Interview with comedian Alison Larkin

Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?

I was adopted and raised in England and Africa. When I was 25, I found my birth mother in Bald Mountain, Tennessee, moved to New York and became a stand-up comic, because what else do you do?

My stand-up act evolved into an autobiographical one woman show and then a bestselling novel called The English American. I spent three years under Hollywood studio development to star in my own sitcom and voiced countless cartoons and movies. When I had kids, I quit Hollywood and moved to the countryside, supported by narrating over 250 audiobooks, including the 81-hour Complete Novels of Jane Austen which currently is the #1 bestselling Austen audiobook in the world.

Now my kids have flown the nest, I’m excited to be leaving the isolation of my recording studio and writing and performing live again.

How would you describe your show?

Alison Larkin: Grief … A Comedy is a funny, life-affirming show about love, loss and hope. I found true love for the first time in my 50’s with an Indian climate scientist who had also emigrated to the US. Then he died. When Archbishop Desmond Tutu found out what happened next, he insisted I return to comedy and tell the story as widely as possible because, he said, it will bring hope.

What is your favourite part of your show?

The part when Bhima and I meet for the first time. It’s hilarious and true and really romantic and fun.

If your show had a theme song, what would it be and why?

In my Life by the Beatles, because 'I know I’ll never lose affection for people and things that went before. And although I’ll often stop and think about them, in my life I loved him more.'

Are there any particular themes or messages you hope the audience takes away from your performance?

1) It’s never too late to find true love! 2) I can’t control what happens to me but I can control how I respond to it. 3) Each day you get to choose how you will spend it, so don’t waste a minute - ‘cos tonight might end it. Don’t waste your time.

Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe? What differentiates it from other festivals?

When you get thousands of performers who have no way of knowing whether their show will be a flop or a hit, but risking it anyway, there's excitement and danger in the air. I love it! I haven’t been to any other festivals yet, so I don’t know what differentiates it - apart from the fact that it is the largest Arts Festival in the world that just happens to take place in a historic and achingly beautiful city.

How has your background, upbringing and education had an impact on your artistic career?

That’s such a good question, and the answer is, in every way. I never really fit into conventional English life. I was untidy where everyone else was neat and an enthusiastic risk taker surrounded by quiet Brits who looked at me askance whenever I came up with a new idea said “Oooh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you."

If my English parents hadn’t contrasted so completely with my unconventional American birth parents, it wouldn’t have been so funny and I might never have become a comedian. If I hadn’t had a good education which taught me how to read and write, I probably wouldn’t have thought about turning my shows into novels. If I hadn’t been raised by really good people, I might not have learned how to live a balanced, happy life. If I hadn’t been able to find my birth parents, who validated who I was, I might not have had the confidence to pursue an artistic career.

Can you describe your creative process and how you develop your ideas into a full-fledged performance?

An idea will come in and I’ll sit with it for a bit. Then, if it won’t leave me alone, I’ll write it down. Then I’ll avoid it, because, to quote Dorothy Parker, ‘I hate writing – I love having written.’ When I can’t resist any longer, I’ll write everything down in a rush. Then I’ll run it by a friend or two. Then I'll put it up somewhere.

With Grief… A Comedy, We did a few workshop performances, then the Soho Theatre previewed the show in London last November, then they stepped up to produce the show in Edinburgh where it will receive its World Premiere, and after that RBM will be promoting a UK wide tour. So heeeere we go!

What is your favourite thing about performing for a live audience?

After working alone in a recording studio, it’s exciting being in the same room as other people because I can hear and sense their reactions. There’s no more encouraging sound for a performer than the sound of an audience laughing helplessly.

What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you while performing?

Someone’s wife rang him while I was mid joke at The Comedy Store in LA, accusing him of being with a girlfriend. He wasn’t. He was with a group of mates, drinking and disrupting my set.I got him to hand me the phone, and spent the next five minutes talking with his wife, with a hundred people listening.

What's the most challenging or unconventional venue you've ever performed in, and how did it impact the overall experience?

Gladys’s Comedy Club in New York – which was basically a tiny platform with a mic, at the far end of a fish restaurant. Playing in a restaurant that smelled of fish and with a low-hanging cottage cheese ceiling from when it used to be an office was a challenge for everyone. But if you could get a laugh at Gladys’s, you could get a laugh anywhere.

Who are some of your artistic influences, and how have they shaped your work?

Victoria Wood, Ellen De Generes, Paula Poundstone, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Miriam Margolyes, Dame Edna Everage. All women who are totally relaxed on stage, who improvise and talk to the audience as if they’re hanging out with their friends. I always make space for some audience interaction in my shows. Each of these performers had an influence on me for that reason. And also because they showed me that, yes, it is possible to make a living talking.

Is there a piece of feedback you've received from an audience member or critic after a performance that’s stuck with you?

Yes. During the five US previews for Grief… A Comedy, there was a woman who had recently lost her husband. She said she’d been a bit nervous about coming to the show because she didn’t understand how grief and comedy could go together. After the show she kept hugging me telling me she was so glad she came, because the show brought her joy and hope and she left the theatre smiling, feeling so much better than before.

Is there a show you’re excited to see when you’re up there?

You bet. Miriam Margolyes.

How does performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe compare to other festivals or venues you've experienced?

Talent of all different kinds, from comedians to mime artists to students coming to one city from all over the world for a month? There’s nothing else like it!

How has your experience at past Fringes influenced or changed your approach to this year's performance?

When I last performed in Edinburgh I was six months pregnant with my now twenty-three-year-old son, and I couldn’t do anything but rest between shows. This time I’m planning to see as many shows as I can and spend as much time as possible with other artists.

What is your favourite thing to do in Edinburgh when you're not performing?

See other shows, walk up Arthur’s Seat or sit in a café playing Rummy.

How do you relax and look after your mental health?

I love to get up early, before the world is awake and I need a lot of time alone. Recently I’ve started trying Tai Chi and I’ll undoubtedly walk around the city a lot and head up Arthur’s Seat. I meditate occasionally, which also helps me relax. I also have a dog.

What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking about taking a show up to Edinburgh?

Just Do It.

What is one thing you would change about the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

The price of accommodation.

When and where can people see your show?

Alison Larkin: Grief, A Comedy is at Assembly George Square Studio 2 @ 2.10pm

for tickets go to www.edfringe.com

And where can people find you online?