When were you last performing at the Edinburgh Fringe?

I was last at the Edinburgh Fringe last year with 3 shows! I was on a LOT of sugar to keep my energy up, my body made it clear that it had been put through too much when I got home and so this year I’ve decided to be smart and go up with 3 shows again. LETS GO.

What was the name of your previous show?

So, the shows I was here with last year were my first ever solo show, Christian Dart: Bigger Than The Christmas Turkey, a musical comedy hour all about my life and growing up wanting to be a performer. The title of the show comes from how big I was when I was born, about 12 pounds, which was bigger than the Christmas turkey my Mum had for her Christmas dinner that year. The other shows were Bad Clowns: HOSTAGE REDUX and Bad Clowns & Good Friends. This year I’m back with my second solo hour, Christian Dart: GUMSHOE! Which is about a grizzled New York detective’s final case with lots of audience interaction and silly clowning. It’s chaos. I’m also in Bad Clowns: Long Live The King and Bad Clowns & Good Friends.

How long has your current show been running for?

GUMSHOE! Hasn’t been running for very long at all! I’ve done the show 4 times so far and it’s been fantastic. After it’s first ever performance at Leicester Comedy Festival the show got nominated for the Best Show award, which was a huge deal for me, the character also made it to the final of Sketch-Off! and for it’s first ever review it got 5 stars from ThreeWeeks, so it’s been a gorgeous and exciting journey so far.

Do you have any “good luck” rituals you undertake before performing?

I don’t really! Well, I say that but I have got into the habit of having 2 large white wines before performing GUMSHOE!, though I wouldn’t necessarily call that a ritual. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Robbie Williams before I go on stage recently, nothing like a bit of Let Me Entertain You to get the blood PUMPIN’

How have you found booking accommodation this year?

It was a very… questionable financial decision. Every year the Fringe gets more expensive, especially the accommodation. Which closes the gates to a whole new world of talent that we’ll never see as it’s just too expensive for them. If I hadn’t been awarded the Keep It Fringe Fund I don’t know how I would be going this year.

What three pieces of advice would you give to first-timers going to the Fringe?

1) Do it. Do everything you can to make it happen. Give yourself the best shot you physically can and GO FOR IT. 2) Make friends, put yourself out there and say hello to people. You’d be surprised just how many of us want to speak to newbies and offer advice and have a chat, all the artists there want the same thing as you so you’ll have a lot in common. 3) See as much comedy whilst you’re there as you can, take punts on free shows, pay for the big ones you want to see and for goodness sake take some flyers and if you like the look of it, GIVE IT A GO! Who knows! You may just find your new favourite comedian.

What are you plans after the Edinburgh Fringe is over?

Sleep. Get up. Do it all over again. I love it.

For more information about GUMSHOE at the Edinburgh Fringe please use the link below.

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/christian-dart-gumshoe