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!

NewsRevue

Location: Ballroom at Assembly Rooms (Venue 20)

Dates:  Jul 31st -24th

Time: 21:30

Price: £17 Concession £16

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

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

Hello! My name is Jonny Brace and I am the Director of this year’s NewsRevue Edinburgh Fringe show. I am a Writer / Director / Actor / Stand-Up Comedian / Pointless Champion / Anything someone will let me do on a stage.

Tell us all about your show!

‘NewsRevue’ is a musical satirical sketch comedy show that has been running for the past 46 years. It runs all year-round in its London home of the Canal Café Theatre and brings the best material, once a year, up to the Fringe.

With everything from Keir Starmer to Donald Trump to our first American Pope to the Birmingham Bins – whatever is in the news, we turn it into comedy with a wide range of sketches and song parodies. There’s something for everyone to find funny!

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

I’ve been performing pretty regularly on the Open Mic Comedy circuit for a little over a year so I’m really excited this year to see some of the shows my friends and people I’ve met on the comedy circuit are taking. Holly Spillar’s doing her show ‘Tall Child’ – I met her at the Musical Comedy Awards Semi-Final and she’s brilliant. SJ Wyatt is doing a show called ‘Coming Out With Doctor Who’ and I am a massive Whovian so am very excited to see that. B

arbara Fernandez has a show called ‘Singing, Sagging and Shagging’ which I’ve seen snippets of but am very excited to see the full hour. And there’s many, many more – apologies to anyone I didn’t mention, I’m very excited to see your shows as well!

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.

I, personally, have not done the Fringe before – apart from for 3 days in 2023 because my partner was stage managing 2 shows – but this will be my first time as a creative. The main advice I have been given is to cherish it and find time to enjoy it. I’m sure there will be moments where it is chaotic or possibly a bit stressful or we’re a bit tired but to make sure you take everything in and let yourself enjoy everything that’s happening.

If this is your first time – what are you looking forward to?

I’m really excited to experience being a part of the comedy and theatre community whilst everyone is crammed into one beautiful city. I wrote and directed a show as part of VAULT Festival 2023 (which very sadly ended up being the last VAULT Festival) and it was so wonderful to be in those tunnels, bumping into people I know and being surrounded by theatre and creativity. So, I am incredibly excited to do that dialled up by 100 in Edinburgh.

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

I’ll take an educated guess to what my routine may be. I look forward to reading this back in September and either being impressed by my foresight or embarrassed by my naivety.

I’m a bit of a night owl so imagine I’ll still be awake until 1 or 2 in the morning. Force myself out of bed however early I need to be out (I’ve always hated mornings) then get ready to either go out flyering, watching shows or performing. I am a Musical Stand-Up Comedian so will take my guitar and try to get some open spots whilst at the Fringe.

Then it’s all about NewsRevue in the evening – 9:30pm in Assembly Ballrooms – either making notes during previews or just marvelling in our performers’ brilliance and then back to the accommodation to stay awake ‘till the wee hours. Also, reading this back, I made no mention of eating, washing or shopping, so I will also find time to do those things.

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

In the three days I’ve been to the Fringe previously, my favourite place I ate was at a Cat Café – I don’t know if there’s more than one in Edinburgh and I can’t remember its name. My partner is a cat lover and it was her birthday while I was up there so we had some lovely cake and pastries surrounded by cats. I look forward to finding out what my regular haunt becomes this year.

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

I am very excited to see NewsRevue play to so many more people. I have been lucky enough to perform in the show at the Canal Café and also direct it twice and there can be such an amazing electricity in the room. Assembly Ballrooms I believe has a capacity of about 400 so I’m excited to see even bigger audiences discover the joy of the show.

What is the hardest part about performing at the Fringe?

I imagine it will be the stamina. NewsRevue is a fast-paced show and can be quite physically demanding for the performers. But, also you want to take in everything at the Fringe, see other people’s shows, explore the city, maybe having the odd beverage and making time to do all of that whilst performing a demanding show will take some stamina.

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

This is a very disappointing answer but no, I don’t think I do. I’m usually quite a practically minded person so don’t have a go-to thing. Maybe I’ll find something for Fringe and make it a tradition.

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

I think my best hack is that I don’t really drink alcohol which was a great hack to save money at University so hopefully it’ll work at the fringe as well.

At University, especially in first year, there was one club called Tap’N’Tin (I think) that was £5 entry and I’d be on tap water the whole night so would have a great time for a fiver. If only I could drive, I’d be the perfect designated driver.

Also, speaking of Uni money hacks that could translate to Fringe, if there’s any networking events that have free food available, I’ll be there.

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

A re-usable water bottle – very important to stay hydrated and cut down waste. A muscle massage gun I think is great. Comfy shoes – I imagine there’s a lot of walking.

What’s the secret to successful flyering?

I think with NewsRevue flyering it will hopefully be helped that the actors can go out in wigs, ties and with their accents and put on a bit of a show for the people on the streets of Edinburgh.

I’ve occasionally worked in jobs where I’ve been a salesperson with an iPad at events and the main trick is keeping a positive attitude and a friendly face. No-one wants to buy something from a guy who looks like he wants to cry (except maybe out of pity) so I imagine Edinburgh flyering is similar business.

NewsRevue is a great show that we all really love so it should be easy to sell it to people!

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

They can follow me on Instagram @boybehindthebeard or if you want to follow my Stand-Up Comedian accounts they are @boybehindthebeardcomedy on both Instagram and TikTok.

I do musical comedy and am planning to do a daily vlog from the Fringe on my comedy account so gimme a follow there if that sounds like something you’d enjoy. (Please don’t hold me to that commitment – it sounds easy now when we’re still 2 months away from the Fringe, I may forget all about it as soon as we hit tech).

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

It’s really fun!

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