Since the 1990s, writer and actor Kate Perry has been enthralling Radio 4 listeners and theatre goers worldwide with her monologues of comedy treats.
Now following huge successes at both the Edinburgh Fringe and the San Francisco International Festival and being snapped up by theatres across London and Ireland, The Very Perry Show will continue its international journey at The Hen & Chickens Theatre in Islington in November, before heading to New York as part of the prestigious United Theatre Solo Festival.
We caught up with Kate to find out more about The Very Perry Show
The Very Perry Show is coming to The Hen and Chickens Theatre, what can you tell us about it?
The Very Perry Show is a happy hour of comic monologues featuring a pair of glasses, a rubber hat and a can of WD40!
Where did you find all these great stories to tell?
Some people collect stamps, some people collect butterflies and some people collect garden gnomes, but I collect people. I am constantly observing humankind and am fascinated by what makes people tick. When I see someone who catches my eye, or uses a certain turn of phrase or peeks my interest in some way then I start jotting down how they look physically. Once I have their appearance, I start the writing process. Their stories do not come organically and I spend a significant amount of time musing over their inner life. However, on some occasions if I see a prop I like I’ll write a monologue around it.
It’s then heading to New York, how excited are you about that?
I am besides myself with excitement about going to New York and appearing in the The United Theater Solo Festival, the largest solo festival in the world. It’s a little daunting but a fantastic opportunity for me to showcase my characters to a diverse and savvy NY audience. Oh, oh.
You’ve performed at both Edinburgh Fringe and San Francisco International Festival, what do those types of festivals teach you as a performer?
It’s taught me that no matter where you travel to, no matter the audience base, if you deal with universal themes and inhabit people that are recognisable you can make people laugh, then it’s just a matter of jet lag.
How did you get in to Comedy?
I started writing my own material when I was living in San Francisco. I had no intentions of becoming an actress or a writer but chance led me to a small venue called The Marsh and after performing a few characters I was offered a full-length show and well I it would have been rude to say no. The rest as they say is history.
You’re a regular on Radio 4, how does the live performance compare to radio work?
I have written for radio both here and in Ireland but haven’t performed much on it. However, a highlight was playing a parrot alongside Tamsin Greig in a story I wrote about Valentines Day commissioned by BBC R4. To me writing for radio is like writing for film. You have to hook people in right away, paint pictures and keep them there!
The Very Perry Show is at The Hen and Chickens Theatre 7th – 11th November 2017
