The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

Dreamgun: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Killian Broderick
Who? Dreamgun (Heber Hanley)
What? Film Reads
Where? Underbelly, Bristo Square – The Dairy Room (Venue 302)
When? 22:15

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

The perfect mix of excitement and trepidation. Edinburgh is such a hectic festival with so many highs and lows. There’s the constant fear that you won’t be able to get anyone to see the show or that everyone will hate it. Also I find there’s always some curveball that gets thrown at you no matter how much preparation you do so you have to stay on your toes.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

Film Reads is big dumb comedy show where we take our favourite films, cut the script down to an hour and stuff it full of jokes and nonsense. Each night we do a totally new film like Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Jaws or Silence of the Lambs. None of it is rehearsed and the cast are literally reading their lines for the first time on stage which gives it a ramshackle charm.

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

I think probably just the size of our cast. I know that seems like a very technical answer but we’ve got a relatively large cast (8 people) and so it can make it a little unwieldy for travelling. But the upside is when we make it to Edinburgh you’ve got a team of the best people in the planet at your side for support.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Completely. Especially before my first Fringe there was no way I could have predicted what to expect. No matter how many people I talked to you can’t understand until you’ve just done it. This is only my third Fringe but second going over with this show and you just have to sort of take it as it comes. The first two years I went over with pretty lofty expectations and the Fringe promptly knocked me on my ass.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Shout out to Alison Spittle, a very funny Irish comedian. She’s incredibly charming on stage and also just one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Another Irish Comedian, Tony Cantwell is someone you absolutely should not miss. It’s his first Edinburgh and he’s going to knock it out of the park. I’d also recommend checking out Double Denim. We performed with them in Adelaide and they’re two incredibly funny women. I’d also finally recommend going to see whatever Mat Ewins has cooked up this year as it’s certainly going to be genius.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

Ideally I’d love to be working full time doing the show or just comedy writing in general. It’s what I enjoy doing the most in my life so if I ever got the opportunity to quit my day job and do it full time I’d be over the moon.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR DREAMGUN: ‘FILM READS’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Eric Lampert: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Troy Conrad
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.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ERIC LAMPAERT: ‘BORNE OF CHAOS’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Harriet Braine: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Karla Gowlett
Who? Harriet Braine
What? Les Admirables
Where? Gilded Balloon at Old Tolbooth Market – Top (Venue 98)
When? 18:00

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

Broadly positive. I’m in a better place financially and mentally than I was last year, and so far I am happier with my show. The Fringe could easily turn that all upside down though!

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

Telling the stories of some amazing women from the history of science and technology, while also diving into my career as a performer and a bit of family history, talking about my grandmas, both scientists. It’s also funny (promise).

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

The two main challenges were finding the funny side of the subject matter, and writing original songs rather than parodies this time. It’s not been easy, as my whole schtick in previous shows has been based around mocking supposed ‘genius’ artists, usually male, so an easy punch up. Whereas now I’m talking about people who really had to deal with a lifetime of not being taken seriously because of their gender. Take away most of the parody song elements (I’ve still got a couple in there for old times sake…) which provide easy laughs, and it’s a real challenge. A good challenge! Love a challenge.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Yes, and it never gets easier! I’ve learnt to keep my expectations low, and then it means any positive things that happen feel really good! I’ve learnt over the past few years that it’s really important to pay attention to your mental and physical wellbeing, which for me means taking a lot of time out, being quiet most of the time to save my voice and also just remembering to chill out, and not staying up late. Boring but important.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

I’m really looking forward to seeing Siblings’ latest show, as they always have me in stitches. Also Sooz Kempner’s new show looks amazing. Can’t wait to see Jayde’s Ballad of Kylie Jenner’s Old Face. Best title ever. I love me a bit of improv too, so I’ll be trying to see Spontaneous Potter, and other people I don’t get to see in London.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

I’d like to be either preparing another exciting new show for Edinburgh (I love it really) and maybe even without a day job! Or I’ll get a part in a West End show that runs forever and be famous. Without having any acting or singing training or qualifications. That’s how it works, right?

