A design classic in the making, here are the Socks Edinburgh flyers since 2007, laid out on the desk in my studio, including the latest, fresh out of the design mill. It's fun to see how they've changed over the years.
That first one, from 2007, makes me cringe. It wasn't until the following year that the Socks had any costumes whatsoever, and even then they spent most of the show naked. By 2009 they'd perfected the costume changes that are now their trademark, two of which they wear proudly on the 3rd flyer, and by 2010 we had the Star Wars costumes, as you can see.
The flyers, and my on-street technique, have always played a major part on the show's success. I've maintained, since my very first Fringe show with The Sitcom Trials in 2011, that 300 flyers given out in a day should turn into 30 bums on seats, a 10% hit rate, and I still think that holds true. Though over the years the competition has got stiffer. Certainly over those first four years (07-10) the Socks audiences grew steadily, giving a wonderful rising graph and an ever-growing collection of sellout emblems. Then we took 2011 off, and when we returned...
2012's Boo Lingerie, which is still one of my favourite titles though nobody but nobody else seems to like it, suffered from taking place in Olympic year, when every show took a hit. Our audiences were so far down on 2010's high it was embarrassing. Worse, we'd also agreed to do a kids show in the morning, which meant we had a double-sided flyer (you can only see one side here, the other "Chunky Woolen Nits" being a rehash of 2009's flyer), and split our available audience in two. We ended up getting almost exactly as many bums on seats as we had two years ago, but had to do twice as many shows to get them!
2013's Socks In Space is a favourite show and a favourite flyer - with audiences rising again to match - and 2014's ...And So Am I satire show was another triumph, despite the laziest flyer of all (virtually a repeat of 2009's, with a new guitar). And so to 2015's Minging Detectives...
Ta-daa. I think we have another winner here, I look forward to it doing the work. And look, the Gilded Balloon's celebrating 30 years at Edinburgh - and I've been doing shows there for half that time. Here's to us, now to a) design the back of the flyer and b) write the bloody show!
UPDATE. The back. (Still not written the show):
The Socks do new material from Minging Detectives, and the best of their recent satire, on tour
Apr 4 Rondo Bath Comedy Festival
Apr 18 Ropewalk Barton
Apr 24 Neath NRG Cafe
May 15 Exchange Keighley
May 22 & 23 Brighton Komedia
June 25 Cheltenham
June 27 Old Joint Stock Birmingham
July 17 Carriageworks Leeds
July 19 - Sheffield New Barrack Tavern
July 23 - Spread Eagle Croydon
July 25 - Bedford Fringe
Aug 5 - 31 10.30pm Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe
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