Comedians offer support to actor after only one person attends Edinburgh show

Well-known comedians have offered their support to an actor after she posted that only one person attended her one-woman play at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Actor and writer Georgie Grier posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “There was one person in my audience today when I performed my one woman play, ‘Sunsets’ at #edfringe. It’s fine, isn’t it? It’s fine…?”

The post, which included a photo of the actor crying, caught the attention of comedians Dara O Briain and Jason Manford.

O Briain replied: “We’ve ALL done it. Soon, you’ll dine out on this anecdote.

“More than once I had to buy my audience a drink, as a thank you for being the only ones there.

“Best thing though, it’s all stage time, and the show will get better every single time, ready for the big crowds later!.”

Manford replied with a video message, in which he said: “It’s absolutely normal…for one person to rock up to your show, especially at the beginning of Edinburgh, and also for you to be a bit upset or annoyed or pissed off about it.

“That’s totally fine as well.

“I did Edinburgh in 2004-5 and I remember [the] first couple of shows, the first week I think, was just, it was such a slog and I was out in the rain and I was flyering and people weren’t coming.

“I got total impostor syndrome. How much is this costing me? What am I doing here?

“Look at all these amazing people. How embarrassing that…nobody’s turned up but, you know what, you’re on the path and it’s just the start, that’s all.”

He told Ms Grier that “tomorrow will be better and next week will be better…so just enjoy yourself, if you can”.

Among the other public figures to reply to Ms Grier was Member of the House of Lords Daniel Finkelstein and astronomer and television presenter Mark Thompson.

Mr Thompson said: “I’ve seen amazing shows with really poor audience numbers.

“Just because there was just one audience member doesn’t mean your show isn’t awesome. believe in yourself but maybe it’s the poster/marketing?”

Lord Finkelstein said: “I went to Norwich to give a speech and it took me 4hrs of travel.There were only 2 people there.

“One of them was the person who invited me. I asked the other person to join the cause I was there to support. He said he would, but it might interfere with the terms of his parole.”

Ms Grier later thanked those offering their support and shared the details of her Edinburgh Fringe Festival show, Sunsets, which she described as “about rom coms but also family”.