After an amazing response last year we have once again resurrected our Brighton Bites mini-interviews. These short and snappy Q&As offer an, occasionally witty – often hilarious, insight into the acts strutting, sailing, surfing (insert preferred form of transport here) in to join the line-up of England’s largest arts festival, Brighton Fringe. 2018 was a record-breaking year for the Fringe with over 575,000 people attending the festival; and with 2019 promising to be more inclusive than ever, our Bites aim to give you a taste of what’s in store across the 4,500+ events and performances that are on offer.
Next up, Luke Rollason and Tom Curzon tell us about their show Stepdads which they’ll be performing at The Warren: The Hat.
Describe your show in one sentence?
Stepdads are a surreal, fever-dream of a double act who are giving Spy Kids a funk-comedy twist.
Why Brighton Fringe?
Stepdads debuted an earlier incarnation of their show at Copperdollar Studios in 2018, and had a fantastic time. Welcoming, buzzy and the best place to be part of a supportive theatre/comedy community.
How did the show get to where it is today?
Luke and Tom have been performing together since 2018 and the show has built steadily out of shorter club sets. In March 2019 they became runners-up at the Leicester Square Sketch-Off Competition, and are also through to the final of the 2019 Musical Comedy Awards. Leicester Comedy Festival saw Stepdads perform their full hour show, and Luke and Tom will also be performing at the Museum of Comedy in the summer.
What do you think sets your show apart from all the other festival offerings?
Stepdads is a clown show at heart, (inspired by performers such as The Establishment and Lucy Pearman) with all the fun happening with the audience, in the room, complete with flops, honesty and an epic original funk-soundtrack.
What show do you not want to miss at this year’s Brighton Fringe (apart from your own!)?
The Establishment: Le Bureau de Strange. Can’t wait.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given, or would give, for performing at a fringe festival?
Enjoy everybody’s hard work and feed off their spirit: that way you can give back even when you are knackered.
With the theme of this year’s festival being ‘DARE to Discover’, we’d like you to tell us a TRUTH – something about you or the show that fans may not know.
Despite hardly knowing each other, Luke and Tom decided to head to Philippe Gaulier’s school in Paris and share a room with each other for many months. Stepdads formed on the walks to school each day.
Stepdads runs at Brighton Fringe from 1-2 June 2019. Brighton Fringe continues until 2 June 2019; www.brightonfringe.org
Nicole Craft | Image: Contributed
