Interview

Interview: Alex Kealy, Rationale

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© Ed Moore

Alex Kealy is set to tour his latest show across the UK this Spring. In honour of this, Alex fills MoodyComedy in on the rationale behind Rationale.

Hi Alex, how has the first month of the new decade been for you?

I managed to maintain a dry-ish January, went for some runs, gigged a lot, recorded my show for the comedy streaming service NextUp and saw a number of great dogs, so a pretty good month.

What initial thoughts sparked the origin of your show Rationale?

Lofty answer: I’ve always been interested in the non-rational motivators that compel us to think and do certain things. I thought a show focusing on that would be a nice antidote to political shows written explicitly on a Brexit axis. The best book I read in preparation was William Davies’ fantastic Nervous States.

Cynical answer: Topical shows are an absolute ball-ache because a) they can divide audiences and b) you spend six months writing them, lose thousands of pounds going to the Fringe and then they’re immediately redundant come September and impossible to tour (‘What’s the deal with Theresa May, amirite?’ etc.).

So I was keen to write something that would be like a fine/moderate communion wine (ages well, everyone’s happy) and not a banana (ages in 72 hours, reminds people of contentious reasons to leave the European Union).

How did the show develop during last year’s Edinburgh Fringe?

I had a break-up two days before the Fringe so that, er, influenced things a bit. I quite quickly wrote a chunk of material about that and it ended up making a lot of sense to put that in the middle of the show marking a Side A/Side B break in the hour.

How has your writing style developed since writing your first comedy hour?

A bit less wordplay and more jokes that are based on concepts and emotions. I think my use of analogies has gotten really strong but also hopefully I use them slightly less, as once I had a tendency to over-rely on them as my primary comedic tool. I guess what I’m trying to say is that my presence on stage inspires an overpowering mixture of fear and love in all who feast their eyes upon me.

What is your favourite comedy project that you have been involved in?

I’m proud of my comedy night The Comedy Grotto. It’s been going for approaching seven years and we’ve had some of the best comedians in the country trying out new material to fun audiences in a dank basement in North London.

What are you most excited about and what are you most afraid of as you embark on this UK tour?

I’m excited to perform the show another ten times! I’m terrified that nobody will come!

Why should people buy a ticket to see Rationale on tour?

To soothe my fear expressed in the last question should be enough for your wonderful, empathetic readers, but if you need to, I don’t know, make a decision based on more than just assuaging my insecurities, it’s a really good show with a very high gag count. I also got in The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph’s Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe so clearly my gag-writing has the capacity to unite this politically fractured nation.

Rationale starts on 15th February at the Vault festival and runs until 1 April – more details here

Interview: Darrell Martin (Just the Tonic)

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Just the Tonic is launching a new comedy night at the Assembly in Leamington Spa this Saturday (8th February 2020). In anticipation of the launch, MoodyComedy had a chat with Just the Tonic owner Darrell Martin about this exciting new venture.

Hi Darrell, can you give us a brief overview of how Just the Tonic was born and how it has developed over the years?

It started because I loved comedy and there was none of it in Nottingham where I lived at the time. I had worked in a nightclub called Venue and had seen how people put things on. I had also run a few things myself before. So, it seemed like a normal thing to do. The reaction from most people I knew would tell me it wasn’t, but it was a recession, I was unemployable, and had nothing to lose.

Why is Leamington Spa your latest place of choice to launch a Just the Tonic venue?

Andy, who has reopened the venue, knew of Just the Tonic from Nottingham. He approached me and told of this spectacular venue. I looked into it and realised that I could probably put on a pretty strong monthly event that could afford to pay some pretty good comedians to appear there.

What are your plans for the opening of your Leamington Spa venue?

I plan to put on a brilliant line up (which we have managed to do) and I plan to fill it up with laughing people (it is getting to be pretty full already… just got to make them laugh now!).

What is the ethos of Just the Tonic? What values do you hold close?

I try to put on quality comedy nights, with the best of the established acts plus the best of the newer acts. We try to keep the price as reasonable as possible for the audience and we try to put on events that are as much of a joy for the comedians as they are for the audiences.

How has your own experience working in/performing comedy helped with your work as a comedy club owner?

