© Steve Ullathorne
Who? Maisie Adam
What? Vague
Where? Gilded Balloon Teviot, Wee Room (venue 14)
When? 16:30
Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?
I can only hope so! With this being my first Edinburgh Fringe I’m not entirely sure what to expect, but I’ve been seeking advice from fellow comics on some do’s and don’ts and also what to expect. The main thing people are telling me is to just enjoy it, and to not get caught up in comparing yourself to other comedians and their shows, which is pretty sound advice. I think performing an hour-long show every day for a month will be challenging but I’m ready for it!
What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?
So it’s about my experiences of growing up and navigating my teen years whilst being diagnosed with Epilepsy. I know that doesn’t sound hilarious, but I think I’ve managed to make it a comedy show and not a Ted Talk by sharing my experiences with a comedic perspective. It’s not something I’ve often spoke about, and for many years not even my parents were aware of the extent of it, so it’s been fun and interesting to finally tell the whole story – or at least, the story so far – through stand-up comedy. To be totally honest I think that’s the only format through which I actually feel comfortable talking about it.
What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?
This is going to sound really pretentious, and if I read this answer I would definitely roll my eyes, but it was being honest with myself. There were a lot of points in the story where I wanted to skip over the details and get straight to the jokes, but if I did that the jokes didn’t work. When I realised this show only works if you’re 100% honest about the experiences, it became a lot easier to write. I also think it shows when a comedian is talking about something as though it’s their personal experience and it’s really not, and I think the audience respects someone who shares something personal or at least authentic.
Who would most enjoy your show?
There’s a few references to things from the late naughties so I think anyone of a similar age to me, who experiences their teens in those years will be able to relate to a lot of it. Also anyone who can remember that feeling of wanting to do everything and anything just because your friends were also doing it, whilst also discovering your own independence, opinions and thoughts. Your late teens are such an interesting time, and I was trying to do as much as possible but sometimes my Epilepsy got in the way or hindered those experiences; you don’t have to be epileptic to relate to that, you just need to remember your teens.
Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?
I just came back from the Cat Laughs festival in Kilkenny where I saw Catherine Bohart do a preview of her show “Immaculate” which was ace, so I would definitely recommend that as I can imagine by Edinburgh it’ll be a stellar show. I’ve also seen Will Penswick’s preview of his show “Dank Verse” – he’s a character comedian who presents this really pretentious poet and it is laugh-out-loud funny.
What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?
Not only is it stunning, but I love how the entire city gets right on board with the Fringe; everywhere you go people are hyped about it, you see banners right across town (not just at the venues but in café’s, hotels, buses, shops) and that is so lovely to see. It feels like this amazing bubble of support for the arts. I wish everywhere was like it all year round!
What are your plans for after the festival?
Firstly, I am going to take a holiday! I know I’ll be knackered by the end of the Fringe, and will have spent the whole month chatting and socialising with people non-stop (which will be great) but I’ll be ready for a quiet break so I’ve booked an InterRail trip to Italy… just me, the sun and some pizza! Hopefully after that, I’d love to continue my show elsewhere, perhaps at comedy festivals and theatres. Who knows!