Q&A: EDINBURGH 2024: Cobin Millage on FIFTEEN PINTS WITH A WAX FIGURE OF RENOWNED PAINTER PABLO PICASSO

BWW caught up with Cobin Millage about bringing Fifteen Pints With a Wax Figure of Renowned Painter Pablo Picasso to the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

How did you first get involved in the world of comedy?

I went on a truly, truly terrible date back home in Calgary. We went to a small pub and were having what could only be described as an “unromantic job interview” when, all of a sudden, a large man resembling a Viking set up a mic on the stage in the corner, and seconds later we were being ambushed by an open mic comedy show. At the time, I thought this was an incredibly punk thing to do. Little did I know, the pseudo-impromptu show is an internationally recognised sign of a bad comedy show. I survived the date (barely) and was back the next week to find out more. It only took hard work and a pair of multiple-year-long hiatuses to find my footing and start doing this almost daily.

What inspired you to create Fifteen Pints With a Wax Figure of Renowned Painter Pablo Picasso?

I had already locked in my venue for the Fringe, and I needed a title. I don’t like my audiences knowing too much about me (I find myself boring), so the title has little to nothing to do with the show. I actually didn’t have a title, and just scrolled back through my photos to look for inspiration and ended up finding a photo that I took with a wax figure of Pablo Picasso when I was in a sex museum in Barcelona. From there, I just made a show that I thought was f*cking awesome. I don’t have anything grand or important to say. I just kind of meander through my own interests, which are the things that I find most interesting.

What was the creative process like for Fifteen Pints With a Wax Figure of Renowned Painter Pablo Picasso?

At the Fringe in 2023, I did an hour-long work-in-progress show which was purely for my own amusement, and to work out if I was capable of doing a proper hour. At the end of that, I was considering just doing a WIP every single year for a decade and then debuting when I knew fully who I was as a performer. Anywho, I had to completely scrap that idea when I learned that the only way for me to not get deported out of the UK was to acquire a Visa to work as a comedian. I took the best bits of last year’s show, refined them, added some new stuff I’ve been working on this year and presto; a full show. The process was incredibly fluid, and honestly, isn’t even done. I’ve been changing stuff every single day to keep refining it, as well as keeping it fresh for me. I’d get bored if I didn’t shake it up constantly.

What is it like bringing Fifteen Pints With a Wax Figure of Renowned Painter Pablo Picasso to the Fringe?

It’s not as massive a change as one would think. I’m a resident in Edinburgh, so I just get up and do shows as normal. But instead of doing spots, I’m now doing full shows. There’s less pressure than other people have because I’m not living out of a suitcase. I just get to go home at the end of the day and see all my stuff. 

What is it like bringing multiple shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

It’s been a really nice experiment this year. I’ve done three shows; One being the solo show (Picasso), a show I did last year with my comedic partner Pete called Touching Tips (with friends), and this year I did two days of a fully improvised show called Big F*cking Cobin F*cking Millage F*cking H*all Yeah It’s Cobin (the show). As I write this, I’ve just come to the end of the lone day in the month where all of the shows took place in the same 24-hour period. And I cannot tell you how absolutely exhausted I am. I am fried. But I love it and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The shows were so much fun, and every single one was me working on a different comedic muscle and figuring out where my strengths and weaknesses are.

What is it about absurd comedy that you think is appealing to audiences?

I think audiences like being surprised. There’s nothing too surprising about straight stand-up, which does provide a certain comfort that I find incredibly boring. I like being up there and catching everyone off guard. I think the audience is looking for a bit of a surprise jolt from time to time, but they want it to still feel pleasant. Absurdity is nice because it feels weird without making anyone feel like it’s taking itself too seriously.

What do you hope audiences take away from Fifteen Pints With a Wax Figure of Renowned Painter Pablo Picasso?

I hope they leave having decided that they liked me. It’s a dumb show. It’s fun, but if anyone learns anything important about the world from me, I’ll be furious.

How would you describe Fifteen Pints With a Wax Figure of Renowned Painter Pablo Picasso in one word?

Me.

Fifteen Pints With a Wax Figure of Renowned Painter Pablo Picasso runs from 1 to 25 August (no performance on 13 August) at Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters - The Wee Room at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Photo Credit: Caitlin Finnerty

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