Shropshire born comedian says ahead of Fringe appearance: "All emerging artist should be on benefits"
Dru Cripps is a Oswestry born clown now living in London. He's been on the TV, had rave five star reviews and even debuted his clown shows on tours on the London West End... but now he finds himself back on Universal Credit.
As fringe festival's cost continue to rise, cost of living crisis continue to mount and arts funding is all but being ignored even by our new labour government, Dru, like many artists, secretly relies on benefit hand outs in-between work.
Cripps said: "I refuse to get any other job - just because the arts isn't deemed valuable by the powers at be, it doesn't mean that I don't deem art essential. It is essential, essential to my life and those that need a laugh. It can be very difficult as a young artist to cut out a route into the arts - universal credit has been essential to my success and this show is an homage to that. If the government refuses to contribute to the arts, I refuse to contribute to the government. I'll take what support they aren't giving us via other means."
Dru Cripps: Druniversal Credit
Fresh off London's West End, musical clown Dru Cripps is once again unemployed. That's ok, though he was recently crowned winner of the Dabbers Bingo Comedy Caller Contest, and he knows his way around Universal Credit.
Building on last year's multiple sold-out Edinburgh Fringe run, Pickle Bin, Cripps brings together some of his favourite characters for a fresh take on (un)employment, life as an artist, and his old friend: Universal Credit.
Dru Cripps is Your Friend with Benefits. Help him find a job by coming to his new show!
Dru Cripps: Druniversal Credit, will be at the Edinburgh Fringe, Hoots @ Potterrow, Wee Yurt, 2-12 August.
By Dru Cripps - Contributor
