I did an interview with the excellent Camilla Borges in my Indie Brighton newsletter ahead of her show at Fringe this weekend. Reposting it here for posterity!
Hi there! Who are you, and why are you coming to Brighton?
Hello! I am Camilla, I am a comedian and clown bringing my show, Be Not Afraid!, to the Brighton Fringe. The show is a work in progress so I am hoping those lovely Brighton audiences will help me with developing the show.
Is this your first Brighton Fringe or have you performed here MANY TIMES?
First time at the Brighton Fringe. I am excited, I love Brighton, I am already planning on swimming in the sea and I’ve booked the seaside sauna in? I am taking all Brighton has to offer me.
Choose from these three in terms of what you think should be on a flag of Brighton when the city secedes from the UK:
- Seagull dive bombing a tourist for a halloumi wrap it won’t even enjoy, it’s just spite at this stage.
- Twenty seven people down from Crawley on a hen do wearing matching pink cowboy hats but two of them are very straight lads and they look slightly rueful.
- An 74 year old mod outside the Ben Sherman shop angry that all the rockers are now dead.
I definitely think the seagull, I’m thinking 8 years tops until a seagull is appointed mayor of Brighton. Although I think for the flag, I would have a person in the middle holding chips with multiple seagulls’ kind of fanned out like a sun all diving after the chips. I can really picture it it is quite beautiful; I will try and draw it for you.
How did you get into performance in the first place, and is the answer your starring nativity role? I played an extra. I don’t think I was even an animal.
Well, SPOILER ALERT, yes, I did play Mary in my school Nativity when I was younger, it is one of my first memories. In my memory my school hired like an actual donkey for me to ride- I doubt this happened, this was south London – but this false memory speaks volumes about the inflated sense of important this role made me feel. I’ve been chasing that high ever since. I love hearing what people were in their Nativity, I think it’s such a good insight into a person.
Can you tell us a bit about your WIP, Be Not Afraid?
The show is about the nativity through the eyes of Mary. She’s pregnant, she’s met God, but she’s also just a teenage girl. So, we go through the story of the Nativity, with a few twists and turns and try and find out who Mary is and what happens after she gives birth.
Where do you think the urge to be silly on stage comes from, both for you and for society as a whole?
IF WE DO NOT HAVE SILLINESS WHAT DO WE HAVE??? Is how I feel. I think silliness is so important, it is maybe the most important thing to me. I can’t not be silly and I can’t deal when things aren’t. Everything is silly (bad) now so we may as well be silly (good).
There aren’t half a lot of clowns about at the moment. Where did you all come from?
I know it’s mad, I think storm drains mostly.
Your shows rely a great deal on LOVELY audience participation. Do you have a plan B for if humans don’t play ball?
Please don’t even think of this. I have had people not play ball before and it is naaaaht fun. The mature answer is that I just smile and try and move things along, the immature answer is I threaten them with a flick knife after the show.
If you could describe your show in three nouns, what would those nouns be?
Blue, donkey, Justice (I googled examples of nouns).
What about verbs?
Is, has, was.
Lisa Nandy is currently culture secretary. She dated my friend Tom in about 2004 when she was a researcher for some Blairite MP. Do you have any message for her about the state of the arts, and what she could do about it?
LISA, LISA, WE’RE OVER HERE LISA. DO YOU WANT THE ARTS IN THIS COUNTRY TO DIE??? COS IT SURE SEEMS LIKE IT!!! But seriously as a country we are known for out creative output and it is truly wild how little funding and opportunities there are right now. Lisa unless you want the UK just to purely be known for racism, please do something.
It might have been a fever dream but I’m pretty sure you own a lobster costume. Do lobsters play an important part in your life story or aesthetic?
A few years ago, I was given what I considered to be an above average quality lobster costume. Since then, I have endeavoured to include a lobster character in everything I do. Also, sometimes it’s good to have a thing that makes it easy for people to buy you presents.
What other artists, comedians or clowns playing Brighton Fringe this year are you either a fan of or would like to boo and throw rotten vegetables at? Actually ignore the second part of that question, that’s mean.
So many, Liebenspiel is hosting a weekend of weird at Spiegelgardens the weekend after I’m there and I would recommend seeing everything and everyone on that line up.
Unless you’re seeing Night of Drama where they actively encourage throwing bananas so how about that.
A song isn’t a song until it’s listened to, according to Neil Hannon. Is a joke a joke if it’s performed in an empty forest?
Listen, a few cans and a few jokes with a good hearty tree, life can be beautiful sometimes.
And finally, if all the people in the nativity had a fight, who would win?
Physically: maybe the shepherd, experience of manual labour and they have a real street smarts vibe.
Spiritually: Angel Gabriel- they have unfair advantage of being a living nightmare, they are basically the Mewtwo of the Nativity.
You can follow Camilla on Instagram @camborg
jamesofwalsh 