FESTIVAL COMEDY | Comedy Debutantes

FIRST TIMERS

Every year, the Fringe welcomes yet more comedy debutantes under its scaly wing. We put a bunch of questions to this year’s crop of newbies and wonder what they think about cash, sex and booze

Words: Brian Donaldson

TAMAR BROADBENT What do you think might work out as the best piece of advice you receive ahead of your Fringe debut? Flight of the Conchords once played a 90-minute show to one man, who left halfway through. What do you expect will be the least useful piece of advice? Flight of the Conchords once played a 90-minute show to one man, who left halfway through. Imagine this is September: looking back at August, what would constitute a successful Fringe? Having at least one person in the audience every day, having them laugh at some of the things I say, and not having made any children cry. Back in the old days, there used to be a thing called ‘the festival shag’. Is this ancient tradition likely to play any part in your thinking during August? I wish! Unfortunately I have a caring, adoring, committed boyfriend so that won’t

be on the cards for me, as he’ll be on a lads’ tour in Thailand for the whole of August. What qualities do you expect from a Fringe venue? I have learnt from experience that Fringe venues are sometimes places of joy and festivity, where artist and audience merge into one and undergo a kind of religious transcendence through the bearing and sharing of creative souls. And sometimes people piss on the stage. So I count myself unbelievably lucky to be in a gorgeous space in the Underbelly this year: it’s going to be a blast! Do you undertake any superstitious rituals before going on stage? When I feel nervous before I go on stage, I look in the mirror, take a deep breath and say, ‘Fuck it.’ It works every time. I also quickly look out the window and think, ‘You could just run away if you wanted to.’ But then I think that’s silly. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 3–25 Aug (not 13), 4.45pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50). Previews 1 & 2 Aug, £6.

34 THE LIST FESTIVAL 1–8 Aug 2013