Shay Mace
American comedian Chris Grace arrives at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month with 88%, his stand-up hour described as an attempt to reconcile his heart and the real world. Chris looks to ask questions, including but not limited to, can you get along with someone that you only mostly agree with? Can nuance survive in an age of extremes? Does using AI make someone evil? And most importantly, what kind of food should be served at a gay sauna? We caught up with Chris for a pixelated pint to find out more.
You can catch Chris Grace: 88% at Assembly George Square Studios – Studio Five from 13:40 on August 5 – 31 (60mins). Tickets are Available Through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Chris, tell us about 88% and why you have decided to bring this to the stage now?
Chris: This show is a response to utter confusion and fractured thinking that bursts into my brain whenever I doomscroll and ponder the fate of America and the surrounding universe. I figured I might as well put it on stage now while stages still exist!
Shay: Tell us about your process for putting together this hour – what do you do to get yourself motivated and what challenges have you found with this material?
Chris: This has been the most “developed on its feet” show I’ve ever done, in front of audiences willing to explore topics without exactly knowing the right answers, and shaped by their response. The challenges for the show are all around saying things I’m not comfortable saying in public, and trying to frame them in their proper context while trying not to sound like a “everything is woke now” knob.
Shay: Tell us about your comedy icons – who are they, and how have they influenced your work?
Chris: Daniel Kitson, Sarah Silverman, Stewart Lee, Kate Berlant, Jordan Brookes… I’ve stolen inspiration from each of them and tried to construct some amalgam of their brilliances in a rough Chris Grace-shaped persona.
Shay: Has/will the show be performed anywhere ahead of EdFringe?
Chris: It was workshopped in Portland Oregon, Austin Texas, and Los Angeles!
Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Chris: I know the show is going to be worlds different on day 27 as it is on day 1, and I love not knowing how it’s going to grow.
Shay: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Chris: A Michelada… spicy… tangy… unexpectedly salty, perfect with a crisp slice of streaky bacon on top, and you’re never quite sure if it actually has blood in it or not.
A reminder, you can catch Chris Grace: 88% at Assembly George Square Studios – Studio Five from 13:40 on August 5 – 31 (60mins). Tickets are Available Through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Image Credit: Jill Petracek
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