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR HARRIET BRAINE: ‘LES ADMIRABLES’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Steve N Allen: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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Who? Steve N Allen
What? Better Than
Where? The Stand Comedy Club 2 (Venue 5)
When? 20:50

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

A healthy dose of terror mixed with a little bit of unhealthy terror. Around this time I get a little over-eager to get up there and start doing my material to people. It probably makes me annoying to know for a few months. Most conversations get peppered with me saying, ‘Oh, I should put that in the show’.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

Doesn’t it feel like the world keeps getting worse? There are some bad people but no one thinks they’re in the wrong. What if you could make the right choice? In the show I look at those small moments in life where you get to pick what to do and these days we’re being coaxed into doing the bad thing and justifying it to ourselves. Pick the option that’s better and you could end up better than the angry shouting people in politics, better than the dodgy movie moguls, better than what you would have been. It’s that. A look at how to be slightly better than the alternative. 

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

Pretty much all of my past shows in Edinburgh have been topical reviews of the year. That’s harder to write but the trick there is I’d be stood next to a big screen that shows the headline that I’m talking about. It was basically there to remind me what bit to do next. This year it’s all pure stand up, no gimmicks, so I actually have to learn it all.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

I remember the first few times I did it I felt an obligation, you have to do Edinburgh if you want to get on. I don’t think you can hold that opinion long-term of anything. If you think you have to do something you will find a way out. If you want to do something then you can start to enjoy it. That’s where I am these days. I can’t wait to be doing this show.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Any of my fellow cast members on The Mash Report seem to be acing it at the moment. Erich McElroy who crops up on my BBC podcast also has an interesting take on the state of society in his show. But in general, see as much as you can.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

Doing what I do now but doing more of it. I’ve realised that this job is one of the most enjoyable things you can do as long as you take the time to enjoy it. If I get another year where I’m telling jokes on stage, doing odd things in podcasts and recording topical stuff on The Mash Report I’ll be very happy indeed.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR STEVE N ALLEN: ‘BETTER THAN’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Daisy Earl: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Trudy Stade
Who? Daisy Earl
What? Fairy Elephant
Where? Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Nip (Venue 24)
When? 16:00

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

I’m really excited! I love Edinburgh, especially at Fringe time, and I feel really happy to be doing my first full hour. It’s really lovely as a comedian to be able to perform every day of the week in a city where almost all of your comedy friends are at that time.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

My show is essentially about self improvement and the extremes people can go to in order to feel happy. When I turned 30 (now over a year ago), I set myself a task to fix a lot of things in my life; I wanted to get sober, to get a boyfriend, to lose weight, to earn more money, to control my mental health. I had a long list of things I felt I needed to be content. This show I suppose is about what I lost and what I found and what I should have maybe stopped looking for.

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

I think knowing when to stop. You can get really over excited when writing a show and want to put everything in. I think being disciplined enough to not over pack the story is something I’m definitely developing but takes work.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Not really- I’ve always loved the Fringe. I suppose it’s different in that years ago I would only be visiting Edinburgh in August as an audience member; it’s much more exciting to be visiting as a performer. I lived in Edinburgh previously, started comedy on the Scottish circuit and my Mum is Scottish, so it still feels like coming home.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

To be honest it’s hard to pick one but I started comedy on the Scottish circuit and have so many Scottish acts that I love that it’s hard to pick one: Jojo Sutherland, Jay Lafferty, Susie McCabe, Janey Godley, Vlad McTavish, Ashley Storey, Billy Kirkwood, Liam Withnail, Gareth Waugh, Gareth Mutch, Gus Lymburn, Marc Jennings, Stephen Buchanan… and so many more! It’s hard to pick just a few because the Scottish circuit on the whole is really strong so I would just seek out as much Scottish talent as you can.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

Just performing comedy. I think it’s an industry where you can sometimes get too focused on what comes next and forget that just to be able to perform is a really amazing thing. I love stand-up so, as long as I’m still performing, I’ll be happy.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR DAISY EARL: ‘FAIRY ELEPHANT’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Chris Grace: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Greg Crowder
Who? Chris Grace
What? Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody
Where? Assembly George Square Studios (Venue 17)
When? 17:00

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

I am excited and scared. Every year I have added more performing and producing tasks to my plate. So I might be the proverbial frog boiling myself to death with responsibility. But I’m also looking forward to new discoveries and bringing new people and projects to Edinburgh, and I’m excited about the things I’m going to learn and the stunning new things I’m going to see.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

I’m producing two shows, Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody, which is what it says on the tin, and John Accardo: Method to the Magic which is a fantastic comedic magic show with one of my favorite American magicians.