I can walk into a room and pretty much out work out whether it would be suitable and how to best use it. Just like when you meet a hairdresser, they will be looking at your head, or a plumber will be looking at the pipework in your house; when I go into a pub or a potential venue I am thinking ‘good sight-lines, sound desk there, toilets are over there, where’s the fire exits, too many pillars…’ Quite dull really. Also, working in comedy, I know most of the comedians so can ring them up and gently cajole them into a gig every now and then. Hence Leamington Spa, a splendid line-up of comedy for the next 6 months with much more to come.

Does each of the Just the Tonic venues have a different feel, or is the vibe pretty consistent?

We try and keep the vibe consistent. Similar pre-show music, same start-up and intro tracks. We try and treat audiences fairly maturely at each place, and we also filter out the troublemakers (drunken people who seem to forget the whole night is not about them). We really do just try and make it a pleasant and fun night out. Our choice of compere is quite important. We use the ones that really engage with the room.

What are your hopes for this newest Just the Tonic venue?

I hope that it is full every month with people laughing at us. What more could a comedy promoter ask?

Tickets are now on sale for Just the Tonic’s Leamington Spa launch night, featuring performances from Reginald D. Hunter, Guz Khan, Andrew O’Neill and Matt Richardson. For more information, visit Just the Tonic’s website.

Interview: Robin Morgan, What A Man, What A Man, What A Man, What A Mighty Good Man (Say It Again Now)

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© Matt Stronge

MoodyComedy speaks to Robin Morgan about his plans to tour his latest show, What A Man, What A Man, What A Man, What A Mighty Good Man (Say It Again Now), across the UK.

Hi Robin, how is 2020 treating you so far?

Well, thank you! I’m not doing dry January so having a wonderful time.

How did the arc of your new show, What A Man, emerge?

I wanted to write a show about my Dad and my son, and about masculinity in general. When my wife’s maternity leave finished, I took over looking after my son during the days, and found it hilarious how much praise I got for that fact, compared to how much my wife did. The double standards are mad and a real theme of the show.

How did you find the reception of the show at 2019’s Edinburgh Fringe?

I had lovely shows. I work really hard up there to make sure the room was full, and luckily that happened in 2019. The subject matter seemed to resonate too – my favourite moment was a real group of laddy lads who said they liked it. It’s those kind of people I thought would hate it, so that was a nice moment.

How do you feel about touring the country with this new show?

I’m excited to do the show again but shitting myself that it won’t be busy. I don’t have a huge amount of profile so I’m relying mainly on word-of-mouth and people’s lack of plans that evening. I’m so proud of the show – it’s the best thing I’ve written, and fingers crossed for some full rooms.

What motivates you as a performer?

It used to be just the bug to perform, to have fun on stage. But then a few years ago I really think I found my voice (WHAT A WANKY THING TO SAY) and I started talking about subjects that I care about. And this show is a perfect example of that.

Do you prefer to write before getting on stage, or work stuff through in front of a live audience?

Nowadays I like working stuff through with an audience. I’ll have bullet points and ideas but I wrote a lot of this show whilst on stage in preview form. I’m getting better at writing on stage, and already working up a new show for the one after What A Man.

Why should people buy a ticket to see What A Man, What A Man, What A Man, What A Mighty Good Man (Say It Again Now) on tour?

It’s got the most jokes I’ve ever put into a show. It’s about a topic that I think is important to talk about. And a lovely emotional ending. I had people crying at the end of the show (happy tears, don’t worry). Plus it’s got one of the muckiest jokes I’ve ever written. What’s not to like?

BOOK TICKETS FOR ROBIN MORGAN’S TOUR HERE

Interview: Angela Barnes, Rose-Tinted

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Angela Barnes is a down-to-earth, personable stand-up comedian who has been going from strength to strength in recent years. She has hosted the Radio 4 series NewsJack, as well being one of the generous comics behind the The Home Safe Collective, a charity that ensures female, trans and non-binary comics and performers have safe transport home from late gigs at the Edinburgh Fringe. MoodyComedy spoke to Angela about her new show, Rose-Tinted.

© Matt Crockett

Hey Angela, what’s changed since we last spoke?

Hello! Well one of the main things that has happened since we last spoke is that I handed over the hosting duties on NewsJack to the excellent Kiri Pritchard-McLean. I did 4 series and absolutely loved it – but it was time to move on to other things and let someone else have a go! Since then, I’ve made a second series of my Radio 4 show You Can’t Take It With You which aired in January and I still keep popping up on The News Quiz and Mock The Week etc.

