Never work with children, they say, but comedian Mike Belgrave is back in Edinburgh with a show packed with the sort of mayhem kids adore. Pete Shaw caught up with Mike for a Three Minute Interview.
It depends how much alcohol is in the adults and how much sugar is in the kids.
Tell us about the Edinburgh show
“My Edinburgh show is for kids and combines my stand up comedy and children’s entertaining experience with my animations skills to bring together a krazy show full of songs, jokes, cartoons and slapstick. All rolled into a perfectly formed Edinburgh Fringe package.”
Is comedy for kids more difficult than it is for adults?
“It depends how much alcohol is in the adults and how much sugar is in the kids.”
Do you try out your material on your own daughter?
“As my daughter is only two I only try visual jokes on her. This usually revolves around me smacking myself in the head with various objects or sticking her plastic toys to my sweaty forehead and pretending to sneeze so they fall off. She wets herself every time.”
Do you prefer the free or paid fringe?
“I’ve never done a paid venue so I can’t really compare, but every year I come to the fringe to perform, I pay to see some shows and some of them are worth twice the amount I paid. My particular favourites last year were East End Cabaret and Ed Aczel. On a personal level I’d like to see paid show and free shows living together in perfect harmony.”
What's the worst joke you've ever told?
“It’s a joke friend and fellow comedian Rob Collins says is his favourite joke of mine of all time. I used to open with it when I started. It’s bloody awful. It goes like this
“I went to this club in Soho called The Windmill Club and in there, there were women taking their clothes off. The next night I went into the place called The Sexy Ladies Stripping Off Club and when I went inside it was full of people making toy windmills.
“So as far as Rob’s concerned I forever went downhill after that.”
http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/mike-belgraves-krazy-komedy-show-4-kidz/701145
If you're performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, check out the Facebook Group Mike created to encourage sharing of knowledge and advice.
