Blind comedian and accordionist David Eagle has won a clutch of awards for his show The Eagle Is Candid at Just the Tonic. He has been awarded the Mervyn Stutter Spirit of the Fringe Award, the Outstanding Visually Impaired Artist Award from the Neurodiverse Review. His show has also been shortlisted for the ISH Comedy Awards.
He tells us about a successful Fringe and how a keen sense of smell led him to his favourite curry house – twice.
Tell us about your show. Why should we go and see it?
My show is called The Eagle Is Candid. It contains many tales of my various adventures as a blind comedian and folk singer travelling the world: accosted by faith healers, bamboozling aggressive Australians and escaping arrest after a nocturnal accordion-based anti-social incident. Plus there’s a couple of my comedy songs, one of which was described by the Guardian as “a comic tour de force”; and another one which wasn’t.
As for why you should come to see my show: well, other more successful comedians have publically said really nice things about me and the show: Paul Sinha, Rufus Hound, Miles Jupp, Boothby Graffoe, Reg D Hunter. And if that’s not good enough for you, I bumped into Mark Watson in the street the other day (being blind I’m always bumping into people), I gave him a flyer for my show and he said, “it’s not the worst Fringe show title I’ve ever seen,” which I am taking as a full and heartfelt endorsement.
What makes you laugh?
I think there is laughter potential in most things. There are so many times when I’m lost or in a stressful/awkward situation and I reach a point where I move from upset or annoyance to realising that this is actually going to make for a great comedy anecdote for my show.
What three words best describe your performance style – and why?
Accordion-playing (because I play the accordion.)
Fast (because apparently I tend to talk very quickly, but that means you’re getting more jokes, more value for your money. But if you are struggling to follow everything, there’s a transcript available after the show, so you can appreciate just how hilarious it is; well, once you’ve learnt how to read Braille.)
Five-star (I’m not sure that’s a performance style, but it’s worth trying to shoehorn that in. Oh and don’t forget its award-winning too.)
What’s your idea of a perfect Fringe feast and where will you eat it?
My wife was with me for the first few days of the Fringe. We came across the Indian restaurant Mother India. I probably didn’t need to tell you it’s an Indian restaurant; the clue’s in the name. It was so good that we went there three days in a row. The following day my wife had left for home. I was walking through Edinburgh, with no clue where I was, and just literally following my nose in order to find something to eat. I entered a restaurant, which turned out to be another curry house. It was only when I checked my banking app after I’d made the card payment that I discovered I’d inadvertently gone back to Mother India.
Do you have nerves about going on stage and how do you cope with them.
I did feel a bit queasy in my belly before going on stage a few days ago, but that might be less nerves and more due to having had curry four days on the trot. Maybe mentioning trots isn’t ideal, given the subject matter.
How will your audience think/feel differently after an hour in your company?
I’d hope they might be a step or two closer on their journey towards enlightenment. You’d surely expect nothing else from a gig featuring an accordion.
When did you first realise you were born to be on stage?
I remember my first stand up performance was in primary school. I was six and it was during a teddy bear’s picnic. We had to do a little presentation about our teddy’s that we brought. I was headlining the gig, by which I mean I was the last child to do their presentation. I absolutely lived up to the headliner status. My teddy was the only one that had a voice box with a few recorded messages that played when you pressed its stomach. Fortunately my teddy hadn’t eaten curry four days in a row, so the stomach squeezing didn’t prove incendiary. Me and the teddy did a sketch based on the recorded messages. The climax was when I asked my bear who its favourite teacher was. We had a teacher called Mrs Honey, and as luck would have it, one of the recorded statements the bear had in its arsenal was “I like honey.” Needless to say the crowd went absolutely wild.
Why do you think Edinburgh Fringe is so important to performers and artists around the world?
Well it’s the biggest arts festival in the world. There’s just so much going on all day and all night. People just wonder into your gig from the street, sometimes with no clue as to what it is, then you bring out the accordion, and of course they’re absolutely delighted and can’t believe their luck.
How do you plan to relax and enjoy the city when you’re not performing.
Seemingly by eating curry. Also going to see my friend’s shows. But mainly eating curry.
Who is your showbiz idol and why.
Well my showbiz Idle would obviously be Eric, but that’s not what you asked. In terms of comedians, I think Ross Noble is someone who just has a brain that’s hardwired for comedy. I think he is one of those rare people who just has hilarious as his default brain state. Of course it might all be an elaborate ruse, and maybe it’s all meticulously scripted, but in some ways that would be even more impressive.
What is your idea of a perfect Fringe moment?
Getting to the end of answering a load of press questions, and going to bed. Thanks very much, goodnight.
David Eagle: The Eagle is Candid, 21.30, Just the Tonic at Cabaret Voltaire
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/david-eagle-the-eagle-is-candid
