My Festival: David Magidoff

Wait, there are other shows at Edinburgh Fringe besides mine? Just kidding! Honestly there are 56 shows I want to see but probably I will make it out to only five if I’m lucky. What’s so very wonderful about my sweet show is that no show is ever the same. And I know everyone says that who has an improv show, but mine truly is because each show has a completely different guest each night telling a different love story we turn into a musical before your very eyes. (Except for Fran Healy who’s doing three nights, but when you have so many good stories like he does…) I might be the only improv show at the festival with a professional rapper. And a poet. I don’t think there’s another improv show where the legendary Tim Burgess is also singing a few iconic Charlatans songs just to get the night going. I’m telling you, it’s a comedy show unlike anything the Fringe has seen. Big words I know. Pinky swear.

What will we learn from your show that we didn’t know before?

The secret love stories of celebrities isn’t such a bad thing to learn about! Also I chat with the audience every show and ask them for their bad date stories and proposal stories. Honestly that’s my favorite part because it reminds us we all have such great stories. We’ve just lived them our whole lives so we’re not as surprised by them anymore. The last show I did, a couple in the audience said the night of their first date they were both arrested by the police from the same house party and taken to two separate jail cells. They’re happily married now. The previous show someone’s first date ended in a broken nose and a trip to the hospital. There is nothing better than real love and real life.

Who or what was the biggest inspiration for your show?

I don’t think it was consciously inspired by it, but after years of watching Whose Line Is It Anyway? - the original UK version thank you - probably the musical improv in those shows. That show was how so many of my generation learned what improv even was.

Who or what are you most excited about seeing this year?

I saw another show listed as “Man Sings the Same Song Over and Over Again for an Hour”. If you want to know anything about me and quickly, a title like that has me at hello. I’m also excited to see Fran Healy and Tim Burgess both perform what will be legendary acoustic sets at my very own show. Pinch me.

Who do you most like spending time with in Edinburgh?

I’m bringing my wife, three year old and mother in law this trip so I don’t expect to spend much time beyond that. But a boy can dream.

Tell us something about you that would surprise people.

I can put my legs behind my head.

What are the best and worst things that have happened to you at a festival?

I technically performed at Edinburgh in 2010 but it was so far off the beaten path in someone else’s show. And even then it was a magical time. So I would say that. It was the worst in that no one showed up to our shows (okay maybe a total of 54 people) but it was the best in that we created such good art with such special people. Which is really what it’s all about. I need to remind myself of that as I do a huge run i the hear of the Fest this year. Keep my eyes on the fun.

Thanks for the interview! We’d like to buy you a drink. Where are we going and what are we drinking?

That’s very kind of you. I’m following you. I have a feeling you know this town just a little better than I do. And I’ll just drink what you’re drinking. But only one pint, cause I have a show to do tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day.

Making Love with David Magidoff, Assembly George Square, 8.05pm, until 23 August. Fran Healy from Travis will join David for two more performances on 15 and 16 August.

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