Ismo Leikola discusses mysterious time distortions, delicious Irn Bru and deep fried haggis.
Tell us about your Fringe show
Pointing out the extremely obvious but still most hidden things lurking in plain sight. In other words, new and original jokes about familiar everyday things. With a Finnish accent.
Best thing about the Fringe?
The pressure and the possibilities. And the mysterious time distortion that makes every day repeat the day before it.
Worst thing about the Fringe?
The pressure. And the impossibility of seeing everything interesting even with the time distortion.
How many years have you been coming to the Fringe?
This is the third time with a show. Fifth altogether.
Favourite Fringe venue?
I'm now doing Gilded Balloon but it's at the Pleasance. Sounds like a perfect combination.
Best Fringe memory?
The moment of miraculous shift in the taste buds when Irn Bru suddenly transformed into something delicious.
Best heckle?
Has to be a very loud burp. Heckled accidentally by someone's belly.
Craziest on stage experience?
Using a stage and a microphone to perform to one person.
What's on your rider?
Water in a pint. A glass pint. No ice.
How do you wind down after a show?
I'm considering winding down in September.
What do you love about Scotland?
Listening to the dialect and trying to come up with a theoretical basis for the pronounciation.
What do you like about Edinburgh?
The genius to have managed to somehow create a thing that lures all the talent from the planet to come here and to often even pay for it.
What's the most Scottish thing you've done?
Having deep fried haggis and really genuinely deeply very much liking it.
What kind of jokes do a Scottish crowd seem to respond to?
The festival has been here for so long that it seems at least the Edinburgh crowd has seen more comedy of all sorts that any other crowd. Therefore I think they respond to original, new and good jokes, no matter the style or subject, which is great.
Favourite joke?
I have a door deal here, today I'm working for 50% of the door, and tomorrow I'm working for 50% of the door, so on Sunday, I will have a door. - Mitch Hedberg.
Ismo Leikola will perform at the Gilded Balloon from August 14-15 and 22-30.
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