John Robertson of The Dark Room answers 10 Edinburgh Fringe Questions
We talk to John Robertson, creator of hit show The Dark Room, now refreshed for a third year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
1. Tell us about your career so far. Are you happy with where you're at?
Well, The Dark Room went viral in Feb 2012, then came to Fringe as a live show - the whole month was nuts, I had to crowd-surf to get into my venue! Hat Trick commissioned a follow-up web series, which was fun. Dark Room had great Fringes in 2013 and 2014 and now is back for the third year at Underbelly Cowgate with NEW LEVELS AND GRAPHICS AND CHALLENGES AND TORMENTS RRRAGGGGRHRHHRHRHRHRHRAGHRGAHRGAHRGHARGHARGHARGHAGRHAGRHAGRH. I did London Comic Con this year and UK Games Expo and Dysprosium London; all the biggest UK fan/geek/sci-fi/gaming events.
Things are fine.
2. Describe your show in exactly 23 words.
"YOU AWAKE TO FIND YOURSELF IN A DARK ROOM." Post-apocalyptic game show. 80s videogame throwback. Cult smash. DARREN! GO NORTH. WHY?
3. Why are you putting yourself through this famously stressful experience?
My show is a famously stressful experience for audiences. I like that.
4. Any cunning plans to get more punters in?
My show's the only one where you'll be safe from the radiation.
5. How much money do you think you'll lose/make this year?
Money isn't important; didn't you hear about the radiation?
6. What's your weirdest past Fringe experience?
I'm everyone's weirdest Fringe experience.
7. What other shows are you hoping to see?
Radiation.
8. If you took over programming a venue, what would you perfect line-up of comedians be?
They'd be people who knew how to escape a dark room!
9. Name the one person you'd rather not bump into during the festival.
I bump into everyone; we're in a dark room!
10. Why should audiences pick your show over the 1,700+ other comedy offerings at this year's festival?
Because mine's the strangest show with the widest appeal for reasons even I don't entirely get!
'John Robertson - The Dark Room: Symphony of a Floating Head' is at 8:40pm at Underbelly, Cowgate on 6-30 August. Listing
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