The Raymond & Mr Timpkins Revue: Ham is on at the Pleasance – King Dome – Bristo Square, during August. 

  • Tell us about your Fringe show

Well, it’s about five metres long by two metres high, largely six mm ply and paint with props and music and dressing up. There is an amount of deep emotion and very well developed character arcs. There is a dog and a famous actor though we can’t reveal who.

  • How does it feel to be playing the Fringe for the first time?

It’s scary stuff. We grew up playing twenty/ twenty five minute sets to club audiences. They appreciate a quickfire set with lots of gags which is very different to what an Edinburgh audience expects. We shall see how what we have to offer goes down but we’re way out of our comfort zone. To answer the question in a word then, tired.

  • Why did you decide to perform at the Fringe?

We got an offer to do it from a very well known, highly respected Edinburgh Fringe promoter and it would have been rude to say no though we have since spent almost every waking moment thinking about it, making props, scenery, recording backing tracks and all the other stuff that goes with an Edinburgh show. It is quite an undertaking. We feel a heavy responsibility to provide a return on the considerable investment that has been made in us. On the circuit we just have to make enough to support ourselves and I think we prefer that. The circuit has diminished now from it’s heyday so this is a good way to broaden our possible audience.

  • If you were not a performer what would you be doing?

Who knows. We both had day jobs before but neither of us particularly enjoyed them. We both need room to do our own thing so probably not the everday nine to five though we all need to make money though so possibly anything that allowed space and time to do showing off in our spare time.

  • How do you prepare for a performance?

We have props to get ready and costumes to put on so there’s all that practical stuff to do but we also have little rituals to go through, some that start in the car on the way to a gig. We have a bit of a stretch and a jog on the spot and we’re ready.

  • Best/worst advice you’ve been given ahead of your debut show?

Craig Murray, a fellow stand up, sat all the way through our first preview and gave us some really good feedback, the best stuff about how we had assumed that people know what we do without having actually showed them. We have rewritten heavily since then and believe we have a much better show now.

The worst advice is yet to be seen. 

  • Sum up your show in three words

Velvet Caravan Flsashbacks.

The Raymond & Mr Timpkins Revue: Ham is on at the Pleasance – King Dome – Bristo Square, during August. For tickets, please visit www.edfringe.com