Seven Questions With…

Seven Questions With… Laura Lexx

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© Karla Gowlett

Laura Lexx is a sweet-talking comedian with a surprisingly sharp bite. Lexx has been making waves in recent years since her 2018 show Trying was met with high criticial acclaim. She is soon to embark on a tour of her latest show, Knee Jerk.

1) How did you decide to approach developing Knee Jerk after the huge success of Trying?

Well, this tour is actually an amalgamation of those two shows… they naturally link in to each other really well and while Trying is more personal and Knee Jerk is more socially-focused, they work very well as companion pieces. I’m excited to be able to do some of the material from Trying without the full emotional narrative, and to update some of the social politics of Knee Jerk to make it up to date for 2020. It’s really refreshing to have more than an hour to play with and to be able to play with the audience a lot more because there are no time constraints.

2) What motivates you as a performer?

I am at my happiest on stage… it’s where I feel relaxed, confident, in control and like a professional. It’s the thing in my life I really back myself to do and while I’m doing it my mind is focused and calm. I think other people talk about running or games or something in a way that’s similar to how I feel about being on stage… it’s a time where my extraneous thoughts are all focused on what I’m doing and I can shut out white noise. I just love being on that stage and I love making people laugh. It’s what I was born to do.

3) Where would you go if you could go anywhere?

Oh… lots of places. I would love to go to Japan, I would love to go to Canada. I usually want to go home. I like beautiful places and stuff but I’m a very people-based person. I’ll go where the people are, I don’t much care about places without people.

4) What is the worst thing anyone could say to you right now?

They could tell me I have upset someone. I hate upsetting people. I try and be very careful about what I put out into the world and I’m not good at confrontation. I hate the idea that I’d be responsible for hurting someone.

5) How have you changed as a comic over the past five years?

I’ve got much much faster at finding the funny. I’m more confident in what I’m doing and whether something has potential so now I can get myself to a point where things are working much quicker. I can make my natural way of wanting to do things work rather than trying to adapt everything to make it fit what I’m supposed to be doing.

6) What are you bored of?

Assuming the worst of people. I am so bored of the current climate where everyone wants an easy reason for things being wrong and the easy reason is always to just label a bunch of people as awful. It’s mind-numbingly single minded, crass and unhelpful. I wish we could all assume nobody is out to hurt us until we have to assume that.

7) What character trait do you most envy in others?

The ability to not be jealous and to celebrate other people’s success. I like being enthusiastic about other people but I feel like naturally I run to jealousy first and then have to work my round to being a better person. I’d like to not have that first hurdle and just to go straight to being a cheerleader for other people.

For more information, visit Laura Lexx’s website and follow her on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Hivemind

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© Tom Garnett

MoodyComedy speaks to Alex O’Bryan-Tear, Josh Hunt, Jesse Locke and Harriet Cartledge about their improv comedy group, Hivemind. Hivemind will be performing two improvised shows (Improvengers: Pretend Game and Lord of the Game of the Ring of Thrones) at the Museum of Comedy in London throughout December and January.

1) Hands for feet or feet for hands?

Alex: Why not both? Why limit ourselves?

Jess: Reach for the stars with your feety, feety hands.

Harriet: But seriously, who wants more feet? I personally have more than enough.

Alex: If anything, you have too many already.

2) Does being part of such a large group of performers make the job easier or harder?

Josh: You’ve clearly never seen the London Philharmonic Orchestra if you think we’re a large group of performers.

Jesse: We’re like an ecosystem where every one of us has a vital part to play. If you take one us away, we go extinct.

Alex: For example, if you take me away as the alpha predator, you end up with five Joshes. It’s only by the regular eating of Josh that harmony can be maintained.

Harriet: I guess what we’re trying to say is that it makes it easier.

3) What’s the best thing about public transport?

Jesse: If you get there first, you get to drive it.

Alex: That’s so true! Wow.

Harriet: I once saw a guy watching a video on how to pick up women, but he didn’t realise his headphones weren’t plugged in. It was basically just me and him on this train. Without public transport, I’d never have got to enjoy that moment.

