Edinburgh Laughter Bulletin: 08/07/2025 - 29/07/2025
Martin James / Story Platform / Fringe Poster Gush
The Minterview: Martin James
If you live in Scotland and want to get into improv then the time is now! The critically acclaimed Glasgow Improv Theatre is holding auditions to build a new team this summer. You can get more info about that right here. Improv ignoramus Bobby Carroll seizes the chance to talk to co-founder Martin James and eradicate his blindspots around the form.
Excuse my ignorance but who are the pioneers of improv as a form?
It depends how far we want to go back! I’d throw out the names Viola Spolin and Del Close, but in more recent times, it’s the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB) that has pushed long-form improv into mainstream popularity. They really helped to “codify” improv, often giving names and terms to techniques that already existed, but they focussed in on making scenes as funny as possible, and it felt as if they really cracked the code. There are of course others that are doing great work, but UCB really appealed to my personal sensibilities.
Does improv appeal to a different personality type than stand up, character comedy or sketch might?
I think sketch, character, and improv all share the same personality type. It’s usually more than one person, it usually involves some acting - it’s a lot more “team sports”. Whereas standup can be more of a lone gunslinger. Although I’ve been in some lovely standup green rooms with friends, the standup green rooms can feel more tense and have a one-upsmanship energy. Whereas improv green rooms usually have a more wholesome energy, people trying to involve everyone in the conversation, it’s more relaxed - the group are trying to feel connected before a show. And if you’re a standup and you take offense to this, please confront me in the green room next time you see me!
How did you get into improv?
I heard about improv and UCB through podcasts like Comedy Bang Bang. Then when I was on holiday in LA, I took a 2 week intensive 101 course. I got absolutely hooked. I started a Harold Night when I got back to Glasgow, which eventually turned into the Glasgow Improv Theatre. Meanwhile I did an annual pilgrimage back to LA every year to complete their entire improv program, and most of their sketch program.
Treat me like an idiot… What is a “Harold”?
I would never treat you like an idiot. The Harold is a longform improv format developed by Del Close (callback), it’s usually performed by groups of 6-8 performers. The structure has a “rule of 3” element to it, where there are 3 main “threads” of scenes that can be returned to and heightened throughout the show. It usually takes about 30 minutes to complete, and by the end you can magically tie everything together - which can be mindblowing for audiences to see. To put it another way, it’s an improvised sketch show. The audience feedback is usually “you must have written that” - which is the highest praise I think.
Are there any suggestions from the audience you just simply detest?
I’ve been talking about this recently, but the classic “bad” suggestions of “dildo”, “banana”, and “Trump” seem to have disappeared surprisingly. Oftentimes teams will ask for a suggestion which is NOT food, as it’s usually quite common for hungry audience members to just shout that out. Usually the team can help avoid “bad” suggestions by having an interesting prompt for the audience. Me and John McInnes have a 2prov team called Pretty Thistle, and the prompt we are quite happy with is: “Tell us a word that you’ve learned the meaning of recently”. Which has never not gave us an interesting answer.
Who in your mind are the big names to look out for on the Scottish improv scene?
It's truly an abundance of riches in Glasgow at the moment, I feel truly lucky to be a part of it. The two current Harold Teams at the Glasgow Improv Theatre, F.L.U.S.H. and Raintown, have been doing phenomenal work. They are coming to the end of their run, however we are opening auditions again for Harold Teams in July, and already the talent looks exceptional this year.
We are also excited to put together two brand new “format” house teams that will do monthly shows similar to our other house team, Couch. Couch have a format where they do improv based off of 1 star Trip Advisor reviews. We're really excited to be developing new formats with these teams.
Finally, from a Glasgow perspective, Oasis or the Fringe?
I’d rather drink a chilled bottle of Oasis every day than obscure my beautiful large forehead.
