At the year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe you can cram in the highs and lows of medieval English history. Scotland comes out of it all rather well, Wales and France less so. Paul B. Edwards has been doing stand-up comedy for so long that he was there for some of this…
My jokes aren't the only things from the middle ages. I'm forty four now but still remarkably childish.
“This year I'm attempting to diffuse four hundred years of medieval history into a fifty minute show from a standing start of little previous knowledge of the subject. I can't promise its accuracy or authenticity insomuch as it involves Jose Mourinho, UB40 and a service station on the A31 but other than that, it's bob on. It also appears to have the longest title of any show on the PBH Free Fringe and would seem to be one of the only shows tackling Scottish Independence from an English perspective, albeit involving the Battle of Bannockburn 700 years ago. Is it too soon?”
Why did you choose to perform as part of PBH Free Fringe?
“I came back to Edinburgh after a fourteen year (!) absence in 2010 and it was far and away the most attractive way to put a show on. Minimal costs and a willing audience happy to take a punt on something without any initial financial risk. I'm also a mate of Peter Buckley Hill's.”
To someone who hasn’t seen you, how would you describe your style of comedy?
“My jokes aren't the only things from the middle ages. I'm forty four now but still remarkably childish. Even when tackling the serious subject matter of medieval history, I've still managed to bolt on as many poo gags as possible. I'm happy, smiley and the opposite of "Arch". I'm also quite prone to hand out a free snack.”
What was your best experience on stage?
“Headlining Reading Festival comedy tent in the late 90s and finding out afterwards that one of my favourite ever bands was in the crowd - they'd come to watch me. I was humbled.”
If you were curating a stand up show for television, who would be your guests?
“Al Murray, Jim Tavaré and Bill Bailey. Then I'd make them do a gig with me afterwards - what a backing band!”
Broadway Baby Listing and Edinburgh Fringe Box Office: http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/the-story-of-medieval-england-from-1066-to-1485-at-roughly-nine-years-and-two-jokes-per-minute-incorporating-the-hundred-years-war-as-a-football-match-and-of-course-scottish-independence-performed-by-paul-b-edwards-free/702839
Website: www.paulbedwards.wordpress.com
Twitter: @poorlybee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.b.edwards
Podcast: www.punkyradio.com
