The Old Fart's festival guide to surviving the Fringe: Dream big

You have to feel for them: the performers here for the first time believing that this will be the beginning of a glorious, glittering career in the theatre and television. Chris Bratt tells their stories

Spare some time for street theatre and the folks handing out flyers – they could be the next big thing (PA)

The streets are full of them. They are handing out the leaflets – the flyers – that advertise their shows. If they come up here expecting every one of their shows to have capacity audiences, they will be disappointed. Successfully selling your show to disinterested passers by on the Royal Mile is an art form in its own right. And I'm sure they all realise that.

There are, of course, countless examples of success: maybe 10 years ago, we saw Tom Allen's first Edinburgh show in perhaps the smallest venue in the Gilded Balloon with 10 other people; we suffered as Alun Cochrane begin his comedy journey in the smoked-filled, sweaty basement of the Tron Pub; “Showstopper! The Improvised Musical”, which opened in a 40-seater portacabin in George Square, now, 10 years on and an Olivier Award to boot, is filling the 700+ Pleasance Grand.

So far we have seen three comedians who have made it: Henning Wehn, (“Westphalia is not an Option”) is the German ambassador of comedy – irony intended; Joseph Murpurgo, whose shows get more technically complex, manic and hilarious, year on year (“Hammerhead”); and Simon Evans (“Genius”) who, at 52, is beginning to realise that he is displaying some of the traits that we real old farts recognise as normal. All recommended!

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

On Friday, we met a very personable young student on the Meadows, Alex Morris, who told us about his offering on the Free Fringe in the basement of The Cuckoo's Nest pub. As we had nothing booked at that time, we went. We two were his entire audience. The day before, he'd had three lads who managed not to respond in any way to his very engaging five character sketch show, “Apologies”. Some characters were inevitably stronger than others – the 'so busy mother' and politician in particular.

This is his first solo show and all those like him here need an audience to react to, but he was happy just to be in Edinburgh, honing his craft! Apparently, a hen party in the pub upstairs agreed to go see him sometime early next week, presumably if they remember and have sobered up. I teased him about the genuine review on his flyer – “I'm pretty sure he is the future of British comedy”: as I joked, if he is the future of comedy I'm glad I saw the past. Nonetheless we parted good friends.

Alex Morris, with his show, Apologies

Two companies, Laughing Horse and PBH organise Free Fringe programmes and between them offer 17,000 shows in 80 locations. Not all the performers are first-timers, many professionals appear as well. But all are worth supporting: don't be afraid to fall into any of the venues and take a punt on what you'll experience. You could be witnessing the birth of a career. And if you've witnessed a car crash performance, you don't need to leave much in the bucket at the door.

As with all branches of the performing arts, many are called, but only a few are chosen. For those who do have faith, stamina and the will to succeed, Edinburgh is often where it all begins. Good luck to them all. Please give them your support.

By all means book a few shows up front, but leave gaps in your schedule so that you can go to shows recommended in queues, bars and cafés. And be able to have time to engage with all those trying to “sell” their shows to you.

But beware the Sunday trap: a few years ago, I noticed that Schubert's Mass in C was being performed (free non-ticketed) on a Sunday morning at Old St Paul’s Church at with free entry. So along I went only to find that it was an actual mass with Schubert’s music interspersed as intended. It lasted nearly two hours, but was highly dramatic with bells, incense, processions with the music of the mass played and sung in the right liturgical context. Of course it was free, duh! There was no such service yesterday, but at least this year on 13th, 20th and 27th they are listed as Festival High Masses, which should be enough of a clue. Book your Sunday lunch for a little later than I did!

Only saw two shows last night but spent a considerable time filling in the diary for this week and buying the tickets at the Friend's hut.

As I sit here composing this, a young boy from the apartment block opposite has set out his stall in the street selling his scones to passers-by. Wearing a t-shirt with the logo “dream BIG”, he puts up his umbrella when it rains. Is he setting out to be the next Mr Sainsbury? This is the Fringe spirit personified