Tell us about the show you’re bringing to Blizzard Comedy’s Mini-Fringe All Dayer.
‘Tasting Menu’ explores the evolution of my experimentation with off-beat one-liner comedy. I actually have my friend and fellow comedian, Michael May, (shout out Josh and Sally podcast) to thank for cooking up the concept for me. The struggle of doing a bit of everything is tying it all together, and that’s what this show is. A great tasting menu shows you what a chef’s mind can do — the range, the texture, and more importantly, the unexpected combinations you’d never have thought to order yourself.
It’s an immersive comedy show with a single ingredient, ’strikingly odd one-liners,’ (The Telegraph) that have been cooked and served in chaotically different ways.
What was your process for developing your distinct comic style, blending chaos and clowning?
I think my process can be pretty much summed up as: ‘being bored easily.’ I’m a novelty seeker. As soon as I get used to something, I want to try the more extreme, more bonkers version of it. It’s the case with most of the art I consume: comedy, films and music. I identify patterns really easily and I love people who disrupt them. It’s why I now have such an aggressively obscure music taste which, give me the opportunity, is guaranteed to ruin any party.
On that, I also love sabotage (for real, don’t let me on Spotify), I like constantly being on the edge. It’s a real thrill. From there, I’ve managed to introduce various elements of controlled sabotage to my sets. For me it brings life to the live environment. It’s also collaborative. The audience and I are making something that’s only ever going to exist right here, right now. I also dislike slickness and polish which leads to a lot of ‘wow wasn’t that a lucky fluke’ comments. Thank god for me, these ‘lucky flukes’ happen at every show.
How did you go about selecting what elements to include in this tasting menu of a show?
It’s basically everything I’ve been putting together over the last couple years and trying avoid powerpoint and too many props. Slideshow got scrapped because the struggle of tech is just too much. I’ve learnt that lesson the hard way. You’ll show up to some venues and they’re ready to go and, in some, a confused teenager on his first day will go out the back and bring out a dusty box of miscellaneous tangled wires. None of them what I need, by the way. Although I’m now using a lot of sound which I’ve also been experimenting with. Everyone has an audio jack and speakers, right? And I also unfortunately ditched a bit that I’d love to do but involves too many cupcakes. There’s still time to change my mind.
How does this show build on the success of your previous shows?
My previous shows (Eryn Tett Finds Her Audience and Eryn Tett is Sponsored by The Global Megacorp Institute of Manchester) have been about what I think of the world, the algorithm, art, comedy, and capitalism. The kind of ‘dystopian horror’ of that mix and my suggestions to escape it: consume new, alternative art, make your own reality and join GMIM who will change your life (for the better).
This show is about me. Taking my own advice. Producing new, alternative art and creating my own reality. The idea is: show people what I can do and lay it out in a way that hopefully audience and industry will think…I know where we can put this and we should have more of it.
What’s your technique for creating such successful absurdist humour?
I have a very fragile link to reality, haha. I always think of it as like a veeeery thin cotton holding me down to earth.
Also I make things very very slowly. I’m not at all churning it out. Most of my ideas come to me at 2am or while I’m in the shower. I think your brain is in a weird place then. It’s like relaxed but also over-thinking. And over-thinking stuff that’s really not important. Ding ding. It’s that kind of surfer-dude brain that gives me the best ideas. I also don’t give much time to new ideas. If I have an inkling someone has had the same thought as me I toss it immediately. If it gets through the filter then I package it in a jarring rhythm. And then I think, how dumb is it? If the answer is: extremely, then it stays.
What do you hope people take away from your show?
When I first started making this show, all I knew was that I wanted to sew all my bits together somehow and it to feel energetic and electric. Frenzy, community a lingering feeling of ‘I was part of something.’
I’ve started in a slightly different place to my previous shows which began with very specific messages I was trying to convey. So I’m still very much unpacking this question and hoping it becomes clearer with each WIP.
How are you feeling about being a part of Blizzard Comedy’s Mini-Fringe All Dayer?
I’m excited! It’s no secret I love a Blizzard crowd. There’s not much more to say. Bring on June 14th. Out of all my WIPs this year (and even Edinburgh lol) I’m probably looking forward to this one the most. The best crowd, on my doorstep.
What are your hopes for this show going forward?
I’ve started exploring the international fringe circuit more. Reykjavik Fringe got me invited to Cork, which I just got back from. It was amazing (shout out Ineke Lavers and Daniel Cremin). I love Fringe crowds. The community of artists is also so supportive. I received loads of great recommendations for new places which means I’m also off to Gothenburg and Tallin after Edinburgh this year too.
My plan for this show is: make it good so I can continue to travel with it.
Do you have any advice for anyone hoping to create their own full-length fringe comedy show?
For me, I’ve found it important to say ‘why am I doing this show? What does it mean in the world, my life and my career right now?’ I feel like I’m still exploring that with this one.
Which leads onto the next point: experimentation. I think audiences will go with you if you’re offering an exciting world to delve into. Then just play.
And lastly, what do you want them to feel, think about or talk about after? I think this is mostly what I’m always trying to get back to.
Eryn performed at Blizzard Comedy’s Mini-Fringe All-Dayer on June 14th. You can find out if she’s performing near you by checking out her upcoming dates via her LinkTree.
