Marlon Davis talks to HeraldScotland about Lee Evans, crowd-surfing on a bicycle and growing up on a council estate in north-west London.
Tell us about your Fringe show
My show this year is called Once Upon a Grime. As the title suggests it's a story-based show mixed with observations of my life. I grew up on a council estate in North West London. I take the audience on a nostalgic journey of things I got up to and how it all could have been different.
Best thing about the Fringe?
Walking to a gig. Comedians have to travel the length and breadth of the country just to entertain audiences for 20 minutes. Sometimes I'm in my car on a way back from a show on a B road at 2am in the morning and think why am I doing this? I'm convinced I'm going to die behind a wheel one day. So to walk two minutes to my venue everyday is pure bliss.
Worst thing about the Fringe?
A month is too long. Shows should be 45 minutes. At 40 minutes audiences tend to thinkwhen is this shit going to end?". You could be sat watching your favourite comedian in the world but at 40 minutes you're like "Jesus this is going on a bit."
How many years have you been coming to the Fringe?
It's my third hour show but this my fifth Fringe all together.
Favourite Fringe venue?
It's the room I'm in this year: Assembly Studios 4, George Square. I'm there every night at 7.50pm and it's air-conditioned!
Best Fringe memory?
Seeing an audience member being crowd-surfed on a bicycle at Late 'n' Live at 3.30 in the morning.
Best heckle?
I was five minutes into a routine at Reading festival and a guy dropped his trousers and pointed at his testicles and said: "You're bollocks mate."
Craziest on stage experience?
This year I had to follow one of my comedy heroes, Lee Evans, who was doing warm up for his new tour. It was mind blowing just meeting him. He's a great guy, really humble. I had a great time on stage. You have to pinch yourself sometimes and think I must be doing something right.
What's on your rider?
I'd love to say whisky, cocaine and strippers, but its just water for me.
How do you wind down after a show?
Whisky, cocaine and strippers
What do you love about Scotland?
You're like a strong black woman: you've got your own mind and your own money.
What do you like about Edinburgh?
You let off fireworks every night. I'm a big kid and I love fireworks.
What's the most Scottish thing you've done?
I still play football even though I know I'm not really good at it.
What kind of jokes do a Scottish crowd seem to respond to?
You tend to respond well to all of my jokes. I have one about my French teacher from Glasgow. Nobody knew what the hell he was saying. We had to learn Scottish before we learnt French.
Favourite joke?
I like silly jokes. My five-year-old son told me this one. "Where do fish keep their money?… In a river bank."
It made me smile cause I know now he won't be doing stand-up when he gets older.
Marlon Davis is performing nightly throughout the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Assembly George Square Studios 4 at 7.50pm.
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