Freya Mallard talks to Pepper&Salt about her upcoming Edinburgh Fringe debut, Bounce Back, as well as covering everything from her experience of the comedy industry, parenthood and the concept of ‘having it all’.
What are you looking forward to about making your Edinburgh Fringe debut?
It’ll be very intense in some ways but more chilled out in others because I’ve always made it a point to have a lot of fun in past years with. I’ve known one day I’ll be doing my debut and it’ll be stressful; so I’d be watching loads of shows and hanging out all night with friends and you know, staying out too late and being too tired for my show the next day that kind of thing, and just having a really good time when it was quite low-stakes, Free Fringe, split bills, that kind of thing. And now I’m looking forward to just really knuckling down and being pretty-eyes on like no being distracted, being really really focused on the show, going home every day and just hanging out with my family and maybe feeling like a not-so typical Fringe for once, because I won’t be so involved in it. I won’t see loads of shows, I might not see lots of friends, but I’m excited to really go for it in that way. To really work hard.
How did you start doing comedy?
I started doing comedy because I didn’t get into drama school, and I kind of was relieved, and I thought, “You know, actually I’m happy that I don’t need to do Shakespeare for 4 years.” I was only in it for the comedy anyway. So, then I kind of was inspired by people like Sharon Horgarn and thought that maybe I could give comedy writing a go. I found a university course, and we had to do stand-up in the second year, we had to give it a go. And I think I wouldn’t have done it had it not been for that. I gave it a go and got the bug and really liked it. And now, I do it more than anything else.
What is the main idea that you are trying to explore in this hour?
A different title alternative would be something a play on the words having it all, but I chose to go with Bounce Back. But yeah, the concept of having it all. I’m really happy that my partner is taking up a show to the Fringe – Tom Ward – his show is going to be at 9pm, Choose Your Delusion. And I’m really happy he’s taking a show up as well because it really puts a light on the fact that we both had a new baby, but there’s only one person everyone’s really really concerned about doing a show and that’s me, because being a new mum is very different to being a new dad. And I really wanted to do the show any way and just show that you can keep it going, you can keep your career going and I’m not going to let it stop me. And I’m going to make him participate in parenthood equally, basically.
“it really puts a light on the fact that we both had a new baby, but there’s only one person everyone’s really really concerned about doing a show and that’s me, because being a new mum is very different to being a new dad.”
What would you say is your favourite part of the show?
I’m hooking in this one joke that doesn’t have any business being in the show, but I love it so much; it’s so silly and ridiculous that it’s going to have to go in there and anyone that reads this interview will be able to spot it when it comes out. It’s got nothing to do with parenthood, but I’ll find a way to get it in. My favourite bit of the show I think is going to be starting it, I’m really excited. I love the feeling of being at the start of somebody’s hour and them setting the tone for how the show’s going to be going forward. So, I’ve been thinking a lot about like, “What feeling do I want people to feel the second the lights come up?” I’ve got some little plans in place for that.
Apart from your own show, what other shows at this year’s Fringe would you recommend?
I’m really excited to see John Tothill’s second show, I love him. I’m really excited to see Celya AB come back again. Colin Hoult is doing stand-up as himself instead of Anna Mann, and that’s just going to blow my mind, I’m sure. I’ve never been less on social media than I currently am, so I don’t really know every single show that’s going up. And like I said earlier, I might be seeing less shows than ever. I’m also excited to see Alex Kitson’s show, he is doing Must I Paint You A Picture?, I believe. But I will definitely be catching those.
What do you think of the phrase ‘have it all’?
I was of that generation of girls I think that was told like, “No,no, go for it!” and occasionally there’d be a chat on Loose Women where they’d talk about it and be like, “Don’t be so silly, women need to get real, they can’t have it all.” And I am learning with new parenthood that it is really tricky, and especially for women. My partner’s career hasn’t stopped quite or taken the same pause that mine has currently. I think it’s, parenthood the job is the job no matter if you’re doing it in the 18thcentury or now or in 20 years from now. The job is the job, it’s not changing; it’s changing nappies and it’s really hard and it’s all consuming and it’s round the clock and it’s stressful not just because someone’s crying, but because someone you love so dearly is crying and in pain and that kind of thing. I’ve found that’s really what’s stressful about it . And I’m going to continue to try and have it all, but I think you just have to go into it with a real open mind, especially as a woman, just how all-consuming it is. And you have to change the way you approach your work, and to be honest as a comedian now, it’s new ground because comics historically have been men, and they haven’t had to worry about, “How am I going to go and do a 20 minute gig at a club and make it home in time to do bath time?” because they outsourced that to their wives or whatever it is, or it’s single men who don’t have kids at all. So, the whole dynamic and the whole landscape of comedy is changing and the job is going to have to change to fit around me, Sara Pascoe, Katherine Ryan, you know, women who need to get the work done but need to get home to their kids. And I’m really excited to see how we’re all doing that; we’re changing the scene.
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?
That feels like a question about status and that’s something I’ve really struggled with in comedy is where do you place yourself? We’d all like to be the fool, I guess it’s easier to be the fool, it makes sense. That’s why everyone comes out and says, “I know what you’re thinking, I look like this,” and says what a fricking mess they look like. It’s actually much harder to have your wits about you or to be confident and to keep people onside because people want you to go, “Oh I’m the loser, I’m the clown, don’t worry I’m here to please you all.” And then there’s being the king which I’d say is very Jimmy Carr or Katherine Ryan, which is like, “No, I’m in charge and I’m confident and I’m hilarious.” And if you want to be something in-between the two, I think it’s a lot muddier ground and I think particularly for women it’s really hard to come out and place yourself. I spent many years at the beginning of my career wearing baggy T-shirts and baggy trousers coming out and saying, “Oh don’t worry about me, I’m crazy, I’m a mess, I’m the worst,” and I’ve only in recent years experimented with being more confident, dressing better, speaking in less stuttered tones. I think that’s where I feel it’s placed in the modern context.
Pepper & Salt 
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