![](http://www.chrisgrady.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/putin-laughs.jpeg)
Catching up for a gentle drink with my daughter at the Sekforde Arms in Clerkenwell last night we were corralled into an EdFringe preview by host Milo Edwards. I was tempted by the Russian comedian Ivan Yavits given my work with Perm. It was free and there was space.
There were three comedians on the bill opening with Ivan who was warm, welcoming, and played off the 50/50 Russian and English audience. I’d enjoy checking out The Russian Comedy Experience if I could find a slot in my diary.
The second comedian is also taking a show to Edinburgh but chose to use the Preview as an opportunity to try out new material, working away with his notepad to decide what he might use in the next show. So I can’t tell you anything about Luke McQueen: Bad except he did have one of the best oneliners (for his next show) in the evening. I won’t spoil it for you for 2020.
The headline act was Milo Edwards who is “famous in Russia” and definitely had the whole audience in deep belly laugh stitches. Anyone who has ever been to Russia, worked with Russians, or just loves to explore the differences between cultures should have a great time, and learn stuff. We got most of his EdFringe 2019 show, Pindos, and I look forward to following him and his reviews. https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pindos
Check them out. I will definitely be recommending it to my visiting Russian producers when they come for a scouting week. No flyers there or biog material. I guess comedians don’t do that, but it is so so helpful if you expect us to shout about your shows without waiting to get back to the desk and googling you. I even had to heckle each comedian just to get them to tell me when and where they were playing in Edinburgh.
Shame the bar was closed when we came out of the theatre space – surely that’s one of the ways a pub makes money. Hey ho. Got us home more quickly and saved us a round or two.