Comedian Lindsey Santoro returns to the Edinburgh fringe with her new show It Was Like That When I Got Here, running at Monkey Barrel from 19-30 August. In a candid interview, she discusses the reality of performing in less-than-ideal venues, her grandmother's blunt feedback, and the pressure of following a critically acclaimed previous show.
Bad Gigs and Heckles
Santoro recalls one particularly terrible gig at a hotel in a motorway service station. The venue featured round tables and a flat disco stage, with the audience facing away from her during a dinner service of hot chicken and chips. 'All I could see was the back of people's heads, rustling paper, people sucking on chicken,' she says, adding that such experiences make up about 80% of comedy gigs.
Her best heckle came from a drunk woman who, when Santoro asked what was happening, replied: 'Don't worry about me, love. You're losing them as it is.' Santoro admits the comment was spot-on.
The New Show and Family Feedback
Describing the show's content, Santoro says: 'It's just me talking about fannies, arseholes and willies. But you can't put that in the Guardian. Well, you can if you want. Knock yourself out!' The show's premise is that she hasn't changed and never will, owning her self-caused problems.
Her 90-year-old grandmother, who follows her on Instagram, once advised her to 'give up comedy now and do hairdressing.' That opinion hasn't changed, even after Santoro's appearance on The Weakest Link, where she performed poorly. 'She says stuff like, 'Oh, you've made your point now,'' Santoro notes.
Pressure and Rituals
Santoro's last show in 2023 was nominated for best Edinburgh newcomer and won NextUp's biggest comedy award. She feels the pressure to be the 'prize pig at the fringe,' though she approaches this year's short run like replaying a computer game, knowing where all the hidden bits are. 'The pressure's still like you have to be the prize pig at the fringe,' she says.
Her pre-show rituals include eating a banana and doing squats to warm up, as she moves around on stage. She now explains these actions to the audience to avoid confusion: 'People were like, 'Are you OK?''
Bugbears and Favourite Gigs
One pet peeve is audience members who falsely praise a bad gig. 'If it's bad, just say it's bad,' she urges. Her all-time favourite gig was objectively terrible, held in a social club in Redditch with no green room and a silver platter of sausages, white bread, and butter. 'Each one of us died on our arse … and it was wonderful,' she says, adding that she will do anything for carbs and meat.
