Five-piece sketch group The Jest talk about their return to the Fringe, the time they had a haunted flat, a violent striptease and Maggie Smith.

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

As a group, we've been doing comedy for five years, having started at university in 2011 doing nights and taking shows up to Edinburgh, but we've only been together in this group since 2013 and in that time we've been lucky enough to be chosen to appear in BBC Radio 4's Sketchorama and at the final of New Acts of the Year 2015. Individually, we've had a fair few comedy credits including School Of Comedy on E4, Little Britain on the BBC and the hit game show Pointless. Pointless was probably the highlight. Luke got to the head-to-head but when asked to name a famous songwriting duo, his team mate answered 'Minogue and Minogue'. Despite what Dannii and Kylie say, it wasn't a correct answer. We're very happy with where we're at though and excited to be at the Pleasance again this year.

2. Describe your show in exactly 23 words.

A dizzyingly dark and unsettling selection of sketches that start as soon as you push the button. Things are not when they seem...

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

Because there's nowhere quite like the Edinburgh Fringe. As months go, it's full on and intense but worth it because you feel part of something important. We're also shameless show-offs, so that helps us through.

4. Any cunning plans to get more punters in?

There are many moments of half nudity during the show so we may try and exploit this to its full potential on the Royal Mile. Also, group member Luke is a very talented impressionist and has perfected elderly British character actresses. We'll tell punters that Vanessa Redgrave, Julie Walters and Maggie Smith are doing a show in our venue, get him to do a few voices behind the curtain then close the door before they can leave. It's the best idea we've got.

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

Depends. Collectively, we may well make a fair amount. Once split between five, probably just enough for lunch. Doesn't phase us though. Fortunately, as there are 5 of us, we can share out costs so it does make it easier. We're very grateful for that.

6. What's your weirdest past Fringe experience?

In our first and second year at the festival, from 2011-12, we were convinced that our flat was haunted. Edinburgh is notorious for ghosts and spirits so we were pretty sure we were on to something when people started complaining that someone was watching them on the toilet. When we realised it wasn't always the creepy man from the flat opposite, we launched an investigation. As part of our thorough ghost hunting campaign, we set up a camera in the living room one night. When we watched the footage back, the camera rather strangely shifted at around 1am. We didn't think anything else of it until later the next day when, while watching films in the living room, a water bottle lifted off the floor and flew past people's heads before hitting the wall. We've never returned to the flat or drunk water since.

7. What other shows are you hoping to see?

There's some really strong sketch and character comedy at the festival this year so we'll be trying to take in as much of that as possible and try not to seethe with rage at all the clever jokes we didn't think of. Lolly Adefope, Emma Sidi and James Hamilton are all fantastic character comedians who did our night this year so we'll be keen to see their shows, Joseph Morpurgo always comes up with brilliantly inventive multimedia comedy so we'll be checking his show out, while sketch-wise, Thünderbards, Beasts and Lazy Susan are top of our lists.

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

It's hard not to just write up a rambling list of people we'd definitely embarrass ourselves in front of if we met them but if we were to limit it to a manageable bill of acts, we'd say French & Saunders because they nailed the double act, Jimmy Carr because we share his taste for scathing jokes, Amy Schumer because hers is the funniest sketch show on TV at the moment, Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson for coming up with one of the shows that inspired everyone doing sketch today, The League of Gentlemen for showing everyone how dark sketch comedy should be done (which definitely inspired us in this show) and Chris Morris for always pushing the boundaries of what comedy can do. We feel we've really adopted that same outlook by featuring an image of a man giving birth to a pig on the poster. It's what Chris Morris would want.

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

Probably the man who tried to punch one of our group members during a comedy night we did this year. Tristan did a striptease for him as part of a sketch and every other time we've done it, the audience member chosen really enjoys the experience. Clearly it wasn't to his particular taste. I mean, we can't imagine he'll be desperately seeking us out to give it a second chance but you never know. We're very forgiving.

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

Because our show ties together its sketches in a way no others will, and you won't realise it until the end. It'll mess with your mind but in the very best way, where you're laughing as it happens. Also, our show finishes at 11:45pm so once you leave, you'll be in the centre of Edinburgh and ready for a night out. It's the perfect alternative to a pre-drink.

'The Jest: The Five Humours' is at 10:45pm at Pleasance Dome on 5-18, 20-30 August. Listing