Edinburgh is all about the show. You write it, redraft, hone, preview and then perform. And then there's the setting up and storing down, flyering, more writing, interviews and publicity, extra flyering and eventually shoving a sandwich down your cake hole if you have the time (normally after midnight on Nicolson Street).

The festival is one bonkers big bubble, and a break from that is preferable. Nay, a necessity. With that in mind, I arrange to meet comedian Sam Fletcher for tea.

The 25-year-old, from London, is an actor, magician, illustrator and all-round funny chap. He's in Edinburgh with his solo debut show, Good On Paper, which is described as "divvy magic" and "low-fi artistry".

We meet at 5pm-ish (relatively early when you're operating on that well-known phenomenon called Edinburgh Time) in the Pleasance Dome for a bite to eat. Almost immediately, we are flyered... but more about that particular art form later on.

"It's the first year I've been reviewed and I've decided not to read them," says Fletch. "Well, I've read two because my dad was up and asked if I had seen any, so we had a look and found a two-star!"

"I've heard a rumour there's a four-star somewhere, so that's very nice. Reviews are important, both for audiences and as a performer; they give you an insight into how what you are doing is being perceived."

But Fletch is simply happy that people are seeing his show. "It's brilliant, and their response is what counts. A small audience is just as important as a large one, and you learn from it every time. When you sense people are enjoying themselves, it's great."

Fletch is sharing a flat with fellow comic Holly Burn for the duration of the festival. The temptation, you would imagine, would be to analyse and discuss. And while this has happened, they are also watching comedy DVDs. Lots of them. "We've been watching a lot of Garry Shandling . He has a very British sense of humour. I always feel guilty about watching DVDs because I feel like I should be working. Yes, I suppose it's research but it is so close to relaxing too, so I'm watching a lot while I'm up here. But I essentially still feel guilty."

Fletch first visited Edinburgh seven years ago, before he went off to drama school. It was the year he met Tim Key, Tom Basden, Alex Horne and more. Key and Basden were forming Freeze, the pair's shambolic double act, and Fletch has teched every gig since. (He also teched Key's award-winning Slutcracker.)

That formative Fringe made the then teenage Fletch realise that comedy was where he wanted to be. He credits Key & Co with helping him define his own style. "The stuff I do is of the same ilk as Key and Horne; slightly off-kilter, but knowingly so. It's shambolic in the sense it's rambly, but there's form. You have to let people know there's structure. There's a lot of my personality in what I do."

His 'type' of comedy was showcased in a recent BBC pilot, For The Win. It's hoped it will be picked up for more episodes.

2011 was a year off for Fletch, but he couldn't resist the lure of the festival. "I couldn't cope with not being there, so I stayed for a week," he says. "Edinburgh is not normality, of course. It's its own little bubble. The first week is absolutely amazing and you want to live the rest of your life like this. The second kicks in. You are so tired and you're asking yourself, 'what the fuck am I doing?'. The third week is where you want it to last just a little bit longer."

And now he's back again, with a debut solo show. Good On Paper is on the Free Fringe; a deliberate decision. "I wanted to cut my teeth without all that responsibility. The Free Fringe is a really calm experience. Doing one of the 'Big 4', there's a pressure. The only pressure I have is what I put on myself.

"There's a massive juggernaut behind the festival, but I don't worry about that. I want to make sure my show is the best I can make it, regardless of the venue. But the Free Fringe is lovely, and the venue staff are amazing. It's also great because I'm getting paid at the door, which is very useful!"

We talk about acting for a little while. Fletch enjoyed drama school but knew he wanted to make people laugh. "The job of an actor is strange," he says. "My girlfriend is a veterinary nurse, and that's a 'real' job. But it's not like I'm only working for one hour a day. You have to set up the show and promote it."

"I draw every day too, for my own benefit as much as to lay out ideas." Indeed, Fletch has drawn for British Comedy Guide. It's an illustration of what we ate for tea. Thank you, Fletch.

Which brings me nicely onto his unique way of getting audiences. "I take an easel, two chairs and a sign that reads 'Portraits for 50p' to the Meadows, and then I pay people to draw my portrait. The best was a two-year-old girl called Ellie. She was really concentrating, sticking out her tongue and frowning. When I looked at what she'd done, it was just a circle.

"It may sound that I'm sort-of paying for people to come to my show," he adds, grinning. "It definitely works. One lady brought her dog along - even if it did start retching halfway through."

'Sam Fletcher: Good On Paper' is on the Free Fringe at Bannermans, on Cowgate, at 12:30pm daily. Follow him on Twitter at @mongooseking