Interviews

Interview: Angela Barnes, Rose-Tinted

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Angela Barnes is a down-to-earth, personable stand-up comedian who has been going from strength to strength in recent years. She has hosted the Radio 4 series NewsJack, as well being one of the generous comics behind the The Home Safe Collective, a charity that ensures female, trans and non-binary comics and performers have safe transport home from late gigs at the Edinburgh Fringe. MoodyComedy spoke to Angela about her new show, Rose-Tinted.

© Matt Crockett

Hey Angela, what’s changed since we last spoke?

Hello! Well one of the main things that has happened since we last spoke is that I handed over the hosting duties on NewsJack to the excellent Kiri Pritchard-McLean. I did 4 series and absolutely loved it – but it was time to move on to other things and let someone else have a go! Since then, I’ve made a second series of my Radio 4 show You Can’t Take It With You which aired in January and I still keep popping up on The News Quiz and Mock The Week etc.

What is the greatest compliment you’ve received about your comedy recently?

I wouldn’t usually like to boast, I’m not one for retweeting praise, for a start, it does no good for my self-deprecating image. But recently, when the second series of my Radio 4 show You Can’t Take It With You aired, Kathy Burke tweeted ‘I loved it too. You’re like the daughter I didn’t have because I didn’t want kids either,’ and I knew I could die happy. I am such a big fan of Kathy, that that was the highest compliment I could ever hope for.

How did you find the writing process for your new show, Rose-Tinted?

I really enjoyed writing this show. I think that because I’m doing a bit more radio and telly now, people have an idea of what I am about, and so I can now write a show without worrying about having to establish where I’m coming from at the start. That is very freeing and means I can get on with whatever it is I want to bang on about. I had a lot of fun in the process of putting this show together, and am really looking forward to getting it out on the road.

How has your mission to become more positive in the face of all the world’s negativity been going so far? Any advice?

Hahaha – I am not the person to come to for advice on looking for the positive. I wanted to try to look on the bright side in this show, but, spoiler alert, I don’t always succeed. Having said that, it has made me more aware of when I am catastrophising and to try to reign it in and look for the roses growing through all the shit. Though the world seems pretty determined to make it as hard as possible to do that…

Are there any places or venues that you are particularly excited to visit during your tour this year?

I’m always excited going to places I haven’t been before, so if anyone has any hot tips on visiting Market Drayton, Burton on Trent or Sudbury – hit me up! I always look forward to playing my hometown, the Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone – I used to watch panto there every year as a kid, so it is so weird to be on that stage.  And wherever I go, I always look for the nearest nuclear bunker to visit – it’s kinda my thing – so need to do my research on that before I hit the road!

What have you learned about yourself or your craft over the past year?

2018 was a very busy year, which is great. I like being busy – doesn’t give my brain time to get too bogged down. I am finding my place in the comedy world I think – it’s so hard when you start out to know where you belong. 6 years ago, I wouldn’t have thought I’d be a topical comedian, or appearing on political shows – but it seems to be where I thrive, and I’m grateful that topical comedy found me. I have no grand plans – I am just enjoying the ride. I think this last year has taught me two things 1) hard work pays off and 2) I’m incredibly lucky to be able to do this, and I don’t want to ever lose sight of that. I get paid to muck about with excellent people. What a fluke.

What are your main hopes for this 2019 tour?

My main hopes are that people come along and have as much fun watching the shows as me and my brilliant support act, Phil Jerrod, have doing them.

BOOK TICKETS FOR ANGELA BARNES’ TOUR HERE

Interview: Stuart Goldsmith, End Of

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Stuart Goldsmith is embarking on a UK tour of his latest stand-up hour, End Of. MoodyComedy had a chat with Stu about the crafting of his latest show, becoming a Dad again and being an interviewer of fellow comedians…

© Matt Crockett

Who is the comedian ‘Stuart Goldsmith’ these days?

Hah, nicely open question – these days he’s a touring act who’s managing to escape the circuit; he’s a father of two who is asking himself big questions about the next five years worth of work before both kids are flying a desk, e.g. working day-job hours at school; and he’s a slightly heavier man than before, but with none of the jolliness you’re supposed to get.

And who is the interviewer ‘Stuart Goldsmith’ these days?