4) What would you like people to take away from your shows?

Alex: Our corporate business cards.

Jesse: The antidote.

Harriet: Not the keyboard, we have to keep that.

Josh: Unattainably high standards with which to judge all improv groups in the future.

5) What was the last ridiculous thing you saw?

Harriet: There’s so much ridiculous stuff in London that it just washes over you.

Jesse: Like someone was doing falconry with parrots on Primrose Hill. It was fine.

Josh: I saw a guy with feet for hands. I saw a guy with hands for hands. What’s his problem?

Jesse: I was at a party where some people were recreating the trauma of birth. People were covered in goo then wrapped in plastic and squeezed into a pool of water.

6) What is the worst advice you’ve ever been given?

Josh: I think I tend to give bad advice rather than receive it.

Harriet: So you’re the evil one?

Alex: Give up on your dream of becoming a princess, you’ll never make it. Just they wait!

Harriet: When I was twelve, I told my mum I wanted to become an interior designer and she told me I didn’t have the flair.

Alex: Well, now we know you don’t have the flair. But at the time, who knew what was inside of you?

7) Should humans be trying to live longer?

Jesse: No, but other animals should. Keep up, badgers.

Alex: Ever since I was born, I’ve tried to live longer than I currently am. So far it’s been a 100% success.

Josh: Who doesn’t want to live longer? Though I don’t want to get crippling neuroviruses.

Harriet: And only if you don’t turn into like, a raisin.

For more information, visit Hivemind’s website and follow them on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Stevie Martin

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© Natasha Pszenicki

Stevie Martin is a stand-up comedian, journalist and podcaster. Fresh from performing her latest show, Hot Content, at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Stevie is here to shed light on her first forays into comedy and writing, as well as share her opinion on video games…

1) When did you first encounter comedy?

When I was little my parents used to play The Goons tapes in the car, and when I got a bit older I’d watch videos of Reeves and Mortimer obsessively. I had a very absurdist sense of humour for a six year old and once sang ‘My Rose Has Left Me’ at a school talent show which included bellowing the line ‘She wasn’t immunised – THAT’S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT’, so it’s not surprising I got heavily bullied if I’m honest. 

2) What do you really not care about?

I don’t care about video games. I really don’t think I could give less of a shit about them. I’ve tried to get into a range, you know, even fun ones like Crash Bandicoot. Or story-led ones like Red Dead. Or classic ones like Goldeneye. I think they are a massive waste of time and I get bored after a few minutes. It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m terrible at them in case you’re wondering. I downloaded that goose game yesterday and my boyfriend had to calm me down because I couldn’t pick anything up with my beak. On second thoughts it sounds like I care too much.  

3) Where is your safe place?

Reading a book on the chair in my living room that my grandma gave to me. It is black leather and so in the summer if I’m wearing shorts my legs stick to it and I have to rip my skin off to get up but it’s worth it. Or reading Harry Potter anywhere. I also like being anywhere with no wifi that means I absolutely can’t continue to check my fucking phone which I do every 3.4 nanoseconds. 

4) What motivates you to work hard?

Looking back aged 70 being like ‘WHY DID YOU SPEND SO LONG TRYING TO GET INTO GOLDENEYE WHEN YOU COULD HAVE WRITTEN A BOOK OR SOMETHING?’ Also when someone says something mean to me. That’s such a motivator. Once when I was a waitress, one of the regulars who apparently worked in counter-terrorism said ‘You don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll never be a writer’, so I quit waitressing and started house-sitting for a friend’s mum while looking for writers jobs. At one point I couldn’t afford food so I ate nothing but eggs out of their fridge for two days, but I got a writing job SO THERE, STUPID COUNTER TERRORISM MAN. 

5) Why is comedy the right job for you?

To be honest it isn’t! I do a lot of different jobs, not just comedy, and am terrified by performing live so it sort of gives me a kick up the arse in other areas. I just like making and creating things, whether that’s an hour of comedy or a podcast (I have one called Nobody Panic) or an article (I’m a journalist) or trying to get stuff made for TV. I also want to write a book. Basically I have zero attention span and am just attempting everything that will keep me out of a 9-5 office. One day I might open an aquarium. WHO KNOWS.

