Bean – Spiller and Gigglemug-er, Alex Prescot, brings his new show, Cosy, to the Edinburgh Fringe. Before doing so, Prescot chats to Pepper&Salt about making his comedy debut, building an audience – interaction based show and the theory behind musical improv.
What is the elevator pitch for your show?
‘Alex Prescot: Cosy’ is a warm and fuzzy blend of joyful musical comedy and quick-witted improvisation. It’s silly, it’s fun, it’s got heart…in short, it’s the perfect start to your day!
What is Cosy about?
Cosy tells the story of my double act partner who left me to move to Australia (selfish). It’s about when you have to take risks and when your comfort zone is actually a really lovely place to be. It’s also how I try and make the audience feel watching the show; I’m trying to make this the loveliest show at the Fringe!
Even though you’ve done the Edinburgh Fringe before, how does it feel to make your comedy debut?
Scary and exciting in equal measure!
I had a great time with last year’s show but this year feels like a step up – I’ve been collaborating with my director (the phenomenal Ben Target) all year to create it, I’ve been doing work in progresses and previews since February, it’s the culmination the last few years telling a story that’s very close to my heart!
What do you have to do as a performer to tailor each show to each audience?
There’s lots of moments of chatting to the audience, and some of those moments lead to fully improvised songs.
Also, I don’t want to spoil the ending but let me just say it uses everything that’s come up in the show up to that point for one big finale – worth staying for I reckon!
What are you looking forward to at the Edinburgh Fringe?
So much! Performing every day, seeing friends be brilliant in their shows, and the word-of-mouth buzz about that show you’d never heard of that you *have* to see.
”I genuinely find audience members’ lives interesting, so when I’m chatting to them to find information for comedy songs I’m not pretending, I really like finding out about peoples lives!”
Favourite lyric that you’ve written?
I have a song about cherry tomatoes and baby plum tomatoes (obviously) and when I wrote the lyric ‘one fruit or another // twin mute salad brothers’ I was pleased with myself haha!
Favourite rhyme?
I love a half rhyme and two stand out because they’re for words there are no full rhymes for – orange and lozenge, purple and hurtful!
What would you say – if any – are your musical influences?
Growing up, I used to play piano and sing lots of the music my parents were into – The Mamas and the Papas, David Bowie and Billy Joel spring to mind.
I’m also super influenced by musicals having been in loads when I was younger, and then just whatever comes out when I improvise songs!
What is the easiest part of musical comedy improvisation for you?
I genuinely find audience members’ lives interesting, so when I’m chatting to them to find information for comedy songs I’m not pretending, I really like finding out about peoples lives! Oh, and if there’s any gossip, huge bonus – I love it!
In your opinion, what is the key to good musical improv/comedy?
Aside from the technical stuff (e.g. learning how to rhyme quickly), I’ve been trying to push the limits of how fast I can think when improvising – I love watching acts who think quickly and find things they wouldn’t have without that pressure, so I try and emulate that.
Also, calling back to something that’s happened earlier in the show and tying things together towards the end turns different improv moments into something bigger that feels like it means something, which is always the aim!
By Katerina Partolina Schwartz
Photo credit: Edward Moore
Pepper & Salt 
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