SCENE REPORT: Is Edinburgh Fringe Worth It?

Our newest contributor, Zach Schiffman, talks to comedians about the age old question: Should I go to Scotland in August?

Welcome to our newest offering for paid subscribers. This is SCENE REPORT: conversations between Zach Schiffman and other comedians about the trends we all notice in the comedy scene but no one on the outside is privy to. 

The annual Hajj to Edinburgh is upon us. Dozens of New York comedians are now bringing shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with hopes that will change everything back here. The promise of a monumental career boost is not the only reason to go – the Fringe is an incredible, thriving artistic community where you can create lifelong memories – but in a post-Fleabag world, the Fringe has the potential to be an essential launchpad for so many comedians. 

I went last year as a producer on Sophie Zucker’s Sophie Sucks Face and was able to gather a lot as a first-timer who wasn’t performing myself. Upon arriving, I was shocked by how different it feels from everything you can glean online. The high-low of the college campus venues, the sprawling beer gardens, and unbridled creative energy can feel impossible to describe. But even more intangible is the impact of going to the festival itself.

To help me get a sense of what life has been like in the first year since bringing their solo shows to Fringe, I chatted with Maggie Crane (Side by Side), Ruby McCollister (Tragedy), and Alexis Gay (Alexis Gay and Friends - 2023, Unprofessional - 2024) about how their careers and creative identities have changed since.

[The following conversations have been edited for clarity.]