Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?
Hello! I'm Jan Ravens, you may know me from Dead Ringers. I'm an actress, impressionist and comedian and mother of three sons.
How would you describe your show?
It's a celebration of the tide in the affairs of women that means so many middle-aged women are currently in positions of power…
…And I get to take the piss out of them! And also reclaiming middle age as a positive time. Yee hah!
Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
I first came to the Fringe in 1978 and it still makes me feel young. There's so much energy and creativity around
What differentiates it from other festivals?
It's the biggest and the best. And the city of Edinburgh itself is such an amazing backdrop.
Do you think the Fringe has changed over the years? If so, how? Are these changes positive or negative?
I went through a phase of thinking it had got too big and commercial. I do think the free Fringe is a good thing as the overheads for putting on a show are so high now.
There needs to be a place for young performers to put on a show without going bankrupt.
What first motivated you to enter the industry? Who were your inspirations?"
My earliest inspiration was Glenda Jackson, as we come from the same small town in the North West, Hoylake.
The fact that she was at the RSC and in Hollywood movies when I was growing up made me think it was a possibility for me to get out there too. So far I've made the RSC but Hollywood has yet to call. There's still time... I might get my Shirley Valentine moment…
If you didn't have your current job, what would you probably be doing?
I could be an interior designer I think. I'm proper Taurean, love a bit of homemaking, never happier than with a sheaf of swatches in my handbag.
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
Sorry to be smug, but I think it would be this one. There's nothing lovelier than making people laugh
What is your earliest childhood art memory?
Seeing Dora Bryan do a one woman show at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool. I remember she sang 'All I want for Christmas is a Beatle'.
Do you ever feel any pressure to be a social commentator, or constantly update material to respond to events?
Doing impressions of politicians means the story is always changing. It's part of the job to reflect that.
Equally, do you think there has been a shift in public sentiment that has affected your work?
Definitely. The world is so elaborately horrible in all sorts of ways, I think audiences welcome the chance to laugh at it. It's a release.
Describe the last year in 5 words or less?
Heart-breaking, scary, joyous, life changing.
If you could work with anybody, from any point in history, who would you pick and why?
I'd love to have been at the Liverpool Everyman in the 1970's with brilliant writers like Alan Bleasdale and Willy Russell.
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?
Never done free Fringe, but I imagine the outlay is less, and if you get good audiences, you might make lots of money in the bucket.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a show up to the fringe?
Ask people who have been before for advice about the right sort of venue for your show.
Make sure you know all the hidden costs before you start.
Don't go out on the lash every night.
When and where can people see your show?
"Difficult Woman' is on 7pm at the Gilded Balloon Dining Room for tickets go to www.edfringe.com
And where can people find, follow and like you online?
@thatjanravens
Jan Ravens: Difficult Woman is performing at the Gilded Balloon at 19:00 / 20:15 (date dependent) on 2nd – 27th (not 16th). For tickets and more information visit the Ed Fringe website.
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