Tim FitzHigham – Gambler (UK)
Multi award-winning comedian, author and world record holder Tim FitzHigham is a man with lots of bad ideas – for instance, he has rowed the English Channel in a bathtub. His mad shows have won him a Perrier Best Newcomer Nomination and a Spirit of the Fringe Award in Edinburgh. Recently, Tim spent a year lost to ‘gambling archaeology’ where he recreated the harebrained bets of his gentlemen adventurer forebears. The result is this show about the 10 greatest bets in history,The Gambler.
When? 29th March – 22nd April | Tue – Sat 8:30 PM | Sun 7:30 PM
How much? Full Fri & Sat $31 | Full Wed-Thu & Sun $29.50 | Group (8 or more) $27.50 (N/A Sat) | Conc. $25 (N/A Sat) | Cheap Tues. $25 – Buy Tickets
Where? Victoria Hotel 
1. Describe your show Twitter style, 140 characters or less!
It’s called GAMBLER & is about the 10 greatest gambles in human history & me trying to re-create them. Come, see laugh – go on, take a punt.
2. Since you’re a comedian, is there a lot of pressure to be funny on a first date?
On the first date of a comedy tour – yes there’s pressure to be funny – the audience thinks this is very important…
…You mean a date with an actual girl… I see that now… on a first date with a girl I just try really hard to manage to speak anything, I’m terrible around girls on dates – it’s a very English thing (sorry). I once tried to ask a girl out and she was so baffled by my terrified shy/awkward approach, she thought I was trying to sell her insurance.
3. Speaking of, what’s your ideal date activity?
Mime? Something that doesn’t involved speaking? I really find the whole date thing terrifying and just tend to stutter, stammer and stagger through it badly.
4. A movie that made you cry?
Cry with rage, frustration, sadness or laughter? With rage: the latest Robin Hood remake – how did they get it that wrong – I think Russel Crowe is an outstanding actor, as were many of the others in the film but the script is a stinker, an absolute stinker – and even the greatest actors can not polish a cow pat as we say in Englandshire (and it’s the same team that made Gladiator, which is one of the great films of modern times they should have walked out before the first shot – it’s very upsetting). Cry with frustration (deep breaths people as this might be heresy but hear me out): Monty Python’s Holy Grail – we never get to find the grail… for years I’ve wanted to pick up where the police arrest them and finally find that grail. With sadness (there’s two here): Zulu – I think it’s just the sheer determination and doggedness of it all: overwhelming odds, a red jacket or two and the greatest set up and situation in cinema history (it’s a film that brilliantly captures an incredible and moving event). Secondly in the sadness stakes (for slightly off screen reasons) is Gladiator (mentioned above) as it is the stand out performance from Crowe but also Richard Harris (who I once had a few drinks with years ago – incredible nights – and much missed!) and the last performance of such a talent – Oliver Reed – it makes me sad for all the non cinema reasons (yes of course it’s very moving too – it’s a wonderful story and brilliantly told) that he was robbed of finishing the performance off himself (it was digitally finished off in parts) – it’s very, very sad he’s gone. Laughter? There’s no contest here: Withnail and I (were not invited) – it’s just one of the truly magnificent triumphs of filmmaking with a script that has never been surpassed – it has everything a movie should have in the most sparkling brightness.
5. What do you do when you get sad?
Keep calm and carry on.
6. When and/or why did you decide to become a comedian?
Hmm… mine was more a career in farming that got sidetracked. I wrote a show for the Edinburgh Festival with a mate – it started on a napkin. In a holiday from work, we went to Edinburgh, performed it and it got nominated for what was then called the Perrier Award (newcomer). This is a very big award in comedy. I was very naive at the time and didn’t know how much this would change my chances. Next thing I know we’ve been offered a chance to write for the BBC (which was incredible) and taken on tour – it was all a bit of a shock but I so enjoyed it I just kept going back. My shows have been going on in Edinburgh ever since and I’ve just never stopped loving making people laugh with stupid stories.
7. Favourite comedian?
Spike Milligan
8. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Taller
9. Funniest YouTube clip you’ve seen?
Milligan dressed as Hitler singing the hits of George Formby – I can’t explain why but it leaves me in tatters – as does Manamana by the Muppets (you can also get the original pre-Muppet Show muppet’s version which is wonderful)
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgontSmBwv4″]
10. Which artist/comedian are you looking forward to seeing at the Festival?
Of course it depends what you like – but if I had to pick a few – I’d be saying go see Glen Wool, Steve Hughes, Alex Horne, Paul Foot, Jimoen, Sarah Kendall, Idiots of Ants and of course Simon Munnery – you must see Simon Munnery – I know them, like them, and recommend them.
