2019 Edinburgh Fringe

Dan Lees and Neil Frost get silly interview

The Establishment. Image shows from L to R: Dan Lees, Neil Frost. Copyright: Mark Dawson

The Establishment - Dan Lees and Neil Frost - who are performing Le Bureau de Strange in Edinburgh, get silly as they talk Cumbrian love of veggies and their favourite Monty Pythons.

Your comedy is often labelled as distinctly British, this year you're playing two English toffs and are of course performing in Scotland. Are there notable differences in the sense of humour of those residing in different parts of the currently-not-so-United Kingdom?

Dan: I think humour is far more universal that it is often thought, but there are slight variants for sure, for example in Cumbria they love jokes about vegetables, they can't get enough of them.

Neil: We just happen to have 20 minutes of cucumber gold material, so we thought we had it in the bag. But bizarrely they didn't go for it.

Dan: It turns out cucumbers are a fruit, who'd of thought? Comedy is a tough business.

The Establishment. Image shows from L to R: Neil Frost, Dan Lees. Copyright: David Pickens

You're also often likened to Monty Python. What's your favourite Python sketch?

Neil: The one about the funniest joke in the world, which anyone who reads dies laughing and is then used as a weapon against the Germans in WW2.

Dan: The joke is only spoken in German in the sketch and we've actually managed to have it translated and I can confirm it only gave me a slight cough and Neil had the runs for just a day or two, but we see a lot of comedy.

What is the silliest thing to have happened in 2019 so far?

Neil: In February a man on the high street in Weston-super-Mare was carrying a custard pie from the local bakery, slipped on a banana skin, planted the pie in his face and passed wind. Sadly, he died that evening.

Dan: Really? Sounds like he was trying a little too hard. Brexit is definitely the silliest thing to have not happened in 2019.

Who is sillier - Dan or Neil?

Neil: John.

Dan: Climate change.

Finally, describe Le Bureau De Strange in five words...

Dumb-assed anarchic focused foolhardy nonsense.

Published: Sunday 11th August 2019

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