About 6 months ago I started to hit a bit of a plateau with the pod overall, and doubted my stamina to continue it. Now though, i’m hatching a secret-ish plot to apply the interview techniques and ways of thinking I’ve honed in 7 years of podcasting in a frighteningly different field, and it’s had a really invigorating effect on my feelings towards the original pod. Plus recent eps have been some of the best; Andi Osho, Jeff Innocent, Phil Ellis, Doc Brown – there’s been some superb interviews in the last few months, so I’m going nowhere!

And what about the comedy fan ‘Stuart Goldsmith, how’s he?

Oh god he’s EXHAUSTED. There’s just so much stuff these days, and I think since he’s been obsessively watching and analysing comedy full-time for years, it’s harder for him to get excited about the more common forms of standup outside of his own work. He’s much happier watching a turbo-clown push carrots up their nose or fight their way out of an axolotl costume than hearing another hot take on Brexit or online dating. In many ways he’s happy that comedy is such a huge part of culture, but he’s also rueful that he turned his favourite thing into such an all-encompassing job…

Where did this new show, End Of, come from and how has it developed since last year’s Edinburgh Fringe?

I think it came from getting stopped in my tracks by a sense of my own mortality. A friend was diagnosed with something serious, and I also started to ruminate on my own perceived transformation from vital young man to sleep-deprived husk. Exactly as I’d fantasised about in my 2015 show Extra Life, but less metaphorically and more finally…

The show is about feeling spent. Having said that I have now had a break and I’ve been enjoying doing “greatest hits” sets in clubs, it’s made me raring to get back to the scripted tour show and really bite down on it with fresh energy…

Is End Of more the product of sitting down and writing, or brainstorming on stage?

Glad you asked! I have refined the creative process to yet another extreme, doing almost all my “writing” for this one whilst in the car on the previous tour. I suppose my dream is to one day be able to live broadcast a single hilarious stream of consciousness, and take the rest of the year off! The best bits are always the extra toppers and tags I throw onto the end of a good bit when a show is going tremendously well, and I’m pleased to say there have been more and more of those recently. I’m forgetting more cracking little new bots than I’m carrying forward.

Have you had any negative or challenging experiences with your podcast, The Comedian’s Comedian, recently?

Just the constant gnawing anxiety, about booking, researching and preparing for interviews. It’s extraordinary, quite pointless and won’t seem to go away. 

What is the biggest revelation you’ve had in the past year?

If you need to dissolve a pill in liquid to administer via a syringe, you can do it IN THE SYRINGE rather than outside and then try and suck up the gritty bits. Mind-blowing. Oh, and probably something about a second child and love being infinite.

BOOK TICKETS FOR STUART GOLDSMITH’S TOUR HERE

Interview: Nick Revell, BrokenDreamCatcher

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Nick Revell is currently touring his latest show BrokenDreamCatcher on tour across the UK. With his trademark blend of realism and absurdity, Nick spoke to MoodyComedy about the development of his comedy and the thoughts behind his newest stand-up endeavour.

© Nick Revell

Hi Nick, how is 2019 treating you so far?

Hello MoodyComedy. 2019 is treating me pretty well so far, thanks. Apart from the prospect of environmental catastrophe, Brexit chaos, increasing global economic injustice and West Ham still lacking truly reliable strikers.

How did your new show BrokenDreamCatcher develop? How does it relate to your radio series of the same name?

I like writing structured stories, which mix the surreal and the everyday, and BrokenDreamCatcher was one of five or six I was putting together as solo shows and for the radio series. It’s the (true, of course) story of how my dreamcatcher breaks, all the bad dreams escape, and threaten to engulf the whole of North London in neurosis, fear and wholesale raving insanity. Luckily however, with the help of my pub darts partner, Gwyneth Paltrow, disaster is just about averted. It seemed like a good title for the series, but in fact in the end, the story is not in series one. It will air if we get a second series.

Who would most enjoy your comedy, and who do you think should give your comedy a try?

Well, I think anyone who likes a thriller or a fairy story with a twist or a satirical thread in their comedy might find them entertaining. You get topical stuff, you get satirical treatment of 4th century Christian hermits, you get fart jokes.

How has your comedy style evolved over your years in the business?

I guess you get more confident and more aware of what style and subjects suit you best. When you start out, you’re terrified, don’t really know what you’re doing and are imitating other people to some degree. None of that is wrong or avoidable, but as you go along, you find your own voice. I’m probably less ranty now, and more playful.

Where is your favourite place to perform?

The Stand – Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle. And the King’s Head, Crouch End.

What most excites you about taking BrokenDreamCatcher on tour?

