This feature on Irish comics and the recession appeared in Fest magazine ahead of this year’s Fringe. “Why have estate agents stopped looking out the window in the morning?” begins a gag that has been doing the rounds in Dublin for the last 18 months or so. “Otherwise they’d have nothing to do in the […]
If You Can't Stand the Heat…
Picture the scene: You’re a comedian on your first run in Edinburgh. It’s not going so well. Most shows are made up of mates on comps and the odd, stray lunchtime punter. One day you have a solitary paying customer (and no mates). You have to cancel that show. You are not getting reviewed – […]
Edinburgh Jumps to the Beat
Top comics make a packet from the Fringe but for lesser lights it’s a real struggle. In this feature from last week’s Sunday Business Post I talked to artists in the black and the red after a month in Edinburgh. Breaking Edinburgh Can Break the Bank It is barely midday but already Edinburgh’s iconic Royal […]
Edinburgh Fringe Reviews
At the moment I’m over in Edinburgh covering the fringe. Biggest doesn’t always mean best – I’ve seen plenty of dross already – but it’s still a great festival. Here’s a couple of reviews I’ve done for the popular Scottish arts guide The List Hannah Gadsby Does Mother Really Know Best? Hannah Gadsby’s domineering, Catholic […]