The Edinburgh Interviews
The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Tom Allen
Tom Allen is rapidly growing in popularity on the stand up circuit, having recently supported the likes of Josie Long and Sarah Millican on nationwide and international tours. Tom’s unique blend of the sinister and the playfully cheeky makes for a very interesting performer, with the comic bringing his latest hour, Indeed, to 2016’s Edinburgh Festival.
To learn more about the man behind the craft, I asked Tom these seven questions…
The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… The Thinking Drinkers
The Thinking Drinkers are Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, a pair of alcohol connoisseurs and writers who have made it their mission to impart their knowledge onto audiences in the most entertaining ways possible. The Thinking Drinkers’ latest show, Around The World in 80 Drinks, is set to be a truly unique comedy experience; combining comedy and alcohol is surely a match made in heaven?
To learn more about the men behind the show, I asked Ben and Tom these seven questions…
The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Ben Hanlin
Birmingham-born magician Ben Hanlin is the writer and presenter of ITV2’s Tricked, which will air its third series later this year, as well as having worked as a presenter for CBBC. He has also recently been preparing his debut show, Trickhead, to take to this year’s Edinburgh Festival, utilising his keen eye for performance detail and cheeky-chappy demeanour.
To find out more about the man behind the magic, I asked Ben these seven questions…
The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Laura Lexx
Laura Lexx is a sweet-talking comedian with a surprisingly sharp bite, epitomised, perhaps, by her recent run-in with a sexist heckler, which received thousands of hits on YouTube. Laura will be performing her latest show Tyrannosaurus Lexx at the Edinburgh Festival.
To learn more about Laura, I asked her these seven questions…
The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Spencer Jones (aka The Herbert)
Spencer Jones is a stand up comedian and actor best known for his absurd style of character comedy, as The Herbert, where he utilises music, mime and props. Perhaps the true essence of escapism, Spencer’s stand up is ridiculous, illogical and childish, and The Herbert is a truly endearing character, with a cheeky glint in his eye that forces an audience onside within minutes. Jones has also recently been involved in Ben Elton’s latest sitcom, Upstart Crow, where he portrays the Shakespearean comedic actor Will Kemp. Jones presents two shows as The Herbert at this year’s Edinburgh Festival: Proper Job and Eggy Bagel.
To learn more about Spencer, I asked him these seven questions…
The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Craig Campbell
Canadian-born comic Craig Campbell is somewhat of a force to be reckoned with, having teamed up with the likes of Tony Law and Dan Antopolski to produce Edinburgh shows in the past. Campbell has also dabbled in theatre, performing a one-man play at Edinburgh in 2008, and returns to the festival this year with a new stand up hour, Easy Tiger, which looks set to be as absurd and innovative as previous shows.
I asked Craig these seven questions to find out more…
1) How did you begin your comedy career?
Went onstage 27 long f’in yrs ago at 19, realised immediately the wonderment of making-believe for a living and never looked back!
The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Susan Calman
Susan Calman is a face you will almost certainly recognise from various panel shows including Have I Got News For You and Mock The Week, as well as being a Radio 4 regular. A self-confessed cat-lover, Calman is unafraid to turn the mockery in her own direction, making her comedy all the more open and silly, but with a sharp wit driving it. Susan Calman is performing her show The Calman Before The Storm at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
To learn more about the woman behind Susan’s, I asked her these seven questions…
The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Rory O Hanlon
Rory O Hanlon is an Irish stand up comedian and writer whose autobiographical style of comedy, combined with an often light-hearted and silly demeanour, shows a willingness for self-ridicule and opens him up to be a very likeable performer. Rory is bringing his third stand up hour, You Are Where You Need To Be, to this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
I asked Rory these seven questions to learn more about him…
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The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Beth Vyse
Beth Vyse is a stand up and character comedian who returns to the Edinburgh Festival this year with her 2015 solo hour, As Funny As Cancer; a refreshingly personal show in which the comic details her experience with breast cancer, embellishing with her trademark surreal humour. And Vyse’s absurdist roots are never far from the surface, with her character Olive Hands making an appearance in another show: All Hands To The Pump.
To learn more about Beth and her comedy, I asked her these seven questions…
1) What made you decide to perform two separate shows at this year’s Edinburgh Festival?
Well after last year’s “As Funny As Cancer” going so well and so many people coming up to me afterwards and talking so openly about their experiences with the disease, most of them for the first time, I somehow felt the show wasn’t over. Since last year the show’s been out to New Zealand, I feel it’s much better now, I feel more confident, that’s why I’m bringing it to a larger venue at Gilded Balloon in hope more people can see it.