2015 Edinburgh Fringe

Elf Lyons answers 10 Edinburgh Fringe Questions

Elf Lyons. Copyright: Andy Hollingworth

Elf Lyons talks about nudity, why she doesn't want to meet Eeyore, and her perfect comedian line-up below...

1. Tell us about your career so far. Are you happy with where you're at?

I am supremely happy with where I am in my comedy-career so far. I love being a comedian and working alongside lots of other comedians. It is a great world to be part of. I wanted to be a comedian when I was 15 and started performing at Uni in 2010. I can't imagine doing any other career.

2. Describe your show in exactly 23 words.

A sexy-space quest involving talcom-powder, emotional sharks, budget erotica, a posh dressage-horse and a naughty political red-head (me). Laughter also.

3. Why are you putting yourself through this famously stressful experience?

I just really love hills, immense amounts of anxiety, tons of paper waste, tourists, drizzle, Gothic re-imaginings of Alice in Wonderland at C Venues and falafels at 3am.

Sincerely, this will be my seventh year at the festival and it has been my home away from home since I was 18. I adore it. I love everything about the Festival. I can't imagine suffering a mental breakdown anywhere else.

4. Any cunning plans to get more punters in?

Kim Kardashian has promised to flyer for me.

&

A Giant Net.

5. How much money do you think you'll lose/make this year?

With the money I'll make this year I hope to pay off the majority of Greece's national debt.

That, and finally go on my dream romantic holiday to North Korea.

Elf Lyons. Copyright: Andy Hollingworth

6. What's your weirdest past Fringe experience?

True fact: I have only ever performed with comedian Alexis Dubus (Marcel Lucont) naked. We have never seen each other do stand-up with our clothes on. I can't imagine seeing Alexis WITH clothes on.

We first performed together at the Naked Brunch at C Venues in 2010 (it was my 4th EVER stand-up gig and I did 20 minutes of stand-up with nothing but my red hat on). Then, last year I performed at The Naked Cabaret at Underbelly with acts such as Trygve Wakenshaw and Womanz. It's one of the best worst-kept secrets of the Fringe, so do make sure you get involved if you can when it happens this year...

7. What other shows are you hoping to see?

There are so many shows to see and I can't wait to unearth something new and exciting.

Looking forward to Stand-Up Slam and fellow Naked Cabaret performers Scarlett Belle and Tamar Broadbent. Scarlett is a burlesque super-star with brilliant songs, dances and cheeky stories. Tamar Broadbent is one of the funniest comedians I know. A fierce feminist with great comic writing and musical ability.

James Hamilton's solo hour at the Voodoo Rooms is going to be bloody amazing too if his previews are anything to go by. He's like a living character from Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected.

Other than that, the programme at Voodoo Rooms this year is astoundingly brill and I'm looking forward to seeing more Clown performances this year.

8. If you took over programming a venue, what would you perfect line-up of comedians be?

My dream line-up would probably include the following....

Dave Allen, Joan Rivers, Tommy Cooper, Emo Phillips, Trevor Noah, Dan Lees, Dr Brown, Helen Duff, Paul Currie, Bec Hill, Ben Target, Amy Howerska, Matthew Highton, Demi Lardner and Joe Hart.

9. Name the one person you'd rather not bump into during the festival.

Eeyore.

Total wanker.

10. Why should audiences pick your show over the 1,700+ other comedy offerings at this year's festival?

Because it is a complete caterwauling of fun and lovely laughter. Being Barbarella is a little bit niche, a little bit geeky, a little bit factual, a little bit rude, but it is passionate, full of love, and it's got lots of laughs in it. It is a sexy funny storytelling word orgasm in 50 minutes.

'Elf Lyons: Being Barbarella' is at 7:50pm at The Voodoo Rooms on 8-23, 25-30 August. Listing

Published: Tuesday 28th July 2015

Share this page