EDINBURGH 2017: BWW Q&A- The Brain Is In The Heart

About the show:

70% improvisation, 30% stories about illicit drug use and Christian scientists. All heart. With more characters than a Pynchon novel pouring out of the head of Russell Hicks, this show promises to be one hell of a trip.

Why bring it to Edinburgh?

Edinburgh is a great experience to get better as a comic. Which in the grand scheme of things should always be the ultimate goal. Even aside from that, to be able to perform at the festival is an achievement in itself. It's not a bad way to spend a month of your life. If you are in a position where you can actually take thirty days to perform art every single day, I see that as an achievement in itself. Most people couldn't dream of taking thirty days off of whatever job they have.

The real benefit of Edinburgh is trying to remember all of this amidst any niggling jealousy or desire to be given some award. The festival is a microcosm for life: enjoy it, with no end goal in mind. Otherwise you miss the whole thing.

What sets it apart from other shows at the Fringe?

What sets it apart is that I am the one performing it. There are so many amazing people at the Fringe that have incredible hooks or gimmicks. Genuinely, I get amazed at their ability to concoct show premises or themes. The only thing I have ever been capable of is going on stage and trying to recreate what i always saw as my thing if you will, which is to be the guy sitting in a cubicle next to you, giving in completely to an unmitigated compulsion to f**k off, all the time, and damn the consequences (I used to get fired a lot).

Is it possible to prepare for a show that is improvised?

Yes. I have often said that I don't prepare for a show, I just am prepared. Meaning I don't have a list of things I prepare to say because that has never worked for me, and whether other acts want to admit or not, that stuff doesn't really save you. The audience wants a person up there, being there. I prepare by going up every night, getting into situations where I can push myself in different directions.

Most people probably think I just go up and do nothing, but the truth is I worked really hard at finding the different techniques up there. Just nothing I have ever worked on is a tangible product like a chunk of material. I would go on some nights and say to myself, ok, tonight, when I lock into some kind of improvised thing, I'm going to push it beyond the point of the audience laughing and see how far I can keep committing to it. Stuff like that. So I just rely on those skills when I go into a set. A set of skills. Like Liam Neeson. After I record this album up there, I am toying with the idea of totally changing my style as a challenge to myself. Dylan goes electric if you will......

Who would you recommend comes to see you?

Well, I am recording every show for a conceptual album of 24 hours of free form that I plan on releasing myself so I would recommend anyone who wants to be apart of history come to the show. Kidding. I would recommend anyone is into comedy enough to maybe want to see the form toyed with a little bit.

Timings and ticket information for The Brain Is In The Heart are available on the edfringe website.

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