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!

Alison Spittle: Big 

Location:   Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 1 (Venue 515)

Dates:  Jul 29th -11th, 13th-24th

Time: 16:45

Price: £12

Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/alison-spittle-big

Hello! Tell us about yourself? 

Hello my name is Alison spittle I’m a standard comedian from Ireland but based in London. 

I’ve done the Fringe loads of times. 

My first year of the fringe I had a documentary crew following me from Ireland and ended the documentary by crying whilst flyering in the rain and saying “I haven’t validated myself as a comedian”. Which looking back was a bit dramatic.  so it’s gone better since then.

Tell us all about your show!

Big was originally called fat bitch but I changed the name because I wouldn’t be able to advertise the show properly. I’m compromising the art for sellability already. But that’s the fringe baby.  So big is about the past year of my life. 

Which has been a weird year to be honest.  I started it off fat and happy about it and ended it less fat and feeling weird.  Is the stand-up comedy show about avoiding the pressures to make myself smaller but then giving in and making a show about.

This is a big change considering that I treated adele losing weight like September 11th.

How did you come up with the name of your show that your taking to the fringe?

Great question, one that I wish I anticipated two minutes ago.  

So big is a polite euphemism for being called fat. It’s also a word that would describe my hopes and dreams. 

It’s also a title Edinburgh council and meta will allow.  Justice for fat bitch. 

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

I bumped into Heidi Regan at the secret Welsh comedy festival this year. And we got talking about our shows. 

Anyway the way she described it, it’s going to be the first show that I see it the fringe. 

Thought provoking subject and I just know she’s gonna do a really great job with it because she’s one of the best joke writers in comedy but it’s about a thing that made me sit up and take notice.  I don’t think anyone else is doing what she’s doing and it’s in a free venue. 

I always have to recommend the wonderful talent of Ireland and Roger O’Sullivan and Marise Gaughan are two risks I would take. 

Two very different shows and vibes. One is going to be very funny and about nostalgia the other is going to be dark and wry like Scandinavian bread. 

A person who is no risk is Mike Rice. I feel he’s going to go stratospheric this year. 

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 done the fringe loads of times, maybe the past two times I felt fully comfortable. 

My advice would be just do what feels right, go for a walk up Calton hill, buy a Shrek lip oil from Primark, watch a play but don’t feel like you have to do everything. Just do what you’re doing now and be happy with it. The fringe is full of FOMO. 

FOMO is useless. 

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

I I have two types of days, one would be get up at a reasonable time, make a hearty breakfast, exercise, prepare for my show and walk into town. Do the show, do some spots or see a show and just be happy in the overwhelm 

The other type of day is where I stay in bed and scroll on my phone, play a voice note of some horrible gossip that I heard the night before and be so late that I have to have an uber into town,  swallow a berocca dry and perform fizzing internally. Then muck about for the rest of the day feeling shit about myself in a quiet toilet in a hobnobby bar processing that berocca. 

What is the best way to enjoy yourself at the fringe?

Be nice to people, most of my best fringe memories where people being nice to me. 

Like I remember this big irish comedian coming to see my show when I had nobody in and he was chill about it and sound and it made my day. 

Pick a flyer off someone put it in your pocket and put it in the bin at the end of the day. 

Ask someone how they are, especially if they’re not performing and working at the fringe because that stuff is hard. Us performers are naval gazey enough.

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

I’m a bit of a gatekeeper but this year I’ve decided to let the secret out.  bella Italia has the dryest dough balls in all of Christendom if that’s your thing. Will stick to the roof of your mouth like Eucharist. 

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

The greatest thing about performing at the fringe is meeting all the other performers. 

You can commiserate with an improv troop from New Zealand or ask a composer of a 9/11 musical “where do they get their inspiration from?”

It’s a place of great inspiration, a sensory overload and cliches.

Top tips for travelling around the Fringe and getting to shows on time?

Walking fast and separating from your friends moving like water over rocks in a river of people. 

Don’t walk in a big group, you will be flyered and someone will stop for chips and you’re stuck. 

You need to move like you’ve just shop lifted and avoiding security. 

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

As a performer you need Loads and loads of gumption, money and hubris. If you only have two of those things you’ll struggle but it’s doable

Bring a lunch box to save money, a jaunty hat to impress the industry and and a hobby that’s not comedy so you can be sane. 

what’s the secret to successful flyering? 

Absolute desperation grab the stranger by the hand, shake their shoulders and cry that “i really need this”

Threaten your own safety and the safety of others, if they don’t go to your show,, make them feel like it’s high stakes.

People love to feel like they’re the main character. 

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

Follow me on Instagram and on tiktok I’ll also hopefully have a substack.  just Google me babes my name is very rare.

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

Funny half truths

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