My Edinburgh: Doc Brown, Comedian
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Your support makes all the difference.This is my third experience of the Fringe (technically it's the fourth but the first time I went I was still in the music business, and I had no idea comedy existed). My brain is such that I can rarely learn more than a lesson a year so, for anyone following in my footsteps, here are three lessons I won't forget.
Travel: I will never take the train up again. Yes, it's more environmentally sound than car and plane, but you know what? Neither in 90 minutes on a plane nor 8 hours in my car am I forced to witness drama students rushing up and down the aisles "accidentally" plugging their show and referring to everything as a "nightmare".
Intoxicants: In 2006 we played Edinburgh, but I couldn't tell you which city it was. In 2008 I did five minutes of stand-up a day. In 2009 it was 15 minutes. In 2010, though, I find myself with my first hour-long solo show followed by a 90-minute musical. Sobriety is my new flatmate. I didn't ask for him, but I couldn't cover the rent without him.
Performance: My final preview show back in London was with a crowd of 250 on my home turf. It was a real laughter fest. Rubbish preparation really. My venue up here holds 58 max. On any given day I could have less than 10 bums on seats, all angry because they couldn't get into their preferred show, looking at me like "I never wanted you." Somewhere along the way there will be a tough night. Smile through the pain.
Doc Brown: 'Unfamous', Pleasance Courtyard to 30 Aug (0131 556 6550); 'Gutted', Assembly Rooms, to 29 Aug (0131 623 3030)
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