Interviews

Tom Mayhew: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Victor Preda
Who? Tom Mayhew
What? I, Tom Mayhew
Where? Just the Tonic at The Mash House – Just the Bottle Room (Venue 288)
When? 19:30

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

I feel very excited. I am really proud of my show, and it feels like the most important thing I have ever done. This does mean that I have put a lot of pressure on myself, so I am also very nervous about ticket sales, reviewers coming, whether I make enough money to pay off the venue, and all of these things – but that’s part of the Edinburgh experience.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

My show is about leaving school in 2010, and finding myself unemployed for three years. It’s about signing-on, living off benefits, and the unnecessary stigma attached to those who need a little extra help to survive. It is also about growing up working-class, and how that has affected my outlook on life. This all makes it sound quite heavy, but don’t worry, there are hundreds of jokes in there! If you live for years with nothing, you have to see the funny side in things, or there isn’t much left.

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

I guess, appropriately, money. It’s flipping expensive bringing a show up to Edinburgh, and my parents cannot afford to help me out financially, so I have had to ask my girlfriend to help me out a fair few times when payment deadlines were closing in. Hopefully the month goes really well, so I can organise something nice for her after the Fringe as a thank you.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Not really; it’s still the most expensive thing I do every year, the biggest financial risk, and it’s the most stressful and difficult experience at times. But it is also the most fun, the most rewarding, and my favourite month of the year. It’s absurd, really.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Sian Davies is doing three shows, because she’s a bloody legend. In particular, I have to recommend Best In Class, a working-class comedy showcase that I did last year. James Meehan is also a must-see for me, he’s a very talented comedian who is highly under-rated in my opinion. Finally, if you’re looking to see some debut shows, then Yuriko Kotani, Kai Samra and Aaron Simmonds will all be excellent. I will be annoyed if at least one of them isn’t nominated for best newcomer, if not all three.

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

Preparing for another Edinburgh show with a bigger profile, to be honest. It sounds simple, but stand-up is all I have wanted to do since I was twelve, and so all I want to do it keep moving forward. Fingers crossed, eh?

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR TOM MAYHEW: ‘I, TOM MAYHEW’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Gary Tro: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Alexis Dubus
Who? Gary Tro
What? The Greatest Superhero Movie Never Made
Where? Gilded Balloon at Old Tolbooth Market (Venue 98)
When? 15:30

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

Preemptive nostalgia. I’m already mentally constructing a montage of all the bloody great times I’m going to have; packed rooms full of awesome audiences; laughing with good friends around a bottle of good wine as we talk about good things that are good; skiing down Arthur’s Seat with the person I love, who I’ll probably meet on the first day; campfires on the Meadows as Gregg plays the Ryan Adams version of Wonderwall on the piano; making all the money I’ll ever need to make via a bucket. Such good times ahead. Never at any point during the Fringe will anything happen that’s not one of these things. Never.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s called The Greatest Superhero Movie Never Made! It’s a show about the greatest superhero movie never made in which I read out a screen play I’ve written of the greatest superhero movie never made called The Greatest Superhero Movie Never Made.

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

Coming up with the name of the show took ages. Also, initially, I wanted the show to be solely me reading a screenplay to the audience but it took me far too many previews to realise that a guy reading from a sheet of paper for an hour is just awful. I apologise to anyone who attended those previews! But you all fell on your swords so that I could create what is now a bloody masterpiece.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Yes. My complete lack of expectation means that I enjoy it far more now. Twelve people in the audience? No problem. It’s a Monday. I will give those twelve people the best God damn show of their lives and they’ll cheer for more as loudly as the 13 people who were in on Saturday!

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

I’m genuinely interested to watch Brendan Murphy’s show F.R.I.E.N.D – it’s about the TV show F.R.I.E.N.D.S but from the perspective of Gunther.

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

Still doing this because I bloody love it.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR GARY TRO: ‘THE GREATEST SUPERHERO MOVIE NEVER MADE’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Sam Russell: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Claire Ford
Who? Sam Russell
What? Privileged To Be Here
Where? Just the Tonic at The Mash House – Just the Cask Room (Venue 288)
When? 19:45

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

This is a year full of different emotions to me. Last year I brought up my first show, though it has an overarching event holding it together it was essentially all of the material I’d done in clubs for the last four years. This time though, the vast majority has all been created and collaborated this year… which is exciting, rewarding and shit your pants scary.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

I plan to have a kid with in the next few years. This show is about examining the world I’m going to be bringing them into (social media, dogmatic politics, knife crime), what their place in it may be (if they’re a boy or girl, straight or gay, conservative or liberal) and given all that how to teach them right and wrong.

