Interview with Twayna Mayne

Twayna Mayne takes some time to talk to Voice about the show, inspirations, and to give advice to young people.

Interview with Twayna Mayne

Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?

Hello, my name is Twayna Mayne. The y in my first name is silent, the y in my surname is not.

How would you describe your show?

The central theme of the show is me. It's about being a black woman and issues of identity and how identity is formed. I talk a little bit about Beyoncé and Diane Abbott and then talk a little bit about being adopted at fourteen, all light-hearted topics. It's also very funny and interesting, if I may say so myself.

Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

It's the world's biggest arts festival and a great showcase for comedy. It's right of passage too; if you want to be taken seriously as a comedian, you need to spend a couple of years going to the Fringe and spending lots of money in one of the hilliest and windiest parts of the UK.

What differentiates it from other festivals?

It's solely arts based, I think. Before starting comedy, I didn't know that much about it. The only festivals I knew about until then were music ones. I still don't know that much about it now.

Do you think the Fringe has changed over the years? If so, how? Are these changes positive or negative?

I think it's got bigger and bigger over time. This is my third year here and everyone says it's too big now. It's very commercial now, that much I do know.

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

I think I got into it by accident. I did an evening course in stand up comedy after the one I actually wanted to do - writing comedy for TV and radio - was oversubscribed, that was seven years ago.

My main inspirations are writers, Jennifer Saunders, Mel Brooks, Tina Fey and Donald Glover are some of my favourites. My favourite comedians are Gene Wilder and Buster Keaton.

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

I'd probably be working in another job, but maybe one I found more interesting. I stopped applying for jobs a few years ago when I realised comedy could be my way out of having a standard 9 to 5 office job.

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

I'd be quite content if I could be a full-time writer and if I could do some of that writing on a beach in the Caribbean for a few months at a time.

What is your earliest childhood arts memory?

I went to see The Wizard of Oz at Greenwich Theatre with my family when I was six. I remember sharing a seat with a friend and crying when Over the Rainbow was sung.

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

I'm not a social commentator or a topical comedian. I might address a big issue of the day in passing, but I tend to keep away from everyday things and politics. I experience and absorb enough of it in everyday life and I'm not really interested in talking about it on stage.My comedy is more about a mood and a worldview that most adults can identify with.

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

I think it's quite difficult to be satirical on stage when real life is beyond satire at the moment. Trump as President is both hilarious and tragic and also a self-generating comedy skit in its own right. The challenge now is to find new and interesting ways to talk about ridiculous people and the situations and events of the modern world.

Describe the last year in 5 words or less?

Bizarre, mildly amusing, relentless.

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

I'd choose Mel Brooks, he wrote Blazing Saddles, which is one of my favourite films. I first saw it when I was ten or eleven and loved it straightaway. I'm not sure I understood what it was about but it made me laugh. I liked it because it was very funny and inappropriate at the same time. I'm not a fan of fart jokes but the scene in that film is brilliant. The whole thing's brilliant.

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?

In my experience, doing a show on the free fringe is considerably cheaper than a ticketed event for performers, but whichever way you do it, putting on a show in Edinburgh is not cheap.

One of the benefits of doing a ticketed event is the quality of the venue; they tend to be of higher standards and sometimes can come with someone who does your sound too.

On the free fringe, you are left to take care of doing the tech on your own show and making sure people who use the room before you leave it in a good condition. At times, the free fringe feels quite chaotic but that's half the charm of it, I think.

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

Write it, preview it, re-write it, preview it some more, edit the re-write and do a few more previews. Save up some money, find a venue and perform the show. Don't forget to enjoy yourself.

When and where can people see your show?

Black Girl will be on between 2 and 27 August, except Wednesday 16 at 4.45pm at This,Pleasance Courtyard.

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

I can be found on Twitter at @twaynamayne and on my website twaynamayne.co.uk


Black Girl is performing at Pleasance Courtyard at 16:45 on 2nd – 27th (not 16th). For tickets and more information visit the Ed Fringe website.

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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