The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is here.
The whole city is covered in show posters, every street is a gauntlet of 'come to my show, take a flyer!' and any bit of square footage turned into a venue for performances.
Theatre groups, circus troupes, spoken word artists and stand ups like me descend on the Scottish city with the same intention - to perform at the world-renowned Festival where punters flock from all over to be entertained.
The Fringe is where the likes of Phoebe Waller Bridge (now an Honorary President for the festival) performed Fleabag, Richard Gadd took his Baby Reindeer show (and another before that, which wasn't made into a world-wide hit TV show) amongst so many other talents.
But this year I'm priced out of performing stand-up at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, so I'll be performing much closer to home as part of The Camden Fringe.
Last August I, along with 3,316 others, took a show to perform at that world famous Fringe festival. The cost for such privilege? Well let's just say I could have bought a new car, checked in to The White Lotus Sicily or Thailand (future patrons – for reference I’m not fussy), and even had change left over for Sunday lunch at The Devonshire (if I could get a reservation.)
Like anything attractive these days there's a price to be paid. Yes, the usual bits for a stand-up show like mine; room hire, a tech person for each performance, insurance, posters and flyers, return travel, food, etc. No surprises so far but all in all the cost was adding up.
As a performer in the city for Fringe, it feels like money is being bled out of you at every single opportunity
As a performer in the city for Fringe, it feels like money is being bled out of you at every single opportunity. Your show poster positioning - on the outskirts, or in the city centre, attached to a lamp post or to a railing - all that comes with a rate card.
A post on the venue's social media account to promote my show? That'll cost you. Can I remind you I'm talking about a festival that identifies as being ‘not part of the mainstream'. It considers itself to facilitate ‘no frills, frayed round the edge' shows performed by people you're likely not to have heard of (yet) with no agents and what’s more no second jobs.
Give me a receipt and add it all to the bill, but… The real money pit is: accommodation. I spoke to other stand-ups who performed there the previous year, and all complained about one thing - the cost of digs.
Now that didn't put me off and nor do I regret going one bit. But my bank account may say otherwise. I have nightmares at the thought of Martin Lewis finding out about my so-called work trip. He would be spitting feathers at the fringe-flation of accommodation up there.
The tech person helping on my show, on summer break from University, told me that student friends of his have their housing contracts come to an end in July and start back up again in the September, as landlords wanted maximum rent during the month of Ed-Fringe. I know of one stand-up with a show this year who is camping to save costs. It’s safe to say I won't be doing that. Having two major stadium concerts from Oasis and AC/DC playing in the city the same month can't be helping the already priced out performers this year.
All this got me thinking: what if an Edinburgh-based stand-up came to The Camden Fringe to perform? Both festivals are held in August. So would accommodation be as much here in London? The short answer is no. A quick search on a two-week stay in an Edinburgh Travelodge is close to £4,000. The same dates at a Travelodge in King’s Cross come in at £1,400.
I love Edinburgh and everything its Festival Fringe stands for, but how can performers possibly afford to go? I hear more and more emerging comedians are rethinking the “Edinburgh or nothing” pathway and turning to regional or alternative fringes like Camden and Brighton. If we want a comedy circuit that truly reflects the UK, we need to champion accessible festivals outside the Edinburgh bubble that offers work that’s just as bold, intimate and culturally relevant, without the four-figure rent. Crowdfunding is a short term solution to a bigger problem.
I’m juggling stand-up with a full-time job and no gold card account from the bank of Mum and Dad. My wages go on bills, a few ham and cheese croissants from Gail's and the odd Lime bike. So, a plea to support the comedians of the capital. Do you want world-class humour to keep being produced from the bowels of the greatest city in the world?
If so, I'm telling you, my fellow Londoners, to shop local this August and come to see one of the 400 shows taking place at The Camden Fringe. It's on your doorstep!
Jonathan Rudge is a comedy writer and stand-up comedian. You can follow him on Instagram @JonathanGramin
