Calling all Comedy Fans! Feel like life is getting out of hand? Are you not affronted by what we all have to put up with? Ian Stone Will Make it Better.
Ian Stone returns with an even bigger, better and funnier performance at this year’s Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August. Performing in the Ballroom at the Counting House at 4pm* every day from 3-27th August, Ian is on a mission to solve the world’s many problems with an hour of finely crafted comedy.
1. You are ranked as one of the UK’s top 10 comedians – but can you remember your first gig, and what was it like?
The first time I went on stage was at The Comedy Store in 1979. Unbeknownst to me, my ’friend’ Simon put my name down for the audience spot and at around 3-15 in the morning, the compere Tony Allen said ‘ok, the next act is Ian Stone’. I had no idea I could’ve said no so a drunk sixteen year old me (they were much more liberal in applying the licensing laws back then) wandered onto the stage. I looked at the audience, the audience looked back at me. I was not often lost for words but at this point, I genuinely had no idea what to say to them. At some point, someone shouted ‘tell us a joke’ and I said ‘OK, I will. Two lepers were walking down the street. One of them said “how are you?” And the other one said “mustn’t crumble”. And then the booing started and Tony Allen said ‘that’s quite enough of that shit’ and banged a big gong next to him. Twelve years later, when I was actually trying to be a comedian, I went back to The Comedy Store and the owner Don Ward said to me ‘you’ve been here before’ and I said ‘oh yeah, I watched hundreds of gigs here’ and he said ‘no, you’ve been on stage before’ and I said ‘how could you possibly remember that?’ And he said ‘it’s your nose’.
2. You have performed in Australia, New Zealand & South Africa, entertained troops in Afghanistan, were the first British stand-up to perform in Moscow and the first performer to appear for The Comedy Store in Mumbai – tell us a bit more about some of your international shows.
When I did the gig in Moscow, the audience didn’t speak English all that well, so my guide and interpreter Irina simultaneously translated my act into Russian. I’d do a joke, she’d say something in Russian and the audience would laugh. She may have been doing her own material.
3. What has been the most memorable heckle you have ever had?
In Germany, I was getting heckled from all sides of the room and I said, ‘hang on, I can’t talk to you all at once’ and a German man said ‘yes you can, that is what the microphone is for’. And no-one laughed. They all sat there and agreed with the heckle.
4. What Top Tip can you share for people attending the Edinburgh Festival?
As a performer: have no expectations and it may turn out ok.
As a punter: try to see a few people you’ve never heard of
5. What new projects are you currently working on?
I’d like to develop an alternative to oil that could power cars so that oil states can no longer buy football clubs and my club Arsenal could retain their rightful place at the top of English football. In the meantime, I’m writing a radio play and another book.
*If attending Ian’s Edinburgh shows, please arrive in good time before the show starts as this is Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival so first come, first served.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