Hm…well, it’s the first time in ages I’ve had the chance to run a full-length show outside the Edinburgh Festival, and in many ways doing a couple of hours on your own is much more satisfying than short sets of twenty to forty minutes. It’s a challenge, but you can take the audience to different places, and play with more tones and threads. And of course, you discover out more about the show yourself every night. There’s a real joy in finding new details and improving it bit by bit every gig.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

More shows in the same vien, I hope. I will definitely be back at the The Edinburgh Stand in August with a new one. I’ve written three so far. The Edinburgh show will probably be two of them mixed together – not sure of the title yet – could be Eurasia’s Most Eligible Sociopaths and Their Lovely Homes, possibly The Theme Park at the End of World, or maybe The Ministry of Thunderbolts and Lightning. Or, Kill Chicken, Scare Monkey. Or maybe Walk Fire Enter Demon. I’m looking at China, visiting the Underworld, and a political revolution triggered by irregularities in a Eurovision selection process.

BOOK TICKETS FOR NICK REVELL’S TOUR HERE

Interview: Paul McCaffrey, I Thought I’d Have Grown Out Of This By Now

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Paul McCaffrey is a stand up comedian with an abundance of live circuit experience, having performed all over the UK. He has also appeared on TV as one of the Impractical Jokers on BBC3, and performed the stand up spot on Russell Howard’s Good News. MoodyComedy spoke to Paul about his upcoming UK tour, I Thought I’d Have Grown Out Of This By Now.

© Brian Ritchie

Hey Paul, how are you?

I’m very well thank you. Just back off Holiday and ready to take on 2019. Really excited for my first tour!

What is the premise of your new show, I Thought I’d Have Grown Out Of This By Now?

It’s essentially a mix of my favourite bits from my Edinburgh shows to date as it’s my first ever tour, a ‘best of’ I guess. The majority of the show will be from a show I did in 2012 called ‘Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Belly Laughs’ which was about some friends and I going to a festival 20 years on from our first ever festival when we were older (too old) and wiser (not wise enough to realise this was a bad idea).

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced while crafting this latest show?

I guess what material to use and what to leave out. I’m very lucky to be in a position where I have more material than I need but it’s my first tour so I want it to be as good as possible.

Do you find you have a typical audience member or is your audience very diverse?

We’ll see, but I think my act is pretty accessible and I’d like to think anyone would enjoy it.

How do you tend to find your Cardiff audiences? Are you looking forward to playing our Glee Club in March?

I’ve always loved playing at the Glee Club on the weekend shows, it’s one of the best clubs in the country. I was at the Motorpoint Arena in November supporting Kevin Bridges and it was absolutely amazing. The last time I’d been in there was to watch Liam Gallagher so to get to perform on that stage myself was pretty cool. My mum is also Welsh so I definitely have a lot of love for Wales. I used to spend my summer holidays in Crickhowell as a kid and I have very fond memories of those times.

What would you like people to take away from your show; what do you want them to particularly remember?

I’d just like them to have a great evening really, nothing more than that, lots of big laughs and hopefully start to build and audience that will want to come out and see me again and again. I’ve spent a good few years headlining the various pubs and clubs on the circuit and supporting some of the biggest acts in the UK (Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Kevin Bridges) and would now like to step up a level and become a touring act myself.

What are your hopes for the next twelve months?

Just to keep improving as a comic and to hopefully get some more opportunities on TV. I would love to do Live at the Apollo and The Royal Variety Show particularly. Hopefully if I keep working and making audiences laugh, that will come. I’m heading up to the Edinburgh Festival again this year. I’m looking forward to that and I have an exciting radio project which is about to start which should be announced very soon.

BOOK TICKETS FOR PAUL MCCAFFREY’S TOUR HERE

Interview: George Lewis, A Man, A Plan, A Girl With Fake Tan

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George Lewis is about to take his latest show, A Man, A Plan, A Girl With Fake Tan, on tour around the UK, after a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe. MoodyComedy had a chat with George about his current hopes and fears…

© Richard Wood

Hey George, how did your 2018 Edinburgh run go? What was the highest point (other than Arthur’s Seat of course)?

Someone recognised me in the street and asked for an autograph. Turned out to be a case of mistaken identity in the end, but it was too late, I’d already taken my permanent marker to her kid.

Do you have any worries about taking your show A Man, A Plan, A Girl With Fake Tan on tour?

