British Comedy

Interview: Angela Barnes, Fortitude

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MoodyComedy recently spoke with award-winning comedian Angela Barnes about her latest show, Fortitude…

© Matt Crockett

Hi Angela, what’s on your mind today?

Snow mostly. Brighton is looking very pretty from my living room window, but the bruise on my arse from where I slipped on it yesterday is not appreciating the view.

You’re about to embark on a huge UK tour, are you ready?

As I’ll ever be I think. All I’ve wanted to do since I started doing stand up is to tour my own show to an audience who want to see it. I’m so bloody excited, I just wanna get cracking!

Your comedy often discusses society’s expectations of what we should all be doing at each stage in our lives – what is it about this topic that you are drawn to?

I come from quite an unconventional family, and I’ve never done anything in the right order or at the right time. I was even born far too early, and I’ve done everything arse about face ever since. I’m 41 now, I’m not married, I don’t have children, I don’t have the mortgage, but I can honestly say that I am the most content I have ever been in my life. I just think we all find our own way, and happiness comes from different things for different people… Numbers are mostly arbitrary when it comes to ageing, you know what feels right for you and when. We are lucky enough to live in a society where we have a lot of choice about what we do with our lives and I like to celebrate that.

You’ve become quite a regular on Mock the Week in recent years, has the novelty ever threatened to wear off or do you find it more enjoyable now you’ve had the chance to settle in?

I love doing it now. The first time you do it, you’re like a rabbit in the headlights. You sit on the set, and it looks so familiar, and I found myself just watching it, and then thinking “Oh Christ, you’re not watching telly, you’re on it!”.  Now I feel much more relaxed and can actually enjoy myself on the show. It’s a fun team to work with, and Hugh and Dara are brilliant.

What has been your favourite aspect of presenting Radio 4’s Newsjack?

I have such a special place in my heart for Newsjack, because it really is a way into a world that can feel completely impenetrable. When I was just a comedy nerd sat at home listening to Radio 4, I had no idea how I could ever get anything I wrote seen. Then Newsjack came along and gives everybody a chance to have a go at writing comedy. So many new writers have been discovered through the show, it really works. If you consistently submit good stuff, you WILL get noticed. I love how exciting it is for someone to hear their name in the credits for the first time, when I don’t screw up the pronunciation that is! 

What do you think your best attributes are as a writer and performer?

Ooh crikey, I’m not very good at self reflection. I think the phrase “down to earth” gets used to describe me a lot. As a comedy performer, you are asking an audience to pay money to sit in a room and listen to you bang on about yourself. When you really think about it, how arrogant is that?!  So I think that if your audience is comfortable in your company, that’s half the battle. I’d hate to think I’ve ever been intimidating to anyone, I hope people would think I’m approachable, and that makes you relatable to an audience as a performer. As a writer it’s the same thing. We are communicating an idea to an audience. If you are trying to do it in a way that alienates your audience, by being too complicated, or by making an audience feel small or inferior in some way, you’re going to find it tougher. There are some excellent so-called “high status” comics, but it is a difficult balancing act, and most of us are low-status. I want my audience to come away feeling good about themselves, thinking “I’ve had a good laugh, but thank God my life’s better than hers”!

What would you like people to take away from your new show, Fortitude?

There’s no great message to the show really. I talk quite a lot in it about my decision not to have children, so I suppose the one thing I’d like people to take away is that someone’s decision about their own reproductive life is nobody else’s business. We treat the question “ooh, do you think you’ll have children?” as if it’s small talk, just making conversation. But it isn’t. For some people it’s a very intrusive and upsetting question to be asked. I get fed up of the assumption that I don’t know my own mind, and that I am some sort of child-hating monster. Neither of those things are true. My decision not have children was made with a lot of consideration and is informed by being the person who knows me best! I actually adore babies. Like love them so much. The smell, the feel of their little arms and legs, my womb flips when I see one. But that is not enough for me to change my mind. I think what I need is a puppy. So yeah, if there’s one takeaway, it’s stop asking or judging people about whether or not they procreate. But mostly – I want them to have had a laugh and a fun night out

And lastly, if you had to persuade a stranger, what makes Fortitude worth going to see?