6) Are you avoiding anything right now?

Yes, I’m doing a monthly new material comedy night and I need to write ten minutes and so far I’ve written the word ‘worms?’ so very excited to see how the comedy pans out. It’s incredible what I can get done when I have to write new material. My bedroom is so tidy and I’ve ironed everything.

7) Are you at all similar to your parents?

Yes. My parents like to ‘joke’ that I received all of their worst qualities combined. I worry a lot and don’t ever feel like I’m good enough, which is apparently something they recognise in themselves. There are good things though – my mum has incredible skin, is incredibly creative, and is the kindest, silliest person I’ve ever met, and my dad is the most hard-working, generous and funny person I’ve ever met so I hope and pray I have received even a tenth of those genes. 

For more information, visit Stevie Martin’s website and follow her on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Chris Chopping

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© Michelle Huggleston

Stand-up comic and regular MC Chris Chopping has recently been performing his second hour of comedy, Chris Chopping’s Lonely Hearts Club Band at the Edinburgh Festival. Having previously been a semi-finalist of So You Think You’re Funny, this engaging performer is producing comedy that is smart and unpredictable – definitely worth keeping an eye on him.
I asked Chris these seven questions to find out more…

1) How did your career in comedy begin?

When I was growing up stand up comedy didn’t seem like a thing real people could do. There were no comedy clubs near me so comedians were these people who existed exclusively on home video and had a new tour show out for Christmas every year. It was years later I got a job at a comedy club in Cardiff and realised you didn’t have to start out with a full hour. Having not really set the world of retail or call centres alight I thought I might as well have a crack at the dream job.

2) What’s something you used to hate that you now love?

Recently my parents took me out for dinner and my mum tried to persuade me to eat courgette. I’m 31. I’m too old for these conversations. I think if I had refused I wouldn’t have been allowed pudding. So I tried it, it was deep fried and delicious. Love would be a strong word. I used to hate courgette, now I regard it with a healthy scepticism. 

3) What is the most difficult aspect of writing and performing stand-up, for you?

I’t took me a long time to start writing more and replacing my material frequently enough. When I started other comedians would talk about getting bored of their material. I worked in a call centre reciting the same script over and over all day for two years. In comedy I was performing a script I’d written myself at most once a day and being rewarded with laughter and approval instead of people swearing and hanging up. I never got bored but sometimes boredom is a good motivator.

4) Do you have a good memory?

No I have a terrible memory. I don’t even remember where I live. If you were staying at my house and I met you at the station we’d be walking for about 45 minutes before you asked, “how much further now?” And I realised I’d been following you the whole time. Is that what you asked? I don’t remember.

5) Which year of your life has been the best so far?

When I was eight, that was pretty good. I lived next door to my best friend and for my birthday I got Ring Raiders. Airplanes that you wore attached to your fingers via a plastic ring and a translucent plastic pole. It was a simpler time. They came with a VHS cassette with a cartoon of their adventures. That’s got to be hard to beat, year wise.

6) What one person would you be most afraid to meet?

I’d be terrified to meet my younger self. He’d be delighted I was doing stand up comedy but I feel like he’d find my life wanting in other crucial areas. I don’t want to see the disappointment in his eyes when he finds out I ate courgette for example.

7) Where would you like to be in six months time?

I’d like to be the new face of the £50 note with the film of my show Chris Chopping’s Lonely Hearts Club Band being made part of the national curriculum having rocketed me to national treasure status. Realistically, best case scenario I’ll be in Gloucester services buying some sort of gourmet pie.

For more information, visit Chris Chopping’s website and follow him on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Great British Mysteries

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© Michael Shelford

Great British Mysteries is the historical comedy duo made up of Olive and Teddy (played by Rose Robinson and Will Close), who are returning to the Edinburgh Festival this year with their second show: 1599?. Self-described as ‘Woman in Black meets Key Stage 2 Tudor history’, this silly investigation into various perplexing mysteries will leave you wishing you were a detective yourself, or perhaps not.
I asked Will Close from Great British Mysteries these seven questions to find out more about the pair…

1) How did you come to form Great British Mysteries?

