Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?
My name is Eric Rushton, I’m a 28-year-old comedian. I live in Birmingham and my dream is to die on stage at Madison Square Garden after selling it out for the 5th time. Channel 4 gave me an award last year so that’s a decent endorsement if you’re worried I’m really bad.
How would you describe your show?
I would use the full range of word types available. Verbs, adjectives, nouns, pronouns, prepositions. I’d probs whack in the phrase “must see” and “hotly anticipated”.
Honestly, if someone asked me to describe my show, I think I would come up with a lovely little paragraph.
What is your favourite part of your show?
No one else sees this bit but I like when, 20-30 mins into the show, the ghost of my dead father appears in front of me and, as the audience double over laughing, and I pause to take it all in, he looks at me and says, “I’m proud of you son.”
Then I pause and say, “How come you never said that when you were alive?”
And he says, “Sorry, I forgot.”
And I say, “No worries.”
If your show had a theme song, what would it be and why?
Song: Let Me Entertain You by Robbie Williams. Why: Often the audience don’t.
Are there any particular themes or messages you hope the audience takes away from your performance?
A big theme is to not steal coffee from one of your colleagues – especially if that colleague is a comedian, because they’ll probably write a show about it. It’s a very specific message but one that I think people need to take on board.
Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe? What differentiates it from other festivals?
I feel a bit cringe and cliché saying this, but my favourite number has always been 7. I think it’s lucky and often really good footballers wear it on the back of their shirt. When I found out Edinburgh is the 7th most populous city in the UK, I immediately signed up for the Fringe. Fingers crossed I get a bit of luck when I’m up there.
How does performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe compare to other festivals or venues you've experienced?
The phone signal is much worse.
How has your experience at past Fringes influenced or changed your approach to this year's performance?
I’ve learned that having a door and a microphone that works is crucial.
What is your favourite thing to do in Edinburgh when you're not performing? How do you relax and look after your mental health?
I like to play FIFA with other comedians while we talk about what girls we like.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking about taking a show up to Edinburgh?
Chat GPT. Thank me later.
What is one thing you would change about the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
Make it longer. Possibly with no defined end point and last person standing wins.
How has your background, upbringing and education had an impact on your artistic career?
I think Key Stage 1 English and Maths have been crucial to everything I’ve ever done. Column addition and subtraction have been pivotal to my budgeting for the festival, and I always write my material using joined up writing with capital letters at the start of every sentence.
Can you describe your creative process and how you develop your ideas into a full-fledged performance?
The first 5 hours of the day are spent floating in a sensory deprivation tank, allowing the thoughts to gather in my brain without influence from the outside world. When I get out, I immediately put pen to paper, writing in a unbreaking stream of consciousness.
I then scan for everything that’s funny, cut that out, and perform what’s left with no discernible charisma.
Then it's back in the tank for bedtime.
What is your favourite thing about performing for a live audience?
I feel like over an hour I really build a connection with the ones that don’t leave.
What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you while performing?
One time while performing in a beer garden in Wolverhampton I was struck with a Eureka moment. I think I was in the middle of a routine about dating apps when suddenly it came to me: a unifying theory of physics. I was performing on autopilot while equations filled my consciousness. It all seemed so obvious, the audience were laughing but I was more giddy about how laughably easy it was to fit General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics into one coherent framework, something that had eluded every great mind up until this point. As soon as I stepped off stage, it went out of my head.Bizarre
What's the most challenging or unconventional venue you've ever performed in, and how did it impact the overall experience?
I once did a corporate at the ‘Floor is made of Lava World Championships’ or FIMOLWC for short.
It was during a break in play and the crowd were mainly stood on tables and hanging off chandeliers. There was a group of 10 piled onto a chaise longue at the front who probably had the best view of the stage.
I was performing while suspended from a bungee – so overall it was up and down.
Who are some of your artistic influences, and how have they shaped your work?
Greta Thunberg, Chris Packham and Rain Man, - oh sorry, did you say “Artistic”?
Is there a piece of feedback you've received from an audience member or critic after a performance that’s stuck with you?
One time an audience member was so angry with my performance that he urged strangers to kick me. He’d written it on a Post-It note and placed it on my back so it stuck to me for quite a while.
Is there a show you’re excited to see when you’re up there?
I’ll be consuming as much burlesque as I can up there as it feeds into my own work.
When and where can people see your show?
My show is in The Hive (Room 2) at 15:20 on Jul 31 Aug 1-13, 15-25
And where can people find you online?
My Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X handles are @ericrushton96 and my YouTube Channel is Eric Rushton, where you can find my special “Not That Deep”
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