Well, there’s my brilliant support act Phil Jerrod, who properly makes me laugh, so if not for me and my show, come to a tour show for that! To a potential punter I’d say “ I promise there are jokes. Proper ones I’ve bothered to write. Oh, and I think I can confidently say that this show has more stuff on cold war nuclear bunkers than any other comedy show you’ll see this year.”

BUY TICKETS FOR ANGELA BARNES: FORTITUDE, HERE

Review: Buffalo Comedy’s 4th Birthday

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Buffalo is a fantastic comedy venue in Cardiff, and it’s their 4th birthday, so it’s time to celebrate. I attend on behalf of Cardiff University’s Quench Magazine. The room is cosy, every seat in close proximity to the stage, and the atmosphere is nice; there are lots of groups of friends loudly chatting before the show begins. Everything about this night so far looks promising. Robin Morgan is a regular at this comedy club, and tonight he compères the show. He appears alongside Jenny Collier, Archie Maddocks and Rhys James, who will be performing tried and tested material, as well as brand new material, in front of this good-natured Sunday night crowd.

Welsh stand up Robin is quite a delightful performer, with a cheeky twinkle in his eye and an unquestioning politeness and consideration of his audience. Somewhat Joe Lycett-esque in his onstage persona, Morgan is the calm captain of this ship. He confidently interacts with the crowd with a natural conversation style. There is no forced compèring here, as Robin has a genuine warmth about him, seeming interested and thrilled by his audience’s responses.

© MoodyComedy

Throughout the evening Robin frequently references his fiancé and ten-month-old son, talking of his encounters with other mums at the baby classes (which he sometimes attends without his partner), who assume he must be gay. Although audiences may have heard this kind of material before, it’s Robin’s delivery that makes it something new. Perhaps it’s his personable nature (he’s open, sharing with us the name of his child and details about his family life), but there is certainly something about this comic that makes him feel like an already-established friend.

The first act Robin welcomes to the stage is Jenny Collier, the voice of match.com and a proudly Northern Welsh comic whose set also largely centres around themes of family and relationships. Collier is unassuming, friendly and not overbearing, with an innocence to her that she cleverly plays with by often contrasting her demeanour with ruder material, which the audience lap up. At times I found myself questioning the genuineness of some of the anecdotes shared. Though effortlessly able to make her audiences laugh with unexpected punchlines and side remarks, it sometimes felt as though there wasn’t enough confidence behind the narrative. There seemed to be a conflict in narrative, for example, as to whether Collier is single or in a relationship, although perhaps this was more due to underdeveloped ideas that will be tightened up in time.

After the first interval, it’s time for Archie Maddocks. Half Trinidadian, half Irish (his parents are Don Warrington and Mary Maddocks), Maddocks ascends the stage and announces: ‘welcome to your ethnic section for the evening!’. Archie has a really appealing way about him: he’s a confident performer but not too slick; sweet but no pushover. He chats to his audience as a collective with ease, seeming like nothing could possibly faze him, because he clearly knows his material is good. His analysis of Uber is a highlight for me, as well as his impression of a charging penguin he encountered on a recent work trip to South Africa (hilarious, but terrifying).

And finally, our headline act for the evening is Rhys James, who many would recognise from his increasingly frequent appearances on BBC Two’s Mock The Week. Rhys’ comedy, like most of what we have seen this evening, feels young and relatable (a lot of the audience are, of course, students). He has quite a brooding look about him whilst his material and delivery remain rather playful, which makes him an interesting character on stage, one that is quite hard to pin down. James is working through the beginnings of his new Edinburgh show and it certainly seems to be coming together nicely.

It’s clear that this comic knows how to construct a show, and, like the other performers tonight, he doesn’t shy away from personal family anecdotes. But the crux of this new show is more abstract, with references to raccoons on Japanese game shows, and the show even features a fable. The balance between longer form anecdotes and silly, overblown rants is interesting, and we can already see a narrative emerging. In the coming six months, I think this show will evolve into something very strong indeed.

