After his previous critically acclaimed Fringe show secured a run at the prestigious Soho Theatre, Chortle Award-nominated comedian and hilariously sentimental cynic Alexander Bennett is presenting a new show about risk. For it to work, he needs his audiences to be honest. Can Fringe audiences be honest with Bennett? He’ll soon find out.
Q&A with Alexander Bennett
How does it feel to be returning to Edinburgh Fringe?
It feels like returning to a playground in which, as a youth, your imagination ran free and you created so many happy memories but after something harrowing happened and it’s cordoned off with police tape. You get on the merry go round and as you give it a spin, you smile and your sense of play returns, though you hear some kind of sinister whisper coming from underneath the slide.
What can you tell us about your show and its inspiration?
Well, it’s a very different show to my last one, in that it’s not ‘straight’ stand up, the show works in an unusual way that audiences may not have seen before. I had a small but powerful, positive experience last year and this show is my way of sharing that with people.
How do you think audiences will react to the show?
With laughter so violent it actually damages their mouths and lungs, with awe normally associated with religious experiences and a deep, dangerous lust.
Audiences so far have reacted very positively, people enjoy and connect to the personal nature of the show and the unusual way in which it is presented.
How have you been preparing for the festival?
Preparing my mind, body and voice with a mixture of drugs so potent they may dissolve my bones.
Actually, I’ve mainly been losing sleep over the sheer amount of admin and money involved. The show is the thing keeping me sane, I’m looking forward to doing it.
Will you get a chance to enjoy the rest of the festival?
I will make the chance! For performers the festival is very much a work thing, in fact it’s often the most important piece of work in our year, but you need to connect with and enjoy the world’s largest arts festival, you need to remind yourself why you’re up there, you need to see friends, make friends and enjoy creativity.
Do you have any Fringe anecdotes you can share with us?
When the bin collectors were on strike I was walking home late at night and saw a load of trash bags talking to each other. They all came together in one big trash bag ball and rolled down Niddry St, completely swallowing a student theatre troupe coming out of the Hive. Only their shoes were left.
Alexander Bennett: Emotional Daredevil is at Gilded Balloon @ Patter Hoose from 31 July to 26 August
