EdFringe Talk: Alexis Dubus: 3-Star Show

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2023 by

“A great festival is one that genuinely gives independent producers and upcoming talent a chance to shine.”

WHO: Alexis Dubus

WHAT: “After 20 years on the circuit, Alexis Dubus, easily one of the comedians of his generation, is ready to deliver the greatest 3-star comedy experience ever staged. Don’t miss this explosively average show from a multi award-nominated performer truly at the middle of his game. As seen as a waiter in Derek (Channel 4), an idiot in Nathan Barley (Channel 4) and 3 of 63 in Red Dwarf XI (Dave). ‘Can write some strong lines… sometimes excellent… amusing’ *** (Chortle.co.uk). ‘Too clever’ *** (List). ‘Puts the audience almost too much at ease… begins well’ *** (BroadwayBaby.com).”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at La Belle Angele – La Belle Angele (Venue 117) 

WHEN: 18:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Nooooooo. I’ve been coming here for many a year. My first Edinburgh Fringe experience was 1998 as a student, performing at 00:20 at Bedlam Theatre in a drum & bass-soundtracked version of The Tempest. That year I saw The Mighty Boosh, Simon Munnery’s League Against Tedium, Spymonkey, Adam Bloom and many other shows that blew my mind a bit. That’s where my Edinburgh Fringe addiction began. I’ve since performed at festivals all over the world, but none of them compare in terms of scale or awe.

A great festival is one that genuinely gives independent producers and upcoming talent a chance to shine. Many fringe festivals become a victim of their own success, thinking that bigger means better, but sadly that often means it’s only large companies with money who can succeed there.

Edinburgh may be colossal but it has its own ecosystem which allows for acts to thrive on a low budget, thanks largely to the Free Fringe. That said, the extortionate accommodation costs really need to be addressed for that ecosystem to remain intact.

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

I’m not as young as I used to be. I used to fit in as many extra gigs as I could, ensuring I had a holiday booked in afterwards. Now I’ve got two young kids, my days of recuperation are over. I need to be a little more lean and discerning with those extra shows.

But I’ve learned to say yes to things outside my comfort zone – at past Fringes I’ve performed in a lift to 6 people, in a public toilet, in the nude (audience likewise), in the dark, in a swimming pool and with a live band and all of those experiences have made me a better performer.

I’ve learned that sometimes reclining in the shade of a tree is every bit as valuable as taking in some culture.

Tell us about your show.

The show started off as 8 years’ worth of jumbled notes and a stupid concept. A few years back someone brought a show to the Fringe called “5-Star Show.” I admired the cockiness, but immediately the idea of seeing “3-Star Show” in the programme really made me chuckle. I’ve put off putting it on until now, but felt it paired well time-wise with my afternoon kids show (Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles), so here we are.

It’s me attempting to put on the greatest 3-star show at the Fringe. There are jokes, songs and poems and if it’s going too well or too badly I’ve got a reserve of good and bad bits to bring it right back on track. I feel like this might be a Fringe-only production – the idea of attempting to sell a 3-star show to the nation just feels like hard work.

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

Mad Ron at Assembly George Square is my tip for some sharp and hilarious late-night character comedy. And if you want go full-Fringe, High Steaks by Eloina at Summerhall is confronting, sweet and hilarious, often all at once. For mixed-bill craziness you can’t beat the vibe of Stamptown – I’ll be appearing in some guise or other. And for spoken word you can’t get much better than Luke Wright, who’s at his imperial phase right now. Go and see his Silver Jubilee.

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