10 Questions: An interview with Socks
Socks from the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre took time out from his immensely busy schedule and to answer 10 Questions.
This was Socks first airing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and he really found his feet performing to packed audiences. No lying around the floor or relaxing beside sofa cushions, it’s straight to the fast spin - and what a job to catch up with him! You can see Socks on BBC 3’s Comedy Shuffle tonight at 11pm, after the Mighty Boosh.
1. What made you become a performer/artist/?
We’re talking socks, our options were limited!
2. What is your show/future show about and what should the public expect from your show?
We’re talking socks! We also sing. We also do plays, eg Romeo & Juliet in 8 minutes flat, that sort of thing. People seem to like it.
3. What is your favourite Festival or Fringe and why?
Edinburgh is the first, the biggest and the best and we had a great time at our first ever this year. We’ve also played at the Leicester Comedy Festival which is smaller, colder and very good indeed.
4. What’s your best advice for aspiring artists/performers on the Festival/Fringe circuit?
Save up lots of money and prepare to spend more of it than you’ve actually got, and don’t expect to see any of it again.
5. What is your funniest experience performing or attending a Fringe/Festival?
In Edinburgh we were, like, on the street, like, talking and stuff and someone points at us and says, like, look it’s a talking pair of socks, and we laughed and they laughed and… you pretty much had to be there.
6. As you travel performing at different festivals/fringes, what is your favourite place to vacation and chill out and why?
A laundry basket or a radiator. We are, as we may have mentioned, socks.
7. Who is the person you most admire/d and why?
The greats, ie Basil Brush, Sooty, Lamb Chops, Kermit, Miss Piggy, The Swedish Chef also of the Muppets, etc.
8. What is the best tip you have ever been given?
End with a hymn, said Gran. We never actually end with a hymn, but I bet if we did it would be brilliant, cos Gran was never wrong.
9. What is the best book you have read and why do you like it?
There are loads. The Joy of Socks; Socks and the Single Girl; All You Ever Wanted to Know About Socks; Socksing The Cherry. Do you see what we’re doing here? We take the word Sex from a famous book title, and we put Socks in its place. Hours of endless fun.
10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
We would prohibit the existence of any other sock or puppet based comedy acts until we had secured every gig that was going, including ads, I mean that bloody monkey, where’s it get off advertising a TV thing that goes tits up then next thing you know it’s doing bloody tea bags, where’s the justice in that?
For more information about Socks check out his MySpace web page and also his YouTube web page.
