+3 Interview: Children of the Quorn™

Posted in EdFestivals 2019, Plus 3 2019 – Features, Written Interviews by

“This year is our first time going up as a duo/Megan from HR. which we’re really excited about though of course, it’s equally terrifying because we’re almost starting from scratch.”

WHO: Ambika Mod: Co-writer/performer

WHAT: “Former stars of the multi award-winning Durham Revue, ‘comedy geniuses’ (Jeremy Vine), and future Fringe legends Andrew and Ambika present a new sketch show, complete with séance. From dying onstage to straight-up dying, this is how two friends fill their time whilst waiting for the dead to arrive. From winners of the Derek Award for Best Sketch Show at the Edinburgh Fringe 2016 and 2017, Children of the Quorn™ is an hour of intelligent, original, high-energy comedy that will raise the roof and raise the dead. ‘Gonna be huge unless they get real jobs’ (Stevie Martin).”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at La Belle Angele – La Belle Angele (Venue 301) 

WHEN: 15:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

We performed at the Fringe for three years from 2015-17 as students with the Durham Revue at Underbelly, and we were fortunate enough to experience great success each year, including sell-out audiences, 5-star reviews, and a couple of awards. This year is our first time going up as a duo/Megan from HR. which we’re really excited about though of course, it’s equally terrifying because we’re almost starting from scratch. But we’re thrilled to bring Children of the QuornTM to Just the Tonic and if people liked our work in the Revue, then they’ll definitely enjoy this show too.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’18?

It’s been eventful: Andrew moved down to London, I quit my job and shortly after, Megan from HR. was born. We only started writing Children of the QuornTM in January with no major plans for development (and certainly not the Fringe) so everything’s evolved super quickly but we’re so proud of the progress we’ve made. The show’s reception has also been exceedingly positive: two sell-out London performances, two 5-star reviews, and ThreeWeeks naming the show as one of their “Three to See” most promising sketch shows at the Fringe this year. Also the Jonas Brothers got back together. Huge.

Tell us about your show.

The show was written by me and the other half of Megan from HR., Andrew Shires. We decided to work together not only because we’re best friends but because we complement each other so well which is one of the reasons our partnership is unique. Andrew is constantly upbeat and quirky, whilst my forte is deadpan, dry and witty humour. We are almost polar opposites which creates an interesting dynamic for our comedy and friendship. Andrew will often make big gestures about how much I mean to him whereas I often stop taking his calls, refusing to see him for weeks at a time. Despite this, we have been working together for nearly 5 years and earlier this year, we wanted to create a brand new sketch show with a difference.

We decided to weave in our shared love of horror and that’s how we came up with the idea of us trying to conduct a séance as the main thread of the show. Within this, we’ve incorporated our tight, witty sketches that really traverse a range of premises and styles, and we strongly believe they have a broad appeal. On the whole, the show is high-energy and fun and the writing is snappy and clever. We’ve thought a lot about the narrative and how to create a story for the audience, especially how everything ties together by the show’s conclusion where there’s a major plot twist (#nospoilers). We debuted the first incarnation in February and have gone on to perform it twice more as well as taking smaller chunks of our material around the London comedy circuit. We had our final London preview on July 18th and we definitely have plans to bring it back to London after the Fringe (follow us on social media for updates on this).

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

House of Influenza – this is a play that Andrew wrote which parodies a lot of the tropes you see in horror movies (a theme?) and is equally funny and moving. It’s being performed by our super talented friend and fellow Revue alum, Lily Edwards.

Phil Wang: Philly Philly Wang Wang – not that he needs my or anyone else’s recommendation but Phil is one of my favourite comedians (maybe, ever?) and never fails to make me laugh. He’s also a super, super nice guy.
Police Cops – The original Police Cops was perhaps the best show I have ever seen at the Fringe; combining physical theatre with parody, it was insanely funny and impressive. Their follow up Police Cops in Space was also really enjoyable so I will definitely be seeing their new show Badass Be Thy Name.

Lily Hyde & Alissa Anne Jeun Yi: Gentleman Please – our friend Alissa made her Fringe debut with the awesome Love Songs at last year’s Fringe and the show did insanely well (becoming Guardian and TIME’s Pick of the Fringe). She’s now turning her talents to stand-up and I think she and Lily will be a really refreshing combo.

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