Eleanor Conway

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Thursday 26th January 2017

Eleanor Conway is pursuing what we might call the Russell Brand/Joel Dommett path to comedy fame, chalking up handy screen time via music presenting early on, which certainly hasn't plunged those two into obscurity (even though MTV sacked them both).

The music stuff hasn't done Conway any harm either, as she used those well-honed interviewing chops to become a familiar face at the Edinburgh Fringe with an eventful live chat show, before launching her debut stand-up hour, Walk Of Shame, last year. Now it's progressed to a 25-date tour. Nice!

"Excited is an understatement," says Conway. "The show did really well at the Fringe and I'm so excited to still perform it around the UK. It's a show about the extremes that I go to in life and the weird places I end up. Basically sex, sobriety, Sambuca and the modern addict that lies within us all."

Let's wander back to some of those weird places now.

First gig?

It was a comedy-course showcase, which I was on with Kate Garraway (random) and with Andi Osho mentoring. I totally lost my nerve. My self confidence wasn't really there for comedy and I didn't really commit to doing comedy until several years afterwards.

Favourite gig, ever?

My first sold out London 'Walk of Shame' [show] after Edinburgh last year. I felt I'd worked really hard for it and it had all paid off. It was a real home audience and I got so high off the back of the reaction I knew in that moment I was doing the right thing.

Worst gig?

Shit, I can't remember. I don't get unnerved that easily to be honest. Maybe early on. I didn't have the stage skills to handle the room when it starts to turn. The thing to do in that situation is to fill the room with a bit of love.

The weirdest gig?

I think when the audience aren't expecting comedy or when the room is so unplayable you have to just go with it. There's a night in South London where the old men at the bar talk over you and then butt in with their own jokes. It's so bad it's good.

Who's the most disagreeable person you've come across in the business?

Experienced comics passing unsolicited judgement on what you are learning to do, or suggesting to your face that you're not cut out for comedy and that you should quit. I can't believe I'm saying this and I know it's more of a reflection of the other person, but this has happened to me more than once, and very, very early on when my confidence wasn't what it is now.

Comedy is beautiful in that there are many ways to carve a living out of it, and it has room for all kinds of voices. The industry is changing and what worked 15 years ago does not necessarily work now, and that confuses and strikes fear in some people.

Is there one routine/gag you loved, that audiences inexplicably didn't?

There's a three-gig rule. If something doesn't work three times, it's out.

What's your best insider travel tip, for touring comics?

My girl crush, Allyson June Smith, told me this: Save money travelling to Liverpool by buying a ticket London to Birmingham, and then Birmingham to Liverpool. It's longer, but costs peanuts. I think you can apply this to many northern journeys.

The most memorable review, heckle or post-gig reaction?

Best heckle ever was when I took chat-show Comedy Rumble up to the Fringe a few years ago, it was on at midnight and was this boozy raucous free for all. I bloody loved it. Anyway, a punter stands up to go to the loo midway through the show and the whole audience starts chanting 'piss in a cup, piss in a cup, piss in a cup...'

So yeah, I got heckled by a man pissing in a cup... Hahahahahahahahahaha I nearly got chucked out of my venue and the tech was so appalled she refused to tech the rest of the run until I promised no more nudity for the rest of the month. I know it's not very sophisticated humour, but it still makes me crack up thinking about it.

How do you feel about where your career is at, right now?

I'd like more, obviously, however that's a danger at any level you're at. But I think to go from a debut show to a large national tour in a period of a few months is good gains. I've got an idea of where I'm going and I'm pretty good at chucking effort at things so I think I'll be just fine.