Rob Auton on the best and worst of the Edinburgh Fringe

Rob Auton 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 

In 2012, I was doing a show about the colour yellow called The Yellow Show. I flyered for the show by sitting in a yellow paddling pool wearing a yellow coat surrounded by yellow objects on the Royal Mile from 11am til 3pm every day.  I had a yellow foam swimming noodle with a slot cut in the end that I’d put flyers in and almost fish for people to take a flyer.

One day a gang of Edinburgh youths were mocking me and eventually grabbed my noodle out of my hand and ran off with it, I ran after them down the Mile, a struggle ensued and I got my noodle back. That was pretty embarrassing. 

Fringe Binge 

I really enjoy taking a punt on a free show that is just about to begin that I know nothing about. I’ll be doing that as much as possible.  I love sitting on a seat and waiting for something to start. I am a big fan of the start of films, music gigs, everything.

 I always try to take flyers and say thank you. I think it’s important to take a flyer even if you have no intention of going. The person might be feeling the force of Edinburgh and your lack of ambivalence might not seem like much but it could make them feel ever so slightly less flat. 

I’ll be taking flyers and thinking about the Mitch Hedberg line: ‘When someone hands you a flyer, it's like they're saying here, you throw this away."   

Fringe Whinge 

Lack of healthy late-night places to eat. I really wish there was a huge canteen marquee on the meadows for performers and crew that was open until 3am serving bowls of  broccoli with a selection of sides (grilled chicken etc). They’d make a lot of money. 

• Rob Auton: The Crowd Show is on at ssembly George Square during the Edinburgh, then on tour. More info and tickets at robauton.co.uk

Published: 13 Aug 2022