What is the greatest compliment you’ve received about your comedy recently?

I wouldn’t usually like to boast, I’m not one for retweeting praise, for a start, it does no good for my self-deprecating image. But recently, when the second series of my Radio 4 show You Can’t Take It With You aired, Kathy Burke tweeted ‘I loved it too. You’re like the daughter I didn’t have because I didn’t want kids either,’ and I knew I could die happy. I am such a big fan of Kathy, that that was the highest compliment I could ever hope for.

How did you find the writing process for your new show, Rose-Tinted?

I really enjoyed writing this show. I think that because I’m doing a bit more radio and telly now, people have an idea of what I am about, and so I can now write a show without worrying about having to establish where I’m coming from at the start. That is very freeing and means I can get on with whatever it is I want to bang on about. I had a lot of fun in the process of putting this show together, and am really looking forward to getting it out on the road.

How has your mission to become more positive in the face of all the world’s negativity been going so far? Any advice?

Hahaha – I am not the person to come to for advice on looking for the positive. I wanted to try to look on the bright side in this show, but, spoiler alert, I don’t always succeed. Having said that, it has made me more aware of when I am catastrophising and to try to reign it in and look for the roses growing through all the shit. Though the world seems pretty determined to make it as hard as possible to do that…

Are there any places or venues that you are particularly excited to visit during your tour this year?

I’m always excited going to places I haven’t been before, so if anyone has any hot tips on visiting Market Drayton, Burton on Trent or Sudbury – hit me up! I always look forward to playing my hometown, the Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone – I used to watch panto there every year as a kid, so it is so weird to be on that stage.  And wherever I go, I always look for the nearest nuclear bunker to visit – it’s kinda my thing – so need to do my research on that before I hit the road!

What have you learned about yourself or your craft over the past year?

2018 was a very busy year, which is great. I like being busy – doesn’t give my brain time to get too bogged down. I am finding my place in the comedy world I think – it’s so hard when you start out to know where you belong. 6 years ago, I wouldn’t have thought I’d be a topical comedian, or appearing on political shows – but it seems to be where I thrive, and I’m grateful that topical comedy found me. I have no grand plans – I am just enjoying the ride. I think this last year has taught me two things 1) hard work pays off and 2) I’m incredibly lucky to be able to do this, and I don’t want to ever lose sight of that. I get paid to muck about with excellent people. What a fluke.

What are your main hopes for this 2019 tour?

My main hopes are that people come along and have as much fun watching the shows as me and my brilliant support act, Phil Jerrod, have doing them.

BOOK TICKETS FOR ANGELA BARNES’ TOUR HERE

Interview: Stuart Goldsmith, End Of

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Stuart Goldsmith is embarking on a UK tour of his latest stand-up hour, End Of. MoodyComedy had a chat with Stu about the crafting of his latest show, becoming a Dad again and being an interviewer of fellow comedians…

© Matt Crockett

Who is the comedian ‘Stuart Goldsmith’ these days?

Hah, nicely open question – these days he’s a touring act who’s managing to escape the circuit; he’s a father of two who is asking himself big questions about the next five years worth of work before both kids are flying a desk, e.g. working day-job hours at school; and he’s a slightly heavier man than before, but with none of the jolliness you’re supposed to get.

And who is the interviewer ‘Stuart Goldsmith’ these days?

About 6 months ago I started to hit a bit of a plateau with the pod overall, and doubted my stamina to continue it. Now though, i’m hatching a secret-ish plot to apply the interview techniques and ways of thinking I’ve honed in 7 years of podcasting in a frighteningly different field, and it’s had a really invigorating effect on my feelings towards the original pod. Plus recent eps have been some of the best; Andi Osho, Jeff Innocent, Phil Ellis, Doc Brown – there’s been some superb interviews in the last few months, so I’m going nowhere!

And what about the comedy fan ‘Stuart Goldsmith, how’s he?

