Interview: Mae Martin

The hugely likeable, charismatic Mae Martin heads to Bristol this month: and her new show has an unusual format.

Following a sell-out UK tour, and sell-out seasons in London, Edinburgh and Australia, Mae returns with a free-flowing, experimental hour where every night will be unique.

The 2018 Chortle Award winner and 2017 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee is the star of her own stand-up special for Comedy Central along with two award-nominated series for BBC Radio Four.

“Fast becoming the finest comedian of her generation” ***** Metro
“Effortlessly amusing – Mae’s gentle charm is highly watchable” **** The Times

Ahead of her appearance at the 1532 Performing Arts Centre, brought to you by ace Bristol comedy promoters Chuckle Busters, here’s Mae to tell us more.

So, the new show is based entirely on audience suggestions. Is that more or less nerve-wracking than a conventional set?
There’s always a moment right before I go on stage, with nothing prepared, where I think “what the HELL am I doing?” and want to climb out the window. But audiences are also more forgiving when they know you’re making it up on the spot. Thank God.

What made you want to do a show like this, in fact? The challenge? Exercise a different comic muscle? Seen it done well elsewhere and wanted to emulate it?
I used to improvise as a way to generate material, and it’s just the most fun I’ve ever had on stage, so I thought why not hone it as a one-hour format and get the audience involved!
It’s definitely a different comic muscle – it makes you stop trying to be smart and instead just remember what was goofy about you when you were 11 years old and tap into that.

What sorts of topics came up during your London run in August? Any favourites or particularly challenging ones?
There were a LOT of sex questions. People are, unsurprisingly, perverts, which is fine. And then, weirdly, one that kept coming up was “What would you rather fight, a horse-sized duck, or 12 duck-sized horses?”. Seriously, I got that same question about five times. Is that a British inside joke I’m not aware of?

You started stand-up at 13… you must have been a confident 13-year-old? Are you still as confident now?
I must have been an incredibly irritating 13-year-old, yeah. I thought I was Jim Carrey and never stopped talking. I would say I’m less confident now as an adult, which is alarming isn’t it?! This was a good interview question,  I’ll discuss it in therapy!

You’re writing your first non-fiction book… how is that going?
I never graduated high school, and the longest thing I’ve ever written is basically the answers to these questions, so it’s been challenging. But I’m really really excited for it to come out, it’s aimed at young people and it’s about sexuality and I hope it’s helpful and funny.

In cash-strapped, social-services-dismantling, Brexit Britain, do you find yourself longing for your liberal, socialist, open-minded Canada?
I’m well suited to the grim self-loathing and angst of the British political climate, it gives me something to stress about. But I definitely long for the warm embrace of Trudeau.

Mae Martin visits the 1532 Performing Arts Centre on Thursday, Oct 11. For more info and to book tickets, visit www.1532bristol.co.uk/whats-on-and-news/events/the-mae-martin-experiment

Read more: Interview: Catherine Bohart (The Square Club, Oct 18)