Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?
I'm Kae Kurd. I'm 27, and I'm a British-Kurdish stand up comedian from South London.
How would you describe your show?
Funny, thoughtful and full of opinions.
It's my story about my life coming from a refugee family and moving to this country and how that's shaped me world views and all the issues I had to deal with having that background.
Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
It's the largest arts festival in the world so it'd be amazing to be amongst all these creative people in all these fields. All the greats have done it so it'd be amazing to follow in their footsteps.
What differentiates it from other festivals?
It's the biggest! There's always something to do and when you take a chance on shows it can honestly be really rewarding and inspiring. There's people you watch here as well that go on to do some amazing things and it's so special that you got to see them in a dark room on a wet summers day in Scotland.
Do you think the Fringe has changed over the years? If so, how? Are these changes positive or negative?
I think the main change I'm seeing is that there's a lot more people from minorities that are taking shows up. A lot of the time for working class or people from ethnic minorities there firstly isn't even the awareness of what the fringe festival is. Secondly, the ability to be able to come and put on a show has usually been nothing more than a dream due to the funds and lack of connections.
This year for example you have Dane Baptiste, Tez Ilyas, Twayna Mayne, myself, Darren Harriott, Eshaan Akhbar, Kwame Asante just to name a few. It's still not completely representative however it's a much better position than we have been in before and the festival can only be richer because of these varying perspectives.
What first motivated you to enter the industry? Who were your inspirations?
I didn't know I was going to be a stand-up comedian, it sort of just happened. I really enjoyed comedy - I've always been mesmerised by people like Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and Bill Burr. The way they were able to create a world just with a microphone was just sublime. I had a lot of people telling me I should give stand up a go and one day I did, when I realised that I enjoyed it I didn't give up.
If you didn't have your current job, what would you probably be doing?
I think I'd either be doing something in the music industry behind the scenes or in politics. They're both very unpredictable. I hate monotony in a job so yeah anything that's varying and keeps me on my toes
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
Elon Musk's job. He's founded Tesla and trying to make commercial space travel viable. He's like a real-life Tony Stark from the Marvel Comics.
What is your earliest childhood art memory?
Me playing Santa Claus in a school play. Looking back it's hilarious that they got the Muslim kid in the class to do that.
Do you ever feel any pressure to be a social commentator, or constantly update material to respond to events?
Not so much pressure, more cathartic. I always bang on about current affairs
Equally, do you think there has been a shift in public sentiment that has affected your work?
Absolutely by virtue of who I am. I'm a Kurdish man, I'm Muslim and my family came here as refugees.
The demonising rhetoric you hear about immigrants and refugees has undoubtedly been a factor in the formation of this show and the need to provide an alternative narrative.
Describe the last year in 5 words or less?
Very busy and fulfilling.
If you could work with anybody, from any point in history, who would you pick and why?
Eddie Murphy when he was on SNL. The show would have got cancelled if it wasn't for him, he was a cast member that hosted the show - such was his level of fame and talent at the time. A lot of people forget how young he was when he was selling out arena's. It would have been incredible to have worked with him when he was in his prime and see how he constructed his ideas and his preparation that led to pin point accuracy when he delivered his characters and routines.
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?
I think both have their merits. There's great shows on both sides. I think with the ticketed shows they can be a bit more visible around town and a lot of the time people may come to your show before they see a big name. Equally I think on the free fringe you're likely to get people that take a punt on you and really enjoy your work. I think fundamentally it comes down to the frame of mind of the performer and what's right for them and their show at that point in time.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a show up to the fringe?
Think about what's true to you and what makes you unique and also what you're passionate about.
When and where can people see your show?
- AUGUST 2-27 (not 16) 5:30PM.
- At the Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker Two.
And where can people find, follow and like you online?
- Kaekurd.com
- Twitter @kaekurd
- Facebook Kae Kurd
- Instagram @kaekurd
- Snapchat kaekurd
Kae Kurd: Kurd Your Enthusiasm is performing at Pleasance Courtyard at 17:30 on 2nd – 27th (not 16th). For tickets and more information visit the Ed Fringe website.
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