He’s back.
That’s right folks, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is proud to welcome Mervyn Stutter and his Pick of the Fringe back for a 30th year! This mad showcase of the Festivals biggest, boldest, and most bombastically obscure; chosen by reviewers, the acts are then invited to showcase their talents to the world.
That’s right – every day you could stumble into any of the Fringe’s best, as Mervyn and team carefully pick from acts across the music, cabaret, theatre, circus, dance, and of course, comedy genres to entertain. Try your luck, or you can look for the daily line-ups at http://www.mervspotfringe.com
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
My name is Mervyn Stutter, and I am an actor, comedian, scriptwriter and songwriter – but mostly, for this interview, I am the host of Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe, a 90-minute lunchtime showcase of Fringe talent now in its 30th year.
It’s the only showcase of Fringe talent that has a team of reviewers exploring the festival to find the best shows for us to showcase and covers all art forms at the festival, theatre, comedy, dance, cabaret, music, circus – the lot.
It is a live showcase of seven Fringe shows each day – and every day there are different shows. My Pick of the Fringe provides a calm well-resourced space for art forms like theatre or dance that cannot gig around town like comedians or musicians. The audiences know they will get seven top ‘trailers’ of guaranteed quality allowing them an informed choice of what to go and see. With money tight this year this is a service – to both acts and audience – that may well be more useful than ever before
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
Every year since I started back in 1992, I have had a team of reviewers/researchers watching four to five shows per day and then inviting the best ones to come and perform a 5-minute extract in front of my willing and attentive lunchtime audience.
I’ve always been very aware that this showcase is nothing without the guarantee of quality acts – and ensuring a good sized audience for the acts to perform for. That means a strong promotion and marketing team – plus a very reasonable ticket price. I am, and always have been, a freelance show with a budget just like the rest of the Fringe. I have never had a sponsor of any kind.
My job is to host the show and because of the solid structure of; Introduction, a 5-minute performance, followed by a short interview for each act – the rest of the 90 minutes can be quite spontaneous making it a joyful and informative show. The audience receives flyers for all seven shows when they leave.
How does it feel to return to the Fringe?
I have performed on the Fringe for 35 years, starting in 1987 with my solo comedy and song shows. It was in 1992 that I started Pick of the Fringe. So I’ve been part of 35 consecutive Fringes, and it still feels great to be coming back each year. The real feeling of fun and enjoyment starts properly on arrival when the festival buzz is growing. So much exciting new work and so many old friends! I didn’t start out in 1987 thinking I’d still be here in 2023 – but here I am and loving it.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
I’ve probably answered this already! But it is the only show of its kind. Line-up shows of comedians or cabaret or music are nowhere near the same as Pick of the Fringe. They’re quite easy to put on. Wait for reviews – see who’s hot and ask them to do ten minutes in an hour-long line-up show. Sorted.
Theatre, dance, circus or musicals don’t fit this quick comedic formula. But we include all those art forms. Pick of the Fringe is the only truly comprehensive coverage of the Fringe. When we discover a struggling yet brilliant hidden gem of a show then we know we’re doing our job well. One guest slot on PotF can increase their audience numbers within 24 hours and change a performer’s Fringe experience completely.
I must also mention that every year since 1992, I was given the Spirit of the Fringe Awards. These awards too can change people’s lives. My awards have opened up many post-Fringe opportunities and resulted in many acts and writers getting invites to festivals all over the world.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping for the audience to take away?
Yes. A selection of quality shows that they now really want to go and see!! And they do. Many of my audiences come back to my show two and three times a week because they know every day there is a different selection of shows to see.
Some people have told me over the years that they now go and see stuff they wouldn’t normally have chosen. Eg one man said:“I only really like comedy but I went to see that theatre show you had on yesterday and it was brilliant.”
That’s a truly great thing to hear!!
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…?
Pick of the Fringe is for all ages above 14 years old. Because we are a lunchtime show (12.40-2.10pm Pleasance One) then perhaps the younger adults tend not to be there. But pre-Covid we were playing to 250/300 people a day so that’s a lot of people watching anyway!
Who isn’t there? Reviewers mostly. There was intense interest back in the Nineties when I first started. “SEEN ANYTHING GOOD?’ was the title for the first few years because that was the question people had been asking me!
Then the reviewers stayed away saying “We know what your show is Merv.” Yes, but there are thousands of Fringe audiences who don’t and it’s a show to help them navigate this huge festival – so why not tell them we’re here to help!
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
It’s not just The Fringe that’s intense – so is our show Pick of the Fringe. We start at 9am every morning with a team meeting to assess what the team saw yesterday and what they plan to see that day. Then we must do the admin of inviting shows along and fixing dates before rushing down to Pleasance One to meet the seven acts for that day’s show and give the crew time to fix their tech needs. I also meet each show and fix the introductions and some questions for the interview. Then we have to get the audience in and settled before I walk onstage to start that day’s 90-minute showcase.
We have a second team that comes in for the second half of the festival but I do the whole four weeks. So simply resting and getting some sleep is critical – especially as I get older!! One of the great unexpected pleasures of my show is guest shows invite me along to see their work. After all, I am hosting the best festival shows each day. The nicest relaxing shows for me are the evening cabaret shows where singers give us Brel, Piaf, Bowie, Tom Waites or Nick Cave – and usually in a Spiegeltent with a pint.
Shows I recommend? Come along to Pick of the Fringe and you’ll see seven top recommendations every day!
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
The absurd ever rising cost of rental accommodation will eventually choke the Fringe and performers will just not bother.
Performance is as always varied in quality. The Fringe is unique in that anyone can perform there if they can get a room and have enough money. So the quality of shows varies hugely. Maybe that’s why Pick of the Fringe has proved to be so successful – audiences can see a taster and choose. It can be safer than taking a blind punt!!
