Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024
COMEDY (DEBUT, Stand-Up, LGBT+)
Mick Perrin presents
Mark Bittlestone: I Need a Straight Guy*
*Not in a romantic way – you’re all mingers and perves
Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome)
Dates: 31 July – 26 August
Time: 21:40 (60 mins)
London, 2024. The best city in the world to be gay in. So why does Mark still find it hard (being gay that is…)?
Best known for his hilarious and scathing takedown clips of the gay male experience with 200k+ followers across social media, Mark Bittlestone is looking for a straight guy in his debut Edinburgh hour. As the only* gay comedian, Mark uses his unique perspective to explore the continuing obsession with popping queer people in boxes – boxes it can be frustrating to wrestle out of when you just want to watch the football and have a pint.
Could it possibly be that a decade of lying to himself and everyone else about who he was has made it difficult for him to form meaningful relationships? Is it possible that a very heteronormative upbringing left him ill-equipped to embrace his queerness – and, quite literally, even find gay men to sh*g?
We speak a lot about coming out, but less about what to do once you’ve done that. If all of your friends are heterosexual men in their mid-20s doing their accountancy qualifications, where do you actually meet gay guys? If you feel more at home drinking beer and watching football, how do you go about assimilating into queer culture?
After the pandemic Mark decided to stop being – in his words – “a 50 year old heterosexual man” – and threw himself onto the queer scene: raves, brunches, pride, you name it. This is a show about how that has gone.
Maybe you’ve seen him on Grindr and thought “hot AND funny”? Heard him be both on Dirty Laundry, his hit podcast with flatmate, bestie and fellow comic Jamie DSouza? Spotted him in real life at the UK’s biggest comedy clubs or at his regular queer line-up night LGBTeeHeeHee. Then don’t even think about missing Mark’s debut stand-up hour I Need a Straight Guy – just make sure to bring your straight mates too, yeah?
*no-one tell Mark, he’s having such a lovely time.
“Bittlestone is magnificent” GScene
“Never have I seen such a stylish middle finger pointed at homophobia.” Broadway Baby ★★★★★
Shortlist BBC New Comedy Awards 2022
Website: www.markbittlestone.com
Insta: @markbittlestone
Twitter: @markbittlestone
TikTok: @markbittlestone
Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome)
Dates: 31 July – 26 August
Time: 21:40 (60 mins)
Age Recommendation and Content Warnings
18+, Scenes of a sexual nature, strong language/swearing
Tickets
£12/£11 Weekdays | £14/£13 Weekends | £10 Previews
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/mark-bittlestone-i-need-straight-guy-fringe-preview
Mick Perrin Worldwide
Mick Perrin Worldwide are an Olivier, Emmy and Edinburgh Festival Award winning boutique agency who promote, produce and manage incredible and diverse comedians in the UK and around the world. Touring clients include Eddie Izzard, Ross Noble, Julian Clary, Maisie Adam, Anuvab Pal, Grace Campbell, Reginald D Hunter and Rhys Nicolson.
MPW work with new talent and household names in venues from clubs and arts centre to large capacity theatres and arenas. Recognising that each artist is unique, we work with the best directors, designers, tour managers, PRs and marketeers in the business to produce work of the highest quality and bespoke live experiences for our acts and audiences.
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