My wife’s nana is coming. I worry she won’t know how to behave at a gig and half way through will shout out something supportive. But I won’t be able to control my comic instincts. I’ll come back with an absolute zinger, completely humiliating her.

How has the content or structure of the show developed since your first performance of it?

On the 5th show, I forgot a bit so put it in later and it made the show much better. It was at that moment that I realised everything in life is down to chance and there’s no point planning anything. So I immediately went out and spent the house deposit I’d been saving for 10 years.

What, or who, would be your ideal audience?

Probably a gang of dogs. Then I could just throw some biscuits at them and take the hour off. They would leave very happy and I could go and get a massage or something.

How do you like to describe your comedy style? How has it changed since you first began performing?

I like to say I’m a very sexual performer.  I find that brings in a good audience. Perverts generally have loud laughs.

You’ve had a lot of experience performing in stand up competitions, what has this taught you about performing comedy?

It has taught me that there are so many amazing comedians out there, many of whom are not only talented, but lovely, kind people. And I intend to step on each and every one of them on my way to the top.

Where would you like to see yourself in a year’s time?

The thing that is keeping me up at night at the moment is the size of my baby. He’s massive. I worry that, if he keeps growing at this rate, a year from now he will be twice the size of me, but without the intellectual maturity to know he can’t just squeeze my face whenever he likes. At his current size, his face-squeezing is quite cute, even though it hurts a little bit. But a baby the size of a bear squeezing your face with all its power would result in serious harm. So, a year from now, I just pray that my wife and I are safe.

BOOK TICKETS FOR GEORGE LEWIS’ TOUR HERE

Interview: Jarlath Regan, Men Behaving Better Podcast

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Jarlath Regan began his Men Behaving Better podcast in July this year, and in this short time he has interviewed a variety of interesting people, discussing subjects such as the #MeToo movement, consent and the responsibility men have to help combat inequality in our day to day lives.

MoodyComedy had a chat with Jarlath about his podcasting experiences

Talk us through your experience with podcasting over the years.

Like most I first downloaded The Ricky Gervais Show – that really opened my eyes to the format. After that I became mildly obsessed with long form interview pods. I then created my own, An Irishman Abroad, and fell in love with the form and the space it provides both guest and host. Men Behaving Better grew out of that show because we had the space and time to explain the complicated thoughts everyone was having in relation to male and female behaviour.

Do you ever receive any backlash regarding the angle that Men Behaving Better takes?

Yes. Mainly from old men, angry men or people who haven’t listened yet. The show takes its time to have a nuanced conversation on tricky, delicate things like calling out your Dad or brother on their language, why #MeToo fatigue is a thing or can we enjoy the art of fallen men. The knee jerk response is to shout back at those questions but that’s really the opposite of what the show is.

Jarlath Regan

What attitudes do you want to challenge with this podcast?

There’s one that really annoys people: Some men don’t need to change. I like challenging that because it seems so obvious that that thought is driven by a massive blind spot in your perception of the world, your impact upon it and the supposed guilt involved in all of this. I’ve always been into self-improvement. Some people simply hate that notion. I like to challenge that and broaden it out as the season progresses.

Is talking about the topic of sexism and discrimination easy for you to make funny, or do you and your guests ever find it tiresome?

It’s all about your purpose for me. Are you punching up or down? And why? You can make anything funny but first we need to talk about what’s not funny in all of this. What’s absurd about all of this – that’s closer to funny. There’s funny available at every turn but it’s how you get there and why you get there that counts. It’s only tiring if you’re not interested.

How do you choose which guests you have on the show?

For season one I wanted comics I respect, activists with passion, journalists who have moved me and artists I know have a new or interesting take on the issues. That can be the human rights lawyer Simone George or Sara Pascoe, the actor Mark O’Halloran or Brett Goldstien. Balance is crucial so we never get too one-note in the discussion – it’s been challenging and fun every step of the way.

Who would you like to have as a guest?

Where do I start? Jo Brand, JK Rowling, Madonna, Cher, OJ Simpson, Tiger Woods. I mean this subject would make for some interesting chats with pretty much anyone in the public eye right now and that is the plan for next season.

How do you think we can each make a change within society?

I’d say listening. It’s a rare thing. Hearing someone out. Listening to the fullness of what they have to say and why they’re saying it. People are way more likely to listen to you if you listen to them. Also, maybe have a second referendum on Brexit.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MEN BEHAVING BETTER HERE

Interview: Ali Cook, Principles of Deception

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Ali Cook is a magician, illusionist, comedian and actor. He has often supported fellow stand up comics’ shows, as well as appearing on BBC’s Now You See It and CBBC’s The Slammer, to name just a couple of shows. Cook is embarking on a tour of his latest show Principles of Deception throughout November. MoodyComedy had a chat with him about how things are going.

