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!

No Good Drunk

Location: Attic – Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

Dates:  Jul 30th -5th, 7th-12th, 14th -19th, 21st-25th

Time: 12:50

Price: £12 Concessions £11

Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/no-good-drunk

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

 I’m a Texas-born, LA-based writer and performer. This will be my third solo Fringe show: Laughable (2024) and Bulletproof Unicorn (2022). My work is autobiographical/memoir in style. My music is an extension of storytelling, with a melody.

Tell us all about your show!

No Good Drunk is my most ambitious endeavour to date. It is a blend of film, theatre, and music. I have spent the last 5 years crafting this show. I began writing songs that told that true story of how alcoholism upended generations of my family.

My mother never knew her father. He drank himself to death in 1952 in El Paso, Texas and wound up buried in another woman’s grave. I was intrigued from the get-go and had to get as many answers as possible for my mom and myself.

I took my film crew to graveyards and dive bars in West Texas and collected as many details as I could from public records. Before my mother died from Alzheimer’s, I was able to tell her what I learned so that she could have some acceptance and closure. I will be singing the original soundtrack to my studio recording of the 8 original songs.

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

Gary Starr, Olivia Atwood, The Pink List by Michael Trauffer, Cat Cohen. Really, though, I am looking forward to the hidden treasures of yet-to-be established artists that bring nuggets of gold.

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, this is my 3^rd Fringe show. My advice: wear comfortable shoes, drink lots of ….water…..and cider.

Don’t get so stressed out that you can’t have a good time! Go see all the shows you possibly can and shout those artists out. Meet everyone! Sleep when you can. Be prepared for the weather to shift dramatically half-way through. Take you immune-boosting vitamins. Eat a friggin vegetable once in a while.

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

My routine goes like this: After hopefully sleeping a little bit, wake, shower, drink coffee, post on the socials: insta, twitter, fb. Check for reviews or chatter about my show. Engage with other artists online. Eat yogurt, granola, berries, and take all the vitamins. Take a walk. About two hours before my show, flyer near my venue. Identify my audience and strike up a conversation. This can be draining, but it’s absolutely essential. Do the show, take a bow, have a cider, meet up with friends and go see shows. Wake up, repeat for 30 days in a row.

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

Mother India’s Café on Infirmary St.

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

For me, it’s the one month out of the year that every day I wake up and get to serve my artist self. I’m a wife and mother of dogs and teenagers.

When I’m home in LA, my needs and wants might not make it to the top of the priority list on a daily basis. It’s a juggling act, for sure. But once I hit the ground in Edinburgh in August, it’s all about the show and taking care of myself. It gives me the balance I need to withstand the days that don’t look like that.

What is the hardest part about performing at the Fringe?

My venue the last two times didn’t have air con. So, I’d say, adjusting to the heat while performing. I believe my venue Pleasance/Attic has a portable, functioning air con, so hopefully, I won’t be sweating profusely.

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

Absolutely. I have a pillow that perfectly supports me and I can’t live without it.

Also, my work has always surrounded the secret stories my family has kept. So, I feel like I have the spirit of the Duncan family with me always. We’re a dysfunctional bunch, but what can I say? I love them.

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

Stock up on your food and cook in your flat if possible. And if you can’t, get really used to Gregg’s.

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

Portable water bottle, comfortable shoes, and a positive attitude. Be completely prepared for all of your preparations to fail at some point. It’s ok, happens to everyone. Every day you wake up at Fringe, it’s a new day. You can turn anything around if you have a positive attitude.

What’s the secret to successful flyering?

Don’t just hand out flyers willy-nillly. Identify your audience, strike up a meaningful conversation about your show. My last show, Laughable, was a musical comedy about my impending nervous breakdown about being in the sandwich generation.

I was looking for moms and dads who are also caring for their parents. Once I spotted them, I’d say, “I literally wrote this show for you. Do you have kids? Parents? And they all need you right now?” And usually, they’d say yes and come on in to see the show.

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

Instagram @nogooddrunk @stacieburrows

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

It’s interesting, healing, and the music is gorgeous.

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!)