‘Great British Mysteries’ began life when we were away on tour with the 1927 show, ‘Golem’, which we were involved with for about two and half years. We did a lot of shows and a lot of travelling and during that time started kicking around an idea for this odd character comedy piece. When we came back, we got Joe Hancock involved as Director/Technical Master/Overlord and then it became quite a productive trio. We’d all done or been involved in comedy before and have known each other a long time so it was a natural fit.

2) What is the biggest mystery you’ve ever encountered?

Well we are mystery geeks so that’s a tricky question. My favourites to read about are probably Nessie, the Yeti and Sea Serpents of all guises. Although, I am quite fond of Mokele-mbembe who are supposedly a species of dinosaur still alive and well in the Congo. Real-life ones on the other hand, that’s probably less exciting… What will become of my student loan? That’s currently baffling mystery hunters everywhere.

3) What makes you laugh the most?

Very hard. I love Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, Limmy and the list goes on and on and on. My best friend Tim who is a prawn farmer in Canada also makes me laugh, but for different reasons. I mean, he’s a prawn farmer in Canada. That’s gold.

4) Do you like going to the cinema?

I do but I’m not very good at getting it into my routine. Joe and Rose go more. I always book for anything fantasy related – dwarves, elves, dragons and I’m there. But I tend to forget the rest of the time. I have a PictureHouse membership but I just use it as a means of getting slightly reduced popcorn.

5) What is your best Christmas memory?

Ooh, I think they are always best when you’re young. The year we got a Nintendo 64 is hard to top. I saw this large box under the tree on about the 10th of December and then that was it. I couldn’t sleep with excitement; ‘Is it?’, ‘Isn’t it?’, ‘Maybe it’s just more handkerchiefs from my Grandma in a very large box.’ The actual moment the anticipation broke on Christmas morning; I can’t even recall. It was a blur. Mario 64 was seared onto my eyelids for months afterwards.

6) What is the biggest onstage disaster you’ve ever had?

I don’t think there’s ever been anything too disastrous. In a funny way, when something backfires or doesn’t work it can actually create quite a fun vibe. We were doing Golem in Manchester once and the screen (which is completely integral to the whole show) just switched off. Gone. No more films. I was playing drums and doing a live score of the action but then it just vanished. Me and the pianist just jammed out for fifteen minutes and then it came back. I think the audience quite enjoyed it. At least, that’s what I tell myself.

7) What is your most obscure achievement?

I can make an elephant with my hands. It’s nothing perverse, I just bend my fingers into odd shapes… Oh, and I’m tragically good at FIFA. A misspent youth… But at least I know about Mokele-mbembe.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ‘GREAT BRITISH MYSTERIES: 1599?’ HERE

Seven Questions With… Lorna Shaw (Ava Rage)

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Ava Rage is a character played by comedian and actress Lorna Shaw. ‘Born out of an existential crisis’, Ava is a force to be reckoned with; she’s loud, musical and extravagant. The show, ‘Ava Rage’ will be at the Brighton Fringe from the 3rd-5th May and tickets are available here.
To find out more, I asked Lorna these seven questions…

1) Who is Ava Rage?

She is my comedic alter-ego. She is a stifled city worker trying to find her purpose in life having hit her 30’s with no direction. She has drunk her way through her 20’s and woken up with the mother of all hangovers – but instead of a headache she’s got a maxed out overdraft, successful friends, and non-stop Destiny’s Child’s ‘Survivor’ ringing in her ears.

2) What was the last thing you bought?

Erm… hang on let me just consult my banking app. Ah OK this is a bit embarrassing but I’ve bought two wooden wine boxes off Gumtree that I’m going to upcycle into side tables. This is what Pinterest has done to me!! I’m an upcycler!! Eugh. But truthfully, I’ve never fully grown out of my Blue Peter/Art Attack phase. I remember making a table as a kid out of a cardboard box and empty coke bottles.

© Karla Gowlett

3) Who is your least favourite person?

