A relative newcomer to the stand-up circuit, Chris Ramsey has already been nominated for the 2009 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year award, supported several TV comics on national tours and is an established MC. Emma chats to him about launching his first solo show at the Fringe.
What’s your show Aggrophobic about?
It’s a stand up show with a theme, the theme is my fear of potentially confrontational or violent social situations…basically, I’m always expecting to get a slap from a stranger.
This is your first solo Edinburgh show, what are you most looking forward to and most dreading?
It’s really hard to say, I suppose I’m just looking forward to getting up there and getting the show going at the moment. I was part of The Comedy Zone last year, so I know that some nights in Edinburgh can be very quiet audience wise, so I’m really dreading getting any nights like that.
Have you picked up any useful tips from fellow comics about surviving your first solo run?
Well, my fellow Geordie, mate, and Edinburgh veteran Jason Cook is directing the show for me (basically telling me which bits are shit) so he’s been a great help, his shows are always brilliant so fingers crossed he’s rubbed a bit of that off onto me.
You were invited on Russell Howard's Good News show and got nominated for the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Award. Did that give you a massive confidence boost?
The Leicester Comedian of the Year was a big boost…until I didn’t win it! But getting to do the stand up on Russell’s show was brilliant, loved it. The response I have got from it is amazing, tickets for my Edinburgh show are already selling really well off the back of it, so its such a confidence boot, hopefully they’ll like what they come and see.
You’ve supported some big names on national tours and played a 2000 seater venue in Dubai. Is it harder or easier to play to a massive crowd and do you have to adapt your style for them?
In my opinion, its much easier to play big crowds. I mean 2000 was crazy, and when I go on tour with Al Murray in the Autumn we will be paying some 4000 seat venues, but its always been my thinking that if only 10% of them laugh, that’s still 200 people laughing. That’s loud. If 10% of a 50 seat room laugh, that’s going to feel like you just cracked a joke in an office.
What made you decide to become a comic?
I just had a pop at it as a hobby first, just randomly went with my mate to an open mic night, watched him, went back the following week and had a go myself. After only a few gigs people started giving me money to do longer sets, I was over the moon. So I packed in Uni halfway thorough my 3rd and final year (to the delight of my mam and dad) and that was it. In with both feet!
Who, if anyone, would you credit with influencing your comedy?
Billy Connolly mostly, watched him with my Dad when I was little, then Lee Evans (although my style is nothing like his) and Frank Skinner but it was the idea of being on stage having all of those people listen to you talk that I loved. More recently I’d say Ross Noble, Ricky Gervais, and a few guys on the circuit too.
Do you think being an MC helps you develop as a comic faster than it would do if you just performed straight sets?
It can do, if that’s what your style is like. If you like to incorporate a bit of banter to your set then yes, and it helps you think on your feet. In Frank Skinner’s book he says it does, so I’m not about to argue with that!
What’s been the most memorable gig of your career to date?
Probably a toss up between Dubai with Al and doing Russell’s show for ‘good’ memorable. There are about 40 odd other memorable gigs that can barely be classed as gigs due to how horrific they were, they are the ones you never forget. The middle of pubs with a wireless mic, trying to tell jokes to people who don’t want to hear them, and didn’t even know there was comedy on in the first place. Just because some bell-end who owns the pub watched Live at the Apollo and decided he could have that in his own pub on a £100 budget. Idiots. Sorry, yeah, doing Russell Howard’s Good News…
You’ve already had considerable success on the stand-up circuit. What would be your dream career achievement?
I don’t know, I’m just going to keep going and see how far I can get. Keep gigging and writing and see where I end up.
Chris Ramsey: Aggrophobic will be at the Pleasance Courtyard daily from the 4th-30th August at 8:30pm.
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