Hi Ali, how has the comedy world been treating to you recently?

Pretty good. I’ve done two tours in the last year and very happy to say I’m starring alongside Jay Pharoah and Katherine Parkinson in the new political satire movie “How To Fake A War” directed by Rudolph Herzog.

What draws you to the art of illusion? 

A lack of social skills at a young age.

How do you marry magic and stand-up comedy together?

Basically I do as much stand up as possible and when I begin to die, I do a trick… It’s a simple formula.

© Ali Cook

Have you ever had any major on stage disasters? 

I was once trapped in a Houdini style water tank live on stage, which is a bad place to be when you’ve forgotten your keys.

Do you find it hard to create a full show from an abundance of shorter tricks and illusions?

It is hard. The average effect is over in a matter of seconds. Things don’t disappear slowly. This is great for TV but live you really have to find a good framing for the effect. Each trick is like a short scene.

What would your ideal audience be like?

I’m constantly amazed at how broad my audience appears to be and I’m always trying to define it. Perhaps the most telling: I was once doing an Edinburgh preview in Leicester before Sarah Millican to a room full of her fans – basically women in their thirties up and it was the best show I’ve ever done.

On tour though it seems to be half a comedy crowd and half families with a teenager in tow.

What can people expect from your latest show Principles of Deception?

It’s based on my favourite magic book of the same title written by Arthur Buckley in 1948. It was the first book to categorise every style of deception there is. That’s what we do. We do every type and style of effect there is from levitation to autosuggestion and I go hunting for rarely seen mysteries that no one has seen before.

 BUY TICKETS TO SEE ALI COOK: PRINCIPLES OF DECEPTION ON TOUR

Interview: Ivo Graham at Soho Theatre

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Ivo Graham is bringing his new show Motion Sickness to the Soho Theatre from the 1st to 13th of October. In anticipation for this fortnight of fun, MoodyComedy has been picking Ivo’s brains about the emotional core of this new show, and the difficulties he has experienced whilst performing it.

How was your show Motion Sickness received at the Edinburgh Festival this year?

Ivo Graham: Motion Sickness

30% returning customers revelling in spending another hour with a comedian they always enjoy.

20% returning customers broadly appreciating the well-told stories but perhaps lamenting the lack of interactive quiz/Weakest Link video from 2017.

10% new people thinking “god, this guy can turn a phrase”.

10% new people thinking “god, this guy’s a bit pretentious”.

10% family and friends wondering how long they have to keep coming to this shit.

10% too drunk / hot / in need of a wee to concentrate on what was happening.

10% empty seats.

What issues does your latest show concern? Which aspects (if any) have been challenging?

The latest show is about commitment and, more specifically, parenthood (the best answer on the board in the Family Fortunes category “commitments”: the worst on Pointless). It was challenging to write because it forced me to decide which of my own insecurities on the subject I felt comfortable sharing with an audience of mostly (see above) strangers. It was challenging to perform because by Edinburgh I’d learnt I was going to be a parent, rendering the central question of “am I ready to take this next step” frustratingly/hilariously inappropriate.

Admin-wise, I then had to decide whether to sit on this news or change the show: I decided the former, only for a couple of rather ambiguously-worded reviews leading to family members getting in touch to ask why I was doing comedy about news they hadn’t even been told about yet. Even now, a few weeks on, we’ve eschewed the obligatory Facebook ultrasound post, preferring to tell friends as and when we see them, so I’ve now got to make a whole lot more decisions as to how I present the information at the Soho. People might even find out having stumbled across this e-interview! A Moody Exclusive!

None of this is to suggest, by the way, that my life updates are of any Great Import beyond my various nearest and dearest, or that the difficulties described above hold a candle to any of the infinitely greater challenges being faced by people around the world. Fundamentally, my girlfriend and I (out of wedlock ahoy!) have had some great news, and being able to do stand-up about this sort of thing is always a Great LarkTM. But I can only respond to the questions as they’re asked (/copy-pasted) to me, and there’s no denying that this year’s issues and their representation have been more of a challenge than previous years’. So there you go.

How has your comedy changed over the past two years?

