Piñata

Samuel Lloyd: The Edinburgh Interviews 2018

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© Sarah Breese

Who? Samuel Lloyd
What? Piñata
Where? Dr Livingstone’s, Basement Room 2
When? 16:45

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

Well as I have before, I’ll be going up to gawp at as many shows as I can. I love the Fringe, and I love seeing shows that are completely different, totally interesting, and so so fun. My show is probably the one I’m least excited about, BUT I still can’t wait to get up there and do it. It’s a 3-day run rather than the whole hog, which is a nice balance; it gives me the experience of multiple dates, but as a newbie it means I can ease myself into it.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

My show, “Piñata”, is about birthdays and growing up. There’s a lot of things I talk about, especially as a debut show, but that’s the thing that sort of ties it all together. I’ll also have a projector, a powerpoint, and of course, a piñata.

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

Probably all the things that come with doing your first show: organisation, working out how to develop it, having to actually be funny… I think taking a projector to Edinburgh on a flight without paying for baggage will be fun too.

Who would most enjoy your show?

I’d like to think anyone can give it a go, and I’m grateful to anyone who’d like to come see it, but I think, in particular, if you’ve ever felt older than you are, or if you’ve ever had a birthday and found yourself waiting for people to write on your Facebook wall, this is a show I think you’d like.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

I won’t be alone here, but Jordan Brookes. He oozes comedic creativity and I’m immeasurably jealous. Last year I saw his show, Body of Work, before it moved to a more workable venue, and there was no way a bad room was dampening his brilliance. Frank Foucault is another favourite of mine. Again, fantastically original and interesting and very, very funny. Kiri Pritchard-McLean, finally, is probably one of the best comedians in the country right now. She’s as funny as she is effervescent, and in between the laughs you’ll have the biggest smile on your face. Go see her for goodness sake.

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

Everyone is ridiculously friendly given how annoying the Fringe must be to some locals. I think it’s why it wouldn’t happen anywhere else. If a festival of this scale was in Newport, there would be severe flyer-related injuries.

What are your plans for after the festival?

I’m planning to film the show in late Autumn/Winter for online release to raise money for charity, and then after that hopefully I’ll be working on a completely new show. I’ve not had the challenge of scrapping everything and working on a new show from the ground up, but I’m looking forward to it!

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2018

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…

Preview: Samuel Lloyd – Piñata

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Sam Lloyd is a new name to my ears. The 24-year-old from Newport has been performing stand up since he was in his teens, but it feels as if this is the start of something bigger as he starts to put together the beginnings of his next Edinburgh show, Piñata. He performs the first preview of this at The Little Man Coffee Company in Cardiff, with two supports (Calum Stewart and Emily Broad) and MC James Dunn.

The show is primarily PowerPoint-based, beginning with a fast-paced, laughter-filled rundown of the comedian’s early life, with embarrassing photos and all. But he soon proves that he isn’t over-reliant on the projector as a crutch; Lloyd is more than happy to face his crowd and deliver top quality, inventive material that the small room just laps up.

Structurally, this Piñata clearly has a great deal of promise, despite still being on its first draft. With a big tone shift towards the end of Sam’s stage time, the comic moves seamlessly from anecdotal trivialities to a much broader, more serious topic: that of mental health and depression.

He speaks openly about his experiences of feeling unworthy of help, or perhaps just not even needing it. Although he skirts past the details of his depression somewhat, as Lloyd’s audience we are still made to feel as though this is a genuine sharing of some pretty close to the heart stuff. His message, at this point in the development of the show at least, is that depression can happen to anyone; we all get it wrong sometimes and forget to take proper care of ourselves and talk to other people about how we are feeling.

And this strange notion of presuming that we might not deserve to feel this way, as though we don’t have the right to be depressed, is absurd. I think it’s important that audiences hear this message, and comedy is becoming an increasingly popular means of getting such ideas across. And Sam does it with a seemingly effortless ease. He clearly belongs on that stage.

And with original call backs and a clear narrative arc, Piñata is surely almost Edinburgh-ready even at this early stage, eight months before the festival begins. I hadn’t heard of his name before seeing this preview, but I’m certain that we’ll be hearing a great deal more about Sam Lloyd in the next few years, and not just in Wales, but nationwide.