EdFringe Talk: Kathy Maniura: Objectified

Posted in EdFestivals 2023, Written Interviews by

“You’ve gotta fight pretty hard to keep a level head, a regular sleep pattern and healthy gut, but it’s absolutely worth it.”

WHO: Kathy Maniura

WHAT: “Kathy Maniura is ready to be objectified – by which she means pretend to be a bunch of objects live on stage!! In her debut solo show, this award-winning character comedian brings to life a few of her favourite things – and a lot of her least favourite. Meet an exhausting paper straw, a desperate electric scooter and a teeny tiny sexy little airpod among others in an hour of silliness that might make you look at the world a little differently. ‘Standout performer… Enigmatic’ (Scotsman). ‘Flawlessly performed and wittily and inventively scripted’ (Chortle.co.uk).”

WHERE: Gilded Balloon Teviot – Wee Room (Venue 14) 

WHEN: 16:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s my 5th time at the Fringe in some way, but my first time doing a show just me (the other times I was doing shows as part of character comedy duo Horseplay). The Edinburgh Fringe is a magical place – performances everywhere you turn at any time of the night or day, so much inspiration and energy. It’s also relentless, at times competitive, and wildly expensive. You’ve gotta fight pretty hard to keep a level head, a regular sleep pattern and healthy gut, but it’s absolutely worth it. I’m so excited to do my show every day – it’s a character comedy show where I pretend to be objects, and the more I do the characters the more exaggerated and absurd they become. I can’t wait to see how they end up by the end of the month…

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2022 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

I suppose the main thing I’m learning and trying very hard (and mostly failing) to actually put into practice is to go with the flow. Within any given performance, within the roller coaster of a Fringe run, and in life generally. In 2021 I had a near death experience from freak tonsillitis (a disease for children, how embarrassing!!) and it’s really taught me that you never know what’s around the corner, so in many ways there’s no point worrying and it’s best to just get on with it and do your silly little comedy show and hope it makes people laugh.

Tell us about your show.

Objectified is an absurd character comedy show where I bring to life a variety of everyday objects – by which I mean, if objects were people, what would they be like? I’m asking the big questions – will a regularly discarded e-scooter ever be loved? Can anyone resist the appeal of a slutty little airpod? What’s a wine bottle hiding? And much more… It’s good natured, silly, and I hope might inspire people to look at the world around them a little differently. I wrote the show myself, and the process has been mostly me prancing around talking to myself in my room. That said, a solo show is never really a solo show – it’s being co produced by Gilded Balloon, I’ve had invaluable feedback from Alison Thea-Skot and Kat Bond and I’m so grateful for the input of my brilliant comedy pals who have put up with me agonising about the show and offered me insightful feedback over pints – Derek Mitchell, Hannah Turk, Simon David, Jen Ives and many, many more. It began as work in progress shows in London through the winter, and has since been to the Glasgow Comedy Festival, Brighton Fringe and Oxford Comedy Festival. I’d love to tour the show after Edinburgh – watch this space!

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

There’s so much wonderful absurd, character-driven comedy at the festival this year. It’s something that doesn’t necessarily have a home year-round, so I’d say grab the opportunity furiously with both hands to see as much as possible. Lorna Rose Treen (fiendish skin pigeon), Lachlan Werner (ventriloquist and cultural icon), Jodie Mitchell (as drag king John Travulva), Simon David (shamlessly using his dad’s death to make ART). One of the great joys of the fringe is taking a punt on things you’d never otherwise see, so just explore! You haven’t done the fringe until you’ve seen something mind-blowingly good, something awful, and something completely baffling.

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