Performers: Holt and Talbot
Photograph by: Victor Pãtrãşcan
Show: Holt and Talbot: Mansplaining Feminism
Venue: Laughing Horse @ City Café – Las Vegas Room
Promoter: Indie
Online: Box Office Facebook

Tell me about your Edinburgh show.

Rosie Holt: Christian tries to teach me about feminism because apparently, it’s important. I didn’t know this, but it helps when a man tells you what’s important isn’t it.

Christian Talbot: I like being described as a man.

Tell me about your first gig.

RH: Our first gig as a double act was at the Alternative Comedy Memorial Society at Edinburgh which spoilt us as it’s so lovely and the perfect atmosphere for more experimental comedy.

Do you have any rituals before going on stage?

RH: I put on makeup and ignore Christian. Ignoring Christian is an important ritual.

CT: I try to get Rosie’s attention by waving shoes at her.

Tell me about your best and worst review.

RH: Our worst review said that Christian’s solo material was better than mine. But It did say I was groomed which is nice as it made me feel like a prized pony and Christian famously looks like a homeless man. So you could argue that was our best review too. I skipped through most of the bits about Christian.

CT: Our only review said my solo material was better than Rosie’s. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to hear.

During this Edinburgh run, do you plan to read reviews of your show?

RH: Last year Christian texted me a link to a bad review about me “because he was drunk” – I will read a review if I hear its bad about Christian and then I will send it to him.

CT: I was drunk with PRIDE.

How do you feel about reviewers generally?

RH: I feel positive about reviewers who are positive about me.

CT: They’re fine, I suppose but I’d rather some genuinely good feedback from another act who’s work I liked and respected. Have I asked Rosie? No.

In April 2018, YouTube comedian, Markus Meechan (aka Count Dankula) was fined £800 for training his girlfriend’s pug dog to do a Nazi salute with its paw, in response to the phrase ‘Gas the Jews’. Do you believe Meechan committed a criminal offence, and why?  

RH: I don’t know if it was a criminal offence, I believe in free speech to a point, but to be honest this guy sounds like a racist wally and I’d rather he goes to jail then become a poster boy for free speech.

CT: Yes, it was a criminal offense. Why? Because posting anti-Semitic and racist material online is a breach of the Communications Act and he was prosecuted accordingly.

Are there any subjects that are not suitable for comedy?

RH: I like to think anything is suitable, it’s all in the presentation.

CT: Any subject is suitable, it just depends on how it’s tackled.

Have you ever gone too far?

RH: One time I almost made Christian cry on stage, but you could argue I didn’t go far enough.

CT: I think that every time I agree to do another gig with Rosie.

Looking back over your time as a comedian, tell me about the best gig of your career.

RH: Being a solo comedian I have reached the finals of a few big competitions, with Christian I think we got to the semi-finals of the Leicester Square Sketch Off but I cannot remember as I was drunk.

CT: Every gig with Rosie is the best gig (weeps)