Laura Lexx

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Tuesday 31st July 2018

One random comedian, eight random questions: it's the ultimate test of funny person and fate. Our latest admirable contestant is the increasingly praise-accruing Laura Lexx, who's taking her new hour, Trying, to the Edinburgh Fringe this very week.

"My show is the happiest, most fun show about depression you'll see this year," she says. "It's a story about being a bit more honest with yourself and other people about how things are going, and I think it is the best thing I've ever done."

Right on. Laura Lexx, your Random 8 await.

What's the best thing you ever wrote?

When I was in class two, so six? My mum found some parents talking in the cloakroom about how they'd found a book some of the children had written about being "sexed in the bath" and how a boy called Terry had been told off for it. Mum looked at it and immediately recognised my writing - turns out Terry and I teamed up and he did the illustrations. I'm pretty proud of my collabro-porn.

Which song should be Britain's national anthem?

Maybe Don't Look Back in Anger? It's about as British as it gets, but also, maybe would show we know we were dicks for a few thousand years and we recognise that.

What's the most awkward date you ever went on?

Urgh, some guy in a bar in London a million years ago. We went out for dinner and he THREW his in his mouth as quickly as he could, then sat tapping his credit card on the table while I tried to speed up with my risotto as I thought he wanted to leave. Then, when I was dealing with the heartburn and trying to get my breath back, he said "Shall we go somewhere else for a drink?" and I literally ran away.

Which place you've been to was the biggest anti-climax?

The Sistine Chapel - call me a philistine but it I got in there after three days of seeing old stuff round Rome and just thought "yeah, cool, an old painting." I think I might have been a bit old-stuffed out.

What's the most life-enhancing book you've ever read?

Ooosh, life enhancing? I'm waaaaaay too British to admit to reading books that made my life better. No thank you. But the Locke Lamora; Gentleman Bastard series was one of the first things my husband and I ever bonded over so I guess I like those. MUSH!

Which historical figure should get more props?

Easy: all the women and non-white people.

Your most regrettable social faux pas?

I once gigged with someone who had struggled a little bit on stage, and then afterwards I was giving their tech guy a lift back to the producer's house for a New Year's Eve party.

As I started the engine, I thought the tech guy said "I'm surprised she'll have us back after that" and I launched into a whole "Oh, no... it wasn't that bad - maybe just the wrong crowd or night for something requiring concentration...? Blah blah blah."

The tech guy looked at me blankly and then said, "Oh, no I meant back to her house for the party after the time we spilled wine all over her carpet there." And I realised he had been telling me before about them screwing up at the party - I had just not made the connection.

There was a silence and then he said, "So, you didn't think we did well at the gig then?" and then it turned midnight in London while people partied all round us, fireworks went off and we sat in traffic, in silence.

Who was your first celebrity crush - and ever met them?

Paul Ince, and no. Oh hell I loved that man. If you're reading Paul, I'll be at the Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh every day at 5:15pm - please do pop by.