Today we speak with Maggie Service whose show… Maggie Service with a Smile is on at the Gilded Balloon in The Wee Room (excluding the 17th and 24th) from the 5th to the 31st August at 3.15 daily. As a “Fringe Virgin” we welcome her to the delights of busy Edinburgh, so let’s chat with Maggie…
1. What inspired you to become a writer, comedian and entertainer?
I saw a production of ‘Guys and Dolls‘ when I was five. I loved it and thought the character of ‘Adelaide’ was particularly funny. My Mum explained to me how I could play her if I wanted…the moment I found out you could be amusing on stage for money I knew what my career would be!
2. What’s your show about and what should the public expect from your show at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
It’s a character comedy show, I play nine characters so it’s quite fast paced. Hopefully there’s something for everyone and the audience can have a good giggle. It’s not too blue, just the odd hint every now and then.
3. What was the last Fringe or Festival you performed at and what was it like?
This is my first time at the Fringe, I was brought up in Glasgow though, so I used to come through to Edinburgh every year and see as much comedy as I could. There’s always such a great atmosphere.
4. What are your funniest and worst experiences performing in front of an audience?
Possibly the funniest and worst was doing a show in the West End. It was set in 17th century Holland and had a revolving set (or as we affectionately called it ‘the Magic Roundabout‘). One night though it wasn’t so magic and it got stuck. So I made my first entrance on stage as a maid with a basket of vegetables expecting to be in the kitchen and was actually greeted by an artist’s studio and a rather bemused looking cast member. Obviously there was nothing we could do about it onstage, but just as we were about to panic the stage started turning, so slowly (we later found out the crew were turning it manually in the wings!) but knowing that we had to start chopping vegetables in three lines time we just started speaking really slowly until the right set came round. There was something in the slow motion of it all that really made us want to giggle, so we couldn’t look each other in the eye for the next ten minutes.
5. What’s the best and worst advice you have ever been given? And did you follow it?
The best advice I was given was by a brilliant actress who told me to keep my sugar coating but to make sure my skin was tough as leather underneath.
The worst was that you have to be ‘obsessed’ by this profession. I think that’s a rather unhealthy attitude and it’s important to be content in your real life as well as the made up one!
6. What are you most proud of and what dreams or goals would you like to fulfill?
I’m most proud of not being afraid to potentially make a fool out of myself because I think that’s the only way you get the good stuff. Doing the stuff that scares you may mean the reward will be all the greater.
7. Which three famous people would you invite to dinner and why [dead celebrities included]? And what culinary dish would you prepare?
Victoria Wood, Joyce Grenfell and Gene Kelly. We’d eat anything they want, I’d phone up first and take orders.
8. What is the best book or books you have read and why?
I love ‘Touching the Void‘ it’s a true story of survival that I think shows human beings are pretty incredible creatures. I’m thoroughly enjoying ‘The Time Traveller’s Wife‘ at the moment. It’s like a cross between ‘The Princess Bride‘ (another of my favourites) and Quantum Leap.
9. Tell us 5 interesting and unknown facts about yourself?
* Gary Wilmot kissed me on the cheek on my 13th birthday and made my year.
*Sopporific is my favourite word.
* I played Mary in my school nativity.
*I’m related to the poet Robert Service on my Dad’s side and William Shakespeare on my Mum’s…although I haven’t actually seen the family tree to prove that one!
*Swimming in the sea is one of my favourite things.
10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
Oh what a deep question! Well if we could all learn to tolerate each other we might all get on a bit better.
Tags: 2009 Edinburgh Fringe, character comedians, female comedianw, funny ladies, Maggie Morwenna, Maggie Service