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!

Marc Jennings: Bread and Circuses

Location:   Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 4(Venue 515)

Dates:  Jul 28th -11th, 13th-24th

Time: 19:50

Price: £10.50 Concessions £9

Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/marc-jennings-bread-and-circuses

Hello! Tell us about yourself? 

I’m a Glaswegian stand-up and host of the Some Laugh podcast.  I’ve released a couple of comedy specials on YouTube, one recording at The King’s Theatre in Glasgow and another more intimate one at Monkey Barrel in Edinburgh.

Tell us all about your show!

The title is based on that quote “Give them bread and circuses and they’ll never revolt”.  I liked it because I’ve been thinking a lot about what it’s going to take for us to stop accepting the increasingly s***** deal we’re being given when it comes to housing, jobs, and general prospects for the future.  So it’ll be a bit of that, plus a lot of jokes about culture, politics, and modern relationships – aka the exact kinda circuses keeping us distracted.

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

The Scottish comedy scene is really thriving at the minute, so worth checking out some locally-based comics including Stuart McPherson, Stephen Buchanan, Christopher MacArthur-Boyd, Susan Riddell, Tamsyn Kelly & Liam Withnail.  Others I think are hilarious are Alison Spittle, Ian Smith and Lou Wall – plus I’m performing in the same room as Phil Ellis and Mike Rice who’re two of my absolute favourites.  Everyone I’ve mentioned is a Monkey Barrel so you really can’t go wrong with anything there.  

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’ve now done quite a lot of Fringes so I guess I’m able to give some sage advice.  The main thing I’d say to anyone (particularly those doing their first hour or with high expectations) is to just focus on what you can control, which for the most part, means your show.  Just do the absolute best you can for the people who’ve turned up to see you perform, and try not to worry about all the things that are flying around that.  Or if what you’re upset about is you don’t have enough flying about it (in terms of lack of “buzz”/reviews or whatever), just remember that it’s a great privilege to get to perform at the Fringe, not to mention an amazing opportunity to get exponentially better.  And try to enjoy yourself, but just not too much that you (and your crowd) need to suffer for it the following day.

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

On an ideal day, I’ll get up, go to the gym, head round to the cafe next to my accommodation for a chicken salad and a coffee.  Watch or listen back to the previous day’s show (or at least the bits I’m tinkering with) and make notes/ fix bits that didn’t work add new lines to ones which did.  Do a bit of housework, reading, maybe some meditation.  Get ready then have a leisurely stroll to the venue.  Find a place backstage to chill until the room fills up, do my show, and then catch some mates for dinner and possibly a pint or two after in the Monkey Barrel bar, and debrief with the other comics about how they got on today.  Maybe catch another show then get home for a decent time.

On a not ideal day – lay in bed hungover after getting in at 5am, scrolling on my phone for way too long.  Eat some fried food, go back to sleep then somehow have to rush to make it into town in time for my evening show.  Get through the show feeling worse for wear and largely having to hope the audience have the energy I currently don’t.  Come out either elated or dejected and get back on the drink either way.  Rinse and repeat.  

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

Snax Cafe is the best place for a good fry-up in Edinburgh.  If you’re visiting and want a true taste of Scottish cuisine, ask for a roll & slice (and/or potato scone).  For a more fancy(/expensive) sit-down Scottish breakfast, Montpellier’s is class.  And for coffee check out the Coffee Cave in Fountainbridge. 

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

 It’s kinda like going away on holiday with your pals, but instead of getting nice weather you get to do the thing you love every single day for a month. 

What is the hardest part about performing at the Fringe?

In terms of the reaction from the audiences, no two shows are the same.  You can have the gig of your life one day followed by a horrendous death the next, which over the course of a few weeks becomes something of an endurance test for your mental health.  The saving grace is that you know every other performer is on the same boat.  

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

Every year I take my Nutribullet, which we had a running joke about me never using.  Then this year I realised that I use it at lunch – as I’m always out doing my show in the evenings, and hence why I never got round to using it the past half-dozen years previously.  

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

Have a pal in Edinburgh who lets you sleep on their couch for free.  That’s how I managed the first few years anyway.  

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

1. A good book.  You probably won’t read it but it’ll make you look smart to anyone who agrees to come back to your place.
2. Condoms, particularly if you’ve brought home a sapiosexual.
3. A Nutribullet.  Even if it takes you 7 years to get round to using it.

What’s the secret to successful flyering?

Try to stay positive and don’t take rejection/being blanked personally.  This can be hard especially if it’s your own face on the flyer they’re rejecting, and you’re facing the prospect of doing an hour to an empty room (or a handful of confused tourists).  But the more upbeat you can be when handing out flyers the better.  Either this or just hire some attractive person to do it, that usually works well. 

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

@MarcJenko on most things except on Elon Musk’s evil Twitter, where I’m @MarcJennings90.  Really that name not being free remains the worst aspect of that site in my eyes.

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

Bread and Circuses

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