Interview: Jason Byrne
A whirling dervish of a comedian, writer, interviewer, panelist and creative whirligig – Jason Byrne is coming to Hove with his brand new show The Man With Three Brains. He speaks with Victoria Nangle about badger-spotting, how his brain works, and what the Jason Byrne bar would look like.
Hi Jason, how are you doing today – up to any adventures?
Today I’m taking out a new two-year-old horse to break it in. My neighbour breaks in horses so I help him in my time off. That and tonight we badger spot.
Your show is called The Man With Three Brains, revealing the inner workings of the comic brain. What is it that surprises an audience the most about being a comedian when you disclose it?
How good looking and tall I am, they can’t believe I can exist like that and be funny at the same time. Also the speed of wit amazes them, and the fact that many of us comics don’t like Blur.
Did you have to dig deep with self-examination for this show, or was it more license to let fly with your ideas?
I have been like this for 22 years, so this show is more of an outing. I can finally admit that my brain works in many insane ways, and it’s very different to a lot of brains out there. I will be totally letting it fly, in fact the whole audience will let fly as we – altogether as a group – lose the plot.
What is your writing process when you have a new show in the works?
I write on stage, bring ideas up there or silly props and expand the idea. I never stop so my shows are very different all
the time. Once, audience members brought props and left them on the stage for me to play with, I kept some props and brought them onto other shows. Because of the nature of my material, it changes with the audience and my surroundings. I’m the chameleon of the comic world.
You’ve always had masses of energy (no pun intended) on stage in your shows. How do you keep your energy levels up when you’re on tour so as not to deplete?
I don’t drink, and I exercise a lot. I’ll find different running tracks to go on around Britain or train with a local group in whatever sport, running, football, etc.
The whole audience will let fly as we altogether as a group, lose the plot
What is your cast-iron cure-all recipe to Fringe flu or tour temperature, when you feel rubbish but need to knock it out of yourself?
I find running in a half full or empty hot bath works. Make sure the bathroom is full of steam and run in the bath, it works a treat. Just don’t wear your runners, oh and a drop of Vicks in the bath.
My favourite word is ‘oops’ as is means a story is happening when someone says it. What is your favourite word, or noise, and why?
You can’t print any of my favourite words, but other favourite words are, over, done, finished, end, behind, backwards, in and out…
I just love, love making.
There’s a fair bit of audience participation in your shows. In all your times getting people involved, who has stuck with you the most in terms of someone you have drawn into the action, and why?
A group of teenagers were playing in the laneway of a venue I was in, kicking the ball against the exit door, I opened the door and brought them in to say hello to the audience. We played keepy uppy with the ball for 10 minutes on stage. Loved it.
Man walks into Jason Byrne’s Bar, orders ‘the usual’, he’s a regular… can you describe the bar, the man, and ‘the usual’?
The bar is very very old, in fact the oldest pub in the world, it’s dark and has no music, two people may have passed away in the corner recently, the usual is… is a beer from Glasgow brewed in Germany, can’t remember the name of it, but that’s what his usual is… or HERS!!!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat today. Out of your plans for today, what are you most looking forward to?
Getting off the horse and relaxing in an ice bath just large enough for my testicles. And man is it large!
Jason Byrne: The Man With Three Brains, The Old Market, Saturday 25 November 2017, 8pm, from £19.50, theoldmarket.com
