Ever since he burst onto the scene as part of The Delightful Sausage, with frequent collaborator Amy Gledhill, Chris Cantrill has been making waves on the Fringe – and was shortlisted for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards last year.
Now a writer for Saturday Night Live he’s bringing a brand new show Rewilding to the Monkey Barrel this year. Part of a new wave of acts from the North East of England he’s disarmingly frank about the growing challenges of performing at the Fringe.
Tell us about your show. Why should we go and see it?
Rewilding is about a heinous act of vandalism, what it does to a community and the one man who’s determined to make it all about him. You should check it out if you’re a fan of stand up, story telling and thinly veiled threats.
What is your favourite thing about your show?
There’s a dream sequence which ends with me eating a moth and crunching it all up like a Dorito. If that doesn’t get your glands pumping out hormones, then I can’t help you!
Do you have a Fringe idol?
It has to be Mark Silcox. Not only will seeing his show make you laugh, you’ll also learn how to improve your financial standing by trading gold.
What three words best describe your performance style – and why?
If there’s the barrel of a gun pressed against my temple and you’re forcing me to talk positively about myself then I’d say I’m a cheeky yarn spinner. I love mixing stand up routines with story telling!
Who are you looking forward to seeing in Edinburgh?
I’m really looking forward to watching Bella Hull’s new show, Mad Cow Disease. We met working on SNL UK and she’d never fail to crack me up with the poison that comes out of her horrible, horrible maggot-infested brain. I’m also excited to see Omar Badaway’s debut, Ayo Adenekan’s new show and what’s sure to be another rip-roaring hour of block caps FUNNY from Freya Parker.
What do you hope to achieve in Edinburgh – what are your hopes and dreams?
You know like that scene in A Beautiful Mind when Russell Crowe has a coffee in the special cafe and all the academics put their pens on his table because they recognise he’s really good at his job which is either maths or science? I want that, but it’s in City Cafe and instead of pens all the comics present me with their Schure SM58s.
What are the biggest obstacles you face as a performer at the Fringe?
The festival is punishingly expensive and performers are commonly viewed as a commodity to be bled dry at every opportunity. This means it’s very difficult for new performers to get a toe hold let alone build momentum over successive years.
What do you hope the audience will take away after an hour in your company?
The show is about what it takes to maintain a community in an imploding world, so hopefully they come away with a renewed appreciation for their neighbours. At the very least they’ll be walking around town with a free badge!
How do you plan to relax and recharge when not on stage?
I am terrible at relaxing, so my idea of a chill out session is drinking filter coffee and scaling a mountain of admin. I do try to live relatively sensibly at the Fringe which is helped by having a noon show. I’ll go out a couple of times, but I get very anxious about turning in a half arsed hungover performance to people who’ve paid money. Do they give out medals for that? They should!
What is your idea of a perfect Fringe day?
As a middle-aged Fringe-goer with a show at 12.10, my idea of a good time is being in bed before 10pm having done a bit of exercise and eaten a proper meal. What I’ve just outlined is essentially impossible.
If possible, I like to try and catch a show of somebody I wouldn’t normally encounter in the North East.
Chris Cantrill: Rewilding 12:10 | 3rd – 30th (not 12th/17th/18th) | The Tron at Monkey Barrel
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/chris-cantrill-rewilding
