EDINBURGH 2023: Liam Withnail Q&A

BWW caught up with Liam Withnail to chat about bringing Chronic Boom to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about Chronic Boom.

I have a condition called Ulcerative Colitis, and last year I had to spend a few weeks in hosptal during a particularly nasty flare up. The show is about my time in hospital, as well as invisible illnesses, the NHS, body image, diets and there's a funny bit about my dog.

How did your hospitalisation affect the planning of the show?

My condition is ongoing, and flareups are unpredictable. I had to write the show in a whole new way to accommodate this. How can you prepare a fringe show if at any moment you have to drop everything and go to hospital? So the show is ten different sections, which allowed me to work on small parts individually when well. 

What are the benefits to performing at Monkey Barrel? 

Where to start. David, the owner, has a genuine and passionate interest in comedy. They're aware of the financial problems with the fringe so are doing their bit to help, with the best deal for performers on fringe rooms. But these aren't Free Fringe venues, mics in the back of pubs etc - They're professional standard venues with shit hot staff. The focus of performers over profit means they're in a position to curate the best shows, whilst keeping things diverse. Audiences are getting wise to this and now performing at Monkey Barrel comes with a certain degree of credibility to industry and crowds alike.

Where else might we know you from?

My Podcast, Enjoy an Album, With fellow stand up and funko pop collector Christopher Macarthur-Boyd. We choose a different album each week and perform a deep dive on the artist and music. With features like Secret Posho?, Tattoo WOOHOO and Youtube Comment of the Week.

What would you like audiences to take away from Chronic Boom?

That it's important to have good humour when talking about difficult things. That comedy is actually a really good way of making big subjects accessible. And that Liam Withnail is funny and handsome. 

Liam Withnail: Chronic Boom 

7:10pm, 2nd - 27th August at Monkey Barrel

Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/liam-withnail-chronic-boom 

Photo credit: Rebecca Need-Menear

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