Interview: Jake Donaldson, ‘Spectacle’

Ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024, we’re chatting with a range of creatives who will be heading to the city over August to find out more about their shows. Today we’re chatting with visually impaired comedian Jake Donaldson about their show Spectacle.

Can you tell us a bit about you and your career so far.

I started writing and performing comedy at University in 2012 when I was 18 and have gone on to become a professional stand-up comic. I’ve performed at comedy clubs all over the UK, and have taken three previous solo hours to the Edinburgh Fringe. My 2022 show Neurotica went on to tour the UK and is now available to stream on Amazon Prime and NextUp Comedy.

I always enjoyed watching comedy with my parents when I was little, and when I was a teenager I would spend all my pocket money on Stand-Up DVDs or tickets to see comedians rather than CDs and clothes like most of my friends. When I moved away to university in Leeds, I joined the Comedy Society at my Student Union and met other like-minded people my age – together we put on sketch and stand-up shows, and encouraged each other to write material and perform it ourselves. I got the bug then, and ever since I’ve been pursuing stand-up comedy as a passion and a career.

What is your show about?

Spectacle is about my experiences coming to terms with my visual impairment and my sight loss journey. Alongside the signature anecdotal and self-deprecating stand up style that I’ve become known for, Spectacle will also feature unique uses of light, sound and magic to create a truly sensory experience for audiences.

What was the inspiration for Spectacle and what’s the development process been to get to this stage?

My eyesight is something that I’ve had to deal with my whole life, but it’s since I turned 30 last year that I’ve really faced the reality of being visually impaired and what that means for my future. I started writing the show after I had to go into the hospital for some tests when I noticed my vision getting worse, and since then I’ve continued to work on the show as I learned more about my eyes and the condition I’ve been diagnosed with. I’ve taken work-in-progress versions of the show to Leicester Comedy Festival, Brighton Fringe, and Newcastle Fringe and now I’m really excited to bring the finished work to the Edinburgh Fringe!

What made you want to take Spectacle to the Fringe?

The Fringe is the home of solo stand-up shows and is an amazing place to share new work with a comedy-savvy audience. I love taking my shows to Edinburgh and as soon as I decided I wanted to make Spectacle I knew I wanted to bring it to the Fringe.

Apart from seeing Spectacle, what’s your top tip for anybody heading for Edinburgh this summer?

 My top tip for anyone heading to the Fringe is always to take a chance on shows by acts you haven’t heard of before. Its great fun to hang around the big venues and catch the comedians you love from the TV, but there’s so much excellent comedy on offer in the smaller venues and on the Free Fringe/Free Festival as well. Leave some gaps in your schedule, let yourself be flyered for things and you might discover a hidden gem that really feels like a proper fringe experience.

Oh, also get a wrap from Burrito & Shake at some point, they’re great.

Why should people book Spectacle?

If people want a comedy show with solid laughs all the way through but that also has some heart then this is the show for them. Spectacle feels like a new level of performance for me, and it is a show that I’m incredibly proud of. I think it will give audiences a new sense of perspective about how they see the world - literally - as well as an hour of laughs.

When and where can people see Spectacle?

Spectacle is on every day from 1st-25th August (not 12th) at 18:40 at The Mash House, just off Cowgate.