Rosco McClelland on the irresistible buzz of the festival

Rosco McClelland is heading to the Edinburgh Fringe to perform his show Sudden Death at Monkey Barrel at The Hive at 9pm from July 31.  Here he shares what he can't get enough of at the festival, his most embarrassing Edinburgh experience and the worst thing about the Fringe. Apart from the cost of accommodation, obviously…

Edinburgh Binge 

There are so many good things about the Edinburgh Fringe that I'm worried I'll miss some. First and foremost, for me it's the chance to see friends that perhaps I haven't had the ability to be around for a while.  This year I have a handover with Ed Night every day and I can't wait to have a kind and gentle laugh with one of the funniest comics around. 

Secondly, there is a step (or a stoop) outside of Monkey Barrel that I discovered last year. Every day I would drive from my home to Edinburgh, park up the car, and go sit on the stoop for a bit. It became a hot favourite of mine; comedians would come past and stop for a chat then go off to do what they had to do and be replaced with other comedians. 

Thirdly and finally... just the buzz man! The buzz of the city, the buzz of the speakers, the buzz of the flies circling the bins. The whole of Edinburgh feels so alive during the Fringe and it's impossible not to get a little bit caught up in it. It's like the circus has come to town, every wall has a face on it, and every nook and cranny gets turned into a performance space. 

As an artist, it truly is a gift that every year it happens less than an hour from where I live.

Edinburgh Cringe 

It's hard to tell any embarrassing stories because I don't really get embarrassed easily. That being said...I once mistook an act who I didn't know for someone I did (I'm going to assume I was tired).

I bounded up to them and started yammering away about something, as soon as I started speaking I noticed the fear in their eyes of not being able to remember me. I rode it out and doubled down as if I hadn't made the mistake. 

If Tom Ballard is reading this… sorry for giving you the fear, man!

Edinburgh whinge 

The worst thing is comedians feeling hard done by. I know the Fringe can be hard, and tiring. But in my opinion it's more of a mental slog than a physical one. 

Compare that experience to the staff who work in the venues, they work more than 14-hour days sometimes to make sure us clowns can do our silly little jokes and dances with no complications.

If any comedian or performer ever tells you they are tired, take them into the Monkey Barrel bar, or the Gilded Balloon office, or The Stand...or the dome...or even a flatshare with a team of young flyerers. Show them exactly what it looks like to be properly tired.

Then have them taken to the nearest tattoo shop and have the word ‘weak’ branded on them for eternity.

Published: 24 Jul 2024