Darrell started Just the Tonic 30 years ago, and this year will mark the comedy club’s 20th year at the Edinburgh Fringe.
So, obviously, I asked him about food and found out about that time getting thrown out of Bannerman’s.
Just the Tonic is one of the significant forces in the Festival Fringe, and you can find shows and buy tickets from their site right now. In fact, for some of their popular gigs, you shouldn’t delay much longer as sold-out shows are commonplace.
How would you describe Just the Tonic’s programme at the Fringe to someone who has never been?
A brilliant mix of established comedians, talented newbies, a big load of theatre, a few kids shows and a load of late night fun. All held in brilliant Fringe venues in the heart of the city.
How has your programme and your company changed in the last 20 years at the Fringe?
We have gone from being a two man team kitting out 2 rooms in The Cafe Royal (now Voodoo Rooms) with about 14 shows to a bigger team , with 17 rooms in much better locations with 200 shows. But we retain our down to earth Edfringe approach. Big difference is probably that I don’t get as pissed each night!
How might it change in the next five?
Who knows… there has never been a plan. Possibly a larger venue. Hopefully some more smaller venues. Then again… we might all be flattened when Trump gets in. Difficult to predict anything at the moment!
You have helped launch the careers of many great performers. Who springs to mind?
Romesh… did Big Value with us, as did Rob Beckett. Look at them 2 now. Jim Jeffries first Edfringe was with us the first year I produced Big Value. Josie Long did loads of her early solo shows with us, as well as tours. Jon Richardson, Sarah Millican. To be honest… now I think about it.. seeing all these names, I wish I’d paid a bit more attention to my own stand up.
If you had a magic wand and could wave it to shape the future of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the next five years, what would you change?
All other venues would implode, and Just the Tonic would rise to the top and be lords of the city, I would sit in a villa somewhere hot and do a few facetime calls to check in on things.
Failing that, I would really like there to be some sort of recognition from the Scottish Government, the council and the funding bodies as to how much this festival brings to the city. This recognition includes how much risk the performers and the venues put into setting it all up and that some sort of funding was given to those aspects of it.
When I look at how much the Edinburgh International Festival is funded, and how few people I know that have ever even been to one of their events, when I look at how much the government and council seem to be trampling on the accommodation and other aspects of the Fringe, then it saddens me. Because if they keep on putting barriers up, then they might well kill it. And once it is gone it will not come back.
So, in short… I’d like to see the Edfringe appreciated by the higher bodies and helped along its way.
Which JTT shows are you most looking forward to this year?
It’s the late night stuff I love… when everyone is all giddy and up for fun. I don’t really want to pick out any individual shows as I done want to add any bias… but I will say I am pleased I talked Adam Bloom out of his 13 year Edfringe absence.
Do you have any tips for eating out in Edinburgh during the Festival Fringe?
For a quality, yet affordable fancy meal with really good service in a great setting… The Outsider. When I want to get away and have a cheap Italian… the place just past South Bridge… Roma something I think. For a cheeky snack Piemaster, for the best curry Mother India Cafe (their takeaways got me through lockdown), late night kebabs.. .it has to be the place on Nicholson St… I think it is opposite a bookies… again… done;t remember the name, as I always just say ‘lets get a kebab, and we all head to the same place.
Lastly, I’m pretty sure you have some wild Just the Tonic and Edinburgh Fringe stories? Do you have one to share?
You have to be there, mate. Why not come along to our venues and I’ll share some tales over a pint. But to wet the appetite there was that time I was thrown out of Bannerman’s for shouting ‘Wah Hay’ too much. I was too happy for Bannerman’s. The landlord didn;t like me and a mate shouting ‘Wah Hay’…. He liked it less when I got the whole bar shouting ‘Wah Hay’… ended up with one of the staff running out after us and then nutting me. He didn’t like it when I laughed at that and shouted ‘Wah Hay’.
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