Q&A: EDINBURGH 2024: Nerine Skinner on THE EXORCISM OF LIZ TRUSS

BWW caught up with Nerine Skinner on bringing The Exorcism of Liz Truss to the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe

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

I’ve always loved comedy and grew up watching Alan Partridge, Big Train, The Fast Show and Smack The Pony and always remember creating silly characters when I was little. However, it wasn’t until I was at Drama school that I started doing stand-up. I saw a little sign saying, “Do you think you’re funny?” And I thought I’d give a five-minute slot a try. I really enjoyed it and looking back, I wish I had carried on. Instead, I thought I should focus on my acting after graduating, so I put a pause on it. However, it’s so weird that I kept being pulled back into it. A few years later, I met my comedy partner, Lizzie Franks, while on an acting job and we formed “Franks and Skinner.” A few years after that, I formed “The Dots Comedy Cabaret Trio” with two others I met while on an acting job, too. I just love creating characters and silly ideas and scripts. I’ve always wanted to make my own show, so finally, I feel like things have lined up and I’m in the right place to make it happen! 

What made you decide to go from creating viral videos to making a Fringe show?

I’ve wanted to make my own solo show for years, but the opportunity hasn’t really been there. Not just financially, but work-wise, as I had been focussing on my work with “The Dots Comedy Cabaret Trio” and working as part of collaborative projects. If I’m honest, I was also plucking up the confidence to get myself ready to actually go for it and make a solo show. So when Liz Truss popped up and I started doing parodies of her, one thing led to another and I started making live content for stand-up nights. The genuine truth is that every time I have tried to move on from Liz Truss, or I don’t think she’ll be relevant any longer, she pops back up again and I can’t help myself but do a parody! So it felt like it was the perfect time to make a show about my truth and ride off my online work.

What has your creative process been like for The Exorcism of Liz Truss?

It has been a wild ride, that’s for sure! I knew the show would change a lot, but it has continued to evolve, even now! I’ve been really careful throughout the process to make sure I can make it all as fun and silly as possible while having political characters and parodies within it, but also keeping it relatable to a non-political crowd, which is very important to me because I didn’t come from an overly political background myself. However, saying all that, when the election popped up it meant that I had to amend a lot of my material and also look at the tone of the show now that we have a different government. So it’s been a very changeable process, which is definitely keeping me on my toes!

You have a lot of different characters and impressions. How do you go about creating one of them?

I will admit I often feel like an imposter as I fell into impressions because of Liz Truss, which were amplified because I happened to look a bit like her! I very quickly tried to hone my voice and mannerisms as closely as I could to hers, so when I started to do more characters, I tried to follow this process. If it is a public figure, I tend to look at their mannerisms and physical quirks first, as I often find this helps me to find their character in my body, and the voice comes second. When I create my own characters, they tend to be based on someone I have met before and I start doing some silly improvisations as them and talk nonsense to myself until I start to find a voice, an accent and their physicality. After that point, something tends to stick. I start developing it and work out what they might wear and how they might feel about a particular subject.

What is your favourite fact you learned while researching Liz Truss?

I actually found out that she doesn’t like mayonnaise and I also don’t like it. Another one is that she loves a flat white with oat milk . . . So do I. Oh, and she loves Sauvignon Blanc and has it in her rider that she needs one in the fridge when she arrives at a hotel. If I had the opportunity, I would want this too. I’m worried we’re the same. Help! 

What is it about political comedy that you think makes it so appealing?

I think everyone likes an escape from the madness of the world and the things that are sometimes just too hard to consume in the news. We are on our phones all the time these days and we are never far away from the next sad or ridiculous thing. I think it [comedy] just helps take the edge off these moments in time. I often find people who are having a particularly hard time contact me and say that my sketches have provided them some lightness away from their troubles. I also like the idea that making parodies and silly clips on the news can also have the potential to reach younger people, or those who aren’t necessarily always watching the news, and I think this can help them to form their own opinions or gain awareness as well. 

What do you hope audiences take away from The Exorcism of Liz Truss?

I hope that they have a fun hour of lightness and nostalgia of a crazy time. That they can escape from everything for a moment and also feel inspired to do anything they’ve been putting off. I want it to be a cleansing experience for starting afresh and to leave with a smile!

How would you describe The Exorcism of Liz Truss in one word?

True.

Nerine Skinner: The Exorcism of Liz Truss runs from 1 to 25 August (no performance on 12 August) at Just the Tonic at The Caves - Just Out of the Box at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Photo Credit: Karla Gowlett

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