Q&A: Drew Taylor
Q) Where and when was your 1st ever gig? How'd it go??
A) I entered the Welsh Unsigned Stand Up Award competition (WUSA) as my first ever gig, as I naively/arrogantly thought I could make an impression having never done it before. Safe to say I crashed out in the first round but their advice was "go and get more experience", so I did!
Q) Who/what were your main influences when you first started out as a comedian??
A) As a fan, I'm a huge admirer of Micky Flanagan, I don't laugh easily but he never fails to crack me up but as an act when I was first starting out, the first time I got to gig with a pro act, was with another South Wales act, Rob Hughes. He was streets ahead of everyone else on the bill and I was in awe of how he had complete control of the room and had them all in stitches.
Q) What has been your biggest achievement to date??
A) I've had loads of great experiences in comedy so far but planning my own stand up tour for 2017 has to be up there. It's been tricky, as I still have to balance a full time teaching job, but the opportunity to be on the bigger stages, in the bigger rooms and doing the longer sets has really helped me grow as an act with the shows we done so far. Really looking forward to it.
Q) If you weren't a stand up comedian what would you be??
A) probably a teacher, who wished he was a stand up comedian!
Q) What has been your favourite gig to date??
A) The first time we did the "tour show" at Theatre Gwaun, in Fishguard, West Wales. We had a great audience in and the show went really well but it was the first time I'd done a gig where people had come out to see me, rather than me being on a line up on someone else's comedy night or comedy club. Was a nice feeling.
Q) And your worst??
A) One of my very early gigs was at a local charity night and it was painfully bad. The room was set up all wrong for comedy, the audience couldn't have cared less if I was there and I died on my arse for ten long minutes. But you learn from the tough ones, more than the good ones usually.
Q) Who is your favourite circuit comedian ATM? What new comedians should we watch out for??
A) Laura Lexx is probably my favourite circuit act, she always storms it at every gig I've seen her at. And acts you should look out for? Can I say me? No? Ok, I'm a little bit biased of course but Steffan Evans and Col Howarth from South Wales are two to watch out for!
Q) Where do you see yourself in 5 years??
A)hopefully a full time circuit comic with the classroom being a distant memory!
Q) Do you have anything to promote?
As mentioned above, I'll be touring my show with Steffan and Col through 2017, check out my Twitter to keep updated with when we'll be near you!
@drewtaylorlite
www.comedy-festival.co.uk/event/tales-from-wales/