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

I don’t know yet. Producing Voldemort was surprisingly smooth last year. I am prepared for adversity from any corner in the next three months.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

I’m not as bowled over with wonder as I was when I first went, and I think I see more of the pattern of the kinds of shows that people bring. But I still look for that distinct Fringe experience, a show I had no idea about that turns out to be amazing, or the show that is so bad that I will never forget it (or performing a play for 2 people in a 288-seat house).

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

I recommend people see as many types of shows as possible, especially if they aren’t well-represented in their home locales. For me it’s lots of circus, clown, and magic shows!

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

Promoting my finished independent film that I haven’t actually written at this moment.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR CHRIS GRACE: ‘VOLDEMORT AND THE TEENAGE HOGWARTS MUSICAL PARODY’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Robin Morgan: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Matt Stronge
Who? Robin Morgan
What? What a Man, What a Man, What a Man, What a Mighty Good Man (Say It Again Now)
Where? Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree – Main room (Venue 257)
When? 16:05

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

Nervousness. My brilliant wife will be 8 months pregnant in August and we are keeping everything crossed she doesn’t go into labour early and we have an Edinburgh baby. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – Scottish citizenship will probably come in handy, but I think we’d rather have them at home.

Also excitement about the show. It’s the best one I’ve done. But mainly the nervous about the baby thing.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s a ‘dead Dad show’ about my not dead Dad. It’s about my son, calling out the double standards in parenting, and what makes a good male role model. I think it’s my Dad.

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

I’ve currently had 3 walk-outs, all at the same point in the show, so I know at least one bit of material is pissing a certain type of person off. But that’s exciting. I’ve never had that before! I’ve got a plan of action with how to deal with it (nothing aggressive) which I’m very excited about.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

I’m going to try and gig less this year. Every year I do about 10 gigs a day and then wonder why I’m exhausted by Week 3. It helps I’ve got the family up. Soft play in the mornings, gigs in the early evening, dinner and Emmerdale after that. World’s Biggest Arts Festival and I’m going to have dinner with Emmerdale. Yes please. Can’t wait.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

I’d always recommend Jordan Brookes as we started at the same time in Cardiff, and you just don’t know what he’s going to do. Helen Bauer is doing her first show, as is Sophie Duker, they’re both amazing. Olga Koch and Maisie Adam have me in stitches every time I see them so excited to see theirs too.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

With all the love in the world, not doing Edinburgh. I’m giving myself a year off next year so I’ll probably go on HOLIDAY. What countries do they have Emmerdale? I’ll go there.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ROBIN MORGAN: ‘WHAT A MAN, WHAT A MAN, WHAT A MAN, WHAT A MIGHTY GOOD MAN (SAY IT AGAIN)’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Konstantin Kisin: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Steve Ullathorne
Who? Konstantin Kisin
What? Orwell That Ends Well
Where? Gilded Balloon Teviot – Wee Room (Venue 14)
When? 19:00

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

Terrified and very excited at the same time. It’s how you feel before a first date that will cost you £5,000 if it doesn’t go well.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year? [note: debut show?

It’s a show about the erosion of free speech in the West, growing political correctness and self-censorship. I decided to make the show about that after being embroiled in a massive news storm after I refused to sign a behavioural agreement form for a university gig.

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

The events the show is based on only happened in December so I’ve had less than half a year to write the show!

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

I went to the Fringe for the last couple of years and really enjoyed the vibe, but it’s my first time taking up my own show so the pressure is on.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Yes, check out Geoff Norcott, Andrew Doyle, fellow newcomer Esther Manito, Jamali Maddix. Also, Geoff Norcott’s Taking Liberties 2019 tour, and Sean McLoughlin’s 2019 tour.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

Prepared. 🙂

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR KONSTANTIN KISIN: ‘ORWELL THAT ENDS WELL’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Laura Davis: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© James Penlidis
Who? Laura Davis
What? Better Dead Than a Coward
Where? Heroes @ Bob’s BundaBus – Top Deck (Venue 212)
When? 21:10

