Lauren Pattison took the Edinburgh Fringe by storm last year with her show Lady Muck, having already placed in the 2014 Funny Women Awards and performed as Katherine Ryan’s tour support! Our editor Kate Stone caught up with Lauren to talk about following up a hit show, being taken seriously and why she prefers comedy to drama…
Kate Stone: Tell us about your show Peachy
Lauren Pattison: Peachy is all about the year that’s happened since Lady Muck. It’s about being proud of who you’ve become without forgetting who you are. I think it’s very positive, upbeat and, most importantly, funny.
KS: Your last show Lady Muck was very successful, are you looking forward to returning to the Fringe with a brand new show?
LP: My gut reaction is NOPE. I find the whole thing super stressful and intense and you have to revolve your entire year around this one month. But then I know deep down, of course, I love it. I get to spend a month in a lovely city, surrounded by my friends who are all doing brilliant things. You get to see your mates doing well, getting the recognition they deserve for being bloody good at what they do. I get to play in front of (usually) lovely audiences, who are there because (usually) they WANT to see me, which is all I’ve ever wanted in this career, to have my own audience who come to my show because they like me and my comedy.
KS: You’ve been performing comedy since you were 18, do you think people on the circuit underestimate your experience?
LP: I think they do, especially as I still look young too. I think people maybe just forget that while I’m new, I’m not new-new – I was doing tour support when I was 21 and still at university!
KS: What inspired you to get into comedy?
LP: I’ve always liked making people laugh. It’s a lush feeling, isn’t it? I did drama for years and I much preferred the comedy side and making people laugh than the super intense dramatic tragedies. I’ve been brought up watching great British comedies and stand-up so it just all seemed to fall very naturally into place that this was the right thing for me to do.
KS: Who are your favourite funny women?
LP: My three-year-old niece is the funniest woman I have ever met. But I am lucky to have met a raft of hilarious women in my lifetime – Katherine Ryan, Sarah Millican and Sara Pascoe are some of my favourite big league ladies, and then I love Heidi Regan, Sarah Keyworth, Sindhu Vee and Catherine Bohart who are all repping the next gen of fierce funny females.
Lauren Pattison: Peachy is at Pleasance Courtyard, The Attic at 19:00, 1st – 26th August (not 13th). For tickets and more information click here!
