Comedy: Sara Pascoe
Ahead of her Edinburgh preview show, Sara Pascoe chats to Victoria Nangle about history, dogs, and freezing ex-boyfriends
Hi Sara, how are you doing today?
Hey! I am very well thank you, I’m writing this from New Zealand. It is sunny outside, with beaches and mountains aplenty, yet I am indoors doing admin.
The show you’re previewing is called Sara Pascoe Vs History. That’s quite a fight you’ve picked. Are you not scared of the punch History might pack?
You’re right, History is a lot older and more experienced than I am and would definitely win, but it’s not that kind of fight. It’s a show about the influence biological history/evolution has on humans now, as well as how our personal and parental histories affect us… and whether they can be defeated!
If you could live in any period in history when would suit you best?
Now! I think life for women was pretty shocking at any point in civilised history. I feel very lucky to have been born in the western world in the 1980s. In very olden times, when humans were still tribes dwelling outdoors it might have been okay, although I don’t think I would want to have lived before painkillers, actually.
Looking forward now, what have you got planned for the next twelve months – professionally and personally?
I always set too many aims. I have the Edinburgh Festival of course, which will be my fifth. And I have written a play which I am going to have a short run of in London, while I keep working on it. I have done a couple of episodes of QI which will come out in the autumn. But I would also like to write a book and another play and do a degree, probably in history or economics, and have seven children and rescue stray cats and be a famous gymnast or swimmer. And then the year after I will go into politics.
What invention do you hope is discovered to make your life easier in the next five years?
There should be a humane freezing process that you can apply to exes so they can’t kiss anyone else ever again, and you won’t have to see any pictures of how happy they are on Facebook and things.
I keep hearing you on BBC Radio 4 – lots of fun. What would you do with your own radio show if there were no limits of practicality put upon it?
I would want Germaine Greer to be in it, and playing herself as a character. Her boyfriend would be Sigmund Freud and they would always be arguing.
What’s your favourite thing to do on a day off?
I love going for a nice swim, and then a huge teapot of green tea and some vegan cake. If I don’t have a gig I love a cheeky late-afternoon wine while reading a book outside somewhere.
What are your favourite memories of Brighton – I heard a rumour that you might have lived here for a while?
I went to Sussex Uni so lived there for three years, but that was ten years ago so Brighton has changed a lot. I actually like it a lot more now. But I had a dog called Rusty when I lived there, and he used to love chasing pebbles on the beach and walking on the Downs … there is just nothing more wonderful than walking for hours with a waggly dog.
Sara Pascoe Vs History, Caroline of Brunswick, Saturday 12 July, 8pm, £6.50/5
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