Fringe Q&As: Phil Jerrod

The show is called Neanderthal - it’s the culmination of three years gigging up and down the country, and I’m really happy with it. I’m still not really sure what it's about if I’m honest. It’s definitely about the modern world, and it's a bit about the futility of spending your life trying to achieve things, there’s some stuff about monkeys, but mostly I think it's about Ringo Starr.

Whatever it is it’s about jokes - lots of jokes - for about an hour.

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

It’s very exciting, and a bit daunting to be honest. I was at the festival last year with the Pleasance Reserve - a package show with three other comics - I really enjoyed it, but there was some safety in doing a show with other people - an hour of me on my own feels like a whole different animal. I’m trying to mask my terror with a veneer of quiet self-confidence... and
scratching - also shivering. Some dribbling.

Best live act you've seen at Fringe?

I really loved Mr Swallow last year. I think I laughed for four days afterwards. Dracula on roller skates!

Best thing about the Fringe?

The UK comedy circuit is actually a fairly small place, so Edinburgh can feel like a big reunion of people you have worked with all year round. Comedians are quite an affable and good natured bunch - (it’s all that crippling introspection and sleep deprivation) - so it’s like a month long party (with people who should really be in bed).

Worst thing about the Fringe?

It can be pretty unrelenting as I remember. The festival is a bubble that can feel like your whole world for a few weeks. It’s good to try and get some perspective. So about three weeks in I tend to take a walk up to Duddingston Loch - it’s really beautiful up there; and so peaceful away from the craziness of the festival - I take off my shoes and socks, paddle my feet in the cool, clear water, watch the wind gently brush against the high grass and just scream and scream and scream.

If you were not a performer/comedian what would you be doing?

I’m not really sure. Before I was a comic I failed in about a hundred other careers all over the place. I’ve failed at being an academic, a publisher’s assistant; I’ve failed in offices and bars and shops and schools. So who knows - I could be failing anywhere right now. Maybe I’ll be a pilot.

What do your family think of your show?

My family haven’t seen the show actually. It’s not because I’m not proud if it - I’m extremely proud of it - (that’s why they can’t see it.) I talk about my family quite a lot in the show - but it is a sort of heightened, exaggerated version of them - so I do worry about how they would take it.

How do you combat pre-gig nerves?

Pacing, sweating, heavy alcoholism and self flagellation.

Worst on stage experience?

Exeter. Someone threw a bag of cake at me. Pretty sure it was cake.

How do you recover from a hefty heckle? Do you have a stock reply?

My act is really very fast and a bit shouty - so hecklers often don’t get a word in. I don’t have any stock answers ready to hand - I tend to rely on being so fat and weird I either elicit sympathy or fear.

What do you love about Scotland?

Scotland is immensely unbelievably beautiful and it’s people completely bonkers. From an outsider’s point of view Scotland has a no-nonsense, can-do attitude which is very appealing. In England people will give you up to ten reasons why there’s no point even putting your trousers on.

What do you like about Edinburgh?

The things I love about Edinburgh are also the things that tend to make me mad with frustration. If I’ve got time to kill it’s a beautifully insane MC Esher painting of a city - secret alley ways, ghost ridden basements, cobbled streets - but if I’m late it’s a maddening, six levelled, over-complicated sudoku puzzle nightmare with trams.

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

In late 2012 I attempted to become completely devolved.

Who’s your favourite Scottish comedian?

I’ve always been a fan of Phil Kay - I think comedy should be anarchic and dangerous in some way - I like to feel like you are watching something real that could very easily turn into a riot - I saw Phil Kay destroy the stage at a gig in Brighton once - it was lovely.

Favourite joke?
-It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

-Goodyear?

-No, the worst.

Phil Jerrod will perform at the Pleasance Courtyard from August 5-16 and 18-30.