Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?
So, I am called Will Owen. And I am a stand-up comedian.
How would you describe your show?
My show - Like, Nobody’s Watching - is about growing up consuming TV shows that promised to change people’s lives, and seeing the world through shock twists, audience votes and eliminations. As an adult who wants my life to change, I’d much rather compete with my peers in front of a panel of star judges than take responsibility for myself.
What is your favourite part of your show?
There is a story about the time I went by myself to watch the show Loose Women live in the studio on a Tuesday morning. I like it because it’s something I can say with certainty that no one else is talking about in their shows, which is sad to me. People should feel empowered to talk about their experience of taking time off work to see Loose Women get recorded on a weekday, and I hope my show helps them realise they can.
If your show had a theme song, what would it be and why?
As someone obsessed with TV, this is actually a really challenging question, because there are so many good answers. It would probably be the Strictly theme, because it’s camp and when you hear it, you know an amazing evening lies ahead of you.
Are there any particular themes or messages you hope the audience takes away from your performance?
Not really. The show is about feeling like there needs to be a message to my life, in order to make an audience feel something – but crucially, I don’t. So if the audience does take a message away, I would love to hear it because it could be useful for my personal PR!
Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe? What differentiates it from other festivals?
Because it is perfect and unflawed and egalitarian, of course! I think actually it just is the biggest stage you can bring a show to, regardless of how much profile you have. Obviously there are distinguishing levels within that, but it still feels like a good avenue to build your live audience.
What do you hope to learn or achieve from your first Fringe experience, and how do you plan to apply it to your future work?
I dare not say the height of my ambitions, because how the mighty fall. But maybe a knighthood? My main hope is that the show finds its specific audience, and that they want to come back for more. My dream would be to keep building my own little comic world that people start to seek out, in whatever form.
What would you say has been (potentially) the most useful piece of advice you’ve been given about taking a show to Edinburgh Fringe?
The problem with advice is every time I receive it, I think: wow this is so good when someone asks me for advice in the future I am going to tell them this. But then every time I am asked for advice, my head is literally empty. Write down advice - that’s useful advice.
How do you plan to balance performing and exploring the vast array of other shows and events happening at the Fringe?
I am going to be really sensible, and if you see me in George Square at one am with a pint in one hand and a cigarette in the other, no you didn’t. Luckily, my show is on quite late in the evening, so I don’t have to start flyering until the early evening anyway. I’m aiming for quite zen day times - but let’s see!
How has your background, upbringing and education had an impact on your artistic career?
I grew up in London, so I was surrounded by so much culture growing up. It meant I was lucky enough to cultivate my own specific tastes as a teenager and into my twenties, which is a cool privilege. At uni, I met people with shared comedic tastes, and they introduced me to all the comedians I love now, like John Early and Pat Regan - it meant when I started gigging properly in London, I had a vision of the kind of comedy I wanted to do.
Can you describe your creative process and how you develop your ideas into a full-fledged performance?
Oh my god if I knew what my creative process was, I would be so rich and esteemed by now. I think I write about a thousand really unfunny things, like so often my sets start as just a series of facts. And then gradually over time I will rephrase and rephrase, and then at a completely random moment, the right joke will bubble up to the surface. I have also started to develop jokes onstage more - it helps create material that is more in the moment, by thinking about how I would make a group of people laugh in a social setting, and then emulating that.
What is your favourite thing about performing for a live audience?
Being in the moment. I love my phone so much, and so going onstage and actually engaging with people is always wonderful, because when I come offstage and resume using my phone for the rest of the evening, I feel like I’ve earned it.
What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you while performing?
I once performed on an outdoor stage at a festival, right opposite the main stage, where the band Toploader were playing. Halfway through my set, the opening chords of Dancing on the Moonlight blared across the field – it was strange to try and compete with one of the most iconic songs of the noughties. Especially when you yourself are bombing, for example.
What's the most challenging or unconventional venue you've ever performed in, and how did it impact the overall experience?
Probably a deli - I performed from behind the coffee machine. So I used the steamer to welcome myself to the stage, like it was dry ice. That was actually one of the highest production values of shows I’ve ever had.
Who are some of your artistic influences, and how have they shaped your work?
As I mentioned, I really love the comedian Pat Regan. He has such a specific turn-of-phrase when talking about something deliberately mundane. That has really inspired me to speak about what I want to. The other genuine influence has been Gemma Collins. I think she is the comedic genius of our ages, she’s basically crafted herself a persona like a comedian would. Her language is so quixotic, and she has this kind of glamorously nihilistic quality, which has really shaped my comedy - in my stories, the highs are high, and the lows are low.
Is there a piece of feedback you've received from an audience member or critic after a performance that’s stuck with you?
Someone recently thanked me for not saying the f word. I just found that so funny, because I don’t have any view on swearing, and it was not deliberate at all. So to be taken to the side and earnestly thanked for watching my language - what can I say? I’m a moral pariah, I guess.
Is there a show you’re excited to see when you’re up there?
I did a gig with Jin Hao Li recently, and he was a quiet genius. It’s actually crazy to be on a line up with a quiet genius, that is honestly so humbling. But I am excited to see his show in full because the short stuff was great.
When and where can people see your show?
Assembly George Square in The Crate, at 22.20 every freaking night baby!
And where can people find you online?
On Instagram - @__willowen
0 Comments