Being the biggest arts festival in the world, the Edinburgh Fringe brings a jobs boom to the capital for the month of August. The Stand Comedy Club is a fixture in the Edinburgh comedy-scene all year round but undergoes a huge expansion for the month too, also putting on shows at The Assembly Rooms on George Street. We spoke to Kenny O’Brien, director and area manager for The Stand chain (which also has clubs in Glasgow and Newcastle) about the challenges and opportunities offered by this annual influx of staff.
How many extra staff do you expect to take on for this year’s Fringe?
Oh God, hundreds. About fifty flyerers, two hundred bar and front-of-house staff, plus admin, box office and technical. As well as all the folk we bring in just to build and bust. [He’s joking about that bit. Remember, it’s a comedy club!]
Many of these will probably be ‘entry-level’ jobs but you must have quite a few skilled positions to fill too – for example, technicians?
Yes, each venue needs at least one operator at each time, over a long day. That means about two dozen ops, plus the folks who install and de-rig.
What tends to be the geographical spread of people who apply?
They come from far and wide, but are all capable of being in Edinburgh for a month. We try to give some work to the local economy and don’t just get kids on a gap year to work for free in exchange for a bed and food vouchers.
How often do you end up building relationships with the people who work for you during the Fringe, keeping them on or turning to them when positions need filled later on?
Often. People return year on year, some have simply never left in over a decade. It’s a family affair.
Do you find that there’s a turnover of staff during the Fringe from people struggling with the late nights and early mornings that can be required?
No. That’s explained and understood from the outset. We also try to make sure nobody has to work themselves to death day in and day out. It’s good for them to have a night off followed by a day to recover once in a while; apparently Edinburgh can be fun in August…
What do you look for in people applying to work with The Stand during the Fringe?
Energy, enthusiasm, thick skin and an empathy with what we are trying to do/be.
What’s the strangest thing that somebody working for the club during the Fringe can expect to see/do?
Everything from a parade of naked musicians to JK Rowling with clothes pegs on her coat tail. Refusing Ben Elton access to a sold out gig. Lots of scantily clad cabaret artistes. Drunk passers-by falling down at sunrise, pantless and akimbo. Frankie Boyle throwing eggs to a fox…
What can people gain from the experience of working for The Stand during the Fringe?
They can expect to get paid money, see a very weird world from the other side, understand that showbiz involves mopping and lifting and sweat, depend on others, be relied on by others, do a lot with a little, make dingy basements into magical places. They will have anecdotes and see a ton of the finest stand up for free. In fact, they’ll be paid to do so. There’s also a free t-shirt and the promise of an extraordinary reference from me to future employers.
Had any experience of working in hospitality during the Fringe? Share your experiences below! You can also follow The Stand Comedy Club on Twitter for more updates on this year’s line-ups.
Stand cowboy image supplied by the Stand Comedy Club. Ben Elton image by Ingo Hoehn and used under Wikimedia creative commons licence.
