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The Meltdown.
My last show in Edinburgh was Late n’ live at Gilded Balloon. To be honest I don’t really remember much of it. Took the stage after 2 in the morning and I had quite a few pints leading up to that. My last solo show had only 7 paying guests. By far my lowest number all festival. Seems like it was the same for everybody. Maybe ending it on a saturday is smarter. Anyway, I had a nice little show. Decided to start the show by re-funding everybody’s tickets from my own pocket and buy them a pint so we could just enjoy the show. Together. Probably did at least 20 minutes that wasn’t supposed to be there. But I had fun.
Day after we had the wrap up party at the Stand. I paced myself, knowing I had to get up, but that didn’t matter. When we got home at 3 or so in the morning I just completely broke down. I have never ever cried so hard. I was screaming. For mom and dad… And then I found my own crying hystercally funny so I just started laughing like a mad man. I mean really. I almost scared myself. And then I started crying again. Hard. Which made me laugh. And so it went, for about an hour. Strangest thing in a long time. But apparently it worked. I feel pretty rested and good to go already.
Also got another review, this one from Chortle. In all I can’t be anything but happy with the impact I seem to have made on the fringe. Good reviews by everybody but the Scotsman (who managed to give me 3 stars for a two star review) and a really good turnout (except for the final night) It was tough, but it was so worth it. Cya next year Edinburgh!
Some film clips will be online tomorrow at www.youtube.com/betner2
August 29th, 2010One show to go.
My Fringe experience is nearly over. I’m gonna miss it. It’s been one of the best months of my life. In large part thanks to the wonderful people who surrounds me, helping me out with everything from filming the gigs to handing out flyers. Everybody has worked so hard it’s really unbelievable. The people at the Stand are absolutely great as well. My favourite club in the world. If you get a chance to support one of their clubs in Edinburgh or Glasgow, make sure you do. Always great comedians on and they genuinely care about the art-form.
Tonight is my last Solo Show and after that I have a spot at Gilded Balloon’s Late n’ Live. Then I’m done. When august is over I will have done 54 gigs. 24 of them one hour spots. And I can really feel it. I actually miss home. I miss my daughter like crazy of course, but I also miss home. Never thought I’d say that. Might have to do with the fact that these 29 days is the longest period I’ve spent in one place for over 10 years…
Again, thanks to Michael, Phil, Helena, Mats, Sam, Nathalie, Niklas, Petter, Martin, all the people at the stand and everybody else who have been working their asses off to make this possible!
Also thanks to all the swedish comedians who came over to work and hang out. This wouldn’t have been as much fun without you!
I do have some stuff filmed but it will be another day or so before I post anything. Stay tuned.
August 25th, 2010Still at Edfringe.
And still enjoying it. I’ve been more or less sold out and had some more nice reviews, like this one. I have five more of my solo-shows and all together I tink I’ll be doing another 15 gigs or so before it’s time to go back home to Sweden. Was gonna take some time off in september, but as things are looking now I won’t have time to. I’ll most likely be working like usual, so stay tuned for more dates in London, Dublin and all over Sweden.
Youtube stuff is coming too. Waiting for some clips from last week but if I don’t get them I’ll make sure I film my gigs tonight and tomorrow, so something should be posted in a couple of days at www.youtube.com/betner2
Now, rush off to do a gig at We love Comedy and them my solo show in a couple of hours.
August 21st, 20104 gigs today.
My solo show was sold out again yesterday. It was pretty good, but I am starting to get bored with doing the same material every night. Trying to put some new stuff in the act to at least make me feel like it’s fresh. Had a really great gig at Canon’s Gait late yesterday where I did try some new stuff that worked really well. That gig also made me realize how much difference having another 50 people in the room makes. Wish my solo show was in a bigger room. I really do.
Anyway, today I’m doing 3 spots on top of my solo show, so there should be plenty of opportunities to work on some new stuff. Hopefully some of it will be stuff that can go in my solo and eventually be the base of a new hour. At least that’s my aim.
August 20th, 2010Solo show in London.
Just started planning a solo show in London. It will be the last performances of the material I’m doing up in Edinburgh at the moment. At a theater somewhere in London, sometime in september and october. I don’t have more info about it at the moment. I haven’t even told my manager, but it will definetly happen. Stay tuned for details.
The Fringe is still a lot of fun and yesterday’s show was real good. Needed it after the bad one the day before that. Lina went home about an hour ago, so now I’m gonna concentrate on my writing, my drinking and on doing as many spots as I possibly can.
August 19th, 2010Bad day.
Or bad gig really. The day was great. Spent it with Helena, Lina and some other FTWers at Edinburgh Zoo. The zoo doesn’t really live up to the high standards of the rest of this lovely city though. One of the crappier ones I’ve been to.
Anyway, gig was no good. I wasn’t focused. Probably because of fatigue. Mixing late night shows and parenting is always a hard thing to master. Even more so here, where I seem to be constantly stressed out. Anyway, no biggie. You´re bound to have some bad ones now and again. Back in the saddle tonight.