Thanks Martin. Here’s that link again…
Gig Report: Story Platform at The Traverse
A race against the comedy clock. Story Platform sees a ragtag group of playwrights, sketch performers and stand-ups assemble together on a Monday and then try to put a live themed hour together before the lights go up on Friday night at the Traverse 2. There are scripts on stage, under-rehearsed flubs and more classroom chairs moving about than a riot at a school assembly. Telling grit and grain of a mission completed to a merciless countdown. But if the aim is to recreate the SNL experience with Scottish talent (and no advert breaks) then the hit rate achieved would put old Lorne Michaels to shame. Also the brevity. Of the fifty or so bite sized sketches, I can remember no obvious duds.
Live sketch isn’t my go to. Pappy’s. Tarot. Sure, sure. Everyone else is TV famous or really and truly a double act. I have endured Oxbridge Footlight dross of various sediments of shite in the past and let me tell you this, Story Platform had none of that overly practiced nepo drag. NRG! Hungry for laughs! Thriving on a gang show chemistry and an unfussy brute tightness. There were no darlings here. The players and director “create like children, edit like scientists” * Considering the short gestation time there was no opportunity for any flab to be developed. Get to the laugh, move on, unless the next punch is even harder.
Memorable skits included a smartly patient moment of weirdness involving a nature documentary crew and slugs. The bitter truth about Homes Under the Hammer and late stage capitalism. A Star Trek parody that warps into a revealing booty call. Cocomelon loyalty. A diaphanous spoof of a period romance series being watched by a couple on the rocks. A gleeful pooping infomercial. Plus the much needed blunt recurring callback to a bleak Animal Hospital character to add punctuation.
You may have already guessed the theme for June was Telly Channel Hopping. Perhaps that is an easy string to collect a bunch of pearls along. They all proved shiny and valuable though.
This mayfly format lives and dies by the cast list. The vibrant interactions between the bunch was raging. I’m used to what Chris Thorburn, Amanda Dwyer and Amelia Bayler bring to a stage, so I connected with their familiar voices instantaneously, appreciated how their disparate weirdo personas meshed in together the easiest. New to me, Chris Weir was a powerhouse. Bringing assurance and quirk to every role. Thorburn and he paired off nicely together, their shared scenes had a relaxed zing. The much needed playful gruffness of both Kim Blythe and Nat McClearly added ballast and definition to the sketches. A headbutt delivery of no nonsense humour much lacking in those posho chinless wonders ubiquitous with the form. And I liked the “creepy” vibes Craig-James Moncur often added with his wee Jeffrey Dahmer glasses and confident stillness.
If the powers that be really are going to push ahead with a British reheat of Saturday Night Live this year then forget about mashing together the same old safe Off The Avalon names and faces. The producers should take the Caledonian Sleeper up to Edinburgh and witness how the Story Platform group chimed so lushly together. There’s your writing room and your stars in one simple bulk buy. These are the ready for prime time players.
- Bobby Carroll
*with a little help from Tyler The Creator
Poster Gush
Here are some absolutely stunning fringe posters that have caught Bobby’s eye in the build up to August…
Oh arty! Oh Bjork-y! This fluffy installation piece of modern art was the kickstart inspiration for this article. Who designed that costume?
Jessica Fostekew: Iconic Breath
Ripped from the headlines and with a punkish Sex Pistols strut. Fostekew goes Godzilla and it is gorgeous. We were already buying a ticket, Jess! You didn’t need to sell us this hard.
Joz Norris: You Wait. Time Passes.
Could be a beloved LP’s cover art. Curious, lo-fi, kitchen sink. Made me both hyped and pumped to see Joz’s hour in August.
What Is The Edinburgh Laughter Bulletin?
A tri-weekly (the other definition) newsletter celebrating comedy in the capital city. Each post will give recommends to the 7 most exciting tours shows or mixed bills on in the city over the next three weeks. Plus special mention to new events starting up and advance warning of big names going on sale soon.
I’ll also try and include a comedian profile, mini interviews and Edinburgh gig reports (similar to what I already do at British Comedy Guide but as a bonus).
Expect about six special editions of the ELB over the Fringe. And I'll be handing these stickers out to my TOP SHOWS... Fancy that!