Rachel Parris talks BEST LAID PLANS at the Soho Theatre

Comedian Rachel Parris talks to BroadwayWorld about her show Best Laid Plans ahead of its run at the Soho Theatre from March 6th-8th.

What can you tell us about Best Laid Plans?

Best Laid Plans is a show about starting again. When the plans that you had for your life maybe don't work out the way you think they might, sort of hitting rock bottom I suppose and finding a way forward down a different path.

It's also about being in touch with the Samaritans, and it's sort of about sex and it's sort of about exercise. So it's about finding a new start.

Is it more difficult to do such a personal show and is it more rewarding when people connect with it?

It's definitely more rewarding when people connect with it. I didn't expect that actually and so many people have come up to me after the show or emailed me to sort of tell me their life stories.

It was more difficult at first, for a number of reasons. One was that I was still quite emotional about the breakup that I talk about in the show and it felt quite raw when I was first doing it but that was like a year ago. By now it just feels like doing a show, like part of the script so that's not difficult anymore.

Has Best Laid Plans changed at all since the Edinburgh run in August?

Well at the Soho Theatre I'll be performing on a beautiful big grand piano which will improve the musical side of things! I've also updated the show a little, it's slightly longer as I've got a bit more time than in Edinburgh. But the essence of the show is still the same.

Are there any elements of the show that you have to change when particular people come to see it?

Yes! The only bits I've changed slightly are when I talk about weddings and babies and things like that. And also sex, when I talk about previous partners and I haven't changed the essence of what I'm saying but I've maybe taken out very specific references that are very clearly about them.

If they ever come without telling me..it's too late. The cat is out of the bag.

When you started doing stand-up was it always obvious that you would incorporate your music into it?

Yes. I started off doing just the songs really. There wasn't actually much talking just jokes between the songs and the songs were very much my main thing. That's still probably what I feel most comfortable doing.

Over time I've become more used to doing stand-up and stand-up is more of the show than the songs are. The music has always been quite a big focus for me.

You released a video for The Gym Song (YouTube) would you like to explain the context within the show?

I would! The Gym Song is about those people that stick to their New Years Resolutions. The kind of people who when you say "oh, how are you?" - they tell you. They do all the good things like they're vegan, they exercise and they probably work in a charity centre at the weekend for nothing. The kind of people who just make you feel shit about yourself. It's one of those people telling you about how they went to the gym, and how its very important to let people know when you do something like that.

So when you mentioned being in touch with the Samaritans, do you think people are aware of the sort of day-to-day emotional support that they offer?

No, I don't think so, from what people have said to me. I certainly wasn't.

The Samaritans themselves got in touch with me, a few different Jo's [the email sign off used by Samaritans volunteers] came to see the show and they said that's really important to them because a lot of people still think of them as "the suicide hotline" -the person you call when you're standing on the bridge.

These days they're really keen to show people that that's not just what they are. I had no idea that they wanted to do this but as it happens they were quite happy with the message of my show which just by coincidence was that you can just be a bit day-to-day sad and you can just get in touch with them as I said in my show over email or write to them or any way you want to get in touch you can.

It doesn't have to be the very brink of disaster. It can just be that you feel really lonely and want to talk to someone. I don't think that many people associate that with the Samaritans and that they think of them as a last resort. But they don't have to be a last resort, they can just be day-to-day.

And you're out on tour after the Soho Theatre dates?

I am- both before and after actually. I start the tour this Sunday in Leicester at the comedy festival then I'm doing Brighton, Guilford, Lancaster and then after the Soho run I've got Bristol and Oxford and Maidstone and a few other places.

I'm really looking forward to Oxford because I just did a show there with Johnny and the Baptists over Christmas. We did a Christmas show at the Old Fire Station theatre and that's where I'm doing the tour show so it'll be a bit like coming home.

Ticket information for Best Laid Plans at the Soho Theatre can be found on their website with additional tour date information on Rachel Parris' website.

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