After the pandemic torpedoed his debut tour, comedian and actor ROBIN MORGAN (Mock The Week, The News Quiz, The Now Show and This England) is back with a new show, Snip Snip, B*tch.
In between time, Robin has certainly been busy. He got married (happily, thanks), had two kids and moved back to his hometown of Cardiff. So what’s next? A vasectomy of course. Robin’s previous tour was about his dad and son, Snip Snip, B*tch is about his mum and daughter. Symmetry, eh?
It’s also a show about fatherhood, marriage, masculinity, hometowns, and the time Robin nearly died (not linked to the vasectomy).
We caught up with Robin recently to talk about the writing, TV and comedy, but of course, we had to start with his own tour which is no doubt influenced by life in the capital.
“I moved back to my hometown of Cardiff a month before the pandemic, so I talk about living back in the place you grew up, and what it’s like now you’re an adult. I talk about being married with kids (I think I might be the only person to do that? Am I unique? Am I a star?) and the Snip Snip title relates to the fact that last year I had a vasectomy, which I will NOT stop banging on about. It was great, 10/10, would recommend to a friend.”
Is it an interactive show and does that mean the audience get a bit of a roasting……
“Interactive makes it sound like there’s balloon animals and fireworks, which sadly there aren’t. Equally, if that sells some tickets, then I’ll bring some along. I chat to the crowd a little bit, but it’s always good natured – I hate when comics ridicule a front row just for the sake of it. It’s all about building a relationship with them.”
You talk about your kids in the show – what will they think of that when they get older?
“Oh god now I’m worried. I hope they’ll realise that I talk about my life on stage, and they’re a huge part of it, and it all comes from a place of love. But maybe when they’re older I’ll have to ask their permission. Kids, eh?”
You’ve supported the likes of Ellie Taylor, Rachel Parris and Iain Stirling on tour – what’s it like being the support act, not the main event?
“I really enjoyed being the support act. I think there’s little to no expectation for you to be their cup of tea, so when an audience digs your stuff, it’s great. Plus all three of those names mentioned are just lovely smashing comics. It’s just nice to work with nice people.
It still feels a bit mad that people buy tickets to see me. I don’t know if that will ever become normal. I love doing longer form shows, so it’s a real treat for me to tour in my own right.”
You’re a writer on loads of TV shows – do you enjoy one more than the other?
“When I’m on the road touring, all I want to do is write, and when I’m at home writing, all I want to do is do stand-up. So basically I’m a greedy little pig who just wants everything. I think both jobs complement each other – writing for telly has made me a better comic, and knowing what it’s like to deliver jokes on stage in front of an audience I think informs my writing.”
You do warm-up for The Graham Norton Show – what’s that like?
“A JOY. No my caps lock isn’t broken. It’s a JOY to do that job. Some warm-up jobs are a little tricky – large audience who want to see a telly show recorded and they don’t want little old me delaying them, but the Graham Norton audience are incredible – they’ve been on a waiting list for ages, then they queue up, and then they’re going to be METRES away from celebrities so they’re already 99% excited, and hopefully I tip them over into 100% before bringing Graham on. Who is just lovely.
My favourite thing about the job though is to see how short celebrities are when they walk past me. Love it. Never gets old.”
What are your future plans?
“I’m currently co-writing the third series of Ellie Taylor’s Radio 4 show (Ellie Taylor’s Safe Space), which we’ll record in February and March. I’m her co-host/sidekick/little rat next to her, and they’re a bunch of fun to do. And then who knows! I’d like to do a bit more acting (last year I was in the Kenneth-Branagh-Boris-Johnson drama This England), so hopefully a few more of those roles will come up. Maybe I can play Liz Truss in the sequel.”
The tour finishes here in Cardiff, at the venue where you used to work behind the bar. What do you make of that full circle?
“It’s honestly lovely. That club has been so supportive of me since I started stand-up, and the staff and team are a dream to work with. I’d like to do shows there for the rest of time. Plus I still know the security code to the cellar, so I reckon I could nick a barrel of lager while I’m there too.”
Find out why Robin is proud to have raised a strong, three-year old daughter, even if it means she is “one of the most violent children I’ve ever met in my life”, why he’s also proud to have a sensitive soul as a five-year old son (“He’s like a little Ed Miliband”), and why surrounding yourself with positive people is the self-care we all need at the moment.
Robin has been all over your telly and radio, such as on Mock The Week (BBC Two), The News Quiz (BBC Radio 4) and The Now Show (BBC Radio 4) and also in the Sir Kenneth Branagh-starring-as-Boris-Johnson-drama This England (Sky Atlantic). He’s also appeared on Richard Hammond’s Brain Reaction(Comedy Central), Ellie Taylor’s Safe Space (BBC Radio 4) and What Just Happened?(BBC One Wales), a topical panel show created by Robin. Robin is a writer on Have I Got News For You, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Late Night Mash, Bake Off: The Professionals, Too Hot To Handle and many more!
ROBIN MORGAN: SNIP SNIP, B*TCH gets to the Glee Club in Cardiff on Wednesday 19th April at 7:30pm. For more details and to book tickets, go HERE.