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

I’m looking forward to it. 2017 was my first year at Ed Fringe and it was all a big swarm of new experience. 2018 I was doing a show that required me to dress up as a ghost every night and I also decided to compound my stress with getting married halfway through the festival. This year feels like I know the festival, I don’t have to dress up as a ghost every night, I’m stoked to be on Bob’s BlundaBus and I know where I can get the best baked potatoes (8ft from the BlundaBus conveniently enough) so I’m all set. If the baked potato van isn’t there this year though everything could be thrown into chaos. I know it’s a massive festival and a big churning behemoth of a thing, but if you change your mindset just a little bit it can also just be a really great way to spend a month in an incredibly beautiful city eating chips, so I’m going to just focus on that aspect.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

Better Dead Than a Coward is the title of the show and also a personal motto of mine. Sort of my own bastardised, much blunter version of all the sayings along the lines of ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself’ and people fearing death so much they forget to live. So this is a show about fear and chaos and life that I mostly wrote riding around drunk on a London bus. London busses really being the perfect place to contemplate all of those things.

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

Every year that I write a new show take the part of my last show that was my favourite and try to write an hour that captures the way that one part felt. Sort of like taking a cutting of a plant. The last show I wrote was Cake in the Rain (which you can buy a very cheap download of off of my website…ahem). The thing I liked best about that show was the couple of parts in it that I really got to let go of myself in. Sort of relaxed and supercharged at exactly the same time and it requires a fair bit of trust in the audience to be able to do. I think the biggest obstacle in putting the new show together has been trying to pin that down and commit to it. It feels like trying to paint a detailed picture of something I only got a couple of glimpses of.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

It is my third year at the Edinburgh Fringe and I’m doing Free Fringe for the first time. I understand the machinations behind the Fringe, but I wanted to reduce my overheads and ticket prices so that I’m not left in debt and more people can come and enjoy the show and we can all just fucking relax for a bit. I respect that it’s probably a lot more complicated than I can see at face value but I just feel like the system of artists losing thousands of pounds while punters pay high ticket fees stinks like a big, damp, stinky arsehole left to stink.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Always go and see Alice Fraser, and James Nokise any time you get the chance. They’re both such incredibly smart and wonderful performers that really make you feel like you’ve learned something without being patronised.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

I’m really happy with where I am this year, but I’m looking forward to seeing the outcomes of some projects I’ve been working on and would hope that this time next year feels similarly exciting with some new ones. Or that said, I would like to be walking along a rugged beach somewhere which is mostly all I really like to do anyway. I’m very ready to quit comedy at some point and go into aquaculture and seaweed farming so if I’m not in the program guide for next year that’s probably where I’ve got to. I guess long time fans are welcome to come and buy tickets to my seaweed farm if they really want.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR LAURA DAVIS: ‘BETTER DEAD THAN A COWARD’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019

Paul F Taylor: The Edinburgh Interviews 2019

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© Edward Moore
Who? Paul F Taylor
What? Odd Paul
Where? The Stand Comedy Club 2 – Stand 2 (Venue 5)
When? 13:20

What are your feelings as you enter into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season?

Pretty good thanks, previews have been fun. The weather has been good. As long as I don’t watch too much of the news, I feel great!

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s about how I use my surreal scattergun style of comedy as a distraction, to avoid revealing too much about myself. Then some cracks slowly appear.

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

Working out what it was. The content of the show is an ever-evolving thing that is the culmination of playing with a pen on paper and with a mic on a stage, then when you start to group all that stuff together to make something bigger it can be difficult because some bits fit and others don’t. I knew there was something that I wanted to say this year, but it’s been hard for me first to distil what that really was and how I can do that whilst staying true to my style of comedy.

Has your attitude towards the Fringe changed at all in recent years?

Yes, in some ways I’m far more businesslike about it these days, I still have a lot of fun, but it’s no longer the three weeks piss up with my pals that it once was. Additionally, I’m much more level-headed about why I’m doing it. It’s to show people what I can do, increase my fanbase and to artistically satisfy myself doing that.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

There are hundreds of very capable comedians up at the Fringe who need the audience so I would recommend taking a risk on someone you haven’t heard of. It’ll only be an hour of your time if it’s terrible, and at least you’ll have the story of that weird show you saw. Also, conversely, you could have the story of the person you saw before they became HUGE!

For me, 110% John Kearns and Pat Cahill will be something I will definitely go to see.

Where would you like to be in a year’s time?

Here, but in a better me.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR PAUL F TAYLOR: ‘ODD PAUL’ HERE

THE EDINBURGH INTERVIEWS 2019