Grace Campbell
And lo, another Leicester Comedy Festival comes to a close, this weekend, with a typically busy few days packed full of Weirdos and wonder, quality WIPs and big-name quips, from Lucy Pearman's double-header with Northern Power Blouse to Dom Joly walking us through his holiday snaps, on Sunday. You do hear some stories on comedy stages. That final evening also features a fascinating hour with a comic whose tales take us deep into the corridors of power.
"The show is called Why I'm Never Going Into Politics," Grace Campbell explains. "It's about my lifelong relationship with politics. When I was born my dad had just started working for Tony Blair. Then throughout my childhood my parents were in and out of Downing Street (it sounds like prison there; not sure what that says about me) but the show is essentially about why I've decided to never be a politician, and my hot takes on politics now."
Grace and her dad - New Labour spin-king Alastair Campbell - have appeared together a fair bit, sometimes to his chagrin, and while old-school politics may be a no-no, she's having an impact elsewhere.
First up there's the Pink Protest, "a collective for female activism I started with my friends Scarlett Curtis, Honey Ross, and Alice Skinner: we work on various campaigns and produce podcasts," says Campbell, who is making positive waves in the comedy world, too.
"I have also just launched my own comedy night, The Disgraceful Club. It's an all-female & LGBTQ+ comedy night which celebrates all things that we've been taught to be ashamed of. It's WILD. I'm also writing a short book for Tortoise called The Future of Men. That's why it's short, they don't have one... Kidding. They do, and I hope this book will help it."
Meanwhile the aforementioned show tours the UK until late March. But how did it all begin?
First gig?
16th of April 2018. There were about five people there and they were all performers, apart from my best friend Tyler. Tyler laughed really loudly, so actually it went better than I had imagined.
Favourite show, ever?
That's such a tough question. There are too many to choose from. I am one of those people who always remembers the last good film I've watched as my favourite film. So, I think for simplicity I'll say the last show I did of Why I'm Never Going Into Politics on Tuesday at Soho Theatre. It was an amazing show. Sadiq Khan came.
Worst gig?
When I got heckled by a woman who accused me of causing the Iraq war. No one did anything to defend me, it was my third gig, and it was a gong show so I got gonged off!
Which one person influenced your comedy life most significantly?
And who's the most disagreeable person you've come across in the business?
There are definitely some creepy guys knocking about. But I can't even remember their names.
Is there one routine/gag you loved, that audiences inexplicably didn't?
Yeah, at the moment I'm really trying to push this gag about touching Vladimir Putin's head, but no one is going with it.
Which stand-ups do you reckon might do well in politics? And why does it not happen more often?
Matt Forde. Rachel Parris. Nish Kumar. I reckon it doesn't happen more because comedy is all about freedom of expression, and politics, you aren't really allowed to express yourself in any great way.
Any memorable heckles or post-gig reactions - presumably they can get quite political?
Yes. This one woman told me I had lied about my dad going to state school and I was like 'no babes, I didn't, because I GOOGLED him'.
How do you feel about where your career is at, right now?
I'm happy. I'm very busy which is good, and I am making enough money. I can see now how this period of graft is so worth it. I'm crafting my comedy. I'm getting better and better at it. That's sick to see.