Oh god he’s EXHAUSTED. There’s just so much stuff these days, and I think since he’s been obsessively watching and analysing comedy full-time for years, it’s harder for him to get excited about the more common forms of standup outside of his own work. He’s much happier watching a turbo-clown push carrots up their nose or fight their way out of an axolotl costume than hearing another hot take on Brexit or online dating. In many ways he’s happy that comedy is such a huge part of culture, but he’s also rueful that he turned his favourite thing into such an all-encompassing job…

Where did this new show, End Of, come from and how has it developed since last year’s Edinburgh Fringe?

I think it came from getting stopped in my tracks by a sense of my own mortality. A friend was diagnosed with something serious, and I also started to ruminate on my own perceived transformation from vital young man to sleep-deprived husk. Exactly as I’d fantasised about in my 2015 show Extra Life, but less metaphorically and more finally…

The show is about feeling spent. Having said that I have now had a break and I’ve been enjoying doing “greatest hits” sets in clubs, it’s made me raring to get back to the scripted tour show and really bite down on it with fresh energy…

Is End Of more the product of sitting down and writing, or brainstorming on stage?

Glad you asked! I have refined the creative process to yet another extreme, doing almost all my “writing” for this one whilst in the car on the previous tour. I suppose my dream is to one day be able to live broadcast a single hilarious stream of consciousness, and take the rest of the year off! The best bits are always the extra toppers and tags I throw onto the end of a good bit when a show is going tremendously well, and I’m pleased to say there have been more and more of those recently. I’m forgetting more cracking little new bots than I’m carrying forward.

Have you had any negative or challenging experiences with your podcast, The Comedian’s Comedian, recently?

Just the constant gnawing anxiety, about booking, researching and preparing for interviews. It’s extraordinary, quite pointless and won’t seem to go away. 

What is the biggest revelation you’ve had in the past year?

If you need to dissolve a pill in liquid to administer via a syringe, you can do it IN THE SYRINGE rather than outside and then try and suck up the gritty bits. Mind-blowing. Oh, and probably something about a second child and love being infinite.

BOOK TICKETS FOR STUART GOLDSMITH’S TOUR HERE

Interview: Nick Revell, BrokenDreamCatcher

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Nick Revell is currently touring his latest show BrokenDreamCatcher on tour across the UK. With his trademark blend of realism and absurdity, Nick spoke to MoodyComedy about the development of his comedy and the thoughts behind his newest stand-up endeavour.

© Nick Revell

Hi Nick, how is 2019 treating you so far?

Hello MoodyComedy. 2019 is treating me pretty well so far, thanks. Apart from the prospect of environmental catastrophe, Brexit chaos, increasing global economic injustice and West Ham still lacking truly reliable strikers.

How did your new show BrokenDreamCatcher develop? How does it relate to your radio series of the same name?

I like writing structured stories, which mix the surreal and the everyday, and BrokenDreamCatcher was one of five or six I was putting together as solo shows and for the radio series. It’s the (true, of course) story of how my dreamcatcher breaks, all the bad dreams escape, and threaten to engulf the whole of North London in neurosis, fear and wholesale raving insanity. Luckily however, with the help of my pub darts partner, Gwyneth Paltrow, disaster is just about averted. It seemed like a good title for the series, but in fact in the end, the story is not in series one. It will air if we get a second series.

Who would most enjoy your comedy, and who do you think should give your comedy a try?

Well, I think anyone who likes a thriller or a fairy story with a twist or a satirical thread in their comedy might find them entertaining. You get topical stuff, you get satirical treatment of 4th century Christian hermits, you get fart jokes.

How has your comedy style evolved over your years in the business?

I guess you get more confident and more aware of what style and subjects suit you best. When you start out, you’re terrified, don’t really know what you’re doing and are imitating other people to some degree. None of that is wrong or avoidable, but as you go along, you find your own voice. I’m probably less ranty now, and more playful.

Where is your favourite place to perform?

The Stand – Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle. And the King’s Head, Crouch End.

What most excites you about taking BrokenDreamCatcher on tour?

