Grainné Maguire talks about her new show, Great People Making Great Choices.

1 Tell us about your Fringe show

It’s called Great People Making Great Choices and it’s all about the stories we tell ourselves to legitmaise the terrible life choices we make.  Like bad relationships, voting for the Tories or cutting our own fringe.

2 Best thing about the Fringe?

For one glorious month, me and all my friends take over a capital city. It’s amazing, like being an American soldier in the Middle East.

3 Worst thing about the Fringe?

Half way through week two, when you get so paranoid youre convinced all the posters for other peoples shows are whispering about you, like a really snide talking portraits from Hogwarts.
4 How many years have you been coming to the Fringe?

This will be my tenth year here. I’m hoping this year to definitely finally make it over the bridge to the new town.

5 Favourite Fringe venue?

There’s a little tea shop off the royal mile that is my favourite place in all of Edinburgh. The lady who runs it has blue hair  and treats the Edinburgh Fringe like an annoying cousin that out stays it’s welcome every August.  Don’t go there, she seems to really hate it when she’s too busy.
6 Best Fringe memory?

I was having an argument with a friend at about 4am outside the Gilded Balloon. He felt he wasn’t being listened to , I felt like he was being annoying. He said, well if I’m not going to be appreciated I’m leaving and without missing a beat, hopped in a rickshaw that seemed to appear from nowhere and vanished into the early morning gloom, regally waving goodbye from out the back. I still don’t know how he did it.
7 Best heckle?

I once asked someone in the front row what they did for a living and they said “Grainne I used to live eiwth you” turned out she was my old flat mate but I didn’t recginse her new haircut.
8 Craziest on stage experience?

One at late’ N’ Live a young gentleman got up on stage and pulled his pants down. I saw his full Scottish breakfast. He’s now my husband.
9 What’s on your rider?

Water, beer,  photo of Ed Miliband.
10 How do you wind down after a show?

I listen to Coldpaly on my headphones and stride through the Meadows pretending I’ve won a General Election. If you bump into me and I give you a hug and try to kiss your baby, now you know for why.
11 What do you love about Scotland?

It’s so beautiful, your tray bakes are out of this world. You’re so much more normal than English people. Theyre a bit highly string and mad.
12 What do you like about Edinburgh?

Everything is in walking distance, there’s so many little coffee shops and places to mooch around. And how the whole town smells of cornflakes.

13 What’s the most Scottish thing you’ve done?

I climbed Arthur's Seat and played bag pipes air guitar on the summit. Then I stared moodily into the horizon and thought about lost love.
14 What kind of jokes do a Scottish crowd seem to respond to? Scottish are obsessed with Nicola Sturgeon, Andy Murray and Donald Trump. I write for a topical Scottish radio show and can pretty much guarantee those three amigos will pop up at least nine times in every episode.
15 Favourite joke?

Your parents are proud of you. What a horrible thing to say? I bet they ARE very proud of you. But that’s the best answer to the question is you don’t like the person asking it.

16 Favourite Scottish food/drink?

 I just love a nice coffee and a tray back, a nice bit of millionares shortbread  and a copy of the Herald. I’m in heaven.

Grainné Maguire: Great People Making Great Choices is on at the PLeasance Courtyard until August 29.