Traffic wardens. I recently had my car towed and its still pretty raw. They are completely evil and unnecessary human beings. The fact that they exist destroys my sense of hope in humanity.

4) What is the most testing thing about live performance?

The unpredictability of audiences I guess. You can NEVER tell what they’ll be like. I’ve had girls my age in the audience and I think ‘these are my people, this is gonna kill!’ then they sit and stare at me like I’ve just pooed on stage. Then I’ve had middle aged men guffawing and snorting beer up their noses at my material.

5) What are your priorities while on stage?

Appear in control, try not to spit on the front row, and don’t say ‘yeah so…’. I record the audio of all my sets and when I’m doing newer material I have a tendency to say ‘yeah so…’ way too much and its unbearable to listen back to.

6) What thing in life are you most looking forward to?

Being in the moment. Not waiting for my life to start but being totally happy with where I am, wherever that may be. Any day now.

7) If you had to be a different comedian, who exactly would you be?

A specific person? Probably Tig Notaro. She is so totally understated and deadpan but razor sharp. I wish I could have that kind of persona on stage.

For more information, visit Lorna Shaw’s website and follow her on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Kai Samra

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Kai Samra is a stand up comedian from Birmingham, who began his career in 2016. With an easy-seeming confidence on stage and a Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award under his belt, this comic is set for success.
To find out more about Kai, I asked him these seven questions…

1) Who is your stand-up comedy influenced by?

I could pretend to be cool and reel off some niche comedians that no one’s ever heard of but if I’m being honest my favourite comedians are Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle and Bill Hicks.

2) What was the best thing about winning the Birmingham Comedy Festival Award in 2017? 

Getting to perform at the Glee, meeting the other finalists and last but not least getting a big hamper of Edinburgh Gin (which helped me get through the horrific Megabus journey back to London that night at 2am).

3) Is adrenaline your friend or enemy?

It’s more of a friend that I always hang out with but secretly hate. I always feel the more nervous I am, the better I perform but the anxiety I feel beforehand never gets easier.

Kai Samra

4) Where is your favourite place to be?

My local pub with mates.

5) Is performing in Birmingham different than performing in other parts of the country?

Definitely. I always feel at home in Birmingham and can just go off on tangents about local places that people are familiar with. Snobs, Bullring, Handsworth. Playing in front of Birmingham crowds always seem more like I’m having a conversation with mates in a pub than on a stage performing.

6) What topic do you wish you were more clued up on?

Politics. There’s been countless times I’ve been in social circles where the conversation has turned to politics and I’ve had to shut up, smile or make an early exit.

7) What would you choose to eat for your last ever meal?

A KFC Wicked Tower Zinger Meal with gravy, mayonnaise and a large Pepsi (other fast food meals are available). I’m now vegetarian but it’s the one thing I massively crave sometimes. I’m pretty sure with the bloated feeling I’d get after eating it as well, I’d be welcoming death with open arms.

For more information, follow Kai on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Josh Pugh

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Josh Pugh is a stand up comedian from Warwickshire who has had surprising success for someone whose comedy career has only quite recently begun. He won the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award in 2015, as well as English Comedian of the Year in 2016, which goes to show that this quirky comedian has an extremely promising future ahead of him.
I asked Josh these seven questions to get to know him better…

1) Where do you wish you were right now?

Summer.

2) What makes you who you are?

A combination of genetics and life experiences. I’ve spent so long thinking about who I am that I think that has actually become my identity. The guy who doesn’t know who he is.

Josh Pugh

3) Who would you never want to perform in front of?

I would hate to perform to anyone who thinks that photo booths at wedding’s are hilarious, I have nothing that will entertain those people.

4) What would be the best thing that could happen to your comedy career?

Probably someone giving me lots of money, I could just do the gigs I wanted to do and it wouldn’t matter if I died horribly, I could still afford to eat. I would also like to wake up tomorrow and be able to impressions. I can only do one other voice and that is an impression of the man who works in the garage near me and unless he gets really famous its a pretty useless impression to be able to do.

5) If you’re ever feeling unmotivated, what is it that kicks you into action?

