The problem with Edinburgh

Edinburgh. Why do comics do it? We almost invariably lose money. Even if you don’t pay for your venue, the cost of accommodation is astronomical — I’ve met Edinburgh natives who pay their annual mortgage with the rent for August. You could conceptualise it as a loss-leader; but there are 1,333 comedy shows this year, and a loss-leader that can’t lead to anything is just a loss.

Yet comics still go up. Partly because, for three weeks, there’s the thrill of having a real job: instead of travelling for gigs, you’re at the same place at the same time every day. Partly because comedy is a serious business in Edinburgh: you wander around spotting your face on posters, and can almost imagine you are some kind of a big deal — and perhaps, for those three weeks, you are. But mostly because it makes you a better performer. Doing an hour-long show every day is like training at altitude — your first gig back on the circuit, when you only do 20 minutes, is always the easiest gig of the year.