EPCC debuts at the Edinburgh Fringe

Here at EPCC's base in the heart of Edinburgh, it’s impossible not to notice festival season. People in elaborate costumes hand out flyers, street performers juggle increasingly random and dangerous objects, and stalls serving food from around the world seem to pop up on every corner.

Festival season in Edinburgh is a collection of at least four different festivals running semi-concurrently over the summer, but perhaps the most famous is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe legendary for launching countless comedians' careers.  

It’s estimated that it would take over 150 days to watch every show in the Fringe, and that’s without stopping to eat or sleep! 

The Provocateurs

University research might not sound like obvious comedy material, but each year the University of Edinburgh’s Public Engagement team proves otherwise. 

The Provocateurs is a unique series of shows that pairs researchers with a comedian host to create an engaging and thought-provoking event. Each show features a short talk from two different researchers (normally on two very different topics) and a discussion session chaired by the comedian host. 

The result is a lively mix of controversial ideas, audience interaction, and a dash of comedy. It’s a fascinating way to hear stories from the forefront of research, presented in a clear and accessible way, and to share your own views and put your questions directly to the researchers.

EPCC at the Fringe

This year, I took to The Provocateurs’ stage with a talk on the global history of air pollution. My session encouraged the audience to think beyond the usual headlines about health impacts and to explore the many other ways air pollution shapes our lives. 

Did you know that in Beijing pollution used to be so bad that rainbows didn’t form? Or that the days when the pollution cleared away were celebrated as “blue skies” days?   

I performed two shows at the Stand Comedy club, the first hosted by comedian Jay Lafferty, and the second by The Provocateurs superstar Susan Morrison. 

The comedians chaired a lively discussion, with the audience contributing excellent questions ranging from the challenges of international air pollution, which ignores country boundaries, to the problem of grouse-moor burning in Scotland.

Although no stranger to public engagement, this was the first time I had attempted a comedy show. Thankfully I was well supported by the University of Edinburgh’s Public Engagement team, who ran a series of training sessions which explained how to make talks engaging, gave tips on stagecraft, and outlined the importance of props and demos to bring ideas to life.

Catch other The Provocateurs shows

The Provocateurs shows run throughout the Festival, and cover a huge range of topics from children’s attitudes to money, the history of the cervical smear test, and the pros and cons of urban camping. 

Check out the full line-up here: Provocateurs at the Fringe.