Hm…well, it’s the first time in ages I’ve had the chance to run a full-length show outside the Edinburgh Festival, and in many ways doing a couple of hours on your own is much more satisfying than short sets of twenty to forty minutes. It’s a challenge, but you can take the audience to different places, and play with more tones and threads. And of course, you discover out more about the show yourself every night. There’s a real joy in finding new details and improving it bit by bit every gig.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

More shows in the same vien, I hope. I will definitely be back at the The Edinburgh Stand in August with a new one. I’ve written three so far. The Edinburgh show will probably be two of them mixed together – not sure of the title yet – could be Eurasia’s Most Eligible Sociopaths and Their Lovely Homes, possibly The Theme Park at the End of World, or maybe The Ministry of Thunderbolts and Lightning. Or, Kill Chicken, Scare Monkey. Or maybe Walk Fire Enter Demon. I’m looking at China, visiting the Underworld, and a political revolution triggered by irregularities in a Eurovision selection process.

BOOK TICKETS FOR NICK REVELL’S TOUR HERE

Interview: Paul McCaffrey, I Thought I’d Have Grown Out Of This By Now

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Paul McCaffrey is a stand up comedian with an abundance of live circuit experience, having performed all over the UK. He has also appeared on TV as one of the Impractical Jokers on BBC3, and performed the stand up spot on Russell Howard’s Good News. MoodyComedy spoke to Paul about his upcoming UK tour, I Thought I’d Have Grown Out Of This By Now.

© Brian Ritchie

Hey Paul, how are you?

I’m very well thank you. Just back off Holiday and ready to take on 2019. Really excited for my first tour!

What is the premise of your new show, I Thought I’d Have Grown Out Of This By Now?

It’s essentially a mix of my favourite bits from my Edinburgh shows to date as it’s my first ever tour, a ‘best of’ I guess. The majority of the show will be from a show I did in 2012 called ‘Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Belly Laughs’ which was about some friends and I going to a festival 20 years on from our first ever festival when we were older (too old) and wiser (not wise enough to realise this was a bad idea).

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced while crafting this latest show?

I guess what material to use and what to leave out. I’m very lucky to be in a position where I have more material than I need but it’s my first tour so I want it to be as good as possible.

Do you find you have a typical audience member or is your audience very diverse?

We’ll see, but I think my act is pretty accessible and I’d like to think anyone would enjoy it.

How do you tend to find your Cardiff audiences? Are you looking forward to playing our Glee Club in March?

I’ve always loved playing at the Glee Club on the weekend shows, it’s one of the best clubs in the country. I was at the Motorpoint Arena in November supporting Kevin Bridges and it was absolutely amazing. The last time I’d been in there was to watch Liam Gallagher so to get to perform on that stage myself was pretty cool. My mum is also Welsh so I definitely have a lot of love for Wales. I used to spend my summer holidays in Crickhowell as a kid and I have very fond memories of those times.

What would you like people to take away from your show; what do you want them to particularly remember?

I’d just like them to have a great evening really, nothing more than that, lots of big laughs and hopefully start to build and audience that will want to come out and see me again and again. I’ve spent a good few years headlining the various pubs and clubs on the circuit and supporting some of the biggest acts in the UK (Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Kevin Bridges) and would now like to step up a level and become a touring act myself.

What are your hopes for the next twelve months?

Just to keep improving as a comic and to hopefully get some more opportunities on TV. I would love to do Live at the Apollo and The Royal Variety Show particularly. Hopefully if I keep working and making audiences laugh, that will come. I’m heading up to the Edinburgh Festival again this year. I’m looking forward to that and I have an exciting radio project which is about to start which should be announced very soon.

BOOK TICKETS FOR PAUL MCCAFFREY’S TOUR HERE

Christopher MacArthur-Boyd: The Edinburgh Interviews 2018

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© Aemen Sukar

Who? Christopher MacArthur-Boyd
What? Home Sweet Home
Where? The Gilded Balloon Teviot (venue 14)
When? 22:15

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

This is my debut hour at Edinburgh, but it’s my fourth year in a row performing at it, so I can confidently say: no, I am not prepared at all for a month of exhaustion, greasy fry-ups and excessive smoking.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

My girlfriend moved all the way from Australia to Scotland to live with me… and my mum and my dad. This is a show about the 3.4 million young British adults still living in their parental home, and the effect that has had on a whole generation.

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

The biggest obstacle with writing this show has been the difficulty inherent in writing about real live people. Some of my mum and dad’s friends have came to see me perform excerpts, and word has got back that I’m not painting them in a particularly favourable light.

Who would most enjoy your show?

