Stand-up comedian James Christopher and his partner, Maxie Wade, talk to us about 2015's Annual Cry for Help.

1. Tell us about your career so far. Are you happy with where you're at?

James: I did my first gig in 2005. This will be my sixth solo stand-up show. I try to focus on making my shows as good as I possibly can. I don't worry about where I am in terms of status.

Maxie: That's lucky! I did my first gig in July last year. It's been a hectic year and I've met loads of people, and liked seven of them.

2. Describe your show in exactly 23 words.

James: A grovelling attempt to win over the crowd with carefully honed material, followed by a vulgar attempt to alienate them with crass, childish stupidity.

Maxie: You can't count.

3. Why are you putting yourself through this famously stressful experience?

James: I love being immersed in comedy for three weeks, and I much enjoy Edinburgh crowds.

Maxie: He struggles with the other 11 months of the year!

4. Any cunning plans to get more punters in?

James: Maxie's flyering.

Maxie: What?

5. How much money do you think you'll lose/make this year?

James: The Free Fringe allows you to retain your allocation, so I've been in The Banhsee Labyrinth at 5.30 for four years. Bucket donations have ranged between £130 and zero. So who knows!

6. What's your weirdest past Fringe experience?

James: I was on stage at a late compilation show in 2007, and a particularly rowdy member of the audience got up and hit someone in the front row, then ran off. We made sure everyone was ok and carried on with the show. A lot of people left after the incident, but the bloke who'd been hit stayed til the end.

6. What are you most looking forward to about your first Edinburgh Festival?

Maxie: The refined and cultured atmosphere of an arts festival.

7. What other shows are you hoping to see?

James: We'll be seeing Daniel Kitson, Phil Kay, and Bob Blackman's Tray. But I like to read the Fringe brochure cover-to-cover on the train up.

8. If you took over programming a venue, what would your perfect line-up of comedians be?

Maxie: I'd like to see some funny non-comedians try their hand at stand-up, so I'd book Morrissey, Noel Gallagher, Mark Twain, and Luis van Gaal.

9. Name the one person you'd rather not bump into during the festival.

James: Hitler.

10. Why should audiences pick your show over the 1,700+ other comedy offerings at this year's festival?

James: It will make you laugh, think, and walk out.

'James Christopher's Annual Cry for Help' is at 5:30pm at The Banshee Labyrinth on 9-14, 16-21, 23-28, 30 August. Listing