Tom Houghton’s debut stand up show ‘Class Half Empty’ will be at the Gilded Balloon Wee Room during August.
1 Tell us about your Fringe show
My Fringe show is essentially about me and what it was like growing up in the various bubbles I’ve been kept in over the years. Boarding school from age six, Military barracks with bodyguards and now fleeing the nest and seeing how the rest of the world views the upper classes.
Hopefully I'll throw a humanising touch on a group I feel, often rightly, get vilified a great deal. It's set against the backdrop of an ever-changing national identity and hopefully will be an angle that people haven’t seen before. More importantly I want it to be funny and a good introduction to who I am.
2 Best thing about the Fringe?
Getting to be with all your friends and fellow performers for a month. Not as much travelling as usual. It's like one big party where everyone has brought their A-Game.
3 Worst thing about the Fringe?
I think the amount of abuse you inevitably end up putting your body through. Its brutal. I need to have a long rehab session at home as soon as it's over. This year I'm going to be trying to cut down on the party side as Its my first solo year and I am going up with a job to do.
4 How many years have you been coming to the Fringe?
I had two years when I was at school performing in ameatur plays for limited runs, then nine years as part of my former group “The Noise Next Door”. This see me doing my debut as a solo performer. It's by far the most nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time.
5 Favourite Fringe venue?
Ooooh…. I'm with Gilded Balloon this year again and they have some great ones. Ive certainly created some memories on the Debating hall stag. Late and Live, The Noise Kids show and also 4 years ago when i got to flirt with my teenage crush Abi Titmus.
6 Best Fringe memory?
I couldn’t possibly go into too much detail, but I think rocking out to Hot Dub time machine with a bunch of comics who have now become lifelong friends could have been one of the happiest moments of my life. I was in heaven.
7 Best heckle?
I remember once doing a routine about never answering the phone to my mum and half way through this really sincere voice shouted out “ring your Mum Tom, she won’t be around forever”. Its sotpped the whole room flat. I didn’t know what to do. In the interval me and most of the audience made a quick phone call.
8 Craziest on stage experience?
I saw a comedian, who will remain nameless, get straddled and subsequently urinated on by an audience member once. That was horrifying. The audience member in question didn’t even flee the scene, she stayed around afterward for chats and photos. Unbelievable.
9 How do you wind down after a show?
Mostly with a drink, sat round a table with a bunch of other comics taking the mickey out of each other. I also try and run a lot. Running is great for you, clears your head. I can’t recommend it enough.
10 What do you love about Scotland?
The people, the mentality, the tradition, the pride, the whisky, I could go on and on…
11 What do you like about Edinburgh?
How secret and naughty the whole thing is. So many streets and nooks and crannys, then its framed by a bloody beautiful castle. The other side is Arthurs Seat. I mean, its just a magical place.
12 Favourite Scottish food/drink?
Whisky and… neeps and tatties.
13 Sum up your show in three words
Privilege, ducks, self-deprecation.
Tom Houghton’s debut stand up show ‘Class Half Empty’ will be at the Gilded Balloon Wee Room for the month of August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com
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