The Joy of Sets

In this pilot episode of 'Cold Calling' the comedian Carl Carzana calls one of his dearest and most available friends, Alecks Mayson. The twist? Alecks doesn't know he's being interviewed. Take a glimpse behind the magician's curtain and enjoy a front-row seat as you learn what comedians are really like when their guard is down. Only here on... Cold Calling, brought to you by &...

In this episode I speak to the lovely Mr Alex Mason. Alex and I have been friends for many years, we started performing stand up at a similar time and have gigged together many times since. Alex is a formidable writer and performer and has recently finished a hugely successful run of his show 'Delicate Flower' at the Brighton fringe. In this episode we discuss Alex's writing process an...

In this episode I speak with the fantastic Eryn Tett. Eryn is an award winning comedian and has one of the most unique and distinctive styles and comedy voices of anyone on the circuit. She is also a writer and actor and creates brilliantly engaging online content. In this episode we speak about her approach to comedy and writing and also get into how she moves on stage and uncover her deep lack o...

In this episode I'm joined by the fantastic Chris Norton Walker. Chris is an accomplished gag writer and circuit regular. He's performed all over the world and has performed as far a field as LA at the legendary Comedy Store. We spoke about Chris's process for writing jokes and also how he memorises his sets. We also discussed originality in comedy, a comedy book that features Chris&#3...

In this episode I'm joined by the fantastic Chris Sav. Chris is an artist, musician and comedian. He's performed at some of the best comedy clubs in the country including Brighton Komedia. He is one of the most creative and intriguing comics working on the circuit. Bringing his illustrations to life on stage and incorporating vegetables in comedy. In this episode we discuss Chris's uni...

In this episode I'm joined by the brilliant Christian Jegard. Christian is an award winning comedian, writer and actor. He's been a finalist in some of the most prestigious comedy competitions. His sketches have gained him industry acclaim and have been performed on BBC radio 4 extra and at the Austin Film Festival. In this episode we discuss Christian's inspirations along with his distinctive loo...

In this episode I speak with the fabulous Amy Webber. Amy is a phenomenally talented act who is quickly gaining the interest of the comedy industry she won the ‘Audience Favourite’ Award at the 2020 national Musical Comedy Awards and was also shortlisted for the BBC New Comedy Awards in 2021, in 2022, she also came runner up in ‘Beat the Frog World Series’. We spoke about her journey into comedy a...

In this episode I speak with the brilliant Jade Gebbie. Jade and I have been friends for years and worked together many times on various writing projects and at live gigs, so it was great to get her on the podcast. Jade is not only a fantastic comedian but also a professional comedy writer, she is currently working for BBC studios as one of their staff writers.  As well as discussing Jade's s...

In this episode I speak with the inimitable and fantastic Nate Kitch. Nate is a comic I have gigged with a lot and we often find ourselves discussing the comedy and the industry in general  so it was a natural conclusion for us to chat on the podcast. I'm thrilled we did as we got into some very specific areas of comedy and there is a huge amount to learn from this episode. Nate is also one t...

In this episode Elaine and I discuss what it was like coming to stand up from an acting background, how she orders a set for new material gigs and we take a look at some material that has been removed from her set and find out why. Elaine even turns the tables and starts interviewing me, in a spur of the moment discussion that I was embracingly well prepared for. We also recorded an ill fated rap...

In this episode James and I discuss his early material and how he goes about putting a set together now compared to when he first started. We also talk about his experiences growing up in Grimsby and how that has shaped his comedy sets. In this episode I trial two new features with James which will become a main stay of the podcast. Enjoy.

In this episode I speak to Patrick Hore, a fantastic comedian from Brighton. We discuss Patrick's early material and his particular style of comedy. We also discuss the fact that Patrick is hard of hearing and requires hearing aids and how that has shaped his comedy and performance. 

In this episode, Simon and I discuss his analytical nature and how it helps him and his approach to stand-up. We also discuss his methods for ranking the effectiveness of new material and how he remembers and constructs his set. We also touch upon autism and the effect it's had on Simon's comedy. With thanks to the Arundel Jailhouse for allowing us to use their space to record the podcast ahead of...

In this episode I'm joined by the absolutely fantastic Kathryn Mather. We discuss what it's like starting out in comedy along with the joys of bringer gigs and open mics and some of the challenges that come with progressing into paid middle spots on pro bills. We delve into Kathryn's material and her voice and style, and examine some of her earliest material. 

In this episode I speak to the marvellous Joe Foster. Joe's a comic I've known since I started stand up in Brighton, he has always been extremely generous with his time and knowledge. He's an exceptionally gifted comedian, winning the South Coast Comedian Of The Year competition and working at some of the best comedy clubs in the country. I'm thrilled to have Joe as the first guest on the podcast....