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

I started putting this show together in December of last year and up until late April it was going to be one of those ‘challenging, edge-lordy, saying something controversial shows’ and in previews it was going ok… but I came of stage feeling a little angry and cynical… and that’s not me. So I decided to keep the subjects of the show that I found interesting but approach them with a new positive attitude. That has been a real challenge to do in two months.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

From this year to last year… Big Time. Last year I had no idea what to expect and I had a really good run. Nice audiences, good reviews and I made some money. But the Fringe is a fickle beast, this year could be a lot harder, I don’t know if everything that fell into place last time will happen again. The difference is, I now know how good it can be. But I will stick with the philosophy that kept me sane in 2018 ‘Low expectations, Positive attitude’.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Nico Yearwood, Hate n’ Live, Konstantin Kisin.

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

In the EU.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR: ” HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

The Just Us League: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Alexis Dubus
Who? The Just Us League
What? MARVELus: Awww Snap!
Where? Gilded Balloon Teviot – Nightclub (Venue 14)
When? 18:45

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

!!PLEASE NOTE THAT JAVIER WAS NOT ABLE TO PARTAKE IN THIS INTERVIEW. THEREFORE, JAVIER’S RESPONSES HAVE BEEN EXPERTLY FORMULATED BY GARY!!

Gary: Super excited but that has less to do with the Fringe and more to do with Marvel’s recent Phase 4 announcement that looks absolutely boss!

Javier: Yes.

Gary: In regards to the Fringe, we’re super excited to be back at Gilded Balloon; same time, same channel.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

Gary: This is out third MARVELus show: Awww SNAP! It’s a sketch show based on the Marvel movies, so we’ve got a tonne of more stuff to cover since last year’s show, including Endgame, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man; Far From Home and Into The Spider-Verse, etc.

Javier: Thanks.

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

Gary: We kind of had to wait until Endgame had been released to know what direction to take the show, so it was a bit of a waiting game. Plus, Marvel keep upping their game, which we have to meet.

Javier: My favourite food is rice and beans.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Gary: Yeah, we’re waaaaaaaay more chilled about it now, which is nice. You put so much pressure on yourself when you first go up but eventually realise that as long as you’re having a good time, the audience will have a good time!

Javier: Karate chop!

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Gary: The Noise Next Door are always a blast and we’re super excited to see The Kagools’ new show.

Javier: In summer it is hot and in winter it is cold.

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

Gary: We just want to carry on doing this! We’re already touring a show, MARVELus: All the Marvel Movies… Kind Of, around the UK but will definitely keep working on new stuff!

Javier: Hello.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ‘MARVELUS: AWWW SNAP!’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Tony Cowards: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Andy Hollingworth
Who? Tony Cowards
What? Stepdad Jokes
Where? Just the Tonic at The Mash House – Just the Bottle Room (Venue 288)
When? 20:50

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

A heady cocktail of excitement, trepidation and expectation. At the moment all possibilities for the Fringe are available, success, failure or somewhere in between. I’m currently experiencing Schrödinger’s Fringe and on the 1st August we get to open the box and see what state the cat is in (I’m starting to regret this analogy, I’d like to point out that my show definitely doesn’t feature any dead cats).

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

This year’s show is called Stepdad Jokes and it’s a mixture of silly jokes, gags and puns along with a few longer stories about family life and my experiences of being a stepdad.

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

Finding the time, in amongst a hectic household, to write it and try it out. It’s not easy to find a quiet place to write or rehearse in a home with four kids, three cats and a dog.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

I guess I’m much more relaxed about it and am able to enjoy it more than in previous years. As you get older you become much less worried about getting ‘buzz’ or attention and become more interested in having fun and creating an enjoyable show for your audiences.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

The Kagools are always one of my favourite festival acts, I love their mixture of clowning and general silliness. Their shows are great for anyone who loves pure joy and daftness. Also Aidan Goatley is a ray of sunshine in an overcast world, his shows are always funny and uplifting and I can’t wait to see his new show, Happy Britain Part 1.

