Mixed Doubles: 10 Edinburgh Fringe questions

Mixed Doubles answers 10 questions about their 2016 Edinburgh Fringe show...

Give us a quick overview of your comedy career so far. Are you happy with where you're at?

We formed in the tropical summer of 2012 on a wave of Olympic excitement. Well, Paul pretended he was part of a sketch show and booked a slot at the Henley Fringe. So then we actually had to make a sketch show. We did Edinburgh the year after, and Adelaide the year after that and now we're about to make our second appearance at the Fringe. A lot of time and energy has gone into this new piece so we're proud to show it off but also a little nervous. We're like the worried parents watching it from afar as it hopefully goes off to make lots of new friends and tries to avoid shitting itself.

Tell us two truths and one lie about yourself (but mix them up, keep us guessing!).

1. Paul has slept with everyone in Mixed Doubles.

2. Paul has slept with nobody in Mixed Doubles.

3. Will just wants to sleep with somebody.

Describe your new show in exactly 23 words.

A fictional sketch comedy fundraiser in a crappy village hall. Tonnes of sketches. Banana costumes. Elephant onesie. Girls showing off their Boris Johnsons.

Any cunning plans to get more punters in?

We've thought of the usual stuff; promos, 2-for-1s, fishing wire booby traps. But nothing out of the ordinary. We used to call Megan 'the honey trap'; she'd lure them in with a winning smile and then we'd pounce. So we might just do that again. Oh, and we've had this great idea where we've got 10,000 flyers printed with the show details on; so we're going to give those out on the Royal Mile. Punters are going to love it.

What's your plan for trying to eat - and drink - healthily during the Fringe?

The Mixed Doubles diet at Fringe time consists of bagels, bagels and bagels. At the start of the month it goes: 'Oh, great, bagels yeah! I never have bagels - bagels are great!'. And then by the end it becomes: 'I'm never. Eating. Bagels. Again. I've always hated bagels.'
But apart from that, we'll just do a big monster shop at the start and hope it lasts. Plus, there's always chips and Edinburgh sauce...

What will you miss most while you're away from home?

We'll miss the Black Prince pub in Kennington; which is the little boozer we call home/spend too much time in. And in a weird way, we'll miss the 'Fringe build-up feeling'. It's like comedy Christmas coming around, we love the anticipation. But before you know it it'll all be over, and we'll all have spent too much money and put on too much weight.

Aside from performing, what else are you looking forward to doing in Scotland's fine capital?

Edinburgh is our favourite spot in the UK outside London (and not just for the great pubs). It's a beauty of a city so we'll be soaking it all in and doing our fair share of holing up in cosy coffee shops to eat avocados.

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

Pappy's, Max & Ivan, Paul Foot, Lazy Susan. And the Chuckle Brothers to MC.

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

We will be trying to avoid ZazU as we have the same setup of two guys and two girls, and there's a chance we could end up accidentally swapping groups. We're all interchangeable. But we wouldn't look as good as them in the uniforms.

Why should audiences pick your show over the 1,800+ other Fringe offerings listed on BCG this year?

Because we've got charisma, charm, intelligence, sex appeal and modesty. Lots of modesty.

'Mixed Doubles: Fundraiser' is at Just The Tonic at the Caves at 5:25pm until the 28th August. Listing