I have a great bunch of people over here working with me, helping out with everything from Lina to flyering and all in between and they are a committed team. Somebody told me yesterday, one of my flyerers took the stage and did 10 minutes from my show. Apparently it was perfect…
No more reviews that I know of, but the article from The Guardian came out yesterday.
On another note, the big news yesterday was that David Whitney was arrested for head-butted a heckler. He’s a friend of mine, and so are the people running the show but I haven’t spoken to any of them about it. Kate blogs about it here, Chortle writes about it and so does The Scotsman and most likely every other british news paper. Just in case it needs to be said; I don’t condone violence in any way and especially not if it’s aimed at your audience. No matter how obnoxious they might be.
This, however, is a classic. “Ok folks… Show is over.”
August 16th, 2010Happy birthday me.
Lina came over yesterday and today I have my only day off during the fringe so I feel pretty great. Gonna party a little less, gonna work a little less the days Lina is here and man my body needs it. It’s a bit much to be doing more than one show a day in english. It really is. But then again, when you get nice reviews like this one it’s hard not to like your job. Or reviews for that matter.
The others gave me a parachute jump for my birthday. Nearly shat myself just opening the envelope. Should be an interesting experience. September 25th they tell me it’s gonna happen.
Now, away for a b-day lunch and then spend the day just chilling, not thinking about work at all.
August 14th, 2010More reviews.
Still hugely enjoying the Fringe in Edinburgh. A lot of Swedes over this week and a lot of them doing comedy too. I haven’t really had the energy to see as many shows as i thought I would. My own work is draining and even more so is the partying. No complaints though. Just haven’t seen quite as much comedy as I had hoped.
My shows have gone really well and I now finally feel the way I should feel before I take the stage. Relaxed. Weekend shows have been totally sold out and shows during the week not far from it, so I guess it’s going really well in that department too. Got a couple of more reviews, but if what they tell me is right, I’ve had some 10 reviewers in and only a handful of reviews. Guess Swedish journalists aren’t the only lazy ones, huh?
The Scotsman gave me three stars in a review others tell me is a good one. If that’s a good one you gotta wonder how her bad reviews are… Got 4,5 stars from Forth one mentioning somebody falling off their chair. I’m pretty sure I would have noticed given the size of the room. Something Edinburgh Girl points out in her review where the size of the room seems to be the only problem.
There’s also been quite a few mentions published in newspapers that are not online. All in all I’ve probably gotten more media coverage than I deserve already.
Tonight I’m doing 3 shows and it should be good. Feel rested for the first time since I got here due to some 9 hours of sleep.
August 10th, 2010Good day yesterday.
My show was almost full yesterday as well and, considering it was monday and all I guess that’s pretty good. Tried some new stuff (I really wouldn’t wanna bore myself doing the exact same thing for a month) and the show went pretty well. Nothing to write home about, but not bad either. Crowd was probably the nicest so far. I’m really loving it here!
Got a nice 4-star review from the List who also put me on their top 30 list of acts to see at the Fringe.
After my show I went to shaggers. A gig where you’re supposed to talk about… shagging. Not a big problem for me and I had a really, really fun gig. Great crowd and I got to try some more new stuff. Really want to do that gig again. Even if I must say that working after midnight doesn’t really suit me. I’m more of a sleep to 1 pm and work for 2 hours between 8 pm and 10 pm type of guy. This festival is wearing me down. Fast. But who cares, as long as it’s fun, right?
Today I’m gonna be hanging out with the crew from FTW productions and then do 2 gigs. First a shorter spot at Bannermans 17.30 and then my solo. Looking forward to it but I do wish my intestines would stup burning.
August 9th, 2010Press mentions.
So far I’ve had a fantastic time here at the Fringe. In large part thanks to the lovely people at The Stand Comedy Club. They really now how to run a comedy room and make a performer welcome. I’ve had fun at my own gigs and also seen a cople of really nice sets from others. Haven’t really had time yet to go see many full-lenght shows, but there is a lot I’m looking forward to.
Last two shows have been sold out and I’m quite happy with my performance, though I didn’t think I was at 100% yesterday. They tell me I’ve had a lot of reviewers in, but so far I haven’t read any. Did get a couple of mentions after my appearance at the presslaunch for The Stand though. Did a bit on a tragic incident where a mother killed her 3 kids a couple of days ago. The bit worked fine but I will soon scrap it. When I do, I’ll put it on youtube for you lazy people who didn’t come here to see me. One paper compared me to Frankie Boyle. Have no idea what he does, but I hope he’s good since apparently I’m Swedens answer to him.
Also, EdinburghGirl.com was nice enough to make me pick of the fringe based on that same press launch. Remains to be seen if people like my full show. Every night at 22.2o, Stand 4. Hope to see you there!