It’s written for the millennial generation who are struggling with this issue, but it’s actually been resonating more with the older crowd who are just as pissed off about having to still share a home with these instagramming monsters.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

I mean there’s too many good shows to mention but I’ve seen previews by Rosco Mcclelland and Ed Night that really made me panic.

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

It’s proximity to Glasgow. 

What are your plans for after the festival?

I think I’m going to lie down for a thousand years.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR-BOYD: ‘HOME SWEET HOME’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2018

Rebecca Humphries (Prom Kween): The Edinburgh Interviews 2018

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Who? Rebecca Humphries
What? Prom Kween
Where? Assembly George Square Gardens (venue 3)
When? 21:05

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

I am literally never prepared, either in a mental or physical sense. I tend to sort of let it trample all over me then go on a peaceful holiday afterwards. 

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

Prom Kween is back, following its sell out run last year! For those who didn’t see it, it’s a high-school-musical-political-pop-cultural hot mess that’s been dunked in glitter and had a couple of alcopops. There’s also a karaoke party.

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

Keeping it relevant. Politics was all over the place last year and while that was a disaster for the country/world in general, it was fantastic if you write satire. 2018 seems to have made a concentrated effort to clean up the shit show that was 2017 World Politics… everyone’s behaving themselves slightly more. So we’ve had to dig a little deeper, and ensure that we’re not using references that everyone is waaaaay over.

© Mihaela Bodlovic

Who would most enjoy your show?

It’s cheap to say ‘everyone’, but I’m cheap as they come. Everyone will enjoy this show.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Of course! I saw Frau Welt’s show earlier in the year at Hackney Showroom and am obsessed. Gingzilla’s new one is bound to be all kinds of fabulous. And this year I get to FINALLY see Denim! It’s about time, I’ve always been busy whenever they’re performing. I might buy out the room and just get them to do a command performance. Also Maggie Thatcher is my favourite thing. (I just realised all my recommendations are drag shows. Well, in for a penny etc.) 

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

Three spring to mind. The skyline, the community spirit and the potato stand outside George Square that stays open late. 

What are your plans for after the festival?

Well Prom Kween will be running for a week at the Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol, starting on September 10th. Me personally? Not sure yet. Tuscany? Provence? Gt Yarmouth? Depends on ticket sales.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ‘PROM KWEEN’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2018

Alison Spittle: The Edinburgh Interviews 2018

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© Aoife Herrity

Who? Alison Spittle
What? Worrier Princess
Where? Gilded Balloon Teviot (venue 14)
When? 17:15

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

Yes I think so, more prepared than other years. I’m moving to London from Dublin so I really need this run to work out so I’m throwing everything at this show. It’s a big gamble but hopefully worth it.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s about a time in my life where I felt my dreams were coming true, I just finished filming a sitcom I wrote but I realised that it wasn’t an instant fix that I thought it was going to be. 

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

Finances would be a big obstacle and fear. The first year I did a full run at Edinburgh, I stayed on an airbed behind a couch in Leith and gigged to two people. I had a documentary crew catch up on my run. It was just footage of me flyering in the rain and crying.

I made some of my best friends that year and learned so much that made me a better comedian so it was worth it. My last run in Edinburgh went way better, I’m excited for this year.

Who would most enjoy your show?

My mother, she is very supportive. If you’re not my mum, you’d still enjoy it just not as much as her, it’s not physically possible.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

I can’t wait to see Lolly Adefope’s third show. Catherine Bohart is an up and coming comedian who blew me away with her short set at Vodafone comedy festival in Dublin and I can’t wait to see an hour of her. Rosie Jones was a guest on an episode of The Guilty Feminist I co-hosted, she’s hilarious and her premise is so strong.

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

Joe was a fantastic shop, it closed down this year and I panic bought lots of stuff on the Internet, they gave me a free mug and tote bag I’ll treasure it. Paradise Palms has the best food and the most surliest waiters in the most flamboyant of shirts. It’s an Edinburgh institution that I love very much.

What are your plans for after the festival?

I’m moving to London, I hope to write more TV stuff and be a jobbing stand up comedian (waitress or nanny). If anyone has any tips on where in London is cheap for rent hit me up. I’m already YouTubing how to live in London on a fiver a day, it’s seems you can get free salt and ketchup from McDonald’s. I look forward to nicking toilet roll from pubs.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ALISON SPITTLE: ‘WORRIER PRINCESS’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2018