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!

Becky Umbers – Put That Cat Back In The Bag

Location:   Assembly Roxy – Snug Bar (Venue 139)

Dates:  Jul 30th -10th, 12th-24th

Time: 20:40

Price: £8

Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/becky-umbers-put-that-cat-back-in-the-bag

Hello! Tell us about yourself? 

I am a small girl from a small quirky country with a very unique comedy voice (figuratively and literally). I’ve already made my mark in New Zealand and am ready to make a splash at the biggest comedy festival in the world!I think comedy is meant to make us feel good and see the world in a different, slightly sillier, light.  I have a joyful style of comedy, with a mix of storytelling and observational material that will have you laughing somehow at and with me. 

Tell us all about your show!

In my debut hour,  dives into the delicate art of keeping a cat (your inner weirdo) hidden in a bag.  Because you can’t let the cat outta the bag straight away, you have to pretend to be normal for a bit until people like you enough to accept that you think your soft toys have feelings and you really like the feeling of wearing a seatbelt. At Least that is what I have found.

Following my journey of wrestling a very eager cat into a flimsy bag, this show is a joyous hour of unique storytelling and observations told with the voice of a kids cartoon and cheeky wit of an adult comedian.

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

Abby Howells is a very clever and incredibly likeable NZ comic. Her shows are always so well crafted. I can’t wait to see what she has made this year. Hannah Campbell is also doing her debut solo hour this year and is an absolute powerhouse. My first Fringe show was a split bill with her and I loved every minute of it.

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 third time at The Fringe but first time doing a solo hour there.  I think get invested in the community vibe. You are all there not just to do your own shows but to pick each other up when you are down. I think I worried a lot about being ‘cool enough’ to hang out with people my first fringe and thought ‘who would want to hang out with me?’ But it’s actually quite easy to feel lonely at The Fringe even surrounded by people, so actually checking in on people and making an effort to meet people and make friends is almost always appreciated and then also returned at some point. Also ask for more advice, I didn’t the first time and I figured a lot of stuff out myself a lot slower than if I had just asked a veteran Fringe-er.

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

9:30 AM Snooze the alarm I set for a reasonable wake-up time, because I stayed out too late the night before. 

Anywhere between 10AM and 12PM Eventually get up, have breakfast and tell myself I am going to do some exercise for about an hour or two until I eventually do.

2PM Listen to the previous night’s show if I need to improve any bits and check they are all still working. 

3PM usually I would get the bus into town to flyer and do my show at this point but my show is a lot later this year so I guess I will stare into the abyss and potentially call my mum for a few hours during this time instead. Or see some shows.

5PM usually have some kind of spots at some point in the day so head into town and bop around seeing shows

6PM meal-deal dinner with a side of multivitamins.

7PM start flyering my little ass off

8:30 Get backstage and tell myself ‘I am actually very funny’ and play my hype playlist. I have been training myself like Pavlov’s dog to feel great at comedy when I hear this playlist. I listen to it every time I have a particularly good show, so I now associate those songs with being good at comedy. I think I might be a genius.

9:40PM SHOW FINISHED! Can finally relax for the first time all day. Which means time for second meal deal dinner of the day! Then go see who is out and about and wants to catch some shows or celebrate/commiserate our own shows.

11PM – 2AM Abruptly decide I have had enough and should have been in bed hours ago. Say goodbye to one person and then slip out sneakily so no one can twist my rubber arm into staying.

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

Pie Maker is amazing! As someone not from Scotland, the discovery of the Mac ‘n’ cheese pie was life changing! I also love Let Me Eat by The Grassmarket, lovely healthy food and not too expensive. But let’s be honest I eat my weight in meal deals over the course of the fringe. I think I’ve had every possible combo you can have, and I love telling myself I will not get sick because I get an immunity shot as my drink once a week.

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

Seeing other shows! It really is a collection of the best shows in The World. There’s shows that would never exist at other festivals, and shows that would exist but wouldn’t be as kooky and silly. Like that guy who eats all the cheese! Where else would you find that?

What is the hardest part about performing at the Fringe?

Honestly, still feeling good about yourself and your show. There’s usually a show just before the day off in the middle where I can hear myself doing my jokes and I think ‘oh here we go she’s doing this one again’. But the key is to talk about it with other performers and realise you all have your good days and bad days and you’re all in it together.  And I think most of the self esteem knock comes from flyering.  It’s so easy to take the rejection personally. It’s also particularly anti-NZ to brag about yourself and tell people you are great and worth seeing. But when I flyer for other people it’s a breeze! “You don’t wanna see my friend? Well your loss, I think she’s great!”

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

My boyfriend! He comes to visit near the end and pulls me out of the gutter. I also bring my polaroid camera to take pictures for my scrapbook and make little notes about what I’ve been up to and how I’ve been doing. I get excited thinking one day I will look back at it and say ‘those were some of the best times of my life’.

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

I can’t say it enough, Meal-Deal, Meal-Deal, Meal-Deal. Also don’t drink. You’re on a high from your show so you don’t really need it to let loose and have a good time. Then you’re also less likely to get sick. I like to book in specific days where I think I’m going to have a couple beers after the show.

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

Multivitamins, keep the Fringe Flu away! A raincoat, that Scottish summer tricks me every year. And good walking shoes. I will not be taken down by the wonky Edinburgh cobbles!

what’s the secret to successful flyering? 

Talk to people. Just handing out flyers doesn’t really do much. But If you talk to people and while you’re doing it, remember why YOU like the show, then people will feel that and believe in you a enough to take a punt on someone they have never heard of.

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

Instagram @beckyumbers

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

I’ll be there.

Thank you again for all your support in reading and engaging with the website.

If you want to help support the website then you can! You can buy Holly a cup of tea (and a biscuit!)