It’s got more commitment-based (see above). To quote a friend, “instead of talking about how you don’t get off with girls (2009 to 2016), you’re now talking about how you can’t get off with girls (2016 til death/divorce).

How would you describe Ivo Graham The Comedian in three words?

Surpassing expectations.

Why should people come to your Soho Theatre run?

Because the show is charming, relatable, articulate, and my god I’ve suddenly got rather a lot riding on this.

BOOK TICKETS FOR IVO GRAHAM: ‘MOTION SICKNESS’ AT THE SOHO THEATRE

Helen Duff: The Edinburgh Interviews 2018

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© Matthew Highton

Who? Helen Duff
What? How Deep Is Your Duff?
Where? Heroes @ The Hive (venue 313)
When? 21:00

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

Yes totally prepared – if you take cutting myself off from too much social media scrolling and stocking up mejool dates as a sign of second to none self care!

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s all about falling in love for the first time, performing for the kids in the Rohingya refugee camps and realising I can orgasm. Not necessarily in that order.

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

I tried my very best to include the YouTube sensory sensation SLIME in the show and despite several previews where I ended up covered in the stuff, couldn’t bear to wash my clothes in coke every night of the Edinburgh run.

Who would most enjoy your show?

People who enjoy a well woven story about the ways a woman can become better connected with herself and her community, with several duff puns and dances thrown in for the fun.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Yes! I saw Pat Cahill’s show on the top of Bob’s Blundabus and it was fantastic! He’s doing 110% with John Kearns in that slot now instead which is bound to be brilliant. Lucy Hopkins is making something very special happen in the SpiegelYurt at midnight every day. And I’m also in Adam Larter’s Boogie Knight’s at 2pm everyday at the Hive. It’s a medieval disco with all the best boogie tunes of the 70s/80s. All the Heroes shows are a certified hoot.

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

The variety of the landscape – I’m living in Stockbridge this year and the river running down to Leith is so peaceful it feels like you could be in the middle of nowhere.  

What are your plans for after the festival?

I’m making a wedding cake for 100 people for my boyfriend’s best friend’s wedding. Puts the pressure of Edinburgh in perspective!

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR HELEN DUFF: ‘HOW DEEP IS YOUR DUFF?’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2018

Dave Chawner: The Edinburgh Interviews 2018

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© CR2 Studios

Who? Dave Chawner
What? Mental
Where? The Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (venue 170)
When? 19:20

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you? 

You can never be fully prepared for The Fringe. It’s a bit like taking a cat to the vets – you can do as much prep as possible, but in the end you’ll end up tearing your hair out, running round in circles and screaming while all the while telling yourself ‘it’s for the best’. 

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

This year’s show is all about mental health (rather than mental illness). The show uses comedy to normalise the conversation around mental health and make the topic fun. Because, let’s face it, whenever the topic of mental health comes up, it’s normally about mental illness. And, of course 1 in 4 of us has mental illness, but 4 in 4 of us has mental health, so why do we focus on illness rather than wellbeing?

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Myself! I find it hard to focus. Writing the show takes a lot of concentration and that’s something that I have very little of. I get distracted by the easiest of… oh look, there’s a squirrel!

Who would most enjoy your show?

Anyone that has an interest in mental health. That includes (but not limited to) mental health professionals, students, people with lived experience of mental illness, friends, family and relatives of those people as well.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations? 

John Robertson’s – Sweaty, Sexy, Party, Party

Russell Hicks – Love Song For The Visciously Ambitious

Adam Kay – This Is Going To Hurt

Robyn Perkins – 10, 000 Decisions

Daniel Kitson – Good For Glue

Richard Wright – Virgin

Aidan Taco Jones – 52 Weeks

Sarah Iles – Ghosted

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city? 

Let’s face it, Edinburgh is proper beautiful. Like, I mean, real lovely. It never fails to surprise me, when wandering through the streets, if you look up, how amazing it is. It’s no wonder J K Rowling based Harry Potter on this place. And that’s my favourite thing, that at least 10,000 cafes, coffee shops and restaurants claim to be ‘the birthplace of Harry Potter’

What are your plans for after the festival?

I’m going to be touring my new book (which has just been released). I’ve got some filming I’m doing for ‘Stylist’ Magazine and am going back to the radio show I present. It’s The Breakfast Show on Panda Radio – it’s amazing fun and boringly I’m really excited to be back and into the swing of it again.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR DAVE CHAWNER: ‘MENTAL’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2018