An Interview with O&O: The Good Stuff 2016 Tour

An Interview with O&O - The Good Stuff 2016 Tour

Local comedy duo O&O launch their preview tour next week of their brand new hour of self penned sketch The Good Stuff before they head up for their debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this Summer. Starting on Friday June 10 at The Lyric Theatre in Bridport, they’ll also stopping at the Bristol Improv Theatre on Friday 17 June (along with a special ‘Making It Funny’ workshop on Saturday 18 June at The Tobacco Factory in Bristol) and Theatre N16 in London on Thursday 21 July with extra dates added at the excellent Bedford Fringe and the fantastic Nozstock Festival.

Beginning their comedy journey here in Exeter nearly four years ago, the girls have gone on to tour the UK with three shows bringing live sketch back to the main stream. Here’s an interview with them about what it’s like to work as a duo, the writing process and what to expect at their upcoming shows.

What’s it like to write as a duo?

Easy. You’ve got someone on hand to bounce your ideas off. You have to understand each other well to get the best out of a writing relationship and the best way is the kind way – we don’t squash each other’s ideas, but equally we trust each other to know that when one says ‘No’, we don’t need a further explanation; sometimes it’s just not good enough. We also improvise new ideas and characters to see where they take us in the moment, and then record the bits we like.

How do you develop your ideas?

Mainly by messing around! One recent script in the new show was entirely based on us mucking around during a break in rehearsal – about a cup of tea! If it makes us laugh, we’ve learned to allow it to become an idea that translates onto stage.
You also have to just get out there and perform. We try to get along to as many open mic and new material nights as we can, because performing in front of an audience might change your set completely, and you can’t be afraid of that! We performed at a night called Nincompoop at the Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol not so long ago, which is the perfect example of an ideal environment in which brave new ideas can blossom. It’s also okay for ideas to not work. It’s okay to fail. We revel in failure.  Sometimes the best ideas are borne out of a failed one.

Who are your comedy heroes?

Daniel Kitson is an amazing performer. He has a really unique way of telling stories that make you feel you’re there with him as it’s happening. He’s also very self-deprecating and honest with his comedy, which we relate to completely.  We’re also big Kathy Burke and Victoria Wood fans because of their superb character comedy and intelligent writing, but that goes without saying because they are both AWESOME.

We can see you’re doing a ‘Making It Funny’ workshop in Bristol, what do you want people to gain from your workshops?

In a word; Confidence! Working in a pair has taught us to be always be kind and open to another performer’s ideas, because when you are in a group of people that support you, you are at your best creatively. We want imaginations to run wild, but there is no pressure to make anything you do ‘funny’. The workshop is about finding elements of truth and relatability in any character you play, because that’s where the comedy lies.
We’d also like people to have fun… But comedy is something we should all be taking much more seriously than we do, so for that reason we’re thinking about banning laughter during the workshop. Just to make sure everybody takes it seriously.

What can people expect from an evening with O&O?

A further ban on laughter. Horrible forfeits if you laugh. Possibly press ups or laps of the theatre. Two fearless comics who tend to get very carried away with new ideas…But mainly, we expect you to leave unable to look at certain everyday things in the same light without thinking about us; when you attend Peter Andre concerts, when you’re on the tube and even, genuinely, when you’re attending a funeral. You’ll think of us. Now that is value for money and an everlasting impression.

Catch O&O on their preview tour or at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on the dates below:

THE GOOD STUFF - UK TOUR DATES 2016

Friday 10th June at 8.00pm: The Lyric Theatre, 9 Barrack St, BRIDPORT DT6 3LX
Tickets: £10.00 Box Office: 01308 423951  www.aloadofstuffandnonsense.co.uk/lyric

Friday 17th Jun at 8:00pm: The Bristol Improv Theatre, 50 St Paul's Rd, BRISTOL BS8 1LP
Tickets: £6 (£5.50 BIT-VIP) Box Office: 0117 318 1555 www.improvtheatre.net

Saturday 18th June 1:30pm - 4:30pm: Making It Funny **WORKSHOP**
The Tobacco Factory, Brewery Theatre, BRISTOL BS3 1TF
Workshop Price: £25 (£22 BIT-VIP) Box Office 0117 902 0344 www.tobaccofactory.com

Thursday 21 July at 9:00pm: Theatre N16, 77 Bedford Hill, LONDON SW12 9HD
Ticket Price: £8.00 Box Office: 07969 138899 www.theatren16.co.uk

EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL 2016

Saturday 6th – Saturday 20th August at 6:15pm: Kilderkin (Venue 227), 65 Canongate, EDINBURGH EH8 8BT.
Part of the PBH FREE FRINGE. Phone: 0131 556 2101 http://www.kilderkin.co.uk/

Find out more:
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