Robin Morgan's Brush with Uproar - and Basil interview

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Friday 12th July 2019

The likeable comic is rustling feathers with his new Fringe show.

It's funny how things crop up. We recently got chatting to the fine stand-up and writer Robin Morgan, and a couple of fascinating facts emerged re the forthcoming Edinburgh Fringe: (1) he's been writing for Basil Brush. And (2) he's had walkouts during previews.

And the walkouts are more surprising than the Brush business, in truth. The idea that the well-liked Welshman would cause anyone to storm off seems unlikely, but then his new show, What a Man, What a Man, What a Man, What a Mighty Good Man (Say It Again Now), is a departure from his previous stuff, and not just in terms of ludicrous title length. "It's the most socio-political show I've done, for sure," he told us.

Robin did get water chucked at him every night during his last show, come to think of it, but we'll come back to that. First, the new one.

Tell us about What a Man... Was there a particular motivation for writing it?

It started during my show last year - talking about the double standards of being praised when I'm with my son, compared to my wife. And then it got me thinking about male privilege in general. I've also thought it would be good to write a 'dead-dad show,' while my dad is still alive to see it. So it's really a love letter to both him and my son.

How have the previews been going - surprisingly contentious, we hear?

I had FIVE walk-outs in May alone. I didn't think it was contentious, but clearly it is! First one was bafflingly at the lovely Machynlleth Comedy Festival - two grumpy men walked out once I started talking about toxic masculinity. I was a bit worried I'd upset them, then they came back in to tell their wives to leave. So I think I'm pissing off the right kind of people.

Any plans for the actual being-in-Edinburgh experience this time?

I'm trying to see more shows this year. Last year I worked really hard, did at least four gigs a day, flyered four hours a day, and I want to enjoy the festival a bit more this time. My wife and son are up for the first fortnight, so I'll be seeing the Amazing Bubbleman most mornings I reckon.

I'm also planning not to booze - my wife will be eight months pregnant so could go anytime, so I need to stay alert in case she 'does a Romesh's wife' and we have an Edinburgh baby.

How did the Basil Brush gig come about? And what was your exact, word-for-word response to that offer?

Oh my lord, what a dream it is. I'm helping out on the script of Basil Brush's adult live show. The team are wonderful. I used to watch it as a kid and now I'm in meetings where he's sat in a box like Gwyneth Paltrow in Se7en. I think my response was "yes fucking please." Which is very un-Basil. But hey. It's an adult show.

Is Basil a tough taskmaster? I imagine he's ruthlessly ambitious, like that jazz teacher in the film Whiplash.

It's more like Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society. Just an inspiration. The first meeting I had with him, he told me I had nice legs. What a gentleman.

Your last show, Honeymoon, ended with people throwing water in your face - how did that come about?

It came about because I've never been in a fight, never been punched, never had a drink thrown in my face. And I thought it would be fun to have a big ending to the show - it was a really stupid visual. My wonderful friend and tech Katie was superb in Edinburgh. I think she really enjoyed it. Sometimes there was ice in it, lemon and lime in others. Once a cocktail umbrella. A real treat.

You then toured that show - do any of the various water-chuckers stick in the mind?

On tour it was trickier. I think some venues thought the request was diva-ish, like a Mariah Carey rider note to see if they were reading it.

On the final date of the tour, the job fell to a lovely usher, who, bless him, in the heat of the moment, forgot the cue, so didn't throw it. So my final date of my first tour had to end with "Stephen, could you throw a drink in my face, please?"

I've learnt my lesson this year - no silly endings.

What else have you got planned, post-Fringe?

I'll be touring this show in the Spring, so looking forward to that. I'm writing a Radio 4 show with Ellie Taylor which will be wonderful. I've got a couple of sitcoms pottering around the place, so need to work on those, AND my brilliantly supportive wife will be giving birth to a daughter. Basil Brush will be the godfather. All exciting stuff.