Honestly I never feel unmotivated when it comes to comedy, to me it’s fun and I like having fun. I sometimes feel unmotivated to socialise and so just don’t. I completely give in to that feeling, I think its my brain’s way of telling me I need to chill out for a bit.

6) Do you often fall out with people?

Never, I hate it. It eats me up if I feel like I’ve annoyed someone even slightly. I wish I could fall out with people more, for years I’ve kept people in my life who I don’t actually like.

7) What do you wish you’d never learned?

Do you know that dogs can smell you after you’ve gone out and that smell fades and it makes them miss you? That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard, I hate leaving my dog now.

For more information, visit Josh’s website and follow him on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Samuel Lloyd

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© Sarah Breese

MoodyComedy hasn’t posted a ‘Seven Questions With…’ interview since May 2017, and seeing as 2018 is now well and truly underway it seemed about time for a revival of the feature. Sam Lloyd, a comedian from Newport, has recently begun performing previews of his latest stand up show, Piñata. This comic is fresh-faced, endearing and ambitious, and is always unafraid to approach challenging topics with charismatic ease.
I asked Sam these seven questions to get to know him better…

1) Did you begin performing stand-up comedy during university, or before?

I started stand-up when I was 17, still in school and still kind of stupid. I wanted to start as soon as I had seen my first gig. I instantly thought I WANT TO DO THAT AND STRAIGHT AWAY PLEASE. My first gig was in a foyer of a theatre in Newport and nearly 7 years later, here we are.

2) Are you good under pressure?

I think I’m good under pressure, but I put myself under pressure too much. Whether it’s getting nervous before heading on stage, or leaving university assignments to the last day, I guess I’ve learned to manage pressure. With the show, for example, I put a lot of pressure on myself to not mess it up, but that ended up as a motivator to put the effort in, BUT like I say, I definitely shouldn’t stress out so much. Life’s too short and all that.

3) What made you first want to become a comedian?

I think it’s a combo of always loving making people laugh in school, and seeing my first live gig and realising that it’s nothing like TV. I was on a steady diet of Live at the Apollo and Mock The Week and things like that where everything’s heavily edited and slick and accessible, and so when I went to see Russell Kane back in 2008 and realised that it’s a flexible, hectic thing, I loved it so much more. Eventually seeing more and more live comedy got a mental rhythm going, I started writing stuff, and eventually thought “fuck it, let’s give it a go”.

4) When was the last time you disappointed yourself?

The last time I disappointed myself on a not-major-or-life-turning or upsetting scale was basically whenever I last ordered something crappy on a menu. I think the last time was an Italian restaurant in Cardiff where I ordered off a set deal menu and the food was a bit balls. I’m sure this question deserves a much more poignant, self-reflective answer, but that’s what comes to mind for some reason.

I guess that, because I’m lucky enough to have supportive people around me a lot of the time, I’m not allowed the chance to feel disappointment in myself for too long. So yeah. Pizza compromises is my answer.

5) Where is your favourite place in your hometown?

I think the obvious answer is my home in Rogerstone, particularly since I’m there now and it’s Christmas and everything’s bright and decorated. I’d probably say Le Pub. The owner and staff at this music venue are brilliant, resilient, and always lovely, and they’ve made a real effort for many years to provide a platform for upcoming local comics. Anyone swinging by Newport should pop in for a pint and check out upcoming gigs there. No, this isn’t a sponsored message, I just really like them.

6) What’s the most impressive thing about Sam Lloyd?

My fingers are double-jointed.

I don’t know if there’s much that’s impressive about me to be honest. With everything I do, especially comedy, there are so many people I admire and look up to that my endeavours kind of pale in comparison. It would be lovely to be impressive in the future, and impress people, and have people go “ah yes very impressive Sammy go you here’s a kitkat chunky” but I’m very happy being the one looking up at the moment.

7) Is the comedy industry a rewarding one?

I think people know what they want out of it. Whether it’s making money, making shows, touring, making it to certain stages, I think there are plenty of rewards in stand-up, but it’s about being open to them. It’s easy to be negative because the crappy things that happen feel particularly crap, but when you have a nice gig, or write something you’re proud of, or make it in a certain way, it feels amazing.

