Fringe Q&As: Ivo Graham on flags and punchlines

A confused romp through the modern world and all the reasons it makes it harder to be happy, cribbed from a couple of Vice articles and a side-smattering of dystopian fiction. Includes some absolutely belting material about a broken Nokia 3210.

Best thing about the Fringe?

Being able to walk into any bar and know you're going to bump into a group of comics.

Worst thing about the Fringe?

Being able to walk into any bar and know you're going to bump into a group of comics.

How many years have you been coming to the Fringe?

This is number six. Enough to stare over my pince-nez at new acts with a sense of legitimate superiority, not enough to know about "when Late and Live was properly dangerous".

Favourite Fringe venue?

The Pleasance Beside, especially at 6pm, when Ivo Graham's performing in it, every day of the month apart from the 17th. Sorry to be such a bloody COMPANY MAN about it. (I do genuinely love it as a room and might well have picked it even if I wasn't performing there, but I guess we'll never know).

Best Fringe memory?

Arthur's Seat at dawn on the last night of the 2012 Fringe, with a bunch of exceedingly dear friends, all in fancy dress (this chap in a onesie, with an afro wig). Suffice it to say Facebook profile pictures took care of themselves for a while after that.

Best heckle?

"Who's that twat in the afro?" - Arthur's Seat, 2012.

Craziest on stage experience?

Attempting to eat an entire "lunch" onstage as part of 2009's "The Lunchtime Club" while still performing my set. Not a remotely enjoyable experience for act or audience. But I polished off the cheeseboard after the show and it really was excellent.

What’s on your rider?

Edam, Brie, Red Leicester, Gruyère, Wensleydale, Dairylea Dunkers.

How do you wind down after a show?

Call my parents. If they pick up, lovely reassuring chat about my life and the fact it's "not too late to do something else". If they don't pick up, hard drugs. It's all in their hands, really.

What do you love about Scotland?

The flag. White cross on blue background! What were they thinking?

What do you like about Edinburgh?

Its willingness to host the Fringe year after year, like a student repeatedly having parties in their house even as the parties get more and more rowdy and move further and further away from the original party ethos. That, and the hills, meadows, pies, and shops selling CDs by the Red Hot Chili Pipers.

What’s the most Scottish thing you’ve done?

Attempted to seek independence from someone I'm actually still massively financially dependent on (moving out of my parents' house after university).

What kind of jokes do a Scottish crowd seem to respond to?

Jokes with a neat set-up and a funny punchline. They're only human!

Favourite joke?

Miles Jupp on getting mugged in Hull - "Give you my money? What, all of it? Most of it's tied up in land" - is the definitive 'awkward posho' routine, and the one I aspire every day to imitate, or perhaps one day just plain old steal.

Ivo Graham will be performing “No Filter” throughout the Edinburgh Fringe at the Pleasance Courtyard.