Interview conducted by Olivia Bastin
For Martin Bearne, comedy and darkness have always existed side by side. Whether he’s attempting to make an audience laugh or even trying to get a reaction from his therapist, humour has become a way of approaching subjects that are considerably harder to confront head-on.
This year, Bearne brings two very different shows to the Edinburgh Fringe. Fragments is a deeply personal piece of autobiographical theatre exploring the darker experiences that shaped him, while After Burn: Dark Jokes for the Dark Hour sees him turn towards late-night comedy, bringing together his strongest one-liners alongside new material.
The two shows may approach performance from very different directions, but both reflect a comedy career that has continued to evolve since Bearne first started performing stand-up in 2006.
Ahead of his Fringe run, For The Plot’s Olivia Bastin caught up with Martin to talk about both shows, using humour to tackle difficult subjects, the evolution of his comedy, finding inspiration in everyday life and what keeps bringing him back to Edinburgh.
1. Can you describe your play Fragments in three words?
Dark, funny, gritty.
2. What is your play about?
It’s a personal piece of theatre centred around making my therapist laugh. The subject matter is dark, therefore I’ve interlaced humour to balance this out.
3. How have your rehearsals been?
They’ve been going well. I’ve been working on blocking and my pet rats have been a great audience.
4. What is your favourite thing about the Edinburgh Fringe?
The Fringe draws such a diverse audience to the Scottish capital. As a performer, you know that you’re never going to have that exact group of people as your audience again. I did 6 nights at the Fringe last year. I distinctly remember performing for this German couple who made up the entire audience. It went well and I even gave them a hug. They enjoyed it and it felt very special. I’m not quite as keen on flyering and the commute from Glasgow will probably be quite intense.
5. How has your comedy style developed?
When I started off doing stand-up comedy back in 2006, my set revolved around stories and anecdotes. Now my shows mainly take the form of one-liners. This type of material takes longer to build up. My comedy show has all of my top one-liners in one place with some new jokes sprinkled in there too. It has a late-night show vibe and is more about having a good laugh. There is no learning or lesson to it like my play Fragments. It’s the opposite to Fragments.
6. Who are your favourite comedians?
Milton Jones – he has brilliant one-liners.
Alan Partridge
Tony Hancock
7. How do you find inspiration?
I am inspired by a range of different techniques. Talking to friends and hearing their stories can help me come up with a funny one-liner. I enjoy writing with friends too. Sometimes listening to a new album can get the creative juices flowing too. Even the mundane can give me a new idea or perspective to work with. That can be as simple as going to the shops. I find watching different styles of comedy can be a useful tool as well.
8. What advice would you give to your younger self as a performer?
I would try new things and not be afraid to fail. Some material works and some doesn’t. You learn to move on from the material that didn’t generate many laughs or resonate with the audience.
9. What other shows or performances are you hoping to see whilst you’re in Edinburgh?
There are a few stand-ups I’d like to see. The Monkey Barrel has a great line-up this year. I really like Vlad’s Pick of the Fringe. There is a tribute act to Vladimir McTavish I want to check out! The Beehive also has a lot of interesting shows to see.
10. What will your Fringe routine be like?
There’s a new 2 pound pizza place which I’ll definitely be hitting up! I’ll be reconnecting with other performers too.
With two very different shows at this year’s Fringe, Bearne is getting the opportunity to showcase both sides of his work. Fragments asks audiences to look beyond the humour at the experiences underneath it, while After Burn: Dark Jokes for the Dark Hour offers the opposite approach: a late-night collection of one-liners designed primarily to make people laugh. That distinction is one Bearne himself makes clear, describing the comedy show as the “opposite” of Fragments.
From performing to an audience consisting entirely of one German couple to rehearsing in front of his pet rats, Bearne clearly embraces some of the unpredictability that comes with performing at the Fringe. This August, audiences have two chances to see very different sides of the same performer.
And between Fragments, After Burn, reconnecting with fellow performers and the inevitable flyering, at least one important part of his Fringe schedule is already sorted: tracking down that £2 pizza.
Fragments:
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/fragments
Martin Bearne: After Burn – Dark Jokes for the Dark Hour:
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/martin-bearne-after-burn-dark-jokes-for-the-dark-hour
