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In the early 2000s, I heard comedians talking about doing comedy overseas in places like Germany, England and beyond. I’d never been overseas, much less done comedy there, and I was really fascinated by the concept of getting paid to go to Europe, Asia, Australia or who knows where else to perform, but of course, I felt uncomfortable asking the always awkward and not-so-secretly shunned question— “How’d you get that gig?”
It was several years before I found myself on a plane, headed to Europe to perform stand up for the first time.
Since then, I’ve had the pleasure and the delight of performing overseas countless times, in places like Ireland, England, Scotland, Italy and Iceland. Berlin is still on my bucket list, as is Paris, where I heard that the comedy song is widely celebrated, Japan, which I want to visit for personal reasons (cool culture, panda bears, weird tasty food, panties in vending machines, etc.) and Australia (in addition to seeing the Aurora Australis, I just love most Australians I’ve met for their wide open senses of humor and devil may care attitudes. It’d also be cool to see a kangaroo in its natural habitat. But I’d probably never say no to performing anywhere if the right situation arose.
Here’s how I got myself performing “across the pond,” as they say.
The first time I went, I was invited to perform in an Irish comedy festival. They had become aware of my comedy through one of my viral comedic videos on YouTube, and were willing to pay me, house me and feed me, if I just got myself to and from Ireland. That seemed fair enough to newbie me, and I did as they asked.
The trip was incredibly fortuitous. There, I met multiple famous and famous to later become comedians, and managed to book other performances while I was in the area. I also made wonderful friends and fans, some who I still speak to today, and was able to see some great sights, like the Cliffs of Moher and those adorable, idyllic roadside castles I’d heard about. From the tour, I also booked other festivals overseas at later dates, and still continue to book events to this day that stem back from that trip.
It was definitely worth the $600 or so I spent on the plane ticket.
So in short, what I did to get overseas to perform? I made a really fun and funny video (with the help of a videographer friend) and it went viral.
That may be easier said than done, but I didn’t know the video was going to go viral when I made it. I made something, shared it and followed the path it provided.
But the biggest gig that got me many, many other overseas gigs and I think advanced my career in significant ways was the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Much like my first overseas gig, I had to cover my own plane fare, but once in Scotland, the theater covered just about everything else. I made almost no money on that trip, because all my earnings covered the theater rental, flyers and other costs. But what I got out of the festival made it so worth it. I met loads of respected comedians and performers from around the world, many of whom I still keep in touch with, got gigs (and still keep getting gigs from that trip), got some of my early press and so many great photos and memories.
I later performed in the Laughing Horse Free Fringe Festival (another free fringe alongside the PBH Free Fringe Festival) and also had many great returns, maybe even more than in Edinburgh Free Fringe, because I also got to keep all the money I made from my shows and merch sales. If I were to do Edinburgh again today, I’d do the Laughing Horse Free Fringe again.
An application and fee must be submitted to perform in any of the festivals. The Ed Fringe fest is the “best reputed” and most expensive, but they all take place at the same time and are all essentially indistinguishable from one another, or at least they were at the time. There are other costs, too, such as airfare and room and board, food, marketing materials, etc. But like I said, the upfront costs were worth it to me for what I got out of the festival, and I recouped all my money and some.
Are you tempted or planning to get to Edinburgh Fringe this year? It’s not too late to put that plan in motion. PBH’s Free Fringe runs August 3-25, Laughing Horse appears to be on a possible hiatus (but check back for updates) or may rebranding under the name Free Festival with shows from August 1-25, and EdFringe runs from August 2-26. Registration is still open for all festivals.
Finally, a way that I got to perform in Europe was that I had a trip planned already, and scheduled some dates while I was going to be there. I did this most notably in Iceland, and it ended up being incredible. I connected with an Icelandic promoter and performed my solo show (the same one I did in Iceland) in front of about 100 people one night. It was another wonderful use of my time and money, with countless fabulous returns, one very notable adventure was admission into the Iceland Phallological Museum, or the museum of dicks, in exchange for one of my CDs. I also learned about the Yule Lads, which I’ll never forget.
Performing overseas may not be for everyone, but it was definitely a great experience for me. It’s best if you can partner with organizations who can make sure you have the right kind of clearances for tax related issues, as there is some details to sort out there. Most festivals and larger organizations can help you with this, as surely can your own accountant. But it’s worth mentioning.
Where have you always wanted to perform?
Daily Musings:
My performance in Iceland | YouTube
Free Festival | Free Festival’s website
Edinburgh Fringe Fest | EdFringe website
PBH’s Free Fringe | Free Fringe website
Icelandic Phallological Museum | Museum website
Cliffs of Moher | Wikipedia
A Yule Lads yard | LittleThings
Etc.:
Get free Ed Fringe support and advice with a $7/ mo subscription | Museletter
6/8’s Poconos Underground Comedy (and my birthday show + party) | EventBrite
Follow me on Instagram here | Instagram
Ads to 8k+ comedy lovers for $40/wk | jess delfino at gmail dot com
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Til next time, billy.