Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?
I am Tom Ward, I do stand-up comedy. It is an unhealthy obsession and health practitioners would say I'm out of balance. When I have a week off I don't know who I am or what to do.
How would you describe your show?
A clunky set of what are essentially questions or statements piled on top of each other, hoping it'll look like a tower of confident, splendid architecture from a distance if I just keep on stacking.
Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
Want doesn't come into it. It's part of the job. Like training weekends, bonding workshops or required voluntary service as part of a contract…
What differentiates it from other festivals?
It is longer, bigger, louder and breaks you in like a new shoe every year.
Do you think the Fringe has changed over the years? If so, how? Are these changes positive or negative?
I've not noticed anything over the last 4 years I've been doing it except from the personal basis of how doing an hour is significantly harder than doing a shared hour with one or two people.
What first motivated you to enter the industry? Who were your inspirations?
Other comedians, a sense of the visceral, up closeness, anger, space and possibilities of it. Eddie Izzard, Bill Hicks, Vic and Bob, Ben Elton, Jim Carrey, Chevy Chase, Martin Short
If you didn't have your current job, what would you probably be doing?
I'd be dead or living with my mum wondering how to be dead.
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
Something that makes a genuine change to lives, perhaps a commune for those raised in unwanted religion trying to get clean and shake off the dogma.
What is your earliest childhood art memory?
Being around 4 or 5 in a waterproof jump suit at the park, falling into a little stream and being utterly amazed that I wasn't wet. I didn't understand how.
Do you ever feel any pressure to be a social commentator, or constantly update material to respond to events?
I try but it never works. Though I try to keep an ear on current events (not both ears 'cause that just leads to misery) in case it comes up randomly on the night.
Equally, do you think there has been a shift in public sentiment that has affected your work?
Yes, gender and sexuality are moving around a lot it seems, and it's harder to know who or how to pitch your own and how interesting or shocking any of it is to others even if it feels big to you.
Describe the last year in 5 words or less?
Unrelenting, reflective, hopeless, hopeful, repeat.
If you could work with anybody, from any point in history, who would you pick and why?
Tough one that, don't want to look frivolous…on tour with The Stone Roses in 1989? The House of Love in 1988? U2 in 1987? I don't know what my capacity that would be in, fetch the beers, go buy the fags, whatever, general backstage stuff, just to be there.
Why would a performer opt to do either a ticketed event or participate in the free fringe? What are the benefits and limitations of both?
Tickets puts a value on yourself and weeds out people who don't respect what you do. Free allows people to put their own value on you and that can be considerably more than you thought you were worth!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a show up to the fringe?
Take your time, don't forget to play, work with a director if you can, or a friend, and have ways to keep it fresh every day as doing it 24 times in a row starts to mess with your head!
When and where can people see your show?
The Tron, 3-27th August (except 14th) at 15:40.
Tom Ward: Love Machine is performing at Just the Tonic @ The Tron at 15:40 on 3rd – 27th (not 14th). For tickets and more information visit the Ed Fringe website.
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