Press only really take notice if someone famous cares about this, so if you've done a bit more telly than me, chuck us an RT

A THREAD ON WHY WE NEED TO #SaveMonkeyBarrel @BarrelComedy

@theskinnymag @thelistmagazine @CreativeScots @TheScotsman @guardian @MetroScotland

1/ It’s really easy to forget this venue is about 4 years old. It’s a baby – a really fucking overachieving baby. In that time it’s become a 7 day a week venue (pre bat-disease) and is fast becoming the coolest place at the fringe

2/They are the only reason me & several others can afford to do the Fringe. People may have heard comics say ‘only lost £3000 this august, that’s a successful fringe’ & think that’s a joke. Losing £3000 isn’t bad going and it’s not uncommon when doing the fringe. MB changed that.

3/ Monkey barrel let their acts keep ALL of their bucket money at the end of shows, and offer them the most considerable cut of presales that certainly I have heard of. It means comics can MAKE money; not ‘just’ lose £3000, but MAKE money, as if it’s their – you know – job…

4/They've some of the most interesting lineups at the fringe. Okay, that’s subjective. What’s less subjective is that they categorically take punts on newer/alt acts. I’m one of those, & I got to do my first fringe in a room to full audiences. I owe a lot of that to the venue

5/ It’s not just about us clowns obviously – their fringe shows are all ‘pay what you want’, meaning the essence of what fringe was when it began, remains. It’s accessible for everyone, not *just* your rich old auntie from Surrey who’s up for august for some ‘CULCHAH DARLING’

6/The staff are AMAZING. Just amazing. The bloodstream of place and the consistent compliment from acts and audiences alike. This venue is their livelihood.

7/I did my first gig here, my first hosting job here, my first regular hosting job here, my first Fringe here, so it holds a special place in my heart, but I know it’s that special place for so many other people too.

8/I’ve watched @chunks #ProjectX & @acms alt comedy to the stage and it be nurtured, by the same club who can entertain a group of stag&hens at the weekend. So few clubs can say they pull off both, & not just pull that off but ACTIVELY seek to have dedicated avant garde nights

9/ I’m gushing a bit now, but I’m only doing so so that we don’t lose sight of what this means to people, during August *and year round*. Their stream is happening this Saturday and you can watch by donating to their Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/monkey-barrel-comedy

10/ I can’t finish this ramble by asking for money (although that’s the important bit, sorry) – so I’ll finish by saying the following:

11/ I want to see @liamWithnail hostwednesday and Sundays again, and @rickmolland host his weekends. I want to see @johnsfurcoat, @fernbrady, @jenbrister and @edgamble next august, I want to see @spencerjones do a midnight disco every night for a month...

12/ ... I want to see @LouSanders do a show with a fricken orgonite onstage with her, I want to see @ameliabayler ayler shout ‘sexy bitch’ in an old man’s face, I want to see @OliverLColeman an ask a nazi if he was just upset because he’d never won a Palm D’Or...

13/ We only get to see this weird and wonderful things in live comedy, and the magic of the room, and boy is this a magical room. #SaveMonkeyBarrel and donate