So, the end of Rhys’ set signals the end of Buffalo’s fantastic 4th birthday celebrations. But luckily for us Cardiff residents, their regular comedy night will back on March 4th, with Lloyd Langford confirmed as a guest. You can buy your tickets for that here.

Interview: Stuart Goldsmith, Like I Mean It

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© Matt Crockett

Stand up comedian and podcaster Stuart Goldsmith is set to tour his seventh show, Like I Mean It, across the UK from February through to June 2018. Having already won Best New Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival, and had a very successful Edinburgh run in 2017, now it’s time for Goldsmith’s creativity to truly shine, as he performs this show to ever-growing audiences across the country.

Hi Stu, how have you been since we last spoke?

Really well thanks – married life is excellent, and my toddler said “good morning daddy” for the first time, unprompted, this morning. So now I feel like I’m in a sixties Disney live action movie. 

How did your latest show, Like I Mean It, evolve? Is there a core story or message?

As ever I tried to write funny stuff with no meaning, and as ever it evolved into something meaningful despite my best efforts! I wouldn’t dream of trying to send a message to anybody, but the core of the show is my blissful happiness now I have everything I always wanted, and the resentment and frustration that somehow comes along with all that contentment. 

Have you surprised yourself at all whilst writing this show?

Absolutely. It’s my seventh show, and my best, and while I’m always surprised that I have anything more to say, in this one in particular I manage to say exactly what I wanted to without beating the audience over the head with it. I also came up with a neat little structural trick which I’m hoping to expand upon for this year, which one favourite reviewer of mine absolutely HATED, so I’m looking forward to annoying her all over again. 

Are you enjoying performing Like I Mean It more than your previous shows?

I think so! It’s more about funny concepts and less to do with being word perfect on the wording of a joke, so it makes for a looser performative experience for me. Also there’s a bit about a frog which I find hilarious if they all go with it, and equally hilarious if none of them do.

Has your work on the Comedian’s Comedian Podcast effected your stand up in any positive (or negative) ways?

I’m sure it has but quite how I couldn’t say. For me the biggest difference has always been that once I realised all comedians worry that we’re impostors, it got much easier to deal with my own self doubt. I should try and keep a list of the things I think to myself during the writing process, as I’m sure there are more concrete examples. 

Can we expect any Q&As after the shows during this tour?

No, this time I’m going to be roughing out a load of wonky new material after each show, so anyone who fancies staying gets a sneak preview cum workshop of the next show! 

Are you dreading writing the next show or looking forward to it?

Dread dread dread. But as soon as I get to the stage where I have too much material it will flip and suddenly become the best job in the world again. IF THAT POINT EVER COMES EVER AGAIN. 

And finally, why should people buy a ticket to see Like I Mean It on tour?

Because if they try and sneak in for free I will publicly shame them.

BOOK TICKETS TO SEE STUART GOLDSMITH’S SHOW, LIKE I MEAN IT, ON TOUR HERE

January Comedian of the Month #43, Kerry Howard

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Each Comedian of the Month on MoodyComedy is a comic who has never previously featured on the website. Reasons for selection can include various current projects the comedian is involved with, or perhaps recent appearances on television programmes or podcasts. There is no strict criteria however, as Comedian of the Month simply stands as a collection of recommendations, highlighting interesting and original aspects of certain comedians and their work.

Kerry Howard is a comedy actress from Somerset who first came to my attention when she starred as Becky’s irritating sister Laura in Him & Her (which I, for some reason, only watched last year). Laura is a very annoying character, even bordering on detestable at times, but this is all part of her brilliance. Because she has genuinely vulnerable moments in parts, and her relationship with Becky (Sarah Solemani) is one of friendship as well as turbulent sisterhood dramatics.

