Colin Leggo discusses Cornish pasties, double acts and why Edinburgh is a lovable but tempestuous beast.
Tell us about your Fringe show
Well it’s a totally true story, everything I talk about in the show actually happened. It’s a story about the decade of problems and solution finding involving my right leg leading up to finally having it amputated last May.
You can expect some life affirming stuff, mixed in with anecdotes of appearing in Take-a-Break magazine and midnight liaisons in hospital wards with senile old men. Oh and lots of leg puns, you can’t have enough leg puns. I won’t give away too much, I don’t want to put my foot in it.
How does it feel to be playing the Fringe for the first time?
It's my first solo show but I've been to the fringe in other capacities several times, sketch shows, directing other acts, displaying art work. Am I nervous? The City of Edinburgh is a lovable but tempestuous beast, like a hamster that you adore while it stuffs it face with wotsits until it bites your finger off. What I mean by that is for someone like myself that has mobility problems the hills are unforgiving and the City layout is like a drawing by Esher. So I suppose I’m nervous about facing my nemesis once again, especially doing my first solo show this year, so no sketch show buddies to escort me to A&E.
Best live act seen at Fringe?
Back in 2006 I saw We are Klang in the Pleasance Courtyard and it blew me away. The sheer energy, anarchy and their totally ‘balls out’ attitude, both mentally and physically, was so refreshing and exciting from any other sketch shows I’d seen at that time. The cabin did smell horrendously of Steve Halls farts a mere 15 minutes into the show. Man, what Steve can do with his machine like bowel and sphincter control could win Britain’s Got Talent any day.
Best thing about the Fringe?
It's the only experience in the world where you have comedy on tap, at any point in the day or night you can say "let's see a show" and be watching a show within five minutes of wherever you are. It's like the comedy version of Uber Taxis, without the unwanted chitchat and pine air freshener. Hey, there’s probably a show in that somewhere.
Worst thing about the Fringe?
I think it can be a very unhealthy month for any performer. After about four days you forget that not every meal has to be accompanied by the phrase "salt n sauce?"
If you were not a performer/comedian what would you be doing?
Probably being an ambassador for some kind of Cornish pasty company. I'm a Cornishman and that is what he likes, and unless you mess around with my pastry goods you're okay in my eyes. What, you scratched my car? Yeah that's fine. What did you say, you drowned my dog? No problem mate. What, you put carrots in a pasty? You better leave right now sunshine!!!
What do your family think of your show?
They probably think I'm doing it as some kind of therapy to do with my amputation! In their mind most people might just sit down after that operation and mope around because they've lost a leg. But I don't look at life that way. A mere 24 hours after my operation I was in my hospital bed trying to make a video of the talking kidney dish. Hey, you've gotta work with the tools you're given.
How do you combat pre-gig nerves?
Doing quite a technical show, with a projector and screen, I usually check my infer red Power Point clicker is working at least 2000 times before I’m happy. Oh, and being a diabetic I usually check my blood sugar levels. If I was to have a diabetic hypo I could appear drunk, talk nonsense, sweat profusely and probably take my shirt off. And that’s not really what....hang on, shows like that have won awards haven’t they?!
Worst on stage experience?
Many years ago in my double act, Colin and Rob, we had a hideous gig in Gloucester where during our set, much of which we only wore nipple tassles and small shorts, a punter had been knocked unconscious on stage and had to be dealt with by paramedics. As we left the stage the police also arrived to arrest the attacker. Let's just say that the audience weren't totally focused on our act, even though you could see both mine and Rob's bum cracks.
How do you recover from a hefty heckle? Do you have a set of stock replies?
Usually when people heckle they're too drunk to have any sense or anything actually decent to say. This means that you can usually outwit them by just repeating back what they've said to you. No heckler is ever going to be a mastermind eh. I’ve recently thought that now I've had the amputation I can just say "what, you don't like that joke? That's disability discrimination. Take a good hard look yourself". Oh, feisty and political.
What do you love about Scotland?
I think the Cornish feel a strong bond with Scotland, what with the referendum and independence so high on the agenda. I love the passion that the Scottish have for their country, just like I feel about where I'm from down in the west country, us Celts have got to stick together you know. Oh, and potato scones are fudging amazing!
What do you like about Edinburgh?
As far as I know, Edinburgh has the only chip shops in the world where you can buy toilet paper and biscuits. Seems like an obvious combination to me, but you don't see it very often. But joking aside, Edinburgh has a stunning beauty to it which is unrivalled by any other city in the UK. It's a shame that we all come and chuck flyers over it from an entire month. Sorry.
What’s the most Scottish thing you’ve done?
When I was a kid we had a family singing group, I suppose a bit like the Von Trapp family but more Cornish, that went around old peoples homes entertaining them before they died. We did a version of 'Donald where's your trousers' in which I wore an oversized tam-o'-shanter hat. It was probably very offensive for anyone who was Scottish, but it made the old dears laugh before taking their final breath.
Who’s your favourite Scottish comedian?
Susan Calman was one of the very first acts I saw at the fringe many years ago. That gig was very memorable and I always try and catch her when I can.
Favourite joke?
(Currently my favourite of mine)
When I was in hospital I found a very small ward, it was only for amputees and patients with skin irritations. It’s was very small, only 7 feet and 9 itches.
Colin Leggo will perform at the Laughing Horse @ The Blind Poet on August 6-16 and 18-30.
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