So, Beth, how did you get into comedy?
You know how basketball players typically have pretty tall parents? I grew up surrounded by very funny people. And that sucks, because what I really wanted to do was play basketball.
What’s your show about and where can we see it?
Beth Wants the D is a comedy about all the times I have thought about killing myself. This autobiographical one woman show puts you in the splash zone of death and delusion as we journey through my struggle with bipolar disorder, but like, in a funny way. Through the bizarre highs and perilous lows, it knits comedy and drama together to find the scariest thing of all — a future full of hope.
Content Warning: This production includes conversations about mental illness and suicidal ideation.
I’m doing a full run at Pleasance Courtyard in the Baby Grand, 30th July – 24th August (not 6th, 13th, 20th) at 13:45.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
For me it’s a lot easier and more fruitful to notice the comedy in dark places. I think feelings like shame and jealousy are really important, but they’re also so uncomfortable, and maybe comedy is my way of acknowledging discomfort while also kind of escaping it. Honestly, I should probably save my answer to this question and discuss further with my therapist.
Any advice for those starting out/ taking their first show to Edinburgh?
This is my first time taking a show to Edinburgh, but my director and producer have both done Fringe before. So far the best advice I have is to surround yourself with people who are vastly more competent and talented than you are and pray that you’ll absorb these qualities through osmosis.
What do you love about comedy?
The world can obviously be a very dark and scary place – pretty often, in fact! It can also be very isolating, especially if you’re a little bit awkward or weird like myself. But I think of comedy as this almost supernatural unifying force. It’s hard to think of something more organic and joyful than that feeling of locking eyes with a stranger and cracking a smile right after someone’s squeaky car brakes have made an odd moaning sound as if in ecstasy. Laughing is this very emotionally intimate thing we do, so to share that with someone or a group of people feels really special.
To keep up with Beth, you can follow her on tiktok and Instagram at @heybethmay
You can find out more about Beth’s show and book your tickets here.
