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!

KAREN

Location:  Underbelly, Cowgate – Delhi Belly (Venue 61 )

Dates: Aug 1st-11th, 13th-18th, 20th-25th

Time: 15:55

Price: £11.00 Concessions £10.00

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/karen

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

Hi there! Thank you so much for having me. My name is Sarah Cameron-West and I am the actor, writer and producer of KAREN the show which is part of the Underbelly’s full season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024 after debuting last year.

Tell us all about your show!

Karen is a one woman show that begins with our Protagonist being dumped on her 30^th birthday at Alton Towers by her long-term boyfriend Joe. Things go from bad to worse when it is revealed that Joe has been having an affair with Protagonist’s arch nemesis: Karen. And the cherry on top? They all work in the same office. Our heroine must navigate a powder keg of heartbreak and identity crisis as she tries and fails to maintain her professionalism. It is a comic emotional roller-coaster that explodes in the ultimate office showdown where our Protagonist finally finds her voice and realises that tackling your emotions head on is the only way to find peace. 

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

When I was creating the story I knew I needed a good name for our Protagonist’s arch nemesis. I felt with the phenomenon of a “Karen”, it was the perfect name as we all instantly know what kind of a character that is going to be and we all have one in our lives so I thought people would be able to universally recognise it and instantly participate in the joke.

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

Being a part of the Soho Theatre Labs this year I am always so excited to see the fellow shows that have been backed by Soho. They are always so varied and brilliant. I am excited to see Yes, We’re Related by Flo Lace-Evans at Greenside Riddles Court, a dark comedy that explores sibling relations whilst dealing with grief and Apricot at Surgeons Hall. I can’t wait to catch Clementine again at the Underbelly and I never miss a Stamptown at Fringe!

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? 

I took KAREN to the Fringe last year and performed for 2 weeks in the Willow Studio at Greenside Riddles Court. It was the most incredible learning curve as I had only been to Fringe once before as an actor in David Hare’s Skylight in 2019 and then as a punter for the last few years so having to take on the organisational role of a show felt in equal parts exciting and overwhelming. I still feel the same this year despite having the experience as there is always something that needs sorting but that is part of the process. Now that my team has grown as well alongside KAREN, it is a lot more to manage but it is great to have a support network and I really was grateful last year to have the Soho Theatre Labs network as we were all going through it together. This is especially important I feel if you are doing a one person show.

My biggest piece of advice is to get organised early; from venues to graphics, PR to marketing. It can feel overwhelming so give yourself the time to prepare and space to breath to make decisions. Things start coming thick and fast by the end of May so you want to have as much of your essential things organised before then. If it is your first time at Fringe I would recommend getting a producer on board if you can so that you have a helping hand in dealing with deadlines or becoming a part of a group like Soho Theatre Labs so that you can ask questions and stay on top of everything. Equally, teaming up with another act so you can keep each other in the loop and help one another is also great!

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

No one day of Fringe is ever the same but usually it involved a leisurely morning as you are staying out watching comedy shows until 2am and seeing your friends. Then I would have a good breakfast and head out for the day and snap up as many shows as I could before my show. Pre-show I would get ready and do a warm-up in my accommodation and then head over to my venue an hour and a half before my show time so that I could get everything organised and then head out to flyer for an hour. I would then come back for my 15-minute get in and do a final warm up and checks before starting the show. Once my show was finished, I would usually head home and shower and have dinner before heading back out and watching as many shows as I could with my friends until the early hours of the morning and then do it all over again!

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

There is nowhere I would rather be in August than Edinburgh. It is just such a magical place and usually the weather is great so you are seeing wonderful shows and you’re doing what you love the most and finishing with a pint in the sunshine – what’s not to love! I think the key to Fringe is try and see as many shows as you can and aim to stay out the whole day so pack up what you need in a bag and get out there and enjoy.

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

I absolutely love the stalls all around George’s Square – they are always my post-show treat. They do all your classics but the chicken burger stand is absolutely unreal. I would definitely recommend checking all of them out!

Best thing about performing at the Fringe?

Getting to do what you love every day is a dream come true. To have a new audience every day and present your work is such a privilege. It takes such hard work getting there so once you are there you just have to enjoy it and then you can crash at the end for having done a whole month’s worth of performances! 

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

Plan your days by making a list of all the shows you want to see by looking at the Fringe guide and downloading the Fringe app. Then see if you can create an order but make sure you run the maps so that you have enough time to get to the venue – you always want to be at least 10 minutes early so you can get a good seat and relax. The last thing you want to be doing is running for your life in the baking sun to get from the Underbelly Cowgate to Summerhall in 10 minutes – trust me!

The other absolute hack is to download Maps.Me because it will download a map of Edinburgh onto your phone so that you can always route your way to a location without relying on 4G as everything slows down with that many people using it so it is a great way when you are in a rush to know exactly where you are going!!

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

1. Vitamins. You are going to get run down doing that many performances and then going out and having fun and seeing shows. You are so busy so try and get your sleep and have some Vitamin C for energy and keeping your immune system up – Zooki Vitamin C it was my lifesaver last year!

2. Headphones. When you just need a bit of peace and quiet, head back to your accommodation and put on whatever music that relaxes you – it really helps. Also, it is great if you have a soundtrack that gets you into character before a show that you can just pop on your headphones and psych yourself up.

3. Download Maps.me – it will get you everywhere so you never miss a show!

What’s the secret to successful flyering?

Consistency is key. Make sure you are putting in the hours every day. You don’t have to go crazy but I would say at least 1-2 hours a day including just before your show to get people in last minute. You want people to be hearing about your show as much as possible and facetime is the best way to do that. Also, you are selling your show so make your pitch convincing! Do you have a fun costume that will draw attention? Do you sing in your show? Remember what makes you unique and condense that into a 2-minute sight stealing piece that grabs people’s attention. Just handing out a flyer is not enough you have to catch people’s attention and make them remember you because there are so many shows and flyering is competitive.

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

You can follow me on @sarahacameronwest and also @karen.theshow on Instagram or @SCameronWest and @KarenTheShow1 on X!

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

Relatable, hilarious, unhinged.