About to embark on a UK and Europe Tour of her new solo show ‘Grand Supreme Darling Princess’, after performing said show at this summers’ Edinburgh Fringe, and in the midst of her debut hour ‘Little Miss Baby Angel Face’ being released for streaming worldwide this week, we (unbelievably, considering just how busy and popular she is) managed to pin the fantastic Helen Bauer (@HelenBaBauer) down for a natter. Read on as we talk about rescue complexes, Disney and dictators (which, in Bauer’s own words, are her ‘twin flame passions’).
The special of your Edinburgh Debut show ‘Little Miss Baby Angel Face’ is released next week, how are you feeling?
I’m so excited. It comes out this week on 800 Pound Gorilla, and then on YouTube on July 13th. And with the cost of living, I’m like, hey, July 13th! But it’s so exciting. And also nerve wracking, because when you’re live, there’s a sort of contract between you and the people that came in, like: hey, we’re going to share this thing but it’s just for us, and they can’t watch it again and they can’t hear it again. And people tend to leave live shows remembering different moments, and there’s something quite nice about that. There are definitely [other] shows that are way more personal, but I feel like it’s very revealing. But maybe only 10 people will watch it and it shouldn’t be a worry… Also, can I tell you something I think is cringe [– my outfit]. I thought, I might never get asked to do a comedy special again, so I may as well give it 110%, so I had a custom-made ball gown made. And I think I look mental. I took that once in a lifetime thing and I ran. Does it not look like a Benjamin Button’s sort of Disney make a wish thing? [At this point I assure Helen that no, she just looks fabulous.]
But getting back to the show. I know you talk about the Anne Bauer (your mum’s) school of drama, was that the start of your love of drama/comedy?
Could you imagine if, from my Mum’s illegal drama school (RIP) in my living room, she was also doing a stand-up comedy course? No, it’s really the opposite. I was so desperate not to want to perform, because I thought: well my mum wanted to do it, so it’s so lame if I want to. I was walking around in my late teens like: it’s so egotistical, it’s so lame, it’s disgusting. Honestly the STATE of me. But secretly, I really wanted to do it. I tried to want something else, but I couldn’t make something else click. And I was like: fuck it. So, I started when I was 24 – in Germany. But no, my mum’s drama school, it probably did help in the long run.
So, you started in Germany, how was the move from doing it in Germany to here?
It was a really small scene, but I think it’s the equivalent of starting in Bristol or Brighton, where everyone knows each other. But people are the same all over the world, they just want to laugh. The ‘my racist grandparents’ routine hit a bit differently in Germany though…
How are you feeling about your upcoming UK and Europe tour?
It’s so exciting being on tour around Europe, mainly because you feel like you’re in a band, like Abba or something. You’re like: ‘Oh here I am, another night in Paris…’.Who do I think I am? This Europe tour is going to be great, because I’m also doing my weekend dates with Olga Koch, so I have a buddy to travel with.
Is it ready, are you finalising stuff before Edinburgh?
How dare you ask that! For the record… it’s January the 1st!! OK here’s where I’m at: there’s a show. But my god, does it resemble a break down. You know [when explaining a situation], when you’re really trying to be understood by your friends, but then on stage, [it seems like] I’m just getting annoyed, ‘cause I’m like: ‘THEY DON’T GET WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO PISS YOURSELF IN A CORRIDOR!!’ [The audience] are laughing, but they’re also concerned? So I need to remove that concern, in the next couple of months.
You can do that at fringe!
Yeah? Well if not, I’ve got the special coming out, so even if the fringe is a disaster, people can watch the special and be like, she knows what she’s doing. She’s cool, calm and collected.
Tell us more about your show?
I think it’s an ode to how much we all love trauma. Representing the white middle class women, as I believe I do so well. It’s about therapy, it’s about trauma, it’s about being empaths, and it’s all tied into the idea that we’ve all been raised believing that we would be saved. That someone will save you. And its OK, because if you don’t have a romantic partner then your dad will come and get you. My dad is an autistic man that works in sewage, and he’s not coming. There’s no way. And I’ve never had a relationship. So it’s basically figuring out the landscape of that.
The rescue complex – It’s because of all this Disney we all watched when we were younger!
Watch your mouth – I am a Disney fan until I die. This [*Helen shows me her 2 mugs] is my mug of me in Disneyland Paris, and this is my world Disney resort mug from January when I first went to Disney world Florida. No, but I will be addressing Disney a lot. A big chunk will be on Disney. But lest we forget, Ariel met Prince Eric while he was unconscious, so, it’s not always terrible. There’s a lovely bit about my twin flame passions which are Disney and dictators. I’m a mystery, I’m not like other girls.
So about Edinburgh, you’re there for 2 weeks?
Yes. Monkey Barrel 1, at 4:45 PM. It’s my genius Edinburgh plan this year to do 2 weeks, every single day, do my new hour, so by the time I go on tour it’s tight as fuck. I’m not running over in Scandinavian countries, it’ll be the last thing I do…!
Are you excited for fringe?
Yes – this will be my fifth year and third show. I’m excited for it but financially I’m a bit worried. I’m glad I’m at Monkey Barrel, I think the ticket prices are more accessible. But I think, same as most performers – while we don’t want to slag off anyone who might come and see us – I’m worried the audiences will be the same group of people who can afford to spend lots of money at arts festivals. And damn it, I’m so grateful that they do, but it’s not necessarily a ‘fringe’ thing that’s for everyone anymore. It’s so expensive just to go out and do things. Obviously, I’m grateful to those rich artsy liberals who do pump lots of money into it. But in an ideal world, I’d be more successful and half my tickets would be free. I’m worried it’s going to become a smaller and smaller world where the privileged see the privileged. I don’t know. We’ll see! If not, I’ll just be fucked up every night with a cigarette outside a kebab shop! I’ll be leading the way.
Who are your inspirations?
I love Julia Davis and Jennifer Saunders. Dawn French. As far as stand up goes: Taylor Tomlinson, Iliza Shlesinger, Roisin Conaty; they’re all really good.
A favourite funny woman?
Julia Davis. I just love her sitcoms so much.
Best or worst piece of advice about comedy?
I hate: ‘be yourself’. Because as soon as someone says that, you lose all sense of who you are. The best piece of advice is: to not slap your thigh. Because you do it to accentuate a punch line, usually because your nervous, or you’re new. But instead, it takes all the energy in, it distracts down to your thigh and it doesn’t help. It’s like a tic that most people have.
Anything else you want to add?
It’s really simple, book tickets to see my tour, watch my special, share it with everyone, and tell everyone how lush I am. And listen to my podcast.
To watch Bauer’s debut show ‘Little Miss Baby Angel Face’, click here. To book tickets for a live show on her tour, here, and her Edinburgh show, click here.
