Best Feet Forward: The comedians having a sober Edinburgh Fringe

It’s no secret that a month’s residency at the Edinburgh Fringe is a behemoth of an operation. Even as a passing tourist, the Fringe can feel like a mammoth undertaking – one that can breed unsustainable habits, but it doesn’t have to be this way. 

With temptation and opportunity seemingly at the fingertips at every turn, the idea of a sober Fringe, abstaining from the myriad of possibilities that Edinburgh can offer may feel daunting or even isolating – but it doesn’t have to be.

Sobriety at the Fringe needs addressing, and is being addressed. With more acts and punters making the move towards sobriety, both at the festival and outside of it, the dialogue surrounding it is starting to shift.

Liam Withnail, Fringe veteran, is 10 years sober and reflects on his years post-sobriety. “It is easy to see the Fringe as a performance outlet, but it is also a trades center – it should be a sales pitch every night of you at your highest calibre – and that just isn’t possible if I’m crawling in at 7am each morning. Sobriety made me a better writer, it made me a better comedian.”

First-time Fringer Shamik Chakrabarti is trying his best to have a sober Fringe for exactly those reasons. “I’d like to put my best foot forward and not trip and fall on my face in the process.” With such a wealth of opportunity at the festival, be it performing, networking or creating, it can be easy to get carried away when there’s people, gigs and bars everywhere.

Whether you are fresh to sobriety, years into it or even see it as a passing interest – the prospect of battling the Fringe and all that comes with it can be daunting, but a phrase that is tenaciously reoccurring throughout the dialogue is a simple one: community.

“Coffee dates are my everything now, talking about anything that isn’t the Fringe,” says Alex Stringer, who approaches her debut comedy show Happy Hour. Withnail, an Edinburgh resident doubles down: “Whatever the activity, be it climbing a hill, eating a curry or going wild water swimming – getting out there with people, staying social and staying connected is so important.”

Focusing on the daytime, Lulu Popplewell states, helps her remain grounded and engaged throughout her August run. “I have amassed a gang of people who want to play Catan or Monopoly Deal in Pleasance Dome or somewhere… If you told me that at 24, I would have been disgusted with myself, but now I honestly could not be more delighted.”

As Stringer points out, in recent years there has been a deliberate push in facilitating a community of acts that are sober throughout the Fringe, with many comics being part of a WhatsApp group dedicated to that. “The different group chats are perfect for supporting, helping and encouraging different people at different stages and making sure everyone has someone to talk to throughout the Fringe.”

One of the most daunting aspects of the festival is the excess of it all, both from an act’s perspective and as a punter. With all these opportunities thrust into one location, it can feel like every night and every second is important.  “The FOMO really got to me for a while,” admits Withnail, confessing “I thought I hadn’t done it properly if I wasn’t out each night meeting all the people and doing all the things – but I realise now, I was never going to meet every single person and be at every interesting event.” Now on her tenth sober Fringe experience, Popplewell concedes “nothing amazing is going to happen after 1am.”

“It’s all for show,” Withnail continues. “There’s that need to fill the diary with these Instagram moments, but there’s something much more fulfilling about waking up and making the most of the Fringe and giving it your best each night.”

Sobriety doesn't have to mean missing out though; there’s a myriad of activities that you can delve into. Exploring Edinburgh’s many beautiful sights has been a mainstay attraction of travelers visiting the capital year round, be it climbing Arthur’s Seat for a stunning look out over the city, walking through the vast Botanical Gardens, eating at any of the bakeries that cake the streets, or finding quiet little spots like The Dene (between Dean Village and Stockbridge) to hide away in.

But the Fringe brings with it so many exciting experiences that can be enjoyed sober too. As many acts pointed out, leaving out the booze leaves more space for seeing comedy or attending events.

“Back in the day when I was feeling self-conscious about not drinking I’d always love an activity. Karaoke is great for this! Olga Koch hosts karaoke during the festival at Monkey Barrel Comedy and it’s always iconic,” says Amelia Bayler, approaching her seventh sober Fringe.

Withnail is quick to point out the advancements of alcohol-free beer which are ever improving, with Popplewell adding “I remember the first year some venues started doing alcohol free beers and thinking 'well this is great.' I mean, they were disgusting – undrinkable – there wasn't much then apart from Beck's Blue, but the gesture was hugely appreciated.”

“I remember thinking sobriety would kill off my former self, remove the fun me. I assumed I’d be a shadow of the person people enjoyed, but I have loved reclaiming myself,” adds Stringer. “I was so surprised learning how feisty and fiery sober me is. She’s crazy! Being sober doesn’t mean being boring.”

The Fringe is undoubtedly a place of flashing lights and rare opportunities. And it may be worth noting that this can be experienced in any condition, but an important lesson is to take it at your own pace. Don’t let your Fringe experience be dictated by anyone else’s and ensure you put yourself first.

For Stringer this involves batch cooking, having movie nights and coffee dates. Fellow comic Rachel Fairburn told her that the best way to treat the Fringe is to treat it as you would a normal day – go home and watch TV when you want to, see a friend if you’d like, but above all, it’s just another day.

As for Bayler, she places an emphasis on ‘listening to what keeps you sane’. “Whatever works for you is none of anyone’s business. If you need to eat five £2 pizza slices every day after your show (thus making it no longer a bargain) then that’s your thing.”

The important thing is to listen to yourself, knowing that you are in control. "Just go where you feel GOOD!" Bayler advises. "Check in with yourself. I always have cigarettes, a vape, snacks, a can of Coke or all of the above! Those are my coping mechanisms and I don’t judge myself for them."

Wherever you are at and whatever your goal is, the Fringe should be a place that champions variety and excites everyone. If that’s the club nights or if it’s the Cameo cinema as Bayler recommends, there are always ways to make the Fringe an experience that you can steer.

Creating a space where struggles and lifestyles are discussed has always been embedded deep into the DNA of what makes the Fringe so exciting. As a melting pot of cultures and diverse experiences, it’s no surprise that stories of race, sexuality and class are prime themes for shows.

Sobriety is no different, with many comics using the platform to address their whys and hows every night. Stringer’s debut, for example, is a celebration of sobriety, reclaiming her life and reaping the rewards.

The bottom line is simple, your Fringe is your own experience – it is a wonderful and unique world all unto itself, but you are still a human walking into that world. Listen to your body, listen to your heart and know that whatever experience you want, you are not alone.

Have an amazing Fringe, on your terms.

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Liam Withnail: Big Strong Boy, Monkey Barrel (MB1), 29 Jul-24 Aug (not 13), 6.10pm, £8-13
Shamik Chakrabarti: Despite Appearances, Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower (Eve), 30 Jul-24 Aug (not 11), 9pm, £9-13
Alex Stringer: Happy Hour, Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker Three), 30 Jul-24 Aug, 6pm, £9-13
Lulu Popplewell: Love Love, Underbelly George Square (Buttercup), 30 Jul-24 Aug (not 11), 6.45pm, £8.50-13
Amelia Bayler: I'm a Pop Star but I'm Working in a Burger Restaurant for Research Purposes (WIP), Monkey Barrel (MB2), 6 Aug, 4.20pm, £7