A Journey with Louise Leigh: From Edinburgh Flats to Stand-Up Comedy

In this episode, Louise Leigh shares humorous anecdotes and personal reflections from her life, ranging from her time in her friend's flat in Edinburgh to her late start in stand-up comedy. She discusses her unique living space, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, her family life, and the inspiration behind her comedy career. Louise also touches on her 'fictionalized' narratives, her childhood dreams, and the eventual realization of her comedic aspirations.

Louise Leigh started doing stand-up in 2016 after enrolling on a course and figuring one gig would ‘get it out of her system’. Eight years on and she can’t shake the bug. Co-host of the Eyre-Leigh Doors podcast with comic Pauline Eyre, Louise Leigh’s “infectious” (Funny Women) no-nonsense style lies somewhere between ‘Weird Barbie’ and your mum on MDMA.

After completing a Drama degree in the 90s, Louise suppressed her performing ambitions and followed a ‘normal’ path open to wives and mothers. She taught mother-and-baby swimming and even became Chair of the PTA. Now, still miraculously in her mid-to-late forties, (52) she works full-time as a pro comic.

Louise made the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Final in 2022, the Funny Women Stage Award Semi Final 2017 and British Comedian of the Year Semi Final in 2022 and 2023. She’s also a mum to two teenagers, wife to the man her mother calls ‘Poor Stephen’, and ‘skin mum’ to one dog whom she really hopes doesn’t know where the bodies are buried.

Returning to Edinburgh Fringe 2024 with her second hour, Louise Leigh Distracted, the Bristol-based powerhouse of a mum-cum-Gen X comic will navigate simultaneously coping with the menopause, parenting two teenagers, and planning her wishes after death - to be taxidermied and used to prank her descendants, of course!

Edinburgh Information
Title: Louise Leigh Distracted
Venue: Just The Tonic Cabaret Voltaire (Just The Common Room)
Ed Fringe link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/louise-leigh-distracted
Fringe Venue Number: 338
Dates: Aug 1-4, 6-11, 13-18, 20-25
Press from: August 2nd
Time: 15:30 Duration: 1 hour Entry: £10 adv. / PWYW at venue. Age: 16+

Website: https://www.funnylouiseleigh.com/
Twitter: @speshmagiclady
Insta: @louiseleighcomedy
TikTok: @louiseleighcomedy

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
00:42 Who is Louise Leigh?
02:20 Feeling the Age
03:31 Connection to Edinburgh
04:13 The Teenage Years
07:01 Personal Reflections and Humor
09:50 The Diary and Self-Discovery
12:18 Starting Stand-Up Comedy
20:44 Challenges of Late-Start Comedy
27:27 Reflecting on Starting Stand-Up Later in Life
28:41 Exploring Comedy and Finding Stand-Up
30:42 Balancing Motherhood and Stand-Up
32:34 Inspirations and Aspirations in Comedy
36:22 The Concept of Taxidermy and Legacy
45:21 Final Thoughts and Social Media Plugs

For a full video of this interview and many more to come, go to YouTube and you can also follow the podcast channel on Instagram. Finally, for more information on this podcast and Dan's work go to www.iamdanedwards.com

Thank you