Interview with Alex Kealy

28-year-old stand-up Alex Kealy has had a good year for love and a tumultuous year politically, and he's doing a show about both. 

Interview with Alex Kealy

Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?

Hi! I’m Alex Kealy a 28-year-old stand-up comedian and food aficionado (i really couldn’t live without it!).

Tell us about your show?

It’s a mixture of the political and the personal. I’m politically jaded but romantically fulfilled and I’m performing a show filled with those very different feelings. Routines about Brexit, Trump, automation, tech regulation? Sure, but also some absolutely A-grade material about break-ups and buying lube, please.

Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is it different from other festivals?

There is just no other comedy festival like it. There’s so much comedy going on all the time, everywhere, and for August Edinburgh becomes wonderfully dominated by it that a smaller comedy festival in a larger city never can be. I’m essentially addicted to performing comedy and Edinburgh is the place I can get that hit most frequently.

What first motivated you to enter the industry? Who were your inspirations?

I remember loving Isy Suttie’s solo show just as I was starting out. Much of my comedy knowledge in terms of stand-up though has really come after I started performing. Other big influences are Hitchhiker’s Guide and Nikolai Gogol (pretentious? меня?)

Do you ever feel any pressure to be a social commentator, or constantly update material to respond to events?

Yup, I’m mostly a political comedian, ideally. So, the last three years have been an absolute nightmare in terms of deleting jokes once Trump has fired a staffer / one of the cabinet has resigned / a politician has knifed a supposed ally. I suppose the upside is that audiences are probably more clued in to the news, and respect it if you come up with something about a very recent development, they can feel it’s newer / for them.

Equally, do you feel there has been a shift in public sentiment that has affected your work?

There was quite a big one on the 23rd June 2016, yes...

Describe the last year in 5 words or less?

Personal happiness and political chaos.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a show up to the fringe?

Depends on them! I think the only guarantee is that you’ll get better at doing comedy, so that should be the reason you’re going. Nothing else is sure.

And what advice do you wish you’d been given when entering the industry?

You can enjoy Stewart Lee without trying to copy him, especially after only, like, 4 gigs?

When and where can people see your show?

Cabaret Voltaire, 5.15pm, 2nd-26th August.

And where can people find, follow and like you online?

@alexkealy on twitter (http://www.twitter.com/alexkealy)

Author

Tom Inniss

Tom Inniss Voice Team

Tom is the Editor of Voice. He is a politics graduate and holds a masters in journalism, with particular interest in youth political engagement and technology. He is also a mentor to our Voice Contributors, and champions our festivals programme, including the reporter team at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

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