Show: Seymour Mace Presents Captain Winky's F*ck Off Olympics Venue The Stand Comedy Club Time: 11.45am Dates: 4th – 28th August (not 15th) Photographer: Neil Ferry Links: Profile and Social Media
Hi Seymour. Please tell me about your 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, Seymour Mace Presents Captain Winky’s F*ck Off Olympics.
I usually have loads of props and puppets and costumes and stuff but this year I’ve fucked all that off. It’s just going to be me with a boxful of questions, suggestions and random scribblings from my audience. A completely different show every day depending on what the audience write, a bit like one of those choose your own adventure books except the author hasn’t got a clue what’s going on either. Maybe I’ll be talking about politics in space or making up a song about a lonely mushroom or dancing like a sex house. I’m normally fairly unprepared but as I’ve not done a show for the last couple of years I’ve had even more time to procrastinate so this will be my most unplanned show yet.
You perform at The Stand every year (when there isn’t a bloody global pandemic on). What keeps bringing you back to the venue?
I like most of the people who work there, I like most of the acts they work with, I like the fact I’m not going to lose loads of money, I like that side of town and I like that they mostly like me.
Other comedians often site you as one of their favourites, but who inspires you?
Well that’s very nice to hear. This is a tough question. I’m a bit too isolated and anxious about reality to be inspired by it. I guess most of my inspirations aren’t real; big fan of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, Teddy from Bob’s Burgers, Peter Pan and Bert from Sesame Street. I think it’s because, on some level, I wish I was fictional too.
I first saw you back in 2013 performing, Marmaduke Spatula’s F*ckin’ Spectacular Cabaret of Sunshine Show – (another great title). Looking back at your time performing at the Fringe, do you have a favourite moment?
I think my favourite moment was getting pranked at the end of my 2015 show Niche as Fuck. I was in a Stand 2 which is upstairs. At a point in the show I dressed as Scrooge, stuck my head out of the window and quizzed random strangers about where I might find a goose. When I reached this point on my final show, I stuck my head out of the window to find a huge crowd of Stand staff and comedians arranged as a Dickension Christmas Choir singing We wish you a merry Christmas. I was surprised, delighted and speechless. (See YouTube clip below).
In the past you’ve spoken about your mental health. I imagine the lockdown was tough, as it was for many of us. What was it like getting back on stage?
I’m always happy on stage, even when I’m not happy, so getting back on stage was good. Unfortunately, my mental health isn’t very robust at the moment, so I feel much trepidation about being back at the fringe. If I can have some fun by being daft while making other people laugh, then that’s probably good enough along with occasional cakes and lots of tea.
