John Hastings

John Hastings

Canadian John Hastings has been performing stand-up since 2006, and has been nominated for best newcomer in the Canadian Comedy Awards. In July 2012, he moved to the UK, debuting his first solo show John Hastings: Unrelentless at the Edinburgh Fringe.
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This year the festival may become so artistic we do comedy to no one

John Hastings on the best and worst of the Edinburgh Fringe

John Hastings is at the Edinburgh Fringe with his stand-up show The Times They Are A John Hastings, which started last night at Monkey Barrel 2 at 8.35pm. Here he shares what he can't get enough of at the festival, his most embarrassing Edinburgh experience and the worst thing about the Fringe. Apart from the cost of accommodation, obviously…


Edinburgh binge

I like having friends from across the world and various comedy scenes. It’s a hoot to be able to see people. Comedy is interesting in that nce you get to a professional level you never see your friends because they are doing comedy somewhere else. It’s cool as F that it’s all centralised in one place for a month. This way, I can mean to people I love literally behind their backs! 

As well, by week two the whole city smells of desperation and sweat so you let it rip fart-wise in public, people assume it's an improv troupe off-gassing, not a comedian... off-gassing. 

Edinburgh cringe

I mean, if we are all honest the cringiest moment of every Fringe for every performer is when they start getting jealous of each other. We say it doesn't happen, but it does. It gets nuts up there. I had to listen to a guy bitch about why people seemed happier to see another comedian once (had to listen means 'I once thought' I am talking about myself). 

It is pointless, but if one needs some sort of tension release, blaming Susan Character Comedian or Robert Pissbucket for being more successful is sometimes just the tonic to soothe a fire in the belly.

That said, who knows what we are walking into Fringe-wise at this point? Maybe if all else fails, I can perform in one of those fancy SNP RV's and scream at photos of Rishi coming out of things marked ‘private’ to distract from other clowns' success this year. 

What I am trying to illustrate (badly) is that for years I used to feel bad for those moments of jealousy. No more! This year – thanks to the 200 years of Tory rule packed into 13 years – it’s likely the arts festival will become so artistic that we achieve full art and do comedy to nobody. 

If that’s the case, fuck you: I am smack-talking my peers. 

Edinburgh whinge

This is the year when I find out how to pass solid BMs at that festival. No more mud in the morning, they will call me the lumberjack because I will be handing out logs.

I am gonna have fruit in the morning and lean proteins. This is the year where I am not asking people to clear the block so I can achieve lift-off. 

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Published: 1 Aug 2023

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