Tim Key Interview
Tim Key, star of the excellent ‘Cowards’ and ‘Charlie Brooker’s Newswipe’, won the ‘Edinburgh Comedy Award’ (the most important award in stand-up) at this year’s Fringe, with his show The Slutcracker. The comedy-poet is renowned for his original and artistic act, and his Edinburgh show this year was described as ‘an ever-shifting landscape full of delightful surprises' (Chortle), ‘hilarious across the board’ (The List) and ‘a masterclass’ (Fringe Guru).
I had “a conversation, such as one conducted by a reporter, in which facts or statements are elicited from another” with Tim Key…
How would you describe yourself as a comedian?
Quite a divvy really. I write a lot of nonsense. I try and be quite original and tend to frame a lot of it in poetry. I can’t do accents.
Congratulations on the Edinburgh Comedy Award this year! Was the award something that was always on your mind taking a show up to the Fringe?
No. I think the most important thing is to have a show you like. I really liked my show this year. You start thinking about it more when the judges start coming in. When they kept coming in I thought about it quite a lot. On the day of the nominations I REALLY wanted to get nominated. But it can’t be what drives you – you’d go absolutely mental.
How do you find the process of forming an hour show for Edinburgh?
It’s complicated. I like the fact that it drives you to write more and to think more about what you’re doing; how you’re trying to keep people’s interest in your stuff. The breakthroughs – when you know you’ve stumbled on a good bit; a nice start; an apt bit of music are all pretty nice. On the other hand there’s lots of bits where you’re staring at a mess of post-it notes or where you’re getting a bus home from a gig and you’re quite disillusioned and you realize you’ve left your bag at the bus-stop.
Was there a specific point in doing comedy where you think you really found your voice, and knew what direction you wanted to take?
Yup. In terms of live stuff, I did stand-up about ten times about seven years ago and it went well about once. It felt very unnatural. I went away and did sketch stuff and did a one man play. Then I performed the poems in my friends lounge in about 2005 and realized I had found a way in where I didn’t have to “tell jokes”. I could create something which allowed me to be funny but in quite a curious way. I respect the guys who just bounce up on stage and say “you’re in safe hands; I’m an excellent stand-up” and then tear the room apart. But I found that impossible. So I had to revert to poems.
You have a new book coming out soon; can you tell us a bit about that?
Yes. My new book is called INSTRUCTIONS, GUIDELINES, TUTELAGE, SUGGESTIONS, OTHER SUGGESTIONS AND EXAMPLES ETC; AN ATTEMPTED BOOK BY TIM KEY. (AND DESCRIPTIONS/CONVERSATIONS/A PIECE ABOUT A MOTH). The title’s too long. It’s a meandering, ill-conceived jumble of horseshit ideas. Again, I like it, but there’s no guarantee other people will. In fact I think some people will think it’s a dreadful piece of garbage. But some people will like it. So I’d say it’s more for them.
Any exciting events where people can see you next?
Yeah, I’m doing a few gigs over November and December. 21st December should be a nice one, it’s a benefit gig for The Fix, a comedy magazine which might die; so people should go to that one. And then I’m doing my show, The Slutcracker, in February at the Soho Theatre.
Finally, (in a non-threatening sense) any last words?
Don’t think so. I fired a real gun last week. Does that count?
Why not visit Tim Key's website at http://www.timkey.co.uk - or the website for The Invisible Dot, which has information on some forthcoming Tim Key gigs and his book launch, at http://www.theinvisibledot.com.
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