The fest of times
Our guide to the best of the Fringe
The Stand Comedy Club, Stand 1, Aug 3-28 at 8.30pm
SHAPPI KHORSANDI has played the Edinburgh Fringe more times than she can remember – and there’s at least one she’d rather forget.
The comedian, who has appeared on Live At The Apollo and Have I Got News For You, is returning to the capital with her new show and she hopes it goes a little smoother than her early experiences at the festival.
“My first time was in 2001, when Russell Brand, Mark Felgate and I were doing a show at The Three Sisters,” the 43-year-old recalled.
“Russell would dress up in an Elephant Man costume and drag people off the street to see the show.
“In the entire month we only had one person buy a ticket in advance – and that was Omid Djalili!
“In 2003 I had a very scary manager and he made us put up posters everywhere of just our faces, no names or show times, so no one came.
“I didn’t even have an hour’s worth of material and it wasn’t until the final three shows that it started to go well.
“I went back in 2006 and that was my breakthrough, so I just like to pretend that was my first year!”
That show, Asylum Speaker, was a sellout and the following year she performed while eight months pregnant.
The daughter of an Iranian satirist, her family moved to Britain following the Islamic Revolution.
This year is the 40th anniversary of Shappi’s arrival here and her new show, Oh My Country! From Morris Dancing To Morrissey, is about reclaiming patriotism.
“It’s a love letter to England. Where better to showcase my love of England than in Scotland,” she laughed.
“I had a DNA test recently and it showed I was a mixture of everything, as we all are, so it’s wrong to say we are genetically from a certain culture.
“My shows always sound more serious than they really are – let’s pretend it’s about a troop of guinea pigs balancing spoons on their noses.”
Shappi will also be reading from her debut novel, Nina Is Not OK, at the Book Festival while she is in the city.
She’ll head north with her son and daughter, aged eight and three.
“I’ll come early and settle in, then my little heroes will join me with my boyfriend and babysitter,” she smiled.
“My son has been at the Fringe every year of his life, even last year when I didn’t have a show, because his dad, Christian Reilly, was here. He’s doing a show again this year.
“They love it and I’m so grateful my kids have this opportunity.”