Interview: Laura Solon
In 2005, one woman (and one woman only - her shows are based around a selection of characters all of which she creates onstage) gave the world of comedy a good old shake up when she burst onto the scene at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, coming away with the Perrier Award and a handful of job offers.
Kopfraper's Syndrome: One Man and His Incredible Mind was Laura Solon’s Edinburgh debut and her clever character comedy amazed audiences - where did this gal come from? Between then and now she has worked on television, (Ruddy Hell! It’s Harry and Paul, Al Murray’s Multiple Personality Disorder) radio (Radio 4’s Talking and Not Talking) and got married (to her beau Dan).
Last August Solon returned to Edinburgh with Rabbit Faced Story Soup and is currently touring the length and breadth of Britain with that show. Luckily, she agreed to answer a few questions which means I don’t have to explain anything Except that Laura is a very talented individual and that you should check her out (her comedy performances that is) on YouTube.
TheSprout: First off, if you had to really sell yourself as a person in an interview, what would you say?
Laura: My key skills are: the making and drinking of tea, comedy writing/performing and sleeping. Also really good at looking up pictures of animals in costume on the internet.
S: Some things you love
L: 30 Rock, my husband, chicken stew, tea, fat cats. Not in that order.
S: Some things you loathe
L: spiders, rudeness, airports, white jeans.
S: If you weren’t in comedy, what would you be up to now d’ya reckon?
L: No idea. A job where I got paid tonnes of money to watch television?
S: The show, Rabbit Faced Story Soup received rave reviews in Edinburgh and has kept your status after the 05 Perrier Award right up there. But for those unfortunate souls who have not come across your work, how would you describe the new(ish) show and secondly yourself as a performer?
L: My show is a story about books with around 10 different comedy characters all of which I play. And it’s got a stuffed rabbit in it. So if you like comedy with taxidermy it’s the perfect show for you. I am a character comic which is basically doing jokes in different voices.
S: Would you say that particular aspects of your upbringing have helped you to come up with material/developing characters?
L: Not particularly. I don’t do comedy about myself or my direct personal experience and I don’t come from a show business family. When I was a child I wanted to be Steffi Graf. But there is not a lot of tennis themed material in my comedy. I still cling on to the dream that I could win Wimbledon. At 30, it’s looking less likely.
S: You’re probably fed up of gender-specific questions but ah well Television sitcoms (Ab-Fab, Vicar Of Dibley etc) have seemingly evened out the comedy spotlight between men and women over the past twenty years but from a distance the stand-up circuit is still mostly dominated by men. Why do you think this is?
L: I don’t know. It’s a numbers game. There are a lot more men doing stand up than women. Male or female, it’s hard to be a good stand up. It’s traditionally a male dominated industry but it’s not as if there aren’t women doing it extremely well - Sarah Millican and Shappi Khorsandi, Sarah Silverman, Kristen Schaal, for example...
S: Do you enjoy what you do and are there things in your working-life you would want to change?
L: I love what I do! So I’d like to know I would have work forever.
S: You've worked on radio, television and the stage but which do you prefer?
L: I enjoy all of them. Live means you get an instant reaction to your comedy which helps you improve the writing and performance. Television is a lot of fun and you can retake if you get it wrong and radio is always a pleasure.
S: How did you find working with Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse?
L: It’s a joy. They are obviously comedy legends and very nice gentlemen as well.
S: Following the 2005 Perrier and being only the second woman to win it, has it been more difficult/stressful knowing you had something to live up to or have you relished the challenge?
L: To some extent yes, but you always want to do well and hope that people enjoy your show. You’re not going to please everyone all of the time. But every job I do it’s important to put as much effort into it as possible.
S: The large break between 05 and 09 would seem odd but with your mind on other things i.e. getting married, I suppose it was good for the old ‘creative juices’. Still, why so long exactly?
L: The first two years I was working in August so that meant I couldn’t go to Edinburgh to do another show. Plus I knew when I went back it would have to be with a shiny brand new idea. In 2008 I had the time, but not the idea. So it turned out to be a 2009 return. I think I improved a lot as a performer and writer in those 4 years which meant the second show was better. Plus I enjoy live performance a lot more now. There was a time when it would make me feel pale and sickly.
S: Being the relatively seasoned-pro that you are, what advice would you give:
a. A young, post-Oxford Laura Solon?
L: Don’t buy that jumper with the horse on it. People will think you are on day release.
b. A young, aspiring comic?
L: Do as many gigs as you can and wait until you find your voice. It usually takes a while to work out what you can do that sets you apart from other people. And be patient. If you are good, and keep improving, people will notice.
S: Being a pretty new member of the 30 something’s, are you one of those hip, down wiv da kids women who should probably know better?
L: I don’t think so. I own a pair of slippers. And I don’t like going to pubs or bars anymore unless I can sit down. I am one beige pair of elasticated trousers away from being an old lady.
S: In terms of where you want to go with your career, what does the future hold for Laura Solon?
L: I have just done my show in America and am going back again later this year so I’d love to live and work out there for a while. And more of the same in the UK; I particularly want to focus on my live comedy and build that up. [Yes please!]
See, I told you she was good; unfortunately she’s already performed in Cardiff but the ‘web is your oyster’ and her site is but a click away.
