Luke Kempner's Fringe cringe, binge and whinge

Luke Kempner recalls his most embarrassing Edinburgh experience; what he can't get enough of at the festival; and the worst thing about the Fringe. Apart from the cost of accommodation, obviously…

Fringe cringe

I think my most cringe story was when I was doing my first fringe show, The Only Way Is Downton. I was invited to go and watch Elizabeth McGovern who is the actor that plays Lady Cora in The actual Downton Abbey. I watched her band but it was on at 00:30 and I'm ashamed to admit that I fell asleep. I was exhausted, OK! Edinburgh is very tiring!

I then had to make up what I thought of her and her band. 'Oh I loooooved it. My favourite song? Oh probablyyyy the second one. Yeah loved that one"'

Fringe binge

The best thing is being able to eat a ham and cheese crepe or a real Angus burger and be able to burn off the calories by the time you've walked to your venue.

Joking aside, the best thing about the Fringe is being around fellow comics. Hanging out and forging new friendships.

I came into the comedy industry slightly later than most. I did my first Fringe when I was 26 and didn't know anyone. A lot of comics have started at 18 to 21 via university and other ways. I always felt I needed to work a bit harder to make close friends just on and around the circuit, whereas in Edinburgh you're all in the same place for a month.

In 2018 (my last Edinburgh) I ended up doing a live seance at 1am on a bus with Carl Donnelly and others where I would put a bag over my head and bring back dead celebrities. Mad! The most fun I've ever had, though.

Fringe whinge

It's the endless promising. Promising people you're gonna see their show, them promising they're gonna see yours. We all need to agree that we're all gonna try and probably fail at seeing each other's shows.

I tried to sort it one year by going to see about 15 shows in the first week. Just to get out of the awkwardness of saying: 'I will definitely come and see your show, man.' I also thought it would guilt people into making people come and see mine. It didn't.

• Luke Kempner: Macho Macho Man is at the Pleasance Courtyard Above at 6.40pm. More info at lukekempner.com

Published: 20 Aug 2022