The Lampoons perform in their debut show, ‘House On Haunted Hill’ at Pleasance 10 Dome, during August.

Josh Harvey, co-director of and performer with The Lampoons answers our questions. 

  • Tell us about your Fringe show

We have taken the original black and white screenplay of ‘House on Haunted Hill’ from 1959, and re-imagined it starring four of the most professional idiots you will ever meet. This could well be the most ridiculously bizarre late-night show at the fringe; a thumpingly hilarious non-stop Comedy-Horror, the likes of which have never been seen. Plus, you get water pistols, ping pong balls and a Ghost Cat!

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

AAHHHHHH - IT’S A DEBUT! Yes, this is first time The Lampoons will be hitting the Edinburgh Festival! We have lots of friends in London from our Halloween Shows that we do each year, but this will be a new born baby idiot for us to all deliver, and it will be a great experiment to see how the victims… I mean audiences… of The Edinburgh Festival will react. Previous B-Movie re-creations include ‘ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES’ - I’m sure you all know that one….

  • Why did you decide to perform at the Fringe?

We did a run of this show last year at The Leicester Square Theatre for Halloween and a man in a blacked out limousine met us at the exit and said “you wanna be a star kid”? Yeah, it was pretty much like that. That, and people came away telling us this show is exactly what Edfringe loves, and unexpectedly expects, from a bizarre Late-Night Show.

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

Ohhhh toughy! Probably what I do ever year, cramming in seeing every show I can and getting off my face till 5am surrounded by some of the most creative people in the world. Or producing. I’ve learnt a lot about that these last 10 months too.

  • How do you prepare for a performance?

Generally we like to hide one of Tina’s props so she walks around asking everyone if they’ve seen it until eventually screaming and punching one of us in the neck. Then we’re in the zone.

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

Don’t get hit by a car, and undergo intensive leg surgery two months before the Fringe starts. You’ll hear a lot about that in the show… soz.

  • Favourite thing about being in Edinburgh?

It never sleeps. They say New York never sleeps, well that’s a bloody lie because you can’t walk the streets at 4am in NY and find Spanish prop comedy shows, and then have a deep fried mars bar in a packed chippy. Okay maybe you can, but these things will find you in Edinburgh.

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

I had a Haggis burger once. That was alright. Probs wouldn’t do it again.

  • Favourite Scottish food/drink?

Love Irn Bru. That stuff is like liquid crack. I also had some of the best Turkish food in Edinburgh.

  • Sum up your show in three words

Clowns. Ghosts. Pickles?!

Show summary

The Lampoons are back with this joyously absurd and furiously bizarre late-night comedy. Join these four professional idiots in a hilarious reimagining of a Hollywood classic. An eccentric millionaire offers four strangers $10,000 if they last the night at his haunted house party. 

The Lampoons perform in their debut show, ‘House On Haunted Hill’ at Pleasance 10 Dome, during August. For tickets, please visit www.edfringe.com