Weareuncalledfor
Weareuncalledfor
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Taking a sketch show to the Fringe without losing your mind

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Everyone is enthusiastic eight months out. Six weeks out, someone is handwriting flyers at three in the morning and the run has not sold a single ticket. The distance between those two moments is planning, and most of it is unglamorous.

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Work backwards from opening night

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Sketch rewards repetition, so protect the final month for performing rather than writing. A rough shape that has served us well:

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  • Six months out: freeze the running order, name the show, set a ticket target you can defend out loud.
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  • Four months out: apply for the room, register the show, book accommodation before prices climb.
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  • Ten weeks out: first full run-throughs, then a small invited audience to find the flat bits.
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  • Two weeks out: previews, tech, and a flyering rota split across the whole company.
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Where the money actually goes

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Venue hire is rarely the largest line. Registration fees, insurance, accommodation, and printing eat more than most companies anticipate. Build in a contingency of fifteen percent, and agree early who absorbs a loss if the run underperforms.

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Choose a room you can fill

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A two-hundred-seat venue looks impressive until it is a third full. A smaller room with tight sightlines and a warm crowd beats a cavernous one every time. Ask about get-in times, storage, and whether technician hours are included before you sign anything.

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Still mapping yours out?

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We run a planning session each spring and are always happy to read a budget, argue about running orders, or talk through a venue shortlist.

\n Get in touch\n
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