A TISBURY comedian is “excited” to be performing at Edinburgh Fringe for the very first time.

Jacob Hulland, who has been performing stand-up since he was 13, says he “can’t wait” to perform his show Jacob’s Ladder in front of audiences.

He makes his festival debut on Friday, August 5. His show runs at Edinburgh Fringe until August 20. 

The 21-year-old said: “I feel on one hand extremely nervous about Edinburgh, and on the other hand extremely excited. I have been performing stand-up since I was 13, from 10 minute slots around the circuit, to full one hour shows at, The Shaftesbury and Greater Manchester Fringe festivals, and the Winchester Hat Fair. But I have never performed a run this big before. Fifteen shows in two weeks, it's absolutely brilliantly nerve-wracking. But it's what I love.”

Jacob, a former Shaftesbury School pupil who has a degree in comedy production and performance from Winchester University, is following in the footsteps of his mum and dad who have performed at Edinburgh Fringe during the late 80s with their drama college.

He said: “My mum is my director and has helped me refine the show, my dad is the producer and my sister provides lots of support, although sometimes she can't bear to watch me perform due to the intensity of wondering if the audience will find it funny or not.

“But we have a great show that we have worked on the circuit and at The Shaftesbury Fringe, as well as at The Exeter Dream Festival and I am very proud of the show, and most importantly I think it will make the Edinburgh audiences laugh.”

On what he is looking for to most, he says performing, adding: “I can't wait to perform to the Edinburgh audiences. Usually, particularly in Shaftesbury, I see faces I know, but this will be completely different, I won't know anyone. And I love that.

“It will be so fun performing my work to an unknown audience, just to give that fresh start feel. But of course, I still love the local audiences as well, they're always great at supporting me and I owe much of my success to them.”

Jacob says he grew up watching classic comedians like Laurel and Hardy, Morecambe and Wise but it was Lee Evans that sparked his interest in stand-up.

As he explains: “My dad bought a DVD of his final tour, Monsters, as I watched it I thought ‘this man is a total genius’. As soon as I saw him, aged 13, I thought this is what I want to do.”

The very next day he wrote his own five minute stand-up piece and later performed it at a variety event. He had been doing stand-up ever since.

“For me it's very simple, be funny and spread some joy. I know it sounds stupid and very obvious, but it is still the best comedy argument in my opinion. My comedy is silly, warm and refreshingly innocent. I do impressions, I do a lot of physical comedy and I make some amusing observations, but it is always innocent,” said Jacob.

For more information visit: jacobhulland.com

 

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