Credo: Pippa Evans

Comedian and writer Pippa Evans tells Simone Waters about her audience pet hate, favourite tour snack, and why an ambulance is the perfect tool for performers.

Credo… Latin. (n) ‘I believe’. A set of beliefs that influences the way you live.

I grew up in West London but now I live in Edinburgh – Marchmont to be exact.
I started off in comedy by doing one-night gigs. When I left school, I did a stand-up comedy course and then got involved in improvised comedy, so I started alternating between the two and just went around doing gigs. Eventually someone says: “Why don’t you come and do this show?” Then you just bounce between show to show and eventually someone says: “Would you like to do this show that is at Edinburgh Playhouse?”. Then you say: “Yes please.”

The show is called ‘I’m Sorry, I Haven’t A Clue’.
It is a celebration. A live version of the beloved radio show from BBC Radio 4. It is just a great romp around with ridiculous jokes, silly panel games and everyone will go home with a real physical kazoo.

I can’t bear when you get an audience and their face is like they are having the worst time ever.
It is when they don’t laugh at all during the show and then they come up to you after and say that was the funniest thing they’d ever seen. Then you think: “Why didn’t you laugh, why didn’t you smile, why didn’t your face tell?” So, I like audiences that laugh when they think things are funny, rather than stare.

The best part about being on tour is the snacks.
When you are on tour you can eat as many snacks as you want. You don’t have to think about it. So there are always good snacks in the green room. We as a team are very particular about the kind of snacks that we want. So they are always well provided.

The best snack is mini-pork pies.
Sometimes it’s different types of nuts too and sometimes it is just a whole chocolate cake.

I think the most British thing about me is how much tea I drink.
I drink so much tea, constantly drinking tea. I have two massive cups of tea in the morning, then I have a cup every hour. I have a cup of tea before the show, I have a cup of tea in the interval of the show and then if I could I would have one after the show, but I’m trying to be distinguished, so I have a glass of wine.

If I weren’t a comedian I would be an ambulance driver.
I just think the ambulance service is one of the most amazing things about this country and you’d get loads of adrenaline and you’d never know what’s going to happen. You’d never get bored because there is always something exciting happening. I also think we need more ambulance drivers, so I’d be helpful. I really like the sound of the sirens too. Performers love attention and there is no better way of getting attention than with a massive siren going off.

Being on Broadway is on my bucket list.
I am obsessed with musicals and I would love to do a show where I play Jane McDonald, the famous cruise singer. It might not sell well because she is specifically British but, you know, you’ve got to try and you’ve got to have dreams.

As a teenager I used to watch Jack Dee and I thought he was such a funny man.
Luckily he still is funny, because they say don’t meet your heroes or the people you vaguely admire, but he has not disappointed me so far. Although, he is much shorter than I thought he would be. I thought he would be taller. But I am really tall so whenever I meet someone I always think, “Oh, you’re quite short”, and they say, “I’m average height actually”.

Pippa Evans is touring the UK with I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue. Edinburgh Playhouse will host the panel on Sunday 12 March. Performances at other Scottish venues will also be running in March.

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