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

On a beach in Cuba, drinking Mojitos, whilst everyone else is panicking about their shows. Although, in all honesty I’d probably be envious of all my comedy peers heading North with their bags packed full of hopes and dreams, scribbled notes and lofty ambitions.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR TONY COWARDS: ‘STEPDAD JOKES’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

James McNicholas: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Idil Sukan
Who? James McNicholas
What? The Boxer
Where? Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker Two (Venue 33)
When? 16:15

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

I’m really excited. I’m a bit stressed, obviously, but on balance I’m really looking forward to getting up there and getting going.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s about my grandad, who was a world middleweight boxing champion. It’s about how tough he was, and how soft I am. The only real scar I’ve got was acquired chasing a penguin over some rocks.

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

It’s the first time I’ve ever done a show that’s really personal. Talking about real people is always tricky – my mum and grandma feature quite heavily in the show, so when they came to see it in preview I was pretty nervous.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

I think as I get older I realise that a lot of the trappings of ‘success’ – reviews, awards etc – don’t really mean all that much. What matters is that you make a show you care about and believe in, and I’ve done that this year.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Ciarán Dowd’s Padre Rodolfo is going to be an incredibly funny show, and Tom Parry’s Karaoke is unsurprisingly joyous. I’ve also directed Raphael Wakefield’s show Wengerball, and it’s another interesting story which is ostensibly about sport but really about something altogether different.

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

If I feel like I’m getting better and improving, I’ll be pretty happy with that. And maybe on a beach.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR JAMES MCNICHOLAS: ‘THE BOXER’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Anna and Helen: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Matt Crockett
Who? Anna and Helen
What? Stuck in a Rat
Where? Pleasance Courtyard – The Attic (Venue 33)
When? 17:45

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

We feel very grateful to be going as a pair because our feelings-roller-coasters coincide extremely well. When one of us is having night terrors about the show being a complete disaster, the other is wildly optimistic that we’ll absolutely have the best month of our lives. And then quick as a flash, we swap. It’s such fun and so nice to finally have a sense of stability in this chaotic industry.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s an unashamedly positive life-transforming seminar, led by a couple of well-meaning idiots. It’s been a real stretch to find those characters. Ultimately designed to be an uplifting celebration of life and all its complications, it’s very silly but written from the heart.

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

We decided to make things easy for ourselves by not having any props and then proceeded to make a show which required a full drum kit, keyboard and guitar. So our biggest obstacle has probably been lugging the instruments all over London for previews without doing ourselves any long-term physical damage.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

The biggest change in attitude is that we have plucked up the courage to take a show there together. Other than that it remains as exciting as it ever has been.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

We love Lucy Pearman’s shows for their incredible inventiveness and creativity and Rosie Jones was brilliant in the Funny Women Final so we can’t wait to see her do a full hour.

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

Hopefully we’ll have found our way out of the rat by the 26th August. And then we’ll spend the next 11 months trying not to get stuck in it again.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ANNA AND HELEN: ‘STUCK IN A RAT’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Sam Morrison: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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Who? Sam Morrison
What? Hello, Daddy!
Where? Just the Tonic at Marlin’s Wynd – Just the Wyndy Room (Venue 296)
When? 17:25

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

Both triumphant and overwhelmed. I will say that from a personal perspective, I’ve gone from closeted stand-up wannabe to professional comedian screaming about having sex with dads in about five years. My Fringe show is largely about those five years and feels like closure on this intense chapter in my life. Sometimes I get so lost in the performances that I don’t take the time to reflect and celebrate that. I am very proud of myself.

I am overwhelmed logistically. I’ve been fantasizing about coming to the festival for years. I’ve been diligently planning for the past year, but the last few months have been a bit chaotic. This is mostly due to the fact that I got hired to write for a new comedy on Bravo. It’s a dream job! But, it has also taken over what little free time I did have available to plan this Fringe. And who knew that committing and planning to go halfway around the world purely on a belief in your own talent takes time, lots of money, planning, and some delusion?

