So, what can we expect from "Richard Soames: Let's Make A Movie"?

I am going to lead the audience in a movie-making masterclass and, together, we will make a movie. In one hour. *Hopefully*.

What made you think of this format?

I used to make these old home videos with my brother. We did a shot for shot remake of The Matrix, a Lord of The Rings parody and a film about a superhero farmer, among others, all with varying degrees of quality. Mostly somewhere between incomprehensible and dreadful. But they were a huge amount of fun to make and, insanely, we kept them and I’ve always thought I should do something with them. So that’s what this show is.

What is your most treasured video? (I love old sports videos I tape back in 1980's - test matches/ football games/ Wimbledon tennis etc).

Robin Hood: Men in Tights. It taught me everything I know.

Do you have a working video player at home?

My parents do. And it’s really their whole fault this has happened. Not just because of their idea to give birth to me, but more because they encouraged this weird behaviour in my childhood and now here we are.

Do you prefer to have a script set in stone or will the show evolve throughout August?

The show will evolve. Daily! I think they always do in Edinburgh. In four weeks you are always going to discover new things in different places. Also, there’s improv in my show every day and I keep changing my script anyway. My technician hates me.

You are most associated with "The Beta Males". How do you feel about appearing as a solo performer?

It’s as scary as it is liberating. I love sharing the stage with people and performing improv, which, I suppose, is why I’ve ended up making a show which involves playing with as many other people as possible. The big plus side of being on my own means there’s significantly less admin.

A couple of years ago you appeared in John-Henry Falle's "The Story Beast". We will be seeing both his adult and children's shows this year. Will you be in either of these?

I can only imagine you must be referring to The Story Beast’s Arch Frenemy The Darkomancer? As far as I’m aware he has no plans to disrupt The Story Beast’s performances at this year’s festival. But who knows? He’s always there. Lurking in the dark. Just out of sight. Watching… Waiting…

Comedians often appear in several shows in this festival. Can we expect to see you in anything else?

I will be cropping up every so often in the nerd-tastic Dungeons and Dragons show Questing Time, hosted by Paul Foxcroft, as well as a couple of guest spots at ACMS and other places. Other than that, I’m just going to consume a lot of vitamins and try to sleep.

We love the Edinburgh festival but in recent years we have noticed a disappointing trend of disruptive drunken audience members on a Saturday evening. Is this is a growing trend performers you are aware of or are we just unlucky?

I’m usually on in the afternoon, so I’ve perhaps not noticed it to quite the same degree, but Saturday can be a funny one because you do sometimes get people who aren’t comedy fans coming into shows, being either too quiet or too loud. So you always have to work a bit harder.

What was your 1st Edinburgh festival show and what can you remember about it?

My very first show was a terribly named sketch show called Short Intention Span. A completely meaningless title, which has had the effect that I now really struggle to say the phrase “short attention span”. That phrase is now to me as Penguins is to Cumberbatch. The show itself was all right, I think, for a first go. But that might well be the sweet whispers of that lying prick Nostalgia talking.

What is your favourite Edinburgh show & why?

A couple stand out over the years: Kitson’s It’s Always Right Now Until It’s Later, Pappy’s Funergy, Lazy Susan, Toby, Cariad and Paul and Bane, which was one of the best things I’d ever seen.

Sum up the Edinburgh festival in 5 words?

Too many fragile egos. Help.

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/richard-soames-let-s-make-a-movie 

Richard Soames will be making a movie (hopefully) at  

UnderBelly, Bristo Square from 3rd-27th August (not 13th).