other comics, as this year my show has been entirely funded by the Cultural Olympiad. How popular is this going to make me huh?
No-one was more surprised than me that I got this funding. After all, I'm not in the slightest bit sporty in any way, shape or form. As inspiration was one of the key themes of the Olympics, I put in a proposal to seemingly do a show about the exact opposite of what they are looking for - namely a stand-up show about how being called inspirational isn't always such a good thing. I never for one minute expected to get the funding and I think it's to the Cultural Olympiad's credit that they were prepared to take a punt on me. Besides I wouldn't be doing my job as a stand-up comedian if I wasn't going against the status quo and arguing the opposite viewpoint to what everyone else thinks. Otherwise I'd just be preaching to the converted!
So if you're still in a quandary over whether to make a last-minute effort to try to get Olympics tickets and fill some of those controversial empty seats or come to the Edinburgh Fringe, why not kill two birds with one stone and come to see my show. You can expect absurd logic, death-defying stunts and unusual varieties of crisps... just don't expect to come away 'inspired'!
Laurence Clark - Inspired
1-27 Aug @ 17.20
Underbelly