Bringing her unique blend of philosophy, pop culture and fun, Chelsea Birkby returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with her new show ‘This Is Life, Cheeky Cheeky’. Here Birkby chats to Pepper&Salt about her smart, silly comedy hour, about how we judge books by their covers and incentivises the Pepper&Salt writing staff to make a summer reading list.
How would you summarise your show?
The show is about desire, our relationship with it, and my relationship with it. Especially as somebody who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which is called a mood disorder; I think it’s a bit more about, you know when you’re depressed you have a lack of desire and then when you’re manic, it’s kind of you’re fuelled by desire – and so I’m trying to work out my relationship with it. So, the show is about desire and lust for life, and – unrelated to my bipolar disorder diagnosis – but there’s so much about ass this year.
What author or greatest mind has had the most impact on the themes that you explore in this show?
For this show, I think the author has to be Albert Camus, the novelist and philosopher. I absolutely love him, I think he’s the coolest philosopher, so that’s one reason. And I love his views on the absurd, I’ve been reading a lot of him. My first show was way more influenced by the Existentialists like Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, so there’s sort of an evolution in that. Just love him and some of his philosophy is weaved throughout the show; there’s no pre-reading required, but it’s there if you look for it.
What would you say is the riskiest part of your show?
I think this show is riskier than my last one. On the whole, it’s even more personal and my last show was a little more looking back at moments that I’m fully out the other side of whereas this show is about things that I’m still experiencing. And that’s risky because to be in something and commentating on it at the same time and then sharing that with people, that’s a risk for me and how I’m feeling. In terms of risky material, I think any time you’re discussing mental health issues, that comes with its own risk. I’m very clear to be like, “I’m talking about my own lived experience here, not what’s true for anyone else.” And in terms of ‘risk’ as in edgy stuff, I have some risky topics. A lot is about attraction, and that can be so awkward in a way that is exciting, because it’s sort of a live interaction that is happening between you and the audience. I talk about this, but if you’re talking about attractiveness, I think people in the audience can’t help but to notice whether they’re feeling attracted or not to you and that’s awkward and exciting all at the same time, and I hope to explore that.
How do you think a kind of ‘safe space’ is created for the purpose of reflecting on that idea?
It’s never direct, I never single out anyone in particular. I think that’s true of any interaction in the show or that I just do in my stand-up. I only interact with people who seem like they want to, and check “Do you mind talking to me?” So first of all, absolutely respect that, and it’s always optional too. The way it comes up in the show is I’m talking about my experience of having posted on Tik Tok ; I wasn’t expecting this but the first video I ever posted on Tik Tok, the numbers were quite good, and then I read the comments, and a whole chunk of them said, “I’d smash.” There’s this game on Tik Tok that people play called Smash or Pass which is where they, I guess it’s a GenZ version of Snog, Marry, Avoid, and that really –I talk about this in the show – confused me, because that’s not what I was anticipating, and just to be publicly rated for your attractiveness – So, in the show, I’ll be talking about that material and I think just naturally invites the, “Is that happening in the world? Is that happening, for example, right now onstage?” I think it’ll be a safe space because it’s through my experience and it’s optional, but I guess there’s an element of risk to it that it’s like, “What if we are mindful like aware of what might be going on in our interactions with people and could that even be happening in this room right now?” kind of thing.
So how does this idea translate or even materialize in stand-up?
It’s a medium where how you look is relevant, just because you’re there being perceived the whole time. That’s why so many opening gags are ‘I look like…’. I don’t even think it’s wrong that occasionally audience members might assess an act’s attractiveness, I mean I do with popstars or actors! Or like…all the time a bit? Right? Mostly it’s subtle. So, I was shocked by the comments on my first TikTok post. So, calling attention to it in stand-up, a live medium, with no usernames and blank avatars, is electric! I’m finding how to do that playfully and respectfully.
I think acknowledging looks becomes a risk is when industry discusses an individual’s attractiveness, even more so if it’s related to what’s considered conventional good looks. And I mean, my experience of that is as a woman and going back to 00s mags. So, I know for me it’d be a deal breaker if someone suggested I changed my body or face etc, I’d rather notes on like the premise or punchline. And I think sometimes reviews can sting, like it’s okay when I say I’m a bit elfy, but maybe there’s no need to riff on that in print. Mostly these days I have a thicker skin to that sort of thing, but maybe that’s skin care.
In Shakespeare, the role of the fool and the king are very distinct, with the idea that a fool can’t be a king and a king can’t be a fool. How do you think this applies to the modern context?
Socrates was known as ‘the wise fool’ and it was by asking people questions or seeming like he didn’t understand that he got the better of people. In the end he was put to death for corrupting the youth, so maybe that’s a lesson why you can’t mix the fool with politics. He specifically said, “Wisest is he who knows what he doesn’t know,” and I think comedically that’s what I love the most. I love it when somebody is sort of playing the fool, and my earliest example of this was Paris Hilton in A Simple Life, and Nicole Richie. Everybody was like, “They’re so dumb, they’re bimbos,” but really they were in on the joke the whole time, and not just in on the joke, you know, they were the ones being funny, it was them who were creating this magic. And that’s my favourite type of comedy, when somebody sort of appears stupid. In my experience, in my comedy sometimes I think I am appearing stupid, and I really know what’s going on; the performer’s confused but the writer knows. Honestly, sometimes I am just confused but it works anyway. So, in the modern context of that, I think there’s so much power in being confused and asking questions, I think that can do so much. And while they used to be separate, now I think they’re more fused than ever. If you look at Boris Johnson, he got a huge boost to his fame for being on Have I Got News For You? and being funny on that, but funny as sort of the “Oh, that silly guy.” Trump was on The Apprentice, and he was sort of a laughable character on that too. Sometimes you can laugh your way into a very powerful position, especially if people underestimate you. So, I think it’s got power, to be the fool; for exploring things and speaking truth to power. But the scary part is what if it’s a pathway to power? Which is not my ambition… “Here is where I’d like to announce that I’m running for Prime Minister in the general election.”
By Katerina Partolina Schwartz
Photo Credit: Esme Buxton
Pepper & Salt 
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