Fringe performer rapped for breaking health and safety rules

Published on Friday 13 August 2010 12:40

A FRINGE performer promoting his stand-up act by blowing bubbles in a city centre shopping centre was turfed out for breaching health and safety rules.

John Convey, aka Sido's Eklektic Fix, was advertising his comedy show set in a launderette by carrying a cardboard cut-out washing machine and filling the air with soapy bubbles when St James Centre security staff pounced yesterday afternoon.

The comedian, who is making his debut at the Fringe, said their actions well and truly burst his bubble.

"They said I am now banned for life (from the centre] and that they would call the police," said Mr Convey, who is from Wembley in North London. "I told them to call the police because all I was doing was blowing bubbles."

Mr Convey claimed he was confronted by security guards complaining about how "dangerous" the bubbles were, particularly on a wet and slippy day.

"I was a bit frightened when it happened and had the feeling I was going to be knocked to the ground," he said. "I was not running amok breaking glass or anything but they told me to get out and that I could blow bubbles outside. It was funny I suppose but at the same time it wasn't."

But a St James Centre spokesperson said the Fringe act had not been authorised to market his show in the shopping centre and denied Mr Convey was threatened with arrest or a ban.

"We have our own festival calendar of events and our own performers in the centre and he came in and just started to perform," said the spokesperson. "Because he had bubbles which were getting on the floor and it was a wet day it broke health and safety (rules] and he was asked to leave. Bubbles on a wet floor is not a good combination. We told him he could perform outside but he was not told he would be arrested."

Greenhorn comedian Mr Convey only discovered he had a talent for wisecracks while giving talks as part of an intensive English language course in Spain. "I was talking to a lot of Spanish people about quite serious sporting themes but everyone just kept laughing so I started trying it out at the five-minute circuit in London," he said.

John Convey's Fringe show Sido's Eklektic Fix features several stand-up comedians, including himself, in a mocked-up launderette. It runs until August 31 at Laughing Horse in Edinburgh City Football Club from 11pm-midnight and entry is free.