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!

5 Mistakes That Changed History

Location:   Assembly George Square Studios – Studio Three (Venue 17)

Dates: Aug 2nd-6th, 9th-11th, 13th-18th, 20th-25th

Time: 16:40

Price: £14 Concessions £13

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/5-mistakes-that-changed-history

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

I’m Paul Coulter, a comedian and historian, I’ve been performing and producing comedy for over a decade, and this is my second time bringing my show 5 Mistakes That Changed History to Edinburgh. I’m originally from the UK but live in Sydney, Australia.

Tell us all about your show!

5 Mistakes That Changed History is a hilarious blend of History/Storytelling and Comedy. It’s History but not as you learnt it at school. It’s about the stuff-ups that have made our world what it is today.

The show was a huge hit last year and sold out the entirety of its run at Assembly prior to the start of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  This year I’m back with a brand-new show with five new stories ranging from some of the biggest names in History to smaller mistakes that changed our world in unexpected ways.

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

I’ve always been an enormous History fanatic and I studied History at university. For a very long time I wanted to combine my love of History and Comedy into a show. I submitted a show last minute to Sydney Fringe in 2022 as a concept wanted to combine my love of History and Comedy into a show. I submitted a show last minute to Sydney just to try it out, expecting 4 people turn up (including the tech). I chose mistakes as History is always about the winners but never about the losers.

Two weeks before the show, I very nearly made my own mistake of cancelling the show, but it was a hit with audiences and sold-out. We then got scouted by Gluttony to go to Adelaide Fringe (the world’s second largest Fringe mistakes as History is always about the winners but never about the losers. Edinburgh) where we were invited to come to Edinburgh by Assembly for 2023. I never expected the show to grow beyond Sydney Fringe, so it’s been one of the most amazing experiences to come to Edinburgh twice and to meet so many incredible History-loving audiences.

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

I am a huge fan of Zach Zucker and his incredibly talented madcap group of Gaulier-trained clowns at Stamptown.

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. And if you haven’t, how are you gearing up for it? 

Plan early. The most important decisions for a fringe festival are taken five months before you even get on the ground. Accommodation, advertising, production, you want to get these things locked down by March so in the months before Fringe you can focus on making your show the best it can be. Then, when you get to Fringe you can *try* (and fail) to relax and just focus on performing.

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

I plan every year, but the routine disintegrates against the tornado of fringe. It’s hard to plan when the magic of fringe is spontaneously stumbling into a basement at 2am and being blown away by someone pretending to be a cat. Any strict structure or routine could stop the best moments from happening.

Someone told me a good idea is to schedule either day-shows or night shows and plan your sleep around that – it sounds a good idea – I’ll try that one day!

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

Immerse yourself in as many shows as possible and try shows and genres you would not ordinarily pick. The beauty of Fringe is in the unexpected, so try something new and surprise yourself. Take that flyer from the performer dressed as a post-apocalyptic Dickensian dinnerplate – their show could change your life.

I try and pick a bunch of shows I know I want to see, then I go to shows I get recommended by chatting to other fringe-goers and performers. Lastly, I keep an open mind and calendar, some of my favourite shows were discovered last minute by taking a chance. Everyone has such different tastes and there are so many hidden gems, you never know what you’ll love at Fringe.

Ok, where is your favourite place to eat at the Fringe?

Anywhere quick and close to the venue.

Best thing about performing at the Fringe?

It’s the most incredible agglomeration of art and creativity in the world. Audiences are open to anything, and you can get inspired by your fellow performers. It’s creative heaven.

Top tips for travelling around the Fringe and getting to shows on time?

Wear comfortable shoes and plan for all weather – you will walk further and face more inclement weather trudging around Edinburgh during Fringe than on epic mountain hikes!  Last year I mistakenly packed summer clothes, by day two, I had ditched the shorts and t-shirt and was wearing hiking boots, wet-weather gear and a rucksack with snacks and bottled water. I was better prepared than when I hiked the Highlands.

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

Get two phone e-sims, the cell reception in Edinburgh slows to medieval (ie non-existent) levels during Fringe so if you’ve got two sims you’ve got double the chance that one of the networks will have even a trickle of data.

Keep a diary of each performance so that when you look back your Fringe run doesn’t blur into one – even if it’s remembering the ow rather than the wow moments.

Bring something to record your show, sometimes you can’t work out why something isn’t working but when you watch it back you can clearly see exactly what you’re doing wrong – you may cringe but at least you can fix it!

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

We are very infrequent instagram users. You can find us at @5mistakesthatchangedhistory

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

History, Storytelling and Comedy.