Eric Lampert: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019
Who? Eric Lampaert
What? Borne of Chaos
Where? Laughing Horse @ The Counting House – The Ballroom (Venue 170)
When? 16:15
What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?
There’s so much pressure for comedians to have a ‘good Edinburgh’, but no longer living in the UK and having multiple territories to play with means I can just concentrate on doing my best and continuing to polish the show while at the Fringe, using it as a platform to workshop rather that some exam, which is certainly how I felt when I first started going there.
I can’t take it too seriously anyway as I’m waiting to hear back from show pilots I auditioned for, which means I may have to cancel none, some, or all of it.
What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?
I either had a mental breakdown and lost my mind, or an atheist had the equivalent of a conversation with God & experienced ego death. Either way, I wanted to get my story down before I get hospitalised again. Good enough, right?
What is the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?
I have one story to share, but presented in two chapters, two shows. They will each work separately so you don’t have to see the first to enjoy the second (although I do recommend it). The former is set before I experienced this life changing moment in my life and therefore can be constructed as one scripted piece. The latter is everything after the event and, as I’m still dealing with its ripple effect and discovering new things in real time, the sequel is evolving constantly, so… the biggest obstacle is accepting that the second show will be mostly improvised. I’m not worried about it, I love being in the moment with the audience, but that means accepting the unpredictability of the future.
Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?
It’s a rich person’s playground, pushing out poorer talent or forcing them to get in debt. And it gets more expensive every year. I think this added pressure on talent has certainly soured how colleagues view the Fringe. Without artists, there wouldn’t be a festival, so perhaps they should walk away at the end of August with a fairer slice of the money made from the venues.
Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?
I’m excited to see Diana Dinerman’s show Detour. I became friends with her in LA where everyone says they’re a comedian – every, person – but you only find out when you see them perform. I saw her perform a very short set and was nervous our friendship could end there and then, but thankfully she was a hilarious breath of fresh air. I only got a little slice of her show, so I look forward to seeing the full story.
Where would you like to be in a year’s time?
Thanks to my trans-continental career, I’m currently living out of a bag and couch surfing across the oceans, which is exhilarating, but comes with its challenges; one being it’s not yet as financially fruitful as it looks from the outside looking in. Paying rent in either London or Los Angeles is already hard enough, so paying for it when you barely use it is not a prospect I’m keen on right now. Hopefully by next year, I can pay for a nest regardless of how long I spend in it. Either way, I’ve no fucking idea why I’ve been listening to ABBA lately, but I’m into it, so maybe you’ll see me in line for Mamma Mia! the musical by next year, or couch surfing in Sweden.
