Pojj

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Friday 26th November 2021

Hold the flaming tinsel, folks: it's not the festive season yet and there's still lots of hot new comedy to consume before we gorge ourselves to oblivion. Adventures in Pojjland, for example. In where? It's the impressively high-concept new podcast from sketch trio Pojj. They have pushed the boat out; or Pojjed the boat out. But why?

"When the world conspired to stop all live performance, we had the entirely novel idea of turning to an audio series/podcast," the collective Pojj brain explains. "Seriously, we don't know why no one else is doing this! Ours is a short form, scripted anthology style series, with each of the three of us taking two episodes to lead-write.

"It's basically the three of us (James, Pete and Hughie) taking listeners through the world in our collective heads - Pojjland if you will. Will you? Please do. We go to prison, cause an international scandal, fall down a well. That kind of thing."

The first few episodes are out there now, and new episodes launch on Tuesdays. Then, Christmas! But first - history.

First gig?

Our first gig together as Pojj was with the brilliant folk at Mr Whippy's, the new material night at the Betsy Trotwood. It was basically like a normal gig really, only except Hughie couldn't make it and we decided to perform our three-person sketches as a duo alongside a coat hanger with a picture of his face stuck on top.

At this point we can't remember if it was a good idea or a bad idea... we haven't tried it since though, probably says it all.

Favourite show, ever?

Late-night mixed-bill show at Brighton Fringe, we were opening. The entire front row was a stag do - the stag was putting the 'stag' in 'staggeringly drunk' and had tried to light a cigarette before taking to the stage to talk on the mic.

Dave Fensom was doing a heroic job as MC trying to stop him and win the group over, but they ended up getting kicked out by security before the show had started and, in what can only be described as an 'I'm Spartacus' moment for all the dickheads in East Sussex, at least half the audience chose to leave with them in protest, to chants of "let them stay" from the remaining bunch.

We were absolutely convinced that they would want nothing more than tearing this trio of sketch boys limb from limb, but after 10 minutes of raucous laughter we left the stage to an enormous ovation. It felt absolutely amazing. So many emotions packed into half an hour.

Worst gig?

Our first tentative steps to performing at the Edinburgh Fringe was an early afternoon seven-day run on the Free Fringe in a BrewDog a fairly decent walk from the main hub of the rest of the Festival. One day the audience was Pete's parents, the lovely comedian Jack Barry and two foreign tourists eating burgers in the corner who fairly obviously had walked into the wrong room. Truthfully it wasn't that bad a gig, but it was very memorable.

Which one person influenced your comedy life most significantly?

We met when performing together with the Bristol Revunions, who had just had a stellar line-up all in one year including Jamie Demetriou, Ellie White, Mat Ewins and Charlotte Ritchie. We're not really like any of those, but we've been following them and getting inspiration for years and are so chuffed to see their successes now.

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

Lee Griffiths over at Soho Theatre and Late Night Gimp Fight. Horrible bloke, only out for himself. Truly disagreeable. Is that going to come across as a joke? Everyone knows just how much of a gem he is, right?

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

We collectively created a character called Orange-Gina who Hughie bravely put on stage. A 1970s pop star who'd represented her beloved Netherlands and since fallen on hard times. It was a one-and-done situation, performed to absolute silence. Still think there's something in it but absolutely not making Hughie go through that again.

How were your lockdowns, generally and creatively?

Oooh tough question. Well 2020 was going to be our full Edinburgh Fringe debut, we had a venue and a lovely slot and were going to throw everything at it. In that sense lockdown was deeply, crushingly disappointing. But it also allowed us to try our hand at this podcast and we're really proud of it, so silver linings. Pete also recently had a daughter, so that's quite big really.

Any reviews, heckles or post-gig reactions stick in the mind?

We were tour support for Max & Ivan in Tiverton and had got to a bit where Hughie strips down to his pants. An audience member shouted "get them off". We're still not sure if he was talking about the pants or to Max & Ivan about us three.

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

If there's a production company who would like to pay us to make the second series of Adventures in Pojjland then we'd feel fantastic. When Pete's back from his paternity leave from live performance, we'll get back on stage at the VAULT Festival with a show called Showmen, maybe ask us after that (P.S. buy tickets).

Adventures in Pojjland is out every Tuesday on platforms including Spotify and iTunes