EdFringe Talk: Anu Vaidyanathan: Blimp

Posted in EdFestivals 2023, Written Interviews by

“Last year was tough because I came to Scotland thinking there were four venues for fringe artists to perfect their acts in. Turned out there were 400 (or maybe more).”

WHO: Any Vaidyanathan

WHAT: “Welcome into the meandering mind of a South-Indian somebody who could be anybody. Blimp is a stand-up show about a woman filmmaker’s view of the world as she attempts to survive between the words action and cut. A comic tale of a full-time mom with part-time attempts at sanity, sewing and show business. Unlearning her lessons as an engineer, when all she had to do was stick forks in toasters, Anu describes her great adventures and paints a nomadic picture of the life and times of a comedian, filmmaker and sometime triathlete.”

WHERE: Underbelly, Bristo Square – Daisy (Venue 302) 

WHEN: 19:15 (60 min)

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Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This will be my second visit to Scotland. My debut was last year and I was self-produced, doing all the footwork myself (and my show grew its audience into the last week consistently). I also worked 4 hours at night keeping up with some clients in America. This kind of overworking made me appreciate how a south Indian comic is an equal opportunity reject of two great nations who preach women empowerment =). I had to sell a kidney to afford the fringe last year. This year, I am considering hawking my gall bladder.

The Fringe is fantastic, even with all of its very real problems, because the congregation of that much artistic energy can only mean one thing; an immediate invocation of the fabulous memento mori -isation of one’s voice and faculties.

Last year was tough because I came to Scotland thinking there were four venues for fringe artists to perfect their acts in. Turned out there were 400 (or maybe more). Even with so many people, I felt extremely isolated on many occasions. My family managed to sneak in for a few days in the middle (and I send a heart-felt thanks to other comedians who are also parents who helped me figure this bit out with kids visiting), but it was an interesting couple of weeks. I felt I evolved by a lightyear in that month. Creatively I was hungrier than ever before. One year wiser, this year I have procrastinated on everything because filmmaking has been eating my head, as has touring my debut hour (which has really traveled all over the world now), so I feel like I am back to square one.

I experienced the festival as a punter because I did not know what a producer was. In my second year, I desperately wish I had a producer but still cannot afford one. I think once a punter, always a punter. etc. etc.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

One very useful piece of advice I received before I went to the festival last year was to stay away from alcohol. I thought that was easily done since I was not a big fan to begin with, but I did manage to drink some wine with the legendary Camille O’Sullivan and pull an all-nighter before my departure. I think I’ve learned that any such dumb-assery of staying up past my bed time is a bad idea. I don’t think I will follow my own advice on this this year however. Check in with me on 20th August =)

Another lesson was that I should not be judgemental about social media. I am a luddite and have some difficulty with this, but I am learning to circumnavigate this better.

Tell us about your show.

Blimp is a one-woman show but it is also a one-independent-woman’s show. I was very eager to hire a producer and director this year but I was under resourced as usual and there was simply no time or money to achieve this. I have written it and built this bit by bit at various places with gigs and works in progress at Machllyneth, Prague and New York, and every friend I could bore for whatever length of time they allotted to my mesmerizing voice.

My debut hour BC:AD – Before Children, After Diapers, toured world-wide with appearances off-Broadway, in India and several places in Europe/UK. We don’t seem to be done yet! I have at least a dozen dates outstanding, some after August. With any luck, Blimp will travel to those same places.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

I would watch the Blue Badge Bunch. I think this is the best show I have ever seen so far. I also think Ed MacArthur is a genius. I watched his solo show at SoHo Theatre and walked away very inspired. I would definitely go and watch String V Spitta. I would also watch anything by Sindhu Vee (her show at the Fringe last year was spectacular. I tried taking notes but was too engrossed in what she was saying to do anything else). I would watch anything by Vir Das (if he is back), Myra Dubois, La Clique, Circus Abyssinia, Bad Teacher, Drunk Women Solving Crime… I would also watch anything that an artist themselves were flyering for outside the hour before their show =)

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