For more information, follow Sam Lloyd on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Princes Of Main

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Princes Of Main are a comedy sketch group made up of award winning comedians and writers Ben Pope, Alex MacKeith and Jamie Fraser. They also host a monthly free new material night in London called Crazy Science Stupid Magic, showcasing stand up, character and sketch comedy from a wide range of names on the UK comedy circuit. The Princes will also be returning to the Edinburgh Festival this year with another hour of absurd, fast-paced fun.
I asked Princes of Main these seven questions to find out more about them…

1) How did you feel when you woke up this morning?

BEN: Relieved. I watched Pride and Prejudice and Zombies last night and I had nine straight hours of premium nightmares.

ALEX: I felt neat and okay.

JAMIE: I have a wisdom tooth coming through so I woke up feeling achy, tender and like I was wearing a face two sizes too large for me. Other than that, tip top.

2) Jelly Babies or Jelly Beans?

BEN: Jelly Babies are better than Jelly Beans. No question. But I’d still take Jelly Beans over an actual baby.

ALEX: Honestly, gutted that they’ve gone their separate ways because we three would often sit down for hours on a Monday knocking back alternate JBeans and JBabies (as we abbreviated them; we didn’t have time for the whole names — you wanna eat them, not say them!) If that’s the way it is I will abstain from both parties until they work it out. JBean/JBaby relations have frosted before and always thawed. It’s not worth falling out over. But I know exactly how Ben will feel about this, and I will not be the one to tell him.

JAMIE: Jelly Babies are fantastic, I wish I had some now.

© Princes of Main

3) Do your sketches tend to develop or stay the same each time you perform them?

BEN: They always develop. We have short attention spans so too much repetition makes Jack a dull boy. New lines, new delivery, new voices constantly refresh old stuff or else it goes stale like milk or Kiefer Sutherland.

ALEX: They change considerably. You’ve got to change things up or Jamie gets incredibly, incredibly angry with you. If Ben had his way we’d hone and whittle until the sketch was just one syllable long. We actually cut the syllable-long sketch in the end because of time constraints. But I never have any regrets when we lose a line or a character or a joke. I’ve got them all right here.

*Points to head, then heart, then to notebook full of lines, characters and jokes.*

JAMIE: I think this has changed for us the more we have written and performed together. When we started out doing shows together, we had a sort of maniacal attitude to the actual writing of sketches, with very little left to be figured out in the moment. Call it being more relaxed or just laziness, but now we’re much happier to try a sketch with only vague idea of what might be funny about it, or even where it will go. From there, you see what gets a response and go back to the original idea, altering according to what felt best about it. That gradual erosion through the gentle lapping of positive and negative feedback eventually results in the sketch ossifying into a fixed state. If you’re lucky, this final frozen form is both Good and Funny and you can charge money for it at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

4) Who do you find the most annoying out of the three of you?

BEN: Oh, it’s a dead heat. We’re all insufferable toilets.

ALEX: Alex?

JAMIE: Myself.

5) How do you think you will die?

BEN: Google ‘La Grande Bouffe’. Ideally that.

ALEX: Too much love.

JAMIE: I’d like to say something dramatic but it’s almost certainly going to be a prolonged John Donne-style malady.

6) What makes you feel as though you have your life together?

BEN: The split second when I wake up before I remember everything.

ALEX: I don’t know if you’ve heard of a little book called The Holy Bible?

JAMIE: My slow cooker.

7) What’s the best thing about your audiences?

BEN: The thing I love absolutely love the most about our audiences is that sometimes they turn up.

ALEX: Their undying patience.

JAMIE: I wouldn’t want to generalise, but our shows are usually at their best when the audience enjoys seeing us mess up as much as they enjoy seeing us succeed. This is a lovely thing to experience as a performer and I’m grateful when it happens. Our audiences also tend to have an ineffable sexual charisma which makes them irresistible to friends, coworkers and strangers alike.

Tickets for Crazy Science Stupid Magic are available here. All proceeds go towards Parkinson’s UK. You can also follow Princes of Main on Twitter.