Welsh optimist Steffan Alun finally presents his hilarious debut hour. As seen on BBC Wales, S4C, supporting Elis James on tour and performing slightly less than an hour of stand-up at the Fringe every year since 2015. Steffan returns to Edinburgh to work through his latest identity crisis with an hour of excellent comedy about sexuality, pop culture and, of course, all the best things about Wales.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show/event/performance is?
Steffan Alun: Stand Up – my official Edinburgh debut hour! But it’s a culmination of a decade and a half of writing and performing comedy. Pure, classic standup, full of big laughs and a lot of joy. 9.30 pm every night in Hoot 4 at the Apex Hotel on Grassmarket!
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?
The writing is all my own, most of it honed over several years. I’ve also worked with my producer Ignacio Lopez and my brilliant friends in comedy Josh Elton, Stephanie Laing and Jake Baker to make it as much fun as possible for the audience.
After crafting the routines, what’s the best order to perform them? Can I make them funnier with my performance? Should I deliver that joke angrily or joyfully? It’s fascinating how much funnier a show can get when you work out the perfect delivery.
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
I love the festival so much. Even as costs escalated, I’m always determined to return. A month surrounded by so much art and talent and humour! It’ll be a lot of very hard work this year, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in August.
With shows from all over the world at the Fringe, what sets yours apart?
I’ve always had a different view of the world. My first language is Welsh, I’m bisexual, and I’ve been with my partner for over half my life by this point. And yet, I feel humans are all fundamentally alike, and I love finding the points of connection with strangers from anywhere and everywhere. That’s why the show is called “Stand Up” – this is for everyone. I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t enjoy this show.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
I want to exemplify the brilliance of standup comedy. We sometimes think art has to be sad to be meaningful, and comedy represents the exact opposite of that.
Your Ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t…?
Ha! My perfect audience will be a mix of people – old and young, from all over the world, queer and otherwise, all coming together to mix things up. I love when jokes land differently each night, and I have to adapt in real time.
Who ISN’T watching? Pets. Don’t bring pets. I don’t think parakeets understand my humour.
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
I’ll be performing four to seven shows a day, so I’m determined to try and see SOMETHING!
My current list is Ignacio Lopez, Josh Elton, Jake Baker, Cerys Bradley, Dave Chawner, Priya Hall, Phil Cooper, Robyn Perkins – and I’m constantly finding new names to add.
In your ideal world, how can we improve the Fringe, performance, and the industry?
Fix the economy! There will always be art, but for the Fringe and industry to survive, we need entertainment to be affordable. When access gets too expensive, it’s often the most important artists who get pushed out.
Steffan Alun: Stand Up runs at Venue 108: Hoot 4 at Apex Hotel, Grassmarket
Photo credit: Michelle Huggleston
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