2015 Edinburgh Fringe

Colin Leggo answers 10 Edinburgh Fringe Questions

Colin Leggo

If you don't go to see one-legged Cornishman Colin Leggo at this year's Fringe, it's probably disability discrimination.

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

My first gig was back in 1998 where, unlike any other human being ever, I did a full 30 minute set as part of Uni variety night. With the audience being mostly drunk students it got an okay reaction generally, although the phrase 'all killer and no filler' certainly didn't apply to that half an hour!

Sixteen years on, although there was a four year gap in the middle, I've learnt a lot and achieved a fair amount, having opening two well established comedy clubs, performed up and down the country and conquered YouTube, well the Cornish corner of it anyway.

2. Describe your show in exactly 23 words.

The story of one man who now has one lonely leg and the decade of problems before that leg was on its own.

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

I think I owe it to my stupid limbs to have a successful Edinburgh for once. Whenever I've come up before there's always been at least two visits to the A&E department at the Royal Infirmary. In 2010 they knew me by my first name by the end of the month! Now the leg is gone I intend to run freely around the city of Edinburgh trouble-free. What could go wrong?

4. Any cunning plans to get more punters in?

The sympathy vote. You see a one legged man limping around the Royal Mile, you've got to come to see his show, right? If not it's disability discrimination I'm sure. Either that or I'll woo them with leg puns. Step this way, the show's come on leaps and bounds, etc etc..

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

An arm and a leg. Sorry. It's hard to give an actual figure but let's just say there'll be phone calls from the bank that I'll try and avoid for a few months after it's all over.

6. What's your weirdest past Fringe experience?

Although this is my first one man show, I've been up several times with different sketch shows. In 2003 me and my sketch buddies decided to walk out of the show (I'm not proud) inspiring most of the remaining audience to do the same. Outside, having been followed by 20 other relieved punters, one tapped me on the shoulder and said "thank God you left, we would've been trapped forever!". That person was Janet Street-Porter. She went on to say "I hate walking out of stuff, I'm a kind person really". It was then that I noticed she was wearing a beautiful necklace which simply read the word 'Cunt'.

7. What other shows are you hoping to see?

I'm a big fan of puns and so I'm hoping to go and see Stewart Francis when I can. I also want to find some hidden gems, in those venues which are a little off the beaten track.

Colin Leggo

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

We'd open our programme with the brilliant stand-up Jessica Fostekew, followed by some wonderful silliness from Paul F Taylor. Fantastic character comedian Susan Harrison would be the tasty filling in my comedy sandwich, followed by a masterclass in joke telling from Stewart Lee. To finish off we'd have a dirty, messy, sweaty man fest of an act in the form of We Are Klang. Those boys make me want to be sick, but in such a good way.

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

Myself back in 2003! I was such a nob then. Standing as a statue you on the Royal Mile, lying down giving out flyers on the Royal Mile, harassing people on the Royal Mile, I'd hate me now.

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

Where else can you see a Cornishman with one leg telling real life stories about a life changing event for an hour? And it's just before lunch, what a perfect time. Come and see a show about legs and then get a Subway sandwich; make it a footlong.

'Leggoland' is at 1:30pm at The Blind Poet on 6-16, 18-30 August. Listing

Published: Sunday 2nd August 2015

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