Edinburgh Fringe Comedy: 10 Questions With Gráinne Maguire

'About Midway Through The Festival, I Go Too Far'
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The very funny, very talented Gráinne Maguire is taking her second solo show to the Edinburgh Fringe this year. And if you go and see it, we guarantee you won't end up feeling like other people elsewhere are having a better time...

Pitch your Edinburgh show in 25 words or less.

My show is for anyone convinced that secretly everyone in the entire world is having a better time than you. Behind your back.

Your best Edinburgh moment?

I don’t mean to brag, but last year I bumped into Paul Daniels and the lovely Debbie McGee out and about a lot. They reminded me of my parents on holiday. They always looked like they were just back from having a lovely meal somewhere and were just going for a nice walk. Debbie was as lovely as I had hoped, and more.

And your worst?

Never go to the Museum of Childhood depressed and with a hangover. Instead of being an uplifting break from the festival, it feels like you are wandering through the abandoned playrooms of dead children. If I want to be that depressed I’ll go watch some devised theatre.

You've got one hour free in Edinburgh - what do you do?

Watch television - the trashier the better. TV becomes the guiltiest of pleasures during the festival. Yes, you could go on see a once-in-a-lifetime performance of Hamlet - or you could stay in your pjs and watch Keeping Up With The Kardashians. No thinking, no expanding your mind, no congratulating performers afterwards. Bliss.

Which Edinburgh landmark/venue/place would you give a five star review to?

The vintage clothes shop around the Grassmarket are amazing. Every festival, I wander round them thinking, 'Yes, this is the real me. It’s all change from here on out. I’m only going to wear vintage dresses from the 1930s for the rest of my life.' About midway through the festival, there’s a tipping point, I go too far and look like I’ve wandered off from some Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie walking tour.

Give us a secret Edinburgh tip!

If you want to walk down the Royal Mile without getting flyered, carry a stack of flyers and walk through it look depressed and pissed off. Performers will assume you’re promoting a show and allow you to pass unmolested. We don’t attack our own.

Deep-fried haggis or deep-fried Mars bar?

Deep fried veggie haggis with curry chips and a can of Iron Bru. The breakfast of champions.

Kilt or trousers?

Kilt. It’s a classic 90’s Cher-from-Clueless look. Looking like a total Betty 100% guaranteed.

Arthur's Seat or Arthur Smith?

I have never mounted Arthur Smith so I’ll have to say Seat.

Complete this sentence: “In Edinburgh, I will be mainly...

...drinking lots of water, enjoying early nights and surprising everyone with my grounded, level-headed approach to the festival. I want people to think 'I don’t know why, but for some reason Gráinne is really reminding me of Michelle Obama at the moment.'"

Gráinne Maguire’s show Where Are All The Fun Places And Are Lots Of People There Having Better Fun? is at 16.20 at the Udderbelly - Daisy, 1-26 August. Find out more and book tickets here.