Interview with Harriet Braine
CB: How long have you been gigging in comedy?
Rob: Five years. I used to do the free fringe with comedian Carrie Quinlan before working on G&S. Feels like longer.
Gabe: Thirty. My life is one big joke. Only joking. Me and Rob started G&S about three years ago and I’d never done live comedy before that. So I blame Rob for everything.
CB: How would you describe your comedy?
Rob: Wild narrative based sketch show based around the feelings and situations that come with ‘Guilt & Shame’. It’s all close to home.
Gabe: Hot guy and ginger manservant cater to your every need.
Rob: Fuck off.
Gabe: I often say that we try and discuss big serious topics in as silly a way as possible. We want to make are audience think whilst laughing a nob gag.
CB: Which comedians influence your comedy?
Rob: So many from Mighty Boosh to Bottom.
Gabe: Dave Chappelle, Key and Peele, Saturday Night Live and Nigel Farage has been cracking me up lately.
CB: Did you always want to go into comedy?
Rob: No a friend asked me to co-write an Edinburgh show and I just carried on going back, and back, and back.
Gabe: Fuck no. But I can’t play an instrument so this was the only other way to get groupies.
CB: How do you go about writing your material?
Gabe: You know that old saying about the infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of typewriters? Well we basically do that only with one hamster and an I-pad
Rob: We both play exaggerated versions of ourselves in the show and a great deal is based on our lives. So it’s kind of a documentary.
Gabe: Each show has an overarching plot or theme so each sketch has to fit within that. Sometimes we have some great ideas for sketches but they can’t go in cause they don’t go with the whole show.
CB: Do you gig as a comedy performer full time or is it more of a part-time hobby? If so, do you find that your main job influences your material?
Rob: I’m also an actor, which gives me two jobs with lots of rejection. Both seem to have merged into the same thing for me.
Gabe: I’m a writer and filmmaker which is why I like to think our shows have such good narrative structure.
CB: What do you find the most enjoyable and frustrating parts of the comedy circuit?
Rob: It’s enjoyable when you’re doing a gig and the audience are with you from start to finish. When they come on a journey with you. And frustrating when you’re convinced something you’re doing is hilarious, and when you gig it get’s absolutely nothing.
Gabe: I’m a perfectionist so I don’t like the “just turn up and do it” aspect of the scene. Our show requires a lot of tech so we like to have time to set up and prepare before a show. Although saying that some of our best gigs have been when everything turns to chaos.
CB: What’s your favorite type of audience to perform to?
Rob: We like to perform to an audience that’s ‘up for it!’ An audience that are up for going with whatever’s thrown at them. We usually play late night slots which helps with this.
Gabe: But ultimately we’re up for everyone. There’s no point playing to people who are just open minded because then your preaching to the choir. We’ve had people you’d never imagine liking us, coming up after the show and telling us how much they loved it.
CB: Have you been heckled a lot since you’ve started gigging? Do you enjoy being heckled? What’s the best heckle you’ve had?
Rob: I walked on stage once and said “I’m so pathetic. I’m never going to get laid! Heckler: (shouting) Good! (followed by a standing ‘boo’ at the end of the show.)
Gabe: I once paid a heckler to give Rob a standing “boo” at the end of a show. But seriously we’re quite a “controversial” act so we can expect the odd heckle. Usually means you’re doing something right.
CB: What advice would you give to new acts thinking of starting out in comedy?
Rob: Be prepared to do a lot of work for no money for a while and don’t wear white pants onstage in a scene where your trousers get pulled down.
Gabe: Don’t trust anyone. Comedy is like the music industry. Unless you’re the actual “talent” everyone else it trying to make money off of you. Do as much as you can yourself. And make sure you put brown stains on your comedy partners white pants before they go on stage.
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