It is festival season and that means that in the next month there is so many great comedy festivals to look forward to! This month we are looking at some of the great shows that you can see at the Edinburgh Fringe. So take note because we are going to give you all the information you need for just a handful of some of the great shows happening this year!

50 Midlife Crises To Try Before You Die

Location:  Greenside @ Infirmary Street – Sprout Studio (Venue 236)

Dates: Aug 4th-12th, 14th-19th, 21st – 26th

Time: 11:25

Price: Pay What You Can

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/50-midlife-crises-to-try-before-you-die

Hello! Tell us about yourself? 

SharonVS – Hello! I’m SharonVS. I used to be a married middle manager and mother of one. I hit midlife, got fired, beat cancer and left my husband for lesbian sex. Hilarious. Now I’m telling all on stage. Except my age. That’s private. 

Damian – Hiya! I’m Damian – I’m still married, parent of none, improviser, and comedian. I used to be an engineer and middle-manager, hit midlife, and quit my job (engineers try to change just one thing at a time!) From September this year, I’ll be a student again as I’m going back to uni! I met Sharon at Edinburgh Fringe 2022 and am really excited to be co-creating a show with her for 2023. A great way to spend part of my “gap year”!

How did you come up with the name of your show that your taking to the fringe?

We workshopped a bunch of names before putting our favourites out for a public vote on social media, along with a clickbaity title as a silly option. Guess which one the public liked best? We didn’t want to have a Jokey McJokeFace scandal on our hands, so we went with it. 

Tell us all about your show!

Two Gen X-ers dish out ridiculous advice and invite you to laugh at their midlife crises.

Buy that Meno-Porsche, bungee-jump with your second family, or dare to try Marmite again!

Whatever your age, it’s a great time for a midlife crisis! We’ll share how to ditch partners,switch jobs and smash curve balls out of the park to reach your best life.

Following 2022’s sold-out show, Sharon VS is back with a hilarious double-bill, including the ridiculously cathartic “Midlife Clinic” for anyone who’s ever questioned their career path, sexuality or coffee order.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

Sharon: Sara Pascoe, Stewart Lee, Jessica Fostekew, Sophie Duker, Moni Zhang, Abigail Paul

Damian: I’m hoping to see Luke Rollason and Julia Masli again as they were amazing last year (clown/absurdist humour). I’ll be on the lookout for puppetry – hoping that the team behind “Foundations” return – that was magical. For Improv, I’m hoping Real Positive Poles from Bristol will be there, as well as my old troupe, The Cambridge Impronauts. 

Have you done the fringe before? What are the key pieces of advice you have been given or would give to new groups or people performing at the fringe. 

Sharon: 2022 for the first time. My advice? Pace yourself, do your show with a friend, enjoy it!

Damian:  I’ve performed at a couple of previous Ed Fringes. Remember that you’re there to enjoy yourself, and to share your creativity, talent, and joy with other people. Be supportive of other performers – see their shows if you can. If you only have one person in your audience, welcome and honour them with all the gratitude and effort you’d have produced for a full-house.  

Favourite one liner you have done in a show and why?

Sharon: “How does that work? There’s nothing to count.” To an audience member who said she was an accountant at a non-profit.

Damian: This feels like the journalistic equivalent of asking for “pix pls” before a first date. Buy a ticket, then we’ll see.

What have been some of the most unique and different comedy shows you have seen this year and why?

Damian: Bristol Improv Theatre ran a cracking triple-bill with standup, sketch, and improv segments. I really enjoyed that variety, which is part of why I like open-mic standup shows, too. Dim-Sum vs a bucket of shrimp! Luke Rollason blew me away at last year’s Fringe – amazing physicality, wit, crowd work, prop-comedy. Like Carrot-Top, Mr Bean and Emo Phillips in a giant trench-coat with a lampshade for a hat. 

Talk us through your daily routine for a day at the Fringe

Damian: We have a morning show this time (11:25am), so I suspect it’ll be Coffee, Breakfast, Coffee. Meet Sharon near venue (Infirmary Street – I urge Fringe visitors to also meet us there for fist-bumps and smiles!). Jump up and down until we feel joyous. Coffee. Go out and promote the show to anyone who will listen  (“Midlife Crisis? You’re never too young!”; “Happy with your life choices? Why?”). Do the show (11:25am). Lunch … together … unless we’ve fallen out by that point. Then we’re (maybe) both in other shows, will go and see yet other wonderful acts, and will meet up to promote our show (“50 Midlife Crises to … “). Wash, Rinse, Repeat.  

Sharon: Last year, my routine was: get up, walk into town, do the show, workout or rest, see one or two shows in the late afternoon/ evening, go back to bed. Did I mention I’m middle-aged?

Damian: Sounds like either I’ll need less coffee, or you’ll need more!

What is the best way to enjoy yourself at the fringe?

Sharon: Do exactly what you want. Rest when you’re tired.

Damian: Try to see stuff that’s different from the mainstream, or from what you normally see. Personally, I feel that the Fringe is about the people you don’t see on telly. I saw acts based on Rubik’s Cubes, journeys through gender, Paddington Bear’s voyage, shadow-puppetry, and a naked French baker’s life (he was only naked for part of the show – not for his whole baking life). Take a chance. Leave good reviews for what you love.

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

Sharon: The audiences are fabulous.

The most challenging thing about performing at the fringe?

Damian: It’s hard work – long days – promoting the show to an often flyer-shocked public can be demoralising. You have to keep remembering that another person’s success is not your own failure.  

Sharon: Flyering.

What would be your top three items every performer must take to the fringe?

Sharon: Warm jumper. Microfibre towel. A friend.

Damian: Backpack, notepad+pen, waterproof jacket!   

What’s the secret to successful flyering? 

Sharon: I wish I knew!

Damian: Last year, I tried to avoid having flyers and used a giant poster instead. Try to engage with people politely and leave them alone if they want. Be positive about your show, and have a very succinct pitch to describe it. It’s really hard to know whether any of this works!

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member?

Sharon: Sara Pascoe

Damian: Anyone kind, interested in others, and ready to share laughter at 11:25 in the morning.   

If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?

Damian: I’m @damian_improv on Twitter and Instagram

Sharon: read “diary of an aspiring comedian” at sharonvs.com

For following this show:

50 Midlife Crises to try before you die | Facebook

50 Midlife Crises to try before you die (@Midlife50Ways) / Twitter

50 Midlife Crises to try before you die (@midlife50ways) | Instagram

We’ve even got a spotify playlist : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1hYl7ZZiLj7lewehVsAYmY?si=851d81fdb4044041

And Finally in three words – Why should people come and see the show? 

Sharon: Hilarious midlife catharsis

Damian: Life’s too short!