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!

Three Chickens Confront Existence

Location:   Belly Button at Underbelly, Cowgate (Venue 61)

Dates:  Jul 31st-10th, 12th-17th, 19th-24th

Time: 17:20

Price: £16 Concessions £14

Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/3-chickens-confront-existence

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

My name is Bill Schaumberg and I’m the writer and director of Three Chickens Confront Existence. I grew up in Portland, Oregon, went to Occidental College in Los Angeles where I studied Literature and Film, and I’ve spent the past 20 years inhabiting a variety of Brooklyn apartments, writing and working as a video producer while navigating existential dread through ever-shifting forms of exercise, meditation, therapy, and comedy. 

Tell us all about your show!

My show is a dark comedy about three introspective and thoughtful chickens awaiting their imminent trip to the broiler. They engage in a variety of games, debates, emotional experiments and feuds as they attempt to make sense of the comically impossible situation, attempting to find greater meaning and peace of mind before it’s too late. I promise you, despite the grim subject matter – it’s funny too! 

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

Last year I really enjoyed Elf Lyons’ show, which also involved animal-centric dark comedy and I think she’ll be back again this year. Also, looking forward to Ned Van Zandt’s solo show. But my favorite thing to do at the Fringe is see things I know nothing about on a whim. 

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.

Yes, we premiered “Three Chickens” at the Fringe last year and were fortunate to sell out our entire run and receive some great exposure. We were a relatively small show with a modest budget, and we were shocked when we found out our show had made the cover of the Sunday Scotsman halfway through the run. The whole thing really was a dream.

This year we’re playing at Underbelly Cowgate – Belly Button, which is twice the size of last year’s theater. I’m thrilled to be at this venue which was home to one of my favorite shows from last year: Bill’s 44^th. My name also happens to be Bill and I’m 44 and we have almost the exact same time slot in the theater they had last year. Not sure what that all means from a cosmic perspective, but it MUST be something big! 

For new groups performing at the Fringe I’d recommend putting a lot of energy into your marketing campaign, no matter the budget or size. Your title and your main image go a long way in terms of attracting attention and filling seats.

I’d also recommend prioritizing mental health and accepting the fact that it’s the fringe and certain things will definitely not go according to plan. For instance, last year, ten minutes before the start of our first performance the power went out in our entire building – as well as all of the buildings within something like a four block radius. Fortunately it wasn’t a bad omen and we had a great run .

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

The cast and I would generally sleep in and have a slow morning drinking coffee and playing wordle and doing crossword puzzles in the front lawn of the house we were staying in. I’d often tell myself I was going to head into town and see a show or two before our call time, and then not do that, and continue playing wordle and drinking coffee. 

During the first week of our run we were still honing the show and we’d have a pickup rehearsal in the late morning, go over notes, and then head into town. I’d often grab lunch in George Square – the stand that sells savory pies is fantastic. I’d then meet with the cast at the theater. Our costumes are elaborate and take a while to get into, so we’d try to take that into account. 

Then we’d do the show! I’d watch in the back. Afterwards the cast would typically come outside in costume (we were at Assembly Roxy) and people would take pictures and chat with them. 

Then we’d leave the theater and grab dinner / drinks. After which I’d typically try and catch a show in the evening. The experience is unlike any other, but it can definitely be draining, so I was always trying to balance my desire to see as much stuff as possible, meet as many fellow performers as I could, with recharging my batteries and being as present and focused as possible with my team.

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

The pie stand and fish and chip stand at George Square! We also had a fantastic meal at the popular Indian restaurant Dishoom. 

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

At the risk of sounding super cringe and corny here: there’s a real magic to performing at the Fringe. The buzz, the energy, the independent artistic spirit – you really feel like you’re a small part of something big, unique, and special. There’s also a real camaraderie between Fringe performers.

What is the hardest part about performing at the Fringe?

Sharing a very tight backstage space with a lot of other shows can be challenging. At the same time, it’s a great way to get to know other performers. Also the quick turnaround times between shows is tough. After a show ended, suddenly a bunch of people wanted to chat with me but I had to run to the stage and quickly dismantle the set. All that said, these challenges are also what makes the fringe special. They breed this scrappy “think on your feet and quickly adapt to challenges” attitude. 

Do you bring anything special from home to make it feel more special whilst you are away?

My girlfriend came to visit for a week! I had the good fortune of staying in a house with a really cool dog who I fell in love with. It was really nice to have the comfort of a pet to come home to when returning from a full day at the fringe

What are your best hacks to save money whilst at the Fringe?

Stock up on things at Tesco, take buses whenever possible to cut down on Ubers. Find low cost marketing approaches – we filmed a video of all the chickens in costume going on a trip to an Edinburgh farmers market and the video had a great reception on Instagram.. 

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

Outlet converters if you’re travelling from outside the UK, access to a streaming service with some quality “trash” tv. Last year I watched UK love is blind with my girlfriend and it was a healthy distraction. Also make sure you have a great shoulder bag or backpack for spending long days bouncing around town – Oh, and a portable phone charging brick so you can charge devices in your bag, on the go. 

What’s the secret to successful flyering?

Find a way to stand out from the thousands of other people flyer-ing. We flyered in chicken costumes at the beginning of the fest and I think that helped. 

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

Follow us on instagram at: threechickensplay

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

Comedy, character, catharsis

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