2017 Edinburgh Fringe

Interview

Three questions with Australian comedian Yianni Agisilaou.

It's your 10th Edinburgh Fringe - what have you learnt in your years performing there?

Well, I always tell anyone in Australia who asks that doing even one Fringe is a great comedy education. So doing ten makes me a real sage. I stand beneath the castle with my arms around greenhorns doing their debut shows, looking down the hill and say, "Back in 2002, the Royal Mile was apricot trees as FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE!"

What have I learnt? "Summer" in Scotland is a relative term, so pack warm. Whilst nine out of every ten "edgy" comics really just need a hug, the tenth one is often a genius. If you want to experience something like the Edinburgh Fringe but don't want to travel all the way to Scotland, tough tatties. There's nothing like the Fringe anywhere else in the world.

Since you started writing this show, how many little hidden everyday sexisms have you realised? Give us some examples.

I've noticed that men (often older men) direct all conversation relating to cars, beer, directions, money and other "man things" to the other male in a conversation even if the female is patently the more knowledgeable party.

My girlfriend and I were at a B&B in Yorkshire and the man who ran it was telling us about his microbrewery. Coincidentally, my girlfriend's brother also runs a microbrewery, so she knows HEAPS about microbreweries. I, on the other hand, know NOTHING about microbreweries. So she was asking informed, thoughtful questions: what sorts of beer they brew, hire to buy barrel leasing, etc. But even though I clearly knew NOTHING about what were talking about and my girlfriend knew heaps, he was directing all of his answers to ME. Looking at me. Responding TO me.

I've noticed the same thing with directions. My girlfriend will ask for directions, a lot of men will respond to me. Even though she's the one driving and the one who asked. That's just two. Make up, primping, hair removal. There are thousands.

Did you keep your girlfriend's trousers or give them back?

Keep them?! Are you kidding? I actually think they should be banned under the Geneva Convention. Or is that the Jeaneva Convention (zing!) No, I gave them back to her and then we went to Uniqlo and got her a pair of men's jeans. Remember, the goal of feminism is to pull everyone up to men's standards not drag everyone down!

I look at women's clothes with fresh eyes since I walked a mile in my girlfriend's pockets. So many have thoroughly impractical pockets, or sometimes mirages that look like pockets until you try to put your hand in them to find that they're just 'drawn on'. How can you draw on a pocket?! I expect Scottish men, periodically donning a sporran with their kilt for weddings and Hogmanay, to understand this better than those down south!