EDINBURGH 2017: BWW Q&A- Kevin James Doyle

Tell us a bit about your show.

The 30 Year Old Virgin is stand-up and storytelling - the story is about my life and is true to its title. It is about how my parents raised me and the choices I made. I ended up getting engaged to someone that was not a great fit and having to break it off a month before the wedding. I seemed doomed to live my whole life without having had sex. I saw Mike Birbiglia workshop My Girlfriends Boyfriend when he was still looking at notes and putting the whole show together, that was when I decided I wanted to do a more personal form of comedy with a story rather than just jokes. And this is by far my most personal story.

Why bring it to Edinburgh?

This show more than other comedy I have performed needs an hour. It has a beginning middle and end, it's one long arch and Edinburgh serves that format so well. There aren't many places in New York you have an excuse to do an hour of comedy. I have wanted to go to Edinburgh for a long time now, I have had a lot of friends go and not be able to articulate why it's so special. They say "you just have to go." I think something about the gauntlet aspect to Fringe is attractive to me. Working on a show then performing it 25 times in a row is exciting to me. I want to bring this show back to New York off Broadway and I know doing it that many times will make it as tight as it can be. I love seeing theatre and shows as much as performing in them so that is exciting too. To see what else is out there and be inspired by what other people are doing and let that influence your own work.

What sets it apart from other shows at the Fringe?

I have had five previews of the show so far and the word "vulnerable" has come up time and again - and from people who have (thankfully) been laughing from beginning to end. It is as personal as I could get on stage and people have responded to that. I am sure there will be funnier and weirder shows but I think mine will be among the most vulnerable. It will also feature the festival's best Philip Seymour Hoffman impression, and that is a guarantee.

Who would you recommend comes to see you?

Everyone who has experienced heartbreak and has struggled with coming to terms with how they were raised. Plus those who have had sex and those who have not. Small market I know, but I think those types of people will enjoy the show most. Anyone who enjoys stand up with a larger story will enjoy this show.

I was inspired by Chris Gethard's HBO special Career Suicide and Hasan Minaj's Homecoming King and I strive for my show to be of the quality of those.

Are there any other shows you're hoping to catch at the festival?

I am excited to see Ahir Shah - Control, I just saw his clips when I was looking around on the Laughing Horse website and he's great, really smart. Alasdair Beckett-King because every time I scroll past his picture I am like what beautiful long red locks he has, I haven't even seen any of his work! I am really excited to see Carmen Lynch cause she does my show in New York and is amazing. I am a theatre guy at heart so I am excited to see some of the more avant garde and serious theatre as well, not just us clowns getting on stage trying to get laughs. Volcano Theater interpreting Chekov, Seagulls and Creepy Macbeth, kids performing Macbeth in Scotland? C'mon that has got to be great.

Timings and ticket information for Kevin James Doyle: The 30 Year Old Virgin are available on the edfringe website.