Fringe Factions: The English

Jo Caulfield and John Robins are both lured by the magic of the Festival, although neither has the prestigious Perrier / if / Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award set in their sights. Caulfield considering that a “dangerous game” and Robins suggesting “it’s not the easiest title to say,” but they both view the Festival as the big one, with Robins calling it “the best working holiday ever.”

Although they have quite different deliveries, they do each feel confident with the Scottish crowd, and neither feels that the Scotland-England divide in itself requires any fundamental change to their shows.

Naturally, both performers consider Scottish audiences a dependable barometer of their material, and their loose Celtic backgrounds do seem to help build a connection. Although Caulfield suggests her audiences may initially view her as an outsider, they quickly come round. Robins likes to play about with universal language – overheard quips, paraphrasing text-speak – to find the common ground, and both are polished enough to get their crowds onside.

Neither tends to stick rigidly to their script, which promises that key unpredictable edge. Both agree it’s essential to engage with the audience . “I just act like I’m having a drink and a laugh with my mates” says Caulfield. "Who wants to hear every set opening with a Royal Mile joke?” asks Robins.

Having Russell Howard direct your show, as in the case of Robins, has got to help boost confidence and affability, while an established name like Caulfield is just looking forward to hooking up with her Twitter followers afterwards. “Some of them are really funny!” she says.