“It’s been a really interesting experience to do a bunch of previews and then sit and analyse how each one went.”
WHO: Plastic Jeezus (Simon)
WHAT: “Simon and Aaron are Plastic Jeezus, an award-winning, ukulele-pluckin’, deadpan comedy duo performing hilarious (and often surreal) songs and stories, in their own straight-faced way. Performing comedy since 2021, Plastic Jeezus have entertained comedy clubs and festivals across the UK and now arrive for their debut Edinburgh Fringe appearance. Semi-finalists: British Comedian of the Year Awards 2023. Winners: Best Newcomer, Musical Comedy Awards 2021. ‘Genuinely hilarious’ (Ed Byrne). ‘Dark, daft and bloody hilarious’ (Chris McCausland). ‘I’m pretty sure Jesus himself would approve’ (Eshaan Akbar).”
WHERE: Underbelly, Bristo Square – Buttercup (Venue 302)
WHEN: 20:15 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
This is our first time ‘doing’ Edinburgh Fringe. We came up a couple of years ago to suss out venues and places to eat (and do an open-spot or two), but this is our first time bringing up a full-length show. We’re looking forward to it. From what we can tell, Edinburgh Fringe seems to cram several years’ worth of experiences and emotions into a few short weeks. You hear so many mixed reports about people’s experiences – will it be the festival that finally brings us to the attention of a wealthy billionaire with a penchant for silly songs? Or will it be a month sat in an empty room, sobbing into piles of unhanded-out flyers? Or somewhere in between? We shall see!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
Not having been at the Fringe last year, we can’t really comment on that aspect of it – but the big lesson we learned after our previous visit to Edinburgh was ‘sometimes a double bed is far, FAR too small for two grown men to share’. There’s cost-saving and topping and tailing with your bandmate in a sweltering student dorm room. Lesson learned. We’ve only done that three or four times since.
In terms of general lessons learned in the last year, we’ve spent a lot of time honing the show. It’s been a really interesting experience to do a bunch of previews and then sit and analyse how each one went. Sometimes, it’s just a phrase that needs tweaking or tightening – sometimes, it’s just a gesture or a look. Going through the process of refining a show like that is new territory for us – and it’s been really helpful in developing a show that we’re both really happy with.
Tell us about your show.
Our show is called ‘Plastic Jeezus – Leave Them Wanting Less’, and it’s an hour(ish) of deadpan musical comedy. Two grown men playing faintly ridiculous musical instruments and singing original songs about swans and hirsute clergymen (amongst other things). So many shows at the Fringe seem to have a personal theme or message, but we’re just there to sing silly songs with straight faces and try not to let our creative differences bubble over into some sort of onstage fisticuffs.
It was written by us (Simon and Aaron) and we’ve previewed it at various festivals and one-off shows before heading up to Edinburgh. We had sold out preview shows at the Leicester Comedy Festival, Ventnor Fringe Festival and my local micropub(!), amongst other things. It’s been going from strength to strength. I genuinely think it’s been improving each time we do it. So hopefully, by the end of August, it’ll be the perfect show. Or maybe it’ll just be a little bit better than it was at the start of August. We’ll all just have to wait and find out.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
Oh man – well, more or less everyone is in Edinburgh for the Fringe, aren’t they? So I guess if we had to pick some shows to recommend, we’d suggest:
Dan Tiernan: Stomp – We gigged with Dan a couple of years ago, and he absolutely tore the roof off the place. It’s been amazing to watch his progression from being on mixed bills with us to being on QI and beyond. He’s a force of nature. He’s also a lovely man. That helps.
Garrett Millerick: Garrett Millerick Needs More Space – Garrett’s a lovely man and a really great comedian. What more do you want? We haven’t seen the show, but we’ve seen enough of him to know that it’ll be worth watching.
Flat & The Curves: Rosé-Tinted – These ladies are quite extraordinary. Incredible singers and musicians. Well-written songs and filthy jokes and… ah jeez – they just do it all. Go and see ‘em.
Huge Davies: Album for my Ancestors (Dead) – If, like us, you enjoy deadpan delivery of silly songs, Huge is the man for you.
Angela Barnes: Angela Barnes Is Getting Worked Up (WIP) – We’ve gigged with Angela a few times recently, and she’s absolutely great. This is guaranteed to be a hilarious show. Or your money back*
*Not legally binding.
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