So apparently I'm the busiest man at the Edinburgh Fringe. This is just because I'm doing seven different shows (often called the 'Gareth Morinan Fringe'), which has even prompted some to label me 'crazy'. While I may be crazy, I am also a marketing genius; why just do one debut solo hour, when you can do seven? Though actually, when you break it down there are actually far fewer shows than it seems...
First off I have a bunch of opinions that I couldn't for whatever reason fit into my stand-up show, so as I feel the need to talk it through with a room full of people I decided to do a spoken word show covering all that. Now there are six performances of this show, so naturally I've listed it under three separate titles, each for two nights (clearly explained by the formula A=B=C). The reason for this is that a show with two or less performances costs less than £100 to list, where as normally a show costs £300 to list. So why not list the same show in three sets of two? It's less money, but more space in the programme!
Next up there is the midday improv show I'm co-ordinating. In case you weren't aware I recently founded the most happening new improv collective in all of London, in a decade or so we will have revolutionised improv in this country (probably/maybe). While I'll be there most days, I won't be there every day, plus I'll have to leave early to do my stand-up show.
I'm also running a debate on Saturdays; there are four shows, so I listed it twice (E=F obviously). The show will feature comedians debating serious topics, hopefully in a vaguely amusing way. I think this country needs more discussions that are both entertaining and genuinely informative.
So that's a total of six listings, which just leaves the one show I will be doing every day; my debut stand-up hour "Truth Doodler". In honesty this is the only show I really care about; it's the only show that I've spent massive amounts of time and money preparing for. Plus it's the only show I'm charging entry for.
So... why take over most of a double page spread of the Fringe guide? Am I not worried that people will notice this and think "who is this arrogant self-promoting prick?" Yes, of course. But I am more worried about the prospect of people not noticing me at all!
Having loosely studied the Fringe it seems that in order to get noticed you need two things; to have a good show and to already be known to some extent. I've tried to do my best on both fronts, but I'm worried the vast majority of people at the festival have no idea who I am. So that's why I'm doing things like creating my own sub-Fringe.
So while we're on the topic of publicity stunts, Caimh McDonnell and Stuart Goldsmith have really inspired me with their charity giving stunts. And so I am now willing to declare, exclusively to the Huffington Post, that at the end of the Fringe I Gareth Morinan will give £10 to the John Muir trust. No strings attached, I'm just doing it because I'm a good person (and because I want the publicity).
What I'm trying to say is, if people think my show is nothing of note, then that's fine. I just want them to come see it before they make up their mind.