You know things are really hotting up when you hear news of some of the Edinburgh Fringe previews that are going on and we have a big one for you. Casual Violence, a Brighton based comedy sketch crew, are previewing their new show next weekend – 18th & 19th March – and if the reviews they got for their Edinburgh Fringe 2010 run are anything to go by these guys are going to be the HOT TICKET for this years Fringe! But, as a little taster, the guys are previewing their new show “Choose Death” in Brighton.

We got the opportunity of interviewing The Casual Violence Creative Director James Hamilton…I think this sells their show pretty good if you ask me! For more information on Casual Violence Click Here!

How’s it been going since the fringe, you guys been working flat out?

We’re always working flat-out! We don’t tend to rest on our laurels. After the final night of Dildon’t! (our Edinburgh Fringe 2010 show), we launched straight into rehearsals for Maniack, a sketch show of all-new material we took round both London and Brighton. Personally, I get very bored very quickly unless I’m working on a project, so Choose Death rehearsals began a few weeks after Maniack was over. It’s a stressful way of working, but also a rewarding one – the more prolific we are, the better.

How did Casual Violence come together?

Like every sketch comedy group ever to have existed ever, we all met at university. I wrote the first show with a friend, found like-minded performers to take part, and one by one the group grew into Casual Violence! as it is now. Currently, there’s a creative team of about seven of us. I’m usually the one who writes the scripts, as I am with Choose Death at the moment, and the others take those scripts and turn them into something exciting.

What has been the audience reaction, have there been any moments during the writing process where you’ve thought ‘erm, too far. or will they get it?’

There certainly has, on both counts! But boundaries are there to be tickled. I’m no fan of offensive comedy, but comedy shouldn’t be “safe” either. It’s about learning what pushes people’s buttons.

As for whether they’ll get it, well, that matters less to me. I’d rather do what we find the funniest. That’s always been the policy: we’ll do what makes us laugh. and if people don’t get it, that’s their problem. With Choose Death, I think we have the perfect balance between the dark, the absurd and the tragic along with the funny stuff. I don’t really hold that cynical “what will appeal to the maximum amount of people” attitude to writing comedy. What we do is quite niche. People either love or hate us, and that’s the best way.

How did you find last year, you got a hefty amount of great reviews, did that add any more pressure.

We got bad reviews as well! Our Edinburgh show was very “Marmite” with critics – either four/five stars, or – a couple of times – one star! But that’s the best way – far more interesting. The audiences tended to love it – word of mouth spread around the Fringe, we sold out the entire run, and had to turn people away almost every night.

And yes: there is a lot of pressure this time around, but less than last year. It’s a different sort of pressure. We’ve done it now; we know the ropes. I don’t feel obliged to sell out the run: I feel obliged to put on the best show I can. Company policy has always been to make each show better than the one before it.

What is it like putting together a show for a fringe run?

Difficult and long-winded. I’m co-producing the show this year, so there’s a lot of admin and a lot of fundraising to do.

Worst and best experiences so far?

Best experience was our penultimate night of the Edinburgh run. A group of ten people saw our show the night before, and loved it so much that they came back with ten more people. The atmosphere was electric. It was one of the best audiences we’ve ever had, and there’s really no feeling to match it.

Worst experience was being stung on the nose by a wasp and falling off the climbing frame when I was ten. I never got over that.

What can we expect from preview?

Choose Death will hopefully be the best show we’ve done. It’s definitely the most ambitious. In a nutshell, character-based storylines involving mostly miserable people all connected in some way to “death”. Creatively, it’s the culmination of everything we’ve done so far: a blend of the daft and the dark; the surreal and the genuinely sad. There’s a few genuinely tragic bits in the show. I hope they make someone cry, because I’m a bit nasty like that.

What advice would you give someone bringing a show up to the fringe?

Don’t flop.

After spending two years as a tour guide in Rome Ryan Millar brings his uniquely observed historical show to Edinburgh Fringe 2010. He is going to be for the first week only and we think this is one of the most original shows of it’s type of the fringe this year and we really recommend seeing. Ryan was kind enough to answer a few of our questions as a lead up to what is arguably going to be one hell of a Edinburgh Fringe 2010!

More information on Ryan’s show can be found at the end of his interview.

How have things been going, you all done and dusted for the summer shows or are there still some creases to iron out?

This is my first solo show and my first trip to Edinburgh, so I’m far from done and dusted – I’m busy calling in favours, rehearsing like mad, and trying to sort out administration and… well everything except for the script. The script is pretty well polished.

What has made you want to do the Laughing Horse Free Fringe?

Two things: from a principle point of view I like the Free Fringe’s commitment to making the Fringe experience available to the performers who couldn’t afford to do it otherwise. The whole thing has got a real community feel to it; plus, looking at the acts, it’s clear there’s some top quality in the Free Fringe. From a practical and personal point of view: I wouldn’t be able to afford to do the Fringe otherwise.

Have there been any obstacles in producing this show?

Quite the opposite, I’ve got a lot of really talented friends who have stepped up to help with photos, website, artwork, and so forth. Plus I’ve got lots of great feedback from people on the concept and the script. Personally, I’ve been writing and performing comedy (although mostly performing) for about ten years, so this show is actually a natural evolution.

What was the best feedback you got from your audience or the press?

The show will premiere in Edinburgh, so there hasn’t been any audience or press feedback yet. However, I’ve been working on the script off-and-on for a couple of years. I gave it to one of my course tutors (who also happens to be the programme head of the Performing Arts Department), and he really liked it, and encouraged me to take it further.

What was the Best and Worst shows you’ve played?

I used to tour Holland performing sketch and improv with Boom Chicago, and there were a couple of times where, after travelling on the train into a corporate event in the Dutch hinterland, the audience just didn’t understand why we were there. They usually got onside after a while though.

Best show?

Hard to say, but a couple of years ago I played the Maniac in a production of Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist in Brussels. It’s a challenging role: lots of fake mustaches and accents and messing around with other characters/actors/the audience. It was a blast.

What can people expect?

Roman Around has a split structure, so it includes a tour of Rome (with invisible site-seeing!) as well as me reflecting on my time working in that job. It was a surreal and wonderful time. I also tell a few historical tales: such as the story of Romulus and Remus and the Great Fire of Rome. So I would tell people to expect the three pillars of theatre: comedy, drama, and history. There’s no strobe lights or powerpoint or anything, so don’t expect that.

Any new tricks up your sleeves?

Putting this show on has forced me to really step up my administrative/organisational game. People who know me might be thrilled to hear about my personal growth in this area. Potential audience can be excited about the prospect of taking a tour of Rome with a real tour guide, without actually having to do any walking.

Who has been an inspiration to you?

Every single person I’ve spoken to who has gone to Edinburgh Fringe, as a participant or as audience member, has raved about the experience. That’s inspired me to go experience the awesome for myself.

What advice have you been given, and what advice would you give someone bringing a show to the Free Fringe?

Meet your deadlines re: publicity and contracts and things, and meet other acts and performers and work out ways to help each other out. That’s what I’m working on. While there, see as many shows and have as much fun as you can.