Interview: Cass Briggs, Bristol Comedy Garden

Bristol Comedy Garden returns to Queen Square from 8-12 July: five nights of top comics performing in a big top in Queen Square, with bars and live music providing the backdrop. This year’s lineup includes the brilliant Stewart Lee and comic, musophile and 6Music presenter Adam Buxton, plus Mark Watson, Nina Conti, Tim Key and many more. This year’s additions, meanwhile, include a pop-up restaurant and live music every evening in the Magners Orchard.

We grabbed festival organiser Cass Briggs for a quick chat.

How does the Comedy Garden come about each year?
First we see when Queen Square is available, and then we put the feelers out to see which dates work best for the acts we’d love to bring along. Once we’ve set the date and confirmed a few big names, we set about slotting the million and one other things into place.
I organise the festival with my older brother Will – we joke that he books the acts and I take care of the toilets. There’s obviously a bit more to it than that, but that shows where our priorities lie!

How long does the process take?
Will and I work on it all year round with the rest of the team coming on board about six months before we open the gates. This is our fourth year down on Queen Square now, so we’ve got a great bunch of local crew and suppliers that we love getting back in touch with each year.

What makes Bristol the right host city for you?
The people! Pretty much everyone we come across, whether suppliers or punters, has a wonderful attitude towards their job, the festival and, it seems, life in general. Our audience totally appreciates what we’re trying to do and seem genuinely pleased that we’ve taken the time to bring this festival to their city.
We’re from the West Country originally – the Blackdown Hills, Somerset – which makes us even more proud of the festival’s success. It’s a proper night out with all the trimmings and I think that’s why our audiences come back each year and bring their mates along too.

How weather-dependent is the festival?
At the very first festival in 2011 we had Russell Howard on the opening night. As the crowds gathered outside a monsoon-esque shower descended. I thought we were doomed. But in true Bristol style, brollies came out, bags went on heads, the gates opened and the people streamed in totally unfazed. The night turned out to be fantastic and the band played an impromptu Singin’ in the Rain during the interval. On the whole, though, we’ve had great weather.

What’s new for this year?
We’re all really excited about the launch of the Magners Orchard. We always want to get as many people as possible along to enjoy the festival whether they’re seeing a comedy show or not. Teaming up with Magners has meant that we can present a superb (and totally free) programme of music, comedy and cabaret as well as some hilarious old-style games.

Who are you most excited to see this year?
Paul Foot is an absurdist genius – his show in the Apple Top on Saturday afternoon should be pretty special. Felicity Ward (Apple Top, Fri 10) is definitely one to watch and the living legend that is Stewart Lee (Big Top, Wed 8) will no doubt get this year’s festival off to a good start.

Bristol Comedy Garden Wednesday, July 8 to Sunday, July 12, Queen Square. For more info and to book tickets, visit www.bristolcomedygarden.co.uk