Rachel Parris is one of the startlingly talented comedy performers in the country, excelling as both a member of improv superstars Austentatious as well as being a wonderful musical comedian in her own right.
She’s joining us on Saturday 19th December as part of Laugh Out London’s comedy fundraiser for Shelter at Grotto at the HoHo Theatre. And she’s looking forward to it.
If you could design a Christmas jumper what would you have on it?
Rudolph noses on a snowy landscape (red dots on white)
What date do you put up the Christmas decorations in your house and how far do you go?
As soon as possible. I put up all the trimmings – pigs in blankets, stuffing and roast parsnips.
Christmas has been associated with a lot of classic comedy moments, from Morecambe and Wise to The Royle Family. What are your Christmas comedy memories?
Coronation Street Christmas story lines are better than life.
What is the worst present you have received at Christmas?
Ashoe-polishing kit. I laughed and gave it away. But cut to me now, 31, owning some real leather boots and who’s laughing now?! no-one. no-one’s laughing. and my shoes look like shit.
Are you looking forward to performing in such a unique space as The Grotto of comedy?
I am! I really love performing in unusual spaces, and i especially love performing in christmassy spaces so this is a double whammy.
What’s the strangest location you’ve performed in previously?
I did an improv show in a pod on the London Eye. It was awful and we got massively upstaged by the panoramic view.
We will be raising lots of money for Shelter this year – An estimated 100,000 children thought to be homeless in the UK this Christmas. Discuss!
That’s a terrifying statistic. If the last few years have shown us anything its that becoming homeless could happen to anyone – our friends, our family, and ourselves, too easily, and there isn’t the help there should be from the government, so lets bloody do it ourselves. A great cause, and not just at Christmas either.
Categories: Comedy blog, Interviews
