The Edinburgh Interviews 2017: Twayna Mayne
Twayna Mayne is a stand up comedian hailed for being highly original with her downbeat comic delivery and honest, anecdotal material. This year Twayna will be performing her debut Edinburgh show, Black Girl, at the Pleasance Courtyard throughout August.
1) What excites you most about the Edinburgh Festival?
It’s the best place in the world to see lots of new theatre and comedy. I don’t get to see much, especially comedy, at any other time and so this is my chance to binge watch stuff. It’s the best place to see acts that you might not normally see on circuit.
© Steve Ullathorne
2) What is your first Edinburgh show about?
My debut hour ‘Black Girl’ is about me, it’s about growing up in south east London, holidaying in Devon and being adopted. I talk about identity, make references to popular culture and how black women are portrayed in popular culture.
3) Does your comedy attract a certain type of audience?
Not that I know of but if you like your comedy delivered in a pretty deadpan way with bit of absurdity thrown in, then I could be the comedian for you.
4) What is the worst experience you’ve had with Edinburgh accommodation?
I’ve been pretty lucky with accommodation every time I’ve been but saying that last year we lived above the Mosque Kitchen (curry house) in the centre of town. It was very close to the Pleasance Courtyard but every morning you were woken up to the smell of frying onions and spices. We were on the third floor and by the middle of the afternoon the flat had a general smell of spicy food about it.
5) What is your most treasured memory of your comedy career so far?
In 2014 Time Out named me as one of their ‘Ones to Watch’, it was around the same time I’d been in a few new act finals too. I appeared in the magazine and gave my mum a copy as late Mother’s Day present.
6) What show will you definitely be seeing at the festival this year?
I haven’t had a chance to go through the Festival brochure yet but this lot are on my list: Sophie Willan ‘Branded’, Joe Sutherland ‘Model/Actress’, Alasdair Beckett-King ‘The Alasdair Beckett-King Mysteries’ and Fern Brady ‘Suffer, Fools’.
7) What do you hope to gain from the Edinburgh Festival this year?
I’d like to come away with my mental health intact, a sell out run and some nice reviews. A mysterious and generous benefactor wouldn’t go amiss either.
8) What do you imagine your last ever show will be about?
I don’t have another idea for my next show, yet, so this could be my first and last show. I like the idea of being a very successful comedy one hit wonder.
BOOK TICKETS FOR TWAYNA MAYNE: BLACK GIRL, AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL