Nottingham-born, now London-based, Sarah Keyworth is a stand-up who isn’t standing still: an award-winning rising star of the comedy circuit, it feels like her time is now. With two critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe shows to her name already, she is a regular live performer across the UK, and has supported a number of comedic stalwarts including the likes of Stewart Francis, Dane Baptiste and Kerry Godliman.
This February sees her performing her latest show Pacific, the second of her much-lauded Edinburgh Fringe sell outs, at Komedia on Monday 17th. She took time out of preparing for this (and moving house), to answer some questions – some silly, some not so silly.
Did you always want to be comedian? Or did you ever have a more mundane job as Plan A?
I always loved comedy and wanted to perform, but I didn’t ever really think it would happen. I did an internship in marketing and even considered teaching for a while. I wouldn’t call them mundane though!
You’re bringing your new show Pacific to Brighton in February – what can audiences expect?
They can expect a very silly show about masculinity, strength, gender, my girlfriend and my parents.
How do you decide what to write a show about?
I try and write in bits and generally over time they will start to reflect what sort of stuff is on my mind. Then I frantically pretend it was a deliberate theme when the deadline arrives.
You and your partner, Catherine Bohart, are both celebrated comedians. Are you constantly laughing at home, or is that your sanctuary where you have a break from comedy?
We do have a lot of laughs at home, it’s a lot of personal jokes and silliness though. Nothing like what we do on stage. Though mostly it’s just two people sat at a table trying to think of jokes, or arguing about who needs to go and buy oat milk (what a cliché!).
I watched the famous CC Roast Battle you did together – it’s hilariously brutal! Was it an awkward evening afterwards, or was it all left on the stage?
It was all left on the stage, I don’t think you get into that sort of thing with your partner if you’re going to then get offended afterwards. I think her mum was more upset that I said I’d never marry her.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Catherine and she told me you love the Playstation. What are your favourite games?
I was obsessed with Spiderman for a while, and I just completed Tomb Raider. I’m about to start Red Dead Redemption finally, I’m very late to the party though. I also love the rebooted retro games like Spyro and Crash Team Racing.
Sarah Keyworth by Matt CrockettWho would you most like to work on a project with?
Jennifer Saunders.
What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
In the summer I did something called Water Jousting, which is like regular jousting but instead of a horse you’re on a long plank on a boat and you’re speeding towards another boat with someone else on it and they are holding a bit wooden stick. It was terrifying.
If you could ‘Freaky Friday’ with a famous person, and inhabit their body for a day, who would you swap with and what would you do?
It’d be fun to swap with Ellen Degeneres and host an episode of her show. Is that the queerest answer I could have given?
What annoys you most in the world?
Single use plastic. This isn’t a fun answer but it’s everywhere and it’s so bad!
What would the title of your autobiography be?
“Who’s a big boy now?”
What three words would you use to describe yourself?
Strong, muscular, deluded.
What’s the best present you’ve ever given anyone?
This’ll be a weird brag! For Christmas I gave my brother a framed painting by our grandmother, she used to paint all the time and this particular image was of a seaside in Norfolk we used to visit. It barely cost anything but I think it meant a lot to him.
Sarah Keyworth can be seen at Komedia 17th February
