Tiff Stevenson
Published: Thursday 23rd February 2017
The stupendous Tiff Stevenson is really working the cutting-edge comedy thing right now: she has more platforms than Tom Cruise's shoe cupboard. There's a tour for her current show Seven, including two outings at London's Bloomsbury Theatre, while - according to the interview below - a previous live show will soon debut on the fine new comedy streaming site NextUp.
She's also in several sitcoms, showing online and on regular TV, and even has a hand in a satirical new Twitter account. It was very different back in the early days...
First gig?
In a lesbian bar called the Glass House in Euston. The most wonderful/supportive crowd you could hope for. The venue only allows women so my gay bestie went in drag. I imagine that would be frowned upon now. Although she is now, many years later, living as a woman. I'm like a gateway drug to womanhood.
Favourite show, ever?
Probably Reading Festival. I got a guy out of the audience and did the entire Wuthering Heights dance routine at him. He was terrified but it was very funny and I did a cartwheel and showed my knickers to 4000 people.
Worst gig?
Tie between a corporate gig for building service engineers and agricultural students.
Who's the most disagreeable person you've come across in the business?
Oh, there are a few, this is a business that attracts power hungry narcissists: I'm sure Donald Trump will bang out a set before long. One particular person sticks in my mind, someone that many people rate, but in my mind is just a bit of a bully.
Weirdest gig?
I once did a gig outdoors in the Middle East and was heckled by the sound of helicopters flying over. Between that and getting bitten by mosquitos it wasn't my favourite.
Is there one routine/gag you loved, that audiences inexplicably didn't?
I had a routine about money in my Optimist show, which is coming out on NextUp in March. It's clever but I never think it got what it deserved when I performed it.
What's your best insider travel tip, for touring comics?
Ohhh, OBVS Westmorland Services are the best but I think everyone knows that. The sleeper train is a lie... they should call it the 'awaker' train cos you ain't getting no zzzzz's on that bad boy.
The most memorable review, heckle or post-gig reaction?
I had a review from The Herald which said that I was an 'important, provocative, hilarious comic' which I think is the best review I've ever had and obviously they are correct. Also heckles are like BTL [below the line] comments, they can fuck off. Post gig? I once had an email from a fellow dermatillomania sufferer who said he hadn't been out of the house in months and my show made him feel less alone. So that felt pretty good.
How do you feel about where your career - or careers - are at, right now?
Very happy about them. With stand-up I still feel like there is new ground to be broken and stuff to say; also, new ways of saying it like creating [Twitter account] Bridget Trump's Diary. I'm lucky enough to be working on my own pilot with Warner Bros which is kind of a dream come true.
Also the acting front has lots of exciting stuff in store this year: People Just Do Nothing Series 4, White Gold, GameFace (am so excited to be a part of this because Roisin is a genius) and a new pilot, Superheroes.
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