In the spotlight today is the award winning cabaret artist, Paul Martin. Paul is on for one night only at Fletch at St Andrews in Waterloo Street. You can catch his warm, witty and thoroughly entertaining show, “Wide Eyed and Legless”on Sunday 10th May at 8.00 pm. So let’s chat with Paul…
1. How you would describe yourself?
Put Graham Norton and Bette Midler in a blender and you get ME!
2. What’s your show about and what should the public expect from your show at the 2009 Brighton Festival Fringe?
My long-time collaborator pianist Michael Roulston and I offer up an evening of diverse music from Hello Dolly to Tom Waits via Victoria Wood and Rufus Wainwright, with lots of silliness and comedy.
3. What was the last Fringe or Festival you performed at and what was it like?
Edinburgh. Hideous. End of.
4. What are your funniest and worst experiences performing in front of an audience?
I’ve blanked them all out. I only remember the pay cheques.
5. What’s the best and worst advice you have ever been given? And did you follow it?
Patricia Routledge told me not to bother and I ignored her. My therapist told me to go for it, but I was paying her.
6. What are you most proud of and what dreams or goals would you like to fulfill?
Most proud to be still doing what I love after 19 years in cabaret.
7. Which three famous people would you invite to dinner and why [dead celebrities included]? And what culinary dish would you prepare?
I would serve Paella to Bette Davis, Stephen Fry and Jeanette Winterson.
8. What is the best book or books you have read and why?
The Time Traveller’s Wife is up there with the best of them for sheer passion and invention.
9. Tell us 5 interesting and unknown facts about yourself?
I’ve got 10 kids via sperm donation.
I like to knit.
I’m a secret Tory.
I used to be a drag queen.
I put the ram in the ram-a-lam-a-ding-dong.
*Only one of these is untrue
10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
Jeremy Vine would be removed.
Tags: 2009 Brighton Fringe, cabaret artist, Graham Norton, Janette Winterson, Paul Martin, Stephen Fry