As the Fringe drew to a close, The Huffington Post UK invited three professional comedians, all hotly tipped as rising stars of the industry, to sit down over a beer to chat festival, competitions and gigging in Stockton…
“I’ve been to the fringe four times before but this is the first time I’ve done an hour,” says Tom Rosenthal, whilst gorging on a steak sandwich. He informs me it’s his first meal that day. The 23-year-old son of sports presenter Jim Rosenthal has enjoyed a rapid rise. He started performing stand-up four years ago, and recently won new fans by starring in Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner, as well as making his straight acting debut in a production of Chicken Soup with Barley at The Royal Court Theatre.
Sitting next to Tom is Joe Wilkinson, another star of TV, best known for his comic turn as creepy neighbour Dan in the BBC3 sitcom Him & Her. He also has a one-hour show at this year's Fringe, the first time he’s performed a solo show at the festival.
The Trio is completed by Joe Lycett, a popular stand-up who burst onto the scene in 2008 by reaching the final of the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year competition. He has also appeared on TV as a regular on BBC1’s Epic Win and is also performing his first hour-long solo show. Joe has also blogged for The Huffington Post UK.
“Competitions are great,” says Lycett, wryly. “Unlike a lot of other creative industries they are a great way of climbing the ladder early on. If you win a comp you get on the big clubs’ radar. Some people are not great at competitions, so it doesn’t work out for everybody, but it is certainly a good way of getting seen by industry people.”
Wilkinson has also experienced competitions, having won the Hackney Empire New Act Award and getting to the final of So You Think You're Funny.
“The big difference this year to when I first started coming to the Fringe is performing for a whole hour,” he says through a heavy beard.
“Plus, this is the first year I’ve had to contend with an audience. People are actually turning up. When I first started doing shows up here no one knew who I was. I was playing to six people, hoping that four of them would like it. Now, because of Him & Her, there’s already an audience.”
“Doing a full hour is also more rewarding then a 20-minute set,” says Rosenthal. “It was like starting stand-up again. It’s much more of a challenge, but it’s an exciting process. A lot of the work was done in the months before Edinburgh, but the conceit and the persona was developed over a depressingly long period of time. Then it takes four or five shows to get it up and running once here.”
Wilkinson agrees: “You definitely change your act once you are up here as you quickly find what works in Aldershot doesn’t work in Edinburgh and stuff that works in Hemel Hempstead definitely doesn’t work in Edinburgh. Stuff just sorts of evolves as you go. Also, I live in London, which, when playing outside London, you can’t mention as a positive. It generally doesn’t win people over.”
“You also have to gauge the audience,” says Lycett. “You do a bit more chat for some, a bit less for others. Some just want material and don’t want to be talked to.”
I enquire as to Lycett’s worst gig. “Stockton,” he says without pause for thought. “It was a place called the ARC. I played to absolute silence. It was a gong show, I was the only professional act and I died on my arse. I wouldn’t go back.
“They wouldn’t have you back,” says Lycett’s PR, chipping in.
“It was bad night,” he responds through a smile, “but it hasn’t affected my career. Sometime you will just have a bad day at the office.”
I suggest to the assembly that stand-up comedy is now seen as something of a springboard for TV, radio and film.
“There’s something about the word springboard I don’t like,” retorts Rosenthal. “It’s got too many negative connotations. People should genuinely care about stand-up. I’m not doing this just so I can do x, y, and z on TV. It’s an art form, not just a vehicle to get into making documentaries.”
Wilkinson counters: “Comedy is enjoying a bit of a boom, though. There are lots of opportunities for people to be on TV or radio. I imagine some people do try and get into stand-up inspired by seeing comedians on the box, but I doubt they’ll stick with it because it’s very hard. You see comedians appearing on panel shows and having a great time, but what you don’t see is them playing in dingy comedy clubs around the UK four times a week for the past 11 years.”
“Comedy itself has grown,” says Lycett. “It seems to be something a lot more people get into these days. I think a lot of people can do comedy but don’t do it because they’re scared of the initial burst.”
And of the marquee names, who would our trio pay to see?
Tom jumps in first: “When I first saw stand-up it was Lee Evans. Then I got into Ricky Gervais – we’re both from Reading. Also Reginald D. Hunter and, more recently, Louis C.K. and Doug Stanhope."
“I try and avoid the big comics in Edinburgh,” says Lycett. “You can see them on tour. Edinburgh is all about seeing the smaller comedians. I saw Henry Paker play to a room of 20 people last night and he was brilliant. Having said that, I’d love to see Louis C.K. There’s always someone from over the pond that does well in Edinburgh. I met Hannibal Buress the other day. He’s hilarious. There’s something exotic coming over from New York.”
“Talking about Edinburgh, Adam riches would be the big news of this year’s Fringe,” says Wilkinson.
Lycett agrees: “Oh yes – everyone’s sh*tting the bed about him – rightly so. He’s brilliant.”
A day after the interview, Riches took top prize at the 31st Edinburgh Comedy Awards for his show.
Wilkinson continues: “Of the big boys I’d pay for Billy Connolly. He did the Apollo in Hammersmith a few months ago and sold out in fifteen minutes. Going back a few years, I am a fan of Peter Cook and Spike Milligan. More recently, it’s been Daniel Kitson. Noel Fielding isn’t hugely known for his stand-up but he’s brilliant. In the US, Sam Simmons is incredible, Todd Barry and Hannibal Buress. Bill Hicks and Louis C.K. goes without saying.”
So what’s next for the comedians, I enquire as Tom finally completes his steak?
“I need to think about what I want to do next,” he says. “I’ll keep doing stand-up, but there are other options on the table, although I might just end up playing a load of FIFA. I’ve just done a play, plus I’m getting scripts for comedy acting roles, plus maybe the chance to front documentaries. I need to marry up being a comedian with someone who wants to do other programming.”
“My heart is in writing, really,” says Wilkinson. “I’ve got stuff in development. I write for other things, but writing down your own ideas, which you then push through to something that gets seen or heard is the best. Doing a range of stuff pleases me as well. Just doing stand-up or just doing acting would be quite difficult.
“I don’t have too much of a grand plan,” says Lycett. “I just want to tour off my own name. A theatre tour as me, Joe Lycett, with support acts. That would be the dream.”