“The one I hope I’ve really absorbed is “never flyer next to a magician.” That’s just plain good advice.”
WHO: Liz Guterbock
WHAT: “Dual national. Bisexual. Halfway to death? In her debut show, California native Liz Guterbock explores belonging and whether it’s possible to stay in love with life as we grow old(er). ‘Punchy, slick and accomplished… Liz Guterbock[‘s] zippy performance – including a solid English accent – is refreshing, and the gags breezily amusing. A club ready act, for sure’ (Chortle.co.uk).”
WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard – The Cellar (Venue 33)
WHEN: 16:15 (60 min)
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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
This isn’t my first Fringe, but it’s my first time doing an hour long show, and the first time at The Pleasance. It’s a dream come true, really. I’m excited and appropriately nervous. I think what makes EdFringe so special is everyone there is willing to take a chance: audiences take chances seeing new, possibly weird and wonderful shows, performers take a chance bringing something to the largest arts festival in the world, and we all take chances climbing Arthur’s Seat fuelled by nothing more than coffee and deep fried Mars bars.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
The biggest thing I’ve learned since 2022 is to know what I have control over and what I don’t. The serenity prayer comes to mind: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” For example, I don’t have control over how my show will be received, but I do have control over the energy I bring to my performances every day. EdFringe is an enormous beast, and has the potential to bring up a lot of self-doubt, worry and exhaustion. However, if I look at it as more of a training ground, a place to practice my craft, take risks, fail, and try again – it becomes easier to manage. Yeah, I think I’ve absorbed some of these lessons. The one I hope I’ve really absorbed is “never flyer next to a magician.” That’s just plain good advice.
Tell us about your show.
Geriatric Millennial is my debut hour of stand-up comedy. It’s about identity, ageing and belonging. Oh, and silly voices. Don’t forget the silly voices. Maria Bamford’s comedy, with all of her amazing vocal work, is a huge influence on me. The concept for the show started after I read Erica Dhawan’s article in Medium which coined the term “Geriatric Millennial.” Millennials were so upset with the term “geriatric.” So, I wanted to find a fun way to talk about ageism and how it affects women in particular. I’m excited to bring Geriatric Millennial to The Pleasance Courtyard for it’s debut. Since I’m self-producing the show at EdFringe, I don’t currently have plans to take the show elsewhere as it’s hard to think that far ahead. But it would be totally dreamy to take the show around the UK and then end up back at Soho Theatre!
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
There are so many incredible people to see at the Fringe this year, so audiences are in for a real treat. Here are some folks I can’t wait to see:
It would be a good idea to buy your tickets to see Joe Leather’s show Wasteman at Assembly right now, because he’s going to sell out. Wasteman is such a special show. It’s based on Joe’s real life experience working as a bin man who has big dreams of becoming a drag queen. Joe is a world class singer and dancer, and he’s going to be huge. Book in!
Matty Hutson is a very funny man with a gorgeous voice and impeccable comic timing. His show Don’t Hold Back at The Pleasance is going to be such a fun hour. I saw him at Chortle’s Fast Fringe and he had us in the palm of his hand. Another incredibly talented musician and comedian. Go see him.
The extraordinarily talented, driven and funny Kirsty Mann is debuting her show Skeletons at Pleasance. It’s a true confessional show about living a double life as a doctor and comedian. Kirsty is a sensationally good performer, and the stories in this show will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. She’s an expert story teller, and an amazing human being. Again, this is a show that’s going to sell out pretty fast so it’s worth getting your tickets now.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Bronwyn Sweeney. She’s an ad writer turned comedian, and her jokes are slick, tight and just plain funny. Bronwyn is doing her debut hour this year as well, called Off-Brand. I genuinely think she’s gonna give us some excellent life advice and we should all go see her show.
And finally, go see lots of shows on PBH’s Free Fringe. PBH has, year-on-year, helped performers (including me) be able to afford EdFringe by offering free venues for performers. It’s a place where acts can develop, find their audience, and just generally have a great time with a community feel and less financial risk, and it’s a place where audiences can experience great shows for free. Grab yourself a Wee Blue Book and take a chance on someone new. PBH is the spirit of EdFringe.
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