Casual Violence's James Hamilton talks to us about his first solo show, on now at the Edinburgh Fringe.

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

In an origin story that defies convention, I first started making comedy at university with the people who would then go on to form my sketch group with me. Casual Violence made the transition from university fart-abouters to sketch comics proper in 2011 - even at that point, I was essentially hogging all the writing duties. The rest of the group all wanted careers in acting, I wanted to be a writer first and foremost - so that's how it all came together. We've spent the last few years making Edinburgh shows and short films together: we decided to take 2015 off, and so I set out to make the solo show I'd been secretly planning for two years.

I'm definitely not happy with where my career is so far, but I don't know many people that are. I've had a few great opportunities and rewards come my way in the last couple of years - my first TV writing job started this spring - but nothing has happened at what I'd consider to be a good rate. There's still huge amounts I want to achieve, and I tend to feel somewhat dissatisfied with my progress; like I should have done certain things by now that I haven't yet managed. But the received wisdom is that everyone feels this way - and hey: what's more unsatisfactory than being completely, goallessly content? So I just crack on, and have long since accepted that the finish line keeps crawling further away.

2. Describe your show in exactly 23 words.

Horrible wretch tries to control his romantic destiny with a pair of goggles that allow him to see into the future. He fails.

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

Edinburgh has taught me mountains about writing and stories and making people laugh. All the stress is worth it for the inspiration and the experience and the anxiety and the hours of flyering and the reviews and the lack of sleep and the lack of money and oh God it's often genuinely horrible.

4. Any cunning plans to get more punters in?

Sit punters down one by one, or take them to one side, and gently explain to them - individually, over six to ten minutes - why my show's pretty good.

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

I'll break even at best this year unless everyone who comes in is exceptionally generous with the donations bucket. But as this is my first solo show, I didn't want to go half-arsed with it. I wanted to make the best possible show I could, so I've spent extra money on decent props, a great director in Thom Tuck, Idil Sukan's marvellous publicity shots, a bit of good equipment for the voice recordings - all to make sure everything feels polished and slick and as good as it can possibly be. If you're going to spend thousands taking a show to Edinburgh in the first place, there's no point skimping on the quality of what you want to make.

7. What other shows are you hoping to see?

I've heard nothing but great things about Bucket, so I'm excited to see them. Thunderbards are one of the sharpest double acts out there - I think their new show's going to be brilliant - and I've been meaning to see Tom Neenan and Bryony Kimmings for ages now.

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

I favour sketch, character and innovative / weird shit over traditional stand-up - so I'd include Max & Ivan, Sam Simmons, Bec Hill, Joseph Morpurgo, Pappy's, Lazy Susan, Late Night Gimp Fight, the Pajama Men, Sad Faces, Bane (Joe Bone), Tim Key, John-Luke Roberts, Bridget Christie, John Robertson, Adam Riches, Charlie Booth...

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

The freelance writer I had an ill-advised romance with during the Edinburgh Fringe 2012. I fell in love with her and we went out for a few months. For the Doctor Who fans, she's the John Hurt of my ex-girlfriends: the one I usually refuse to acknowledge as part of my official history, because she did evil things that made me a bit sad.

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

Because if they go see any of the other 1,700+ other comedy offerings, they'll realise that the breadth of comedy available to them at the Fringe is borderline infinite, and that at least half of that number have something intriguing, unique and hilarious to offer. And I don't want them to realise that, because that'll make what I'm doing seem less special and excellent, and I want everyone to think I'm special and excellent when they come to my show. So they should just pick mine.

'James Hamilton Is So Lonely - Free' is at 9:30pm at The Voodoo Rooms on 8-16, 18-30 August. Listing