Becky Umbers is performing at the the Edinburgh Fringe Fsetival. Photo: Becky Umbers
Comedian Becky Umbers is 'exhausted to the to the point of delirium', after three weeks putting on a show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Her show is called Big bad Beck and the Three Little Pigs so-called because: "I always wanted my life to be a fairy tale, but it's turned out to be more of a nursery rhyme," she tells RNZ's Nights.
Life in Edinburgh at the moment is largely nocturnal, she said.
"I'm currently talking to you in my pyjamas, and it is almost midday, I've become nocturnal, I am exhausted to the to the point of delirium."
Her day starts hustling on Edinburgh's streets trying to fill seats at her show.
"You kind of flyer for an hour before your show, just you standing on the street, trying to get people to come to the show because people are wandering around looking for something to do.
"And then you do your show, and then you'll do it like, maybe some line-up spots, a little spot on another show."
Kiwi reticence doesn't help with self-promotion, she said.
"It is so anti-Kiwi, I approach people with the vibe of when I say, 'hey, do you want to come see a comedy show?' The vibe I am giving is like, 'sorry to bother you.'
"It has been a real journey to, I don't know, not try and shrink myself down and be like, Oh, don't bother people, keep to yourself, tall poppy sort of thing. And just be like, actually, my show is great. Come see it, you'll love it."
Umbers is part of a healthy Kiwi contingent at the Fringe.
"There's a flat of about nine of them. A lot of the accommodation is uni halls, because obviously Edinburgh uni students are away at the moment because it's summer, and so they rent out the halls to comedians and people doing the fringe.
"So, there's a flat of about nine comedians all in the student hall. So it's kind of like uni again."
She's seen some of the best stand-up, best "wacky comedy" and the best cabaret, so picking her Fringe favourite is no easy task.
"I did love Mat Ewins show, that was amazing, he's a British comic who does stand-up comedy, but with a lot of multimedia stuff."
Her on show has gone down well at the Fringe, she said.
"I found all the crowds to be really lovely. And I'm really enjoying doing the show."
