Firstly, could you introduce yourself, and give a quick summary of your show?
We are comedy duo, Norris & Parker (Katie & Sinead) and our brand new show 'See You at the Gallows' is a sordid soiree full of wild, dark and ridiculous sketches, characters and songs woven within a narrative of underlying aggression between ourselves. It is a comedy show, we promise.
What is your earliest arts memory?
Parker: As well as being a triple threat at Stagecoach Theatre School in Taunton from a young age, Norris also learnt the sax; her earliest arts memory involves being too afraid to ask her teacher where the toilet was and subsequently wetting herself.
Norris: Parker remembers farting in recorder class and from that day never picking up an instrument again.
What first encouraged you to become a performer?
Parker: Norris has the arts pumping through her veins. Her own father trained at RADA and very nearly got the part of corrie heartthrob "Ken Barlow." She often wonders how differently her life could have turned out if this had been the case.
Norris: No one has ever encouraged Parker to grace the stage infact quite the opposite, her parents regularly beg her to stop.
Do you remember your first professional performance, and how did it go?
Parker:We were both in 'The Demolition Man' at the Bolton Octagon which was a play about the life and times of Fred Dibnah and his wife was played by Michelle Collins.
Norris: I played the coveted role of 'Butch PA' and Parker played 'Butch Camerawoman' and they had to give us a hat a and a bum bag in order to tell us apart.
What do you feel is the best thing about your job?
Parker: Having creative control and ownership over our own in careers in an industry that can often be very precarious.
Conversely, what is the worst?
Norris: Telling people we're a comedy duo and then being called the 'Chuckle brothers' by our mate's Dad.
How do you decide whether or not a show has gone well?
Parker: Laughter is a good sign that a show has gone well and no laughter indicates something has gone terribly, terribly wrong.
If you could work with anybody, dead or alive, who would you choose to collaborate with?
Norris: Our comedy heroes Julia Davis, Chris Morris, The League of Gentlemen, Caroline Aherne and Victoria Wood.
What made you want to come to Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
Parker: We're sadomasochists.
Is performing at EdFringe different from 'traditional' shows?
Parker: The get in and tech times are quick, you have to flyer for your own shows and you are competing with thousands of other shows so you are constantly reminded you are not the special acorn your parents told you you were
Norris: Apart from that it's really fun!
If you could travel back in time and give 16 year-old you one piece of advice, what would it be?
Norris: Don't wear that prom dress.
Parker: Don't worry, you will grow into your nose but your ears will always be freakishly small.
What advice would you give to young people who want to enter the industry?
Norris: If you want to be an Actor then going to drama school to get a solid training in movement, voice and acting is a great place to start, it's where we met and started writing comedy.
Parker: If you want to make work, then start devising, writing and sharing with audiences as soon as possible so you can start to learn and hone your craft. Also, be prepared to pull pints and wait tables well into your twenties.
Do you have social media that our readers can follow you on?
Twitter: @NorrisParker26 Facebook: Norris and Parker
Where can people catch your show during EdFringe?
The Pleasance Courtyard, The Attic 10.45pm!
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