As Solemani said herself in an article for The Guardian in 2013: ‘Often nothing happens in Him & Her, yet people really feel for the characters’. It’s obvious that in order to nurture a sitcom with characters that carry their own individual weight, not only do you need a brilliant writer (Stefan Golaszewski, of course, is the power behind Him & Her), but a skilful, experienced cast is surely required.

Witless: Kerry Howard (left) and Zoë Boyle (right)

More recently, Kerry has starred in BBC3’s Witless; a comedy about two fraught friends who get forced into participating in a witness protection programme when they witness a gang crime and their identities get leaked to said gang. Howard (playing loveable fool Leanne) stars alongside Zoë Boyle, who plays Rhona, an undeniably more jittery recipient to the new lifestyle the two are forced to adopt than the naïve Leanne. The show is now onto its third series, and as the episodes have progressed, Howard has increased the depth of the characters she plays, expertly tiptoeing along the line between being endearing and unbearably frustrating.

Him & Her, if you haven’t yet seen it, is available on Netflix, and the full boxset of Witless is on BBC iPlayer.

For more information, follow Kerry Howard on Twitter.

COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

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…

Interview: Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho

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Maggie Thatcher has been extremely busy since she first graced the stages of Edinburgh in 2014. MoodyComedy interviewed her last summer about her latest Edinburgh run, and now she returns to tell us all about Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho, which she will be performing at Vault Festival throughout February.

Hi Maggie, what’s changed since we last talked? 

Oh lots dear, not least James Franco’s chances of being nominated for an Oscar. When we last spoke there was a racist lunatic in the White House, the British Government was in disarray, the NHS was in crisis, climate change was ongoing and inequality was worse than ever… Sorry, were we talking about what had changed?

Are you looking forward to performing at Vault Festival from 14th-25th February?

Oh absolutely. Given that the threat of nuclear war is worse than at any time since the 1980s it makes sense to perform the show in what is essentially a fallout bunker. Joking aside, I love Vault Festival. It’s a chance to see exciting new work, meet talented young artists, and experience the atmosphere of the Edinburgh Fringe without having to shell out a million pounds for a flat.

How did your audiences during your Edinburgh Festival run tend to respond to you and your show?

What’s a humble way of saying ‘universal adoration’?

© Mihaela Bodlovic

How has your act evolved over the years?

Oh, it’s evolved a great deal. Back in 2013 I used to wear a blue skirt suit with a red pussy blouse, whereas now 2018 I have radically changed my look and now wear a blue skirt suit with a white pussy bow blouse. It’s night and day.

For you, what is the biggest joy about performing in front of a crowd?

It’s like being back in the house of commons, only the people in front of me aren’t Labour politicians and my backing dancers are slightly less likely to stab me in the back than Tory politicians.

And what is your least favourite aspect?

When other characters have lines. I mean seriously, it’s my name on the poster, why do other people have to speak?

What, or who, are the biggest factors of your success?

Max Factor.

What’s next for Maggie Thatcher?

Watch this space, dear – we’ve got some exciting news to announce very soon!

GET YOUR TICKETS TO SEE MAGGIE PERFORM AT VAULT FESTIVAL FOR 14-18TH AND  21ST-25TH FEBRUARY HERE

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…

GriefCast Interview: Cariad Lloyd

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Cariad Lloyd is a comedy writer and performer, a part of comedy sketch group Austentatious and also creator of the GriefCast podcast. GriefCast has been running since 2016, with each episode featuring a different comic who, like Cariad, has lost someone close to them, whether that be recently or a long time ago. But you don’t have to be grieving to appreciate these heartfelt chats and the goodwill behind them. GriefCast gives a fascinating insight as well as perhaps a bit of comfort for those going through similar situations.

1) Why is GriefCast an important project for you?

My Dad died when I was 15 and I found it very isolating. I felt like no one understood what I was going through. It’s so important to me to make something which allows grievers to not feel alone. To connect with each other and to realise we are all different and united in our grief. I wish I had something like this when I first went through it.

2) Did you have any reservations before starting the GriefCast podcast?

