Edinburgh Fringe Q&A – Chloe Petts: ‘I wanted to show that gender conversations aren’t as scary as Twitter would have you think’

For comedian Chloe Petts, her first Edinburgh show was the start of a rise to prominence on stages across the country and on our TV screens.

Her debut last year, delayed by the pandemic, earned rave reviews and makes her one of the top picks to see this August.

Praised for her polite and well-mannered way of handling hot topics like gender and toxic masculinity in the last show, in her second hour, If You Can’t Say Anything Nice, Chloe’s returning with a newer, ruder approach to the big issues…

How are you feeling ahead of the Fringe?

The months building up to the Fringe feel like exam season but, when you do the exam, you’ll know it’ll be reviewed by several national newspapers so I think I’d have to be a psychopath to not be a little nervous.

But mainly I’m just excited to be in the same city as loads of my friends surrounded by some of the greatest art the world has to offer, only having to work for one hour a day.

Did you enjoy your festival experience last year?

If I was to give an average of enjoyment then the answer would be yes. Of course I had a mental breakdown, of course there were times when I heavily identified both with the rats rifling through the overflowing bins and the overflowing bins themselves, of course I ate my bodyweight in Ting Thai Caravan. But for the most part, I loved performing a show I was proud of every day and drinking with my friends until 3,4,5am.

How pleased were you with the reaction to your debut after it was delayed by Covid?

Incredibly pleased! I felt like the extra couple of years matured me as a comedian and person and I was mainly pleased how I was able to perform consistently across a demanding month. It’s a bonus that people, including critics, seemed to enjoy what I had on offer.

How important was it for you to allow people a route in to discussions of gender fluidity and toxic masculinity in a less toxic fashion to much of the online discourse?

I didn’t set out with any artistic manifesto or intentions but I was buzzing when I realised the handful of anecdotes about my life proved relatable to members of the queer community and informative for those who were maybe only just learning about modern discourse around gender and sexuality.

I was mainly pleased that I could do all this whilst making a consistently funny show, as laughter is my primary aim. I wanted to give a face to discussions that people can often encounter online and show that gender conversations aren’t as scary as Twitter would have you think – actually they can be silly and fun.

What is this year’s show about, and what inspired it?

This year is the antithesis to last year’s show. The premise is that I tried to solve transphobia in Transience but, if anything, it’s got far worse since I started performing it. So I’m taking the opposite tack now; I tried to break gender and sexuality down into manageable, bitesize, polite chunks for the people of the UK and didn’t work so I’m not being polite anymore. I’m turning on the audience and being really mean and maybe that’ll make them listen.

What are your favourite memories from the festival?

Any time Olga Koch runs a karaoke night, it’s always a good time.

My favourite year was when I did the Pleasance Reserve, a mixed bill put on by the Pleasance for emerging comics. I felt like it was risk free and I could just practice comedy and being at the Fringe.

© Matt Stronge

Football is one of your great passions, what’s the moment that has a special place in your heart?

Arguably the best player to play for my team Crystal Palace ever, Wilfried Zaha, has just left the club so I feel like I should pay tribute to him. His best moment was of course the two goals he scored against our arch rivals Brighton in the 2013 playoff semi-finals. Limbs and beers were flying everywhere when those goals went in.

If you were put in charge of the Fringe, what changes would you make?

This is surely just a question of making everything mor affordable, right? If the financial risk isn’t as great, artists will feel more free. And when artists feel more free that’s when they create the greatest work.

How would you describe how you feel when your walk on music hits and you take a step out onto the stage?

A sense of calm washes over me. All nerves and excitement go out the window and I just feel “this is what I’ve trained to do, go out and do your best!”

Who else are you looking forward to seeing at the Fringe?

Ania Magliano is easily one of the best comedians of our gen. Lulu Popplewell is doing a really exciting debut about addiction and her time as a cast member of Love, Actually. I saw Adam Flood’s debut in preview and I think it’s really special – very funny, smart and moving. I also saw Daniel Foxx who is really really funny and talented.

What’s your favourite one-liner?

An old woman at the cash machine asked a young man to help her check her balance so he pushed her over.

Who’d be your dream…

Podcast co-host / guest

I’m a fanboy of Mark Kermode, the film critic. I like that he ends his reviews with “but what do I know? I’m just an old white man” which is the sort of energy all old white men should bring into everything. He talks openly about being in CBT for his anxiety; although this is admirable, I think a lot of men of his age could do with a bit more anxiety to help them wind their necks in.

Karaoke duetter

I’m a masterful karaoke guest, I think. I’m good enough that when you’re drunk it sounds impressive but bad enough that it doesn’t sound like I’m showing off. I do a good rendition of the song Dance Wiv Me so I’d like Calvin Harris to come in and do the chorus for me.

Wrestling tag team partner

Definitely Ed Gamble. He’s my strongest friend and would bring a certain pzazz necessary to a fantastic performance. I also think he’d feed me little snacks if I got tired.

Comedian to split an hour with

Definitely not Ed Gamble. He’s very loud. (It’s an honour to share a stage with him when I’m supporting him on tour, thank you for having me, please keep employing me).

I think I’d reassemble Joy Multiplication which is a comedy night I occasionally run with Sam Lake, Olga Koch and Huge Davies. We always get to five mins before show time and think “we didn’t wanna a put on a gig, we just wanted to hang out” coz we’re having so much fun backstage but then we have an equal amount of fun when we then go onstage.

Chloe Petts – If You Can’t Say Anything Nice, Pleasance Courtyard, Above, Aug 2-27 (excl 14) 6:40pm. chloepetts.org