Third time lucky

Three shows in, and I feel like I'm beginning to hit my stride. Last night we managed to get the heat/noise balance just right so the room was actually quite cool and I could hear the audience. Bonus!

I tried a slightly different opening to the show as well, chatting a bit to the crowd before launching into the show, and that seemed to work better. It's strange getting used to doing an Edinburgh show after working in clubs: the atmosphere is very different. Audiences in Edinburgh seem to come in and sit back, expecting a theatrical "show". Audiences in clubs are often just there for a night out, and usually come in bigger groups and are already in a good mood before the show starts. Both types of audiences have good and bad points, and I'm beginning to work out how I need to approach the Fringe shows in a different way to my club style. My show felt a lot better generally, although it still took a bit of time to warm up. I can feel myself getting more confident though, and that can only be a good thing. I'm relaxing into the festival a bit more, and I think that is translating into a better performance.

I also managed to catch my first other show last night: Dan Antopolski's Penetrating Gaze. I really enjoyed it. Dan is one of my favourite comedians, and his shows are always a great mix of cleverness and silliness. He's also added some "white rapping" to the show this year, which is both hilarious and genuinely impressive.

The PR stuff is beginning to kick in now as well. I've done a couple of interviews for podcasts, which were fun, and have got a radio interview today before the show. It's all useful practice, even if you never really know how much it leads to actual increased audiences.

The city feels busier today. It feels like the Fringe has finally begun. Only three more weeks to go!