Yes! I didn’t think anyone would want to listen. Death, grief… these are topics people normally want to avoid. But I wanted to prove that it could be interesting, funny and still remain sensitive to the topic.

3) How, in general, do you think grieving differs in comedians/performers?

I don’t think it does really. I just think comedians know how to use humour to deal with pain, so they might make jokes slightly quicker than a non-comedian in a painful situation. But I think we all do that but perhaps non-comedians might feel more guilty about it, where as a comedian knows it will be a way of coping with the situation – to laugh at it. That’s what we’ve done all our lives.

© Cariad Lloyd

4) Do you benefit from the podcast as much as you feel your guests do (if you think they do!)?

Yes, it’s helped me so much to talk about it. I didn’t for 18 years and I think now I almost can’t stop. I think we both benefit from an honest chat about what grief can do to you. It feels less isolating to remember we all go through it in one way or another.

5) What has been the most surprising thing that you have learned through talking to these people who have lost loved ones?

I don’t know about surprising but it’s certainly comforting to share so many experiences. Every story is so different but so many times I find myself saying, yes me too! And that’s not what I expected would happen.

6) Why should people listen to GriefCast?

If you’ve ever experienced Grief, if you’re ‘in the club’ as we say, it will make you laugh, cry and feel less alone. If you’re not and your life is blissfully death-free, it will make you laugh, cry and understand why sometimes your loved ones feel alone even though they’re not.

7) What’s next for you?

More GriefCasts and more Austentatious and eventually some sleep please.

LISTEN TO GRIEFCAST HERE.

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…

The Edinburgh Interviews 2017: Naomi Sheldon

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Naomi Sheldon’s debut Edinburgh show explores the contrast between being a ‘good girl’ and being a fully matured woman. Good Girl is about self-identity and developing oneself in a 21st century world. Naomi will be performing the show at Just the Tonic at The Mash House throughout August.

1) What excites you most about the Edinburgh Festival?

This year I felt passionately about getting my voice out there and telling a story that connects with people. With you-know-who heading the most powerful country in the world and an internet culture of shouting down women, it feels more important than ever for female voices to have the space to make their perspective heard. Good Girl looks at what can happen when women self-silence to fit in with what is expected of them. When a powerful woman is a ‘nasty woman’, It’s vital to have an antidote of frank female voices speaking openly.

2) What is your first Edinburgh show about?

It’s a coming-of-age story about growing up in the 90s, BIG emotions and what can happen if you cut them off to fit in. It’s set to a soundtrack of Madonna, Michael Jackson and ABBA. All the feel-goods.

3) Does your comedy attract a certain type of audience?

The best audiences so far have been made up of men and women that grew up in the 90s who all the references really resonate with. But actually, it’s for people who feel like they didn’t fit in growing up. Who have big emotions but have felt they have to keep them bottled up to be accepted.

4) What is the worst experience you’ve had with Edinburgh accommodation?

I came to Edinburgh over 10 years ago with a student production (of a Shakespeare set in a jazz club…), we all shared beds in this run down flat and a couple of our cast inexplicably contracted scabies! It was hellish. It was dark times.

5) What is your most treasured memory of your comedy career so far?

My comedy career is a pretty new one and the best moment was quite recent. Good Girl was having a preview in Margate and I could see the audience crying and laughing at the same time. One woman came up to me after and hugged me saying ‘it explains all of us’. That was magic. To connect in that way. It felt like the beginning of a community.

6) What show will you definitely be seeing at the festival this year?

Jayde Adams’ Jayded, Lucy Pearman’s Maid of Cabbage and Rebecca Humphries’ Prom Kween. I’m also going to be performing in The Canon: A Literary Sketch Show so come see that!

7) What do you hope to gain from the Edinburgh Festival this year?

An audience, stamina, more guts, a bunch of new comedy mates and a community of people who love this sort of work- honest, bold and funny storytelling.

8) What do you imagine your last ever show will be about?

Something that binds us all together? Mortality? Love? The Ring?

BOOK TICKETS FOR NAOMI SHELDON: GOOD GIRL, AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2017