Interview with Crybabies

"If anyone comes away from Danger Brigade with a moral or message, that is a profound mistake on our part. We want this show to be the comedic equivalent of an ostrich burying its head in the sand."

Interview with Crybabies

Could you first introduce yourself to the reader? 

Hello! We are Crybabies, we’re a three-dweeb comedy group and if you haven’t already clicked somewhere else then thanks for sticking with us. 

How would you describe your show? 

It's a surreal comedy-adventure set in World War Two. The Allies learn of a Nazi plan to create a mythical monster that could spell the end of the world. Unfortunately, their best agent has gone missing, so it's down to three damaged and deeply insecure losers to try and save the day. We follow captain of banality Skipps McCoy, celebrity superspy Chester Daggerboot, and Porky, on a mysterious journey behind enemy lines as the familiar setting of the Second World War gradually fades into a strange world of talking furniture, father issues, and skeleton armies. 

Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe? 

There’s nothing else really like it. It’s like this weird alt-universe where everyone you respect and admire is just hanging out and trying to make people laugh. Even if no one came to see our show, we can think of worse places to spend a month. 

What differentiates the Fringe from other festivals? 

The sheer scale of Edinburgh is something else completely. The fact that you’re doing 25 shows in a row, while trying to catch all the great stuff that’s up there means you end up running on a cocktail of Red Bull and meal deals. Plus, no other festival can guarantee at least one evening where you’re walking home at 5am across the picturesque meadows, listening to the birds wake from their slumber thinking ‘what the hell have I done?’ 

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

Growing up in the nineties meant we were pretty much raised on The Simpsons. It’s still probably the main reference for everything we do. 

If you didn’t have your current job, what would you probably be doing? 

James is very good at table tennis so there’s always that. Also, he wants to be a wrestler. For any concerned readers, James is 26 and doing just fine. Mikey would be a tax collector. Like the Sheriff of Nottingham. If we’re not allowed to make people laugh, we might as well stop them from ever having a nice time ever again. And Ed would be a copywriter. He’d make 35k a year, have two kids and dream of moving to Italy but never actually do it. He would also play tennis once a week with Ryan from work. 

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? 

I think secretly we all know that James is right. Pro wrestler has been, and will forever be, the dream. 

What is your earliest childhood art memory? 

James drew a crocodile in playgroup when he was four. He thought it was really good and showed his playgroup teacher the drawing. He was genuinely very pleased with it. His mum saved it and showed him when he was older. It honestly looked like a pile of sick. Like , not at all like a crocodile. It looked like some sick. 

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

We’d like to make insightful comments on the increasingly terrifying world we live in, but we tend to get side-tracked by talking about crisps. You could argue that it’s precisely that kind of apathy which has led our society to its current brink of destruction. You could also argue that it’s a political statement in itself, to consciously not address anything political. We would argue against both these points. We just want to talk about crisps. 

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

You of course have a responsibility to be aware of cultural shifts and sensitive towards your audience. After all, you’re there for them, not yourself. That said, if anyone comes away from Danger Brigade with a moral or message, that is a profound mistake on our part. We want this show to be the comedic equivalent of an ostrich burying its head in the sand. Plus, everyone likes crisps. 

Describe the last year in 5 words or less? 

Have they emailed back yet?

If you could work with anybody, from any point in history, who would you pick and why? 

Jack Lemon. Well, Jack Lemon as Professor Fate in The Great Race. Actually, could we just be in that film? We can play one of the extras in the pie fight. Essentially, go and watch The Great Race. 

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

Make sure you have more Twitter followers than your dad’s horse racing betting account. 

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

Twitter’s always a friendly place. We’re @crybabiescomedy. Also, for all the best horse racing tips, be sure to check out @gaultstats. The only trends you’ll need!

Where can people see your show? 

Crybabies: Danger Brigade is on from 1st – 25th August at Edinburgh Festival Fringe (not 14th) at Heroes@Boteco, Basement at 4pm. For tickets and more information: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/crybabies-danger-brigade


Read our previous ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review of Crybabies: Danger Brigade here.

Header Image Credit: Provided

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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