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

Hello, Daddy! is a queer coming of age story where stories of heartbreak and gaiety across decades capture my transformation from a shy cucumber shaped virgin boy into a daddy-fucking manifesto of a person. It’s a bizarre, vulnerable, and discomforting queer coming of age story that will make you laugh, cry, and cum. It’s a show for the whole family. Seriously, bring your dads.

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

I feel like a fraud. I constantly convince myself I am terrible and it halts my creative process right in its tracks. I am my own worst enemy. The ironic thing is I am also quite conceited. It changes rapidly and dramatically. There are those magical shows I have where I am really connected with audience, and feel invincible. Yet, the next day I could simply not feel funny. I’ll hate everything from my writing to the sound of my voice. Usually, journaling helps. It doesn’t solve the problem, but it helps me recognize what I’m doing is unhealthy.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Since this is my debut, I can only comment on my feelings towards the Fringe. It is a personal and cultural experience that has become more attractive the more I fantasize about it. However, as I’ve asked for advice from past Fringe goers, they have gone out of their way to express the massive obstacles both personal and artistic. I have gotten more nervous as the festival approaches and am bracing myself for the euphoric as well as the difficult times.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Go see Lucie Pohl, Anders Lee, Gabe Mollica, Naomi Karavani, and Katharyn Henson!

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

I’d like to be back at the Fringe with a brand new show! If not, it likely means this year’s Fringe went so well that there is an opportunity to perform this show on bigger stages and/or for television. I hope to also own a dog. I’m thinking either Docson or French Bull Dog. Tweet at me what I should do: @samuelhmorrison

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR SAM MORRISON: ‘HELLO, DADDY!’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Phil Nichol: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Steve Ullathorne
Who? Phil Nichol
What? Too Much
Where? Monkey Barrel 4 (Venue 515)
When? 21:00

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

I’m feeling crazy and alive. I’m working 16 hour days and then performing previews at night to keep up with all the work. As well as my solo show, Too Much, I am writing and performing a double act show with Tony Law called Virtue Chamber Echo Bravo and producing/acting in a Eugene O’Neill play entitled Hughie. I’m also directing a couple of shows as well. It’s been fun and exhilarating. Can’t wait to get them all up and running.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

The planet is messed up. Society has devolved. Mankind is hopeless. Vegans are right. You can’t punch a fascist. The left are self-righteous morons. Everyone is a selfish prick. I’m a bleeding hypocrite. It’s all too much. Too much. Too Much takes an unflinching look at ageing, recognition, mental health, values, norms, patience, everything and conkers delivered in my unique live-wire style.

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

Time. I’ve just finished my last tour of the show Your Wrong in June so I’m putting this show together quite quickly even by my own standards. Fingers crossed that it all comes together.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

I love the Fringe. However, with love comes hurt and pain and joy and contentment. It’s a lot easier to love the Fringe if you are happy with the shows that you are doing. This year I am so happy and excited I think I might burst.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Yuriko Kotani: Somosomo, Pleasance, 7pm

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

I’d like to be a little further ahead with my Edinburgh plans than i am this year. Preparing a new show and enjoying the sunny weather and loving life. You?

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR PHIL NICHOL: ‘TOO MUCH’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Brett Johnson: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Elizabeth Woodward
Who? Brett Johnson
What? Poly-Theist
Where? Just the Tonic at The Charteris Centre – Just the Crypt (Venue 393)
When? 13:20

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

A little nervy but pumped as hell. All the preparation is making me look forward to just getting there and it happening.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

The tagline is: I was a married, 21-year-old monogamous Evangelical, then I became the opposite. It’s a true solo comedy show about faith, non-monogamy and KFC.

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

Translating the experience I went through into a show that’s well-paced, honest and funny. I didn’t realize when I started how much that was going to involve me working through more of my feelings and ideas to better understand how I feel about it and figure out what’s worth including in the show.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

This is my debut, so there’s still a lot of attitude to change – but having attended last year’s I’m still in awe of the size and extent of it.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Jamie Loftus, Molly Brenner and Mike Lemme; Sean Patton is also crazy good.

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

I’ll have JUST finished filming Poly-Theist the feature film in time to head to Fringe for a three-show double-act run with Phil Nichol.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR BRETT JOHNSON: ‘POLY-THEIST’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019