Print Interviews

For a full A-Z of interviews with performers at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, CLICK HERE

Julia Sutherland

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

There are some reviewers who love comedy, understand comedy, and go to shows with the earnest intention of accurately and fairly critiquing the show. I like those guys…

READ HERE

Kate Smurthwaite

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

I’m a very specific kind of act, left wing, overtly political, feminist, atheist, high brow… I attract a very specific crowd. It’s a bit stupid to compare my work to a pleasant individual doing endearing observational comedy.

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Kate Talbot

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

Are any of these questions going to be about my award?

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Kevin Precious

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

A Brighton-based reviewer recently described me as ‘adversarial’ which I’m pretty certain wasn’t meant as a compliment. I now see it as one, although I have to say that’s probably because more of my previously working-class-Hull-type personality – not in itself a rare commodity – comes across onstage.

READ HERE

Kiva Murphy

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

I wish I could say that I was super cool and aloof – and laissez faire – but no.. I am not. I will read reviews, and then try and forget them… unsuccessfully, and then a good one will hopefully come out and I will forget all about any bad ones.

READ HERE

Leo Kearse

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

My show last year, “I Can Make You Tory”, attracted a lot of lefty weiners who came specifically to get offended. These liberal snowflakes did a video review of my show saying I was “intimidating and unhinged… I was physically repulsed!”
I put a video together of their video review interspersed with clips of me smaaaashing it.

READ HERE

Luca Cupani

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

The worst review I got was last month from a Uber driver: I told him I was a comedian and he asked me to tell him a joke. I gave him my best short set and he suggested I should find a day job. That was very disappointing.

READ HERE

Matt Price

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

My best review was one from Copstick of a show I did at two weeks notice in Edinburgh in 2013, about the time I went to do some gigs in Turkey and ran away from what I thought was the Turkish Mafia. It was validation when I needed it most…. It’s an epic story that I will bring back to Edinburgh properly one day.

READ HERE

Matt Winning

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

I should give special mention to Fest Magazine for consistently not enjoying my work so much that they come back every year and get some other aspect wrong, ad infinitum.

READ HERE

Olaf Falafel

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

I still really like the review where the Chortle chap called me an idiot. My worst review was for my children’s book Old MacDonald Heard A Parp (available at all good bookshops) Vicky Joyce on Amazon gave it 3 stars and said “Very witty but found it quite a chore to sing along too (sic).”

READ HERE

Roger Swift

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

I’ve never had a bad review from a reviewer – everyone has been positive (seriously) – however I’ve been told to kill myself in YouTube comments. Best review was from Peter Fox who runs Notts Comedy Review who called me a ‘Demented Genius’ which is the ultimate compliment for me as it’s what I’m going for.

READ HERE

Steve McLean

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

As someone who has worked in journalism and has been published in nationwide magazines, I feel that the mark of a good critic is being able to see value and talent in things that they don’t personally enjoy. I’ve not seen much evidence of skill in our industry press.

READ HERE

Struan Logan

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

I may be a broken husk by September but at least the world will know if I managed to achieve the greatest success of all: a mildly positive quote from Broadway Baby.

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Delightful Sausage

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

We were described as “The best advert for modern British comedy you could ever wish to see” and our stiffies really did touch the sky that day. The worst we’ve seen was a Facebook status from a very drunk, very old school comedian, who (later apologised for having) talked through the entire show

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William Andrews

First published in Fringepig - Thursday, June 21st, 2018

I once was asked out on a date with a reviewer. She had given me a lovely write up for a Stand gig and she got in touch with her number. I called her and she refused to believe it was me because quote “I didn’t sound Geordie enough”.

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Larry Dean

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

Perhaps reviews are more necessary now than ever, to separate you from all the other stuff that’s on. It’s not an easy job. You can’t get it right all the time. Saying that, some reviewers are just pricks that like feeling in control; more concerned with expressing ‘interesting’ opinions than they are with the actual show.

READ HERE

Laurence Clark

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

It probably wasn’t my worst review, but one that really got my goat said: “Full marks to Laurence Clark for raising awareness”… and there was me thinking my job was to make people laugh! I’ve always hated this concept of awareness… it just sounds so passive, meaningless and shite.

READ HERE

Lee Kyle

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

I’ve been described as a ‘genius’ in reviews three times. Now, I know that reviews are arbitrary, two people could make a mistake easily, but three? Come on now, that’s a consensus.

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Lloyd Langford

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

I think there are very few career choices that a comedian can legitimately look down upon. Human statue and comedy reviewer are two of them.

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Lubna Kerr

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

My best review was a 5 star from a comedy club in New Orleans called Local Uproar at Allways Lounge last weekend. Worst review was from the Stand in Edinburgh Nov 2015 who said I was not for development. Not sure who gives the feedback at the Stand, rumour is that sometimes it’s the bartenders. Love a challenge!

READ HERE

Lolly Jones

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

Broadway Baby said that I was ‘desperate to be liked’. The Scotsman described me as ‘a blast to spend an hour with’. They both had a point.

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Luke Rollason

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

I used to review theatre. One year, I fell asleep in half the shows I reviewed. You can tell which shows they are because I go into excruciating detail in describing the events I was awake for. I tend to overcompensate when lying. So I distrust any review which mentions anything that happens in a show, or the performer’s name, or the venue.

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Maisie Adam

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

I’ve asked other comics for their advice on how to handle Edinburgh and they all said the same thing; “Just enjoy it, have fun and don’t read the reviews” which is all very well but deep down, I know myself and I know I’m going to!

READ HERE

Martha McBrier

First published in Fringepig - Wednesday, June 20th, 2018

For me, reviewers are like abusive parents; you do everything you can to please them, and earn their approval, and it really hurts when you receive a slap.

READ HERE