“My highlight? The show where you could hear the snores of 2 sleeping French bulldogs in between laughs.”
WHO: Chris East
WHAT: “An absurdist character-comedy show from a helpless clown. Chris East’s brain is overflowing, like a chunky idea soup filled with unformed thoughts, bizarre plots, plans, ambitions, celery and characters, so many characters. Expect ‘something weirder and more surreal with glittering flashes of comic gold’ (TheSpyInTheStalls.com). ‘With hearty and well-versed humour, East prompted a roaring response’ (The Student Newspaper). A Soho Theatre Labs alumni, as seen on SkyTV, Disney+ and Reading and Leeds Festival. Fresh off sell-out shows at Camden Fringe and Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022.”
WHERE: Hoots @ Potterrow – Wee Yurt (Venue 243)
WHEN: 13:55 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
No, in fact 20 years ago I wrote a play with the intention of bringing it to Fringe. A twohander comedy, it wasn’t very good, but we got as far as rehearsals and visiting Edinburgh to see venues. It all fell apart when my partner in the production got a job slinging popcorn in a branch of Odeon cinema, where he met a new girlfriend, and didn’t have time for our not-very-good play.
Since then I’ve done a bunch of improv shows, and 2 years ago myself and Ben Goldsmith (whose 2024 show CrimeLandTown is a very firm RECOMMEND from me) put together a character comedy variety show in an abandoned Ladbrokes on the Royal Mile. Clad in red jumpsuits we had an absolute ball accosting (flyering?) strangers on the Mile, eventually finding our niche upon realising that ours was one of the few Fringe venues that would allow dogs in. My highlight? The show where you could hear the snores of 2 sleeping French bulldogs in between laughs.
Fringe is like summercamp for comedy and theatre weirdos. You either go as an audience member and binge on all the performance treats you can handle, or you go as a performer and work your butt off getting better at what you love. I’m older now, and this is my first solo show and I can’t wait to stretch out those muscles.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
This past year has been spent trying to hone in on what my comedic voice and persona is. I’m particularly attracted to performers with a unique take, and performances that feel like they could only come from that one person. I think I’m going some way toward achieving that.
But I also love when things feel like they could fall apart at any minute. Two of my favourite shows from last year, Furiozo and The Banana Brothers, felt very much like performers pushing at the edges of what the could do and what they could come up with, and bringing the audience along on a ride that felt truly unpredictable. And again, I’m reaching to achieve something similar in ambition, if not a complete match in style.
Tell us about your show.
I am 100% self producing MY BRAIN IS SOUP, YOUR HANDS ARE THE SPOONS. Writing, directing, sound design, picking out costume and props, cleaning up – that’s all me. Someone else is driving the car so I can get there, but other than that I’m a self made man.
I’ve been on a long work-in-progress road. My first hour long iteration of the show was staged in the backroom of my brother’s tabletop gaming shop in Northampton in February (shout out to Kingdom Gaming Northampton for all your nerdy pokemon needs). But since then there was a very fun run at Brighton Fringe, a less fun stop at Watford Fringe (where I was told “don’t give up your dayjob” by 50% of the 2 person audience).
Beyond Fringe? Who knows? Nottingham Comedy Festival in October, then the world.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
I’m really excited to get to see and share work by so many friends and performers I love. Beyond the aforementioned Ben Goldsmith and his show CrimeLandTown, everyone interested in character comedy should check in with my pals Mike Kunze, Nerine Skinner, Lil Wenker, Katie Davison. Claire Parry is one of my favourite people to watch. Shiny Things (by Aram Balakjian and Alexy Walexy) is a bonkers hybrid improv/character/clown show on every night (which I may appear in from time to time). If you like fast cars (that are very small) Hot Rubber is going to be the show for you.
Then all the things that’ll be sure fire smash hits that I already love? Andrew Doherty (spooky little freak), Rosalie Minnitt (of Chesington World of Adventures), Patti Harrison (truly the most insane show), Lorna Rose Treen (an unstoppable force), John Luke Roberts (performing everything he’s ever written), Stamptown and Zach Zucker (because it’s Stamptown and Zach Zucker), and our Lord and Saviour Mr Chonkers (as portrayed by John Norris)
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