Show: Crybabies: Bagbeard Venue Pleasance Dome Time: 5.50pm Dates: 3rd to 28th August (not 15th) Photographer: Rebecca Need-Menear
Hi James, Michael, and Ed! Tell me about your 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, Bagbeard.
Bagbeard is E.T. meets The Wickerman meets When Harry Met Sally. It’s a farcical, fast-paced, narrative sketch show that tells the story of ageing scientist Chris Mystery as he finds a mysterious creature in the woods. Expect spooky woods, pagan festivals, musical numbers, alien planets, secret labs, villainous plots and dare we say… love?
You received a Best Newcomer nomination for Danger Brigade in 2019. Does Bagbeard have a similar vibe or are you going for something completely different?
It’s certainly wandering down some familiar paths. We like to start our shows somewhere recognisable and then see how far we can stray off track. And once again, we’re all playing heightened versions of ourselves – Ed the repressed perfectionist, Michael the world-weary weirdo and James a 6-foot-7 freak.
Did you manage to get together over lockdown online? How does the writing process work when you can’t be in the same room? Or do you all live together?
Writing on Zoom sucks ass. You lose that instinctive ‘yes and’ mentality and can’t pick up on each other’s body language. We kept logging in all throughout lockdown – but mainly just to play Monopoly on our phones. That being said, some remnants of those sessions have made it into the show so let’s just say it wasn’t all Old Kent Road/one of the bad community chest cards.
You’re very popular on TikTok. Tell me about that.
Please, you’re making Ed blush. He was one of those unique 20-something boys who thought they could start doing funny videos in lockdown. He’s racked up a few million likes but rifle through the comments and it doesn’t take long to find some really nasty stuff.
Finally, ask and answer a question of your own.
Are the rumours true?
Every word of them.
Tickets: Crybabies: Bagbeard
