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!

Schalk Bezuidenhout: Crowd Pleaser

Location:   Pleasance Dome – Ace Dome(Venue 23)

Dates: Jul 31st Aug 1st-25th

Time: 17:30

Price: £13 Concessions £12

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/schalk-bezuidenhout-crowd-pleaser

Hello! Tell us about yourself? 

Hi there! I am a 32 year old male looking for love from an audience. Enjoys telling jokes on stage and long walks from my accommodation in Edinburgh to my venue and back. Looking for someone to share my jokes with. Loud laughers is a huge turn on for me. 

Tell us all about your show!

After my recent tour in Australia and New Zealand I felt very inspired to break a little bit away from the classic man and mic style of stand-up and bring in some other elements. It is still a stand-up show to a large degree, but I couldn’t call a show CROWD PLEASER without some show stopping moments! So very excited about this show!

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

I wanted to call the show COMEDIAN, but these days anyone with more than 1000 views on TikTok calls themselves a comedian. Being a stand-up is easy. But being a good stand-up is hard. And being a crowd pleaser… well that’s a whole other level!

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

I am looking forward to Lara Ricote’s show! I saw a work in progress of it last year at Fringe and if that was the work in progress, then the polished version will be mind blowing! I also LOVE the clowns at Fringe… it’s something that I’ll probably never do on that level, and that’s why I love watching them, because I don’t compare my show to their shows so much. Josh Glanc is always a Fringe favourite of mine. His silliness is unparalleled. And really looking forward to the return of the prodigal daughter of clowning, Natalie Palamides!

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. 

This will be my 5^th Fringe. My advice to new people performing at Fringe is to find a balance between watching no shows and too many shows. Yes, you are at the biggest arts festival in the world and it would be a crying shame if you didn’t watch any shows, BUT you are also there to do your own show and focus on that. So just find the balance. I personally try to work in a run every day. Even if it is very short. It helps to just get some fresh air and clear the head. I also try to not really watch other shows until I am super happy with my own.

If you are feeling self-conscious about your own show and then go watch someone who is really good it kind of makes you want to get on the next plane out. It’s easy to get imposter syndrome at Fringe, so make sure you feel like you belong there before going to watch other world class acts!

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

I firstly don’t set an alarm. We just bought a new house in South Africa, so when I am home my wife puts me to work and I have a million chores to do! So when I am on tour I prefer to catch up on sleep and chilling! I wake up (sometimes embarrassingly late), make a coffee and then go for a run. Then I’ll mostly relax before my show.

I used to get up earlier and flyer, but don’t know how much flyering I’ll be doing this year. If that makes me a quitter, so be it. But the self deprecation and rejection to get 2 or 3 extra people in sometimes hardly feels worth it… And then you sometimes walk into your venue feeling so low, that your show suffers! But I am a work horse, so I say that now… you probably will see me hand out at least a flyer or two every now and then.

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

To LOVE your show. This is a show you have to do every day for a month! And if you don’t love your show then it won’t even matter if you have a sold out audience… it just won’t feel right. If you love your show you could have 5 people in and still have a good time.

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

My flat… honestly, you would swear there is a salt and spices shortage in the UK if you look at the food from restaurants!

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

There aren’t a lot of places where you can get on stage every day for a month. There are comedians all over the world who would kill just to get one gig a week! But it obviously does come with conditions. Sometimes you do perform to VERY few people and want to jump in front of a garbage truck after your show. But sometimes the stars align. You have good houses, a show that you’re proud of. And when that happens, there is no better place on earth than the Edinburgh Fringe. 

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

When in doubt, uber!

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

Liver pills, comfortable walking shoes, a bank card with a million pounds in the account (it’s an expensive place to be)

What’s the secret to successful flyering? 

If you are able to numb yourself completely, that would be helpful.

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

schalkiebez on Instagram and Schalk Bezuidenhout on Facebook!

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

I’m crowd pleasing!