Words: Claire Smith
Image: Matt Crockett
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Two time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Lauren Pattison makes her eagerly anticipated return to the Edinburgh Fringe with her fourth show Big Girl Pants. With her signature authentic and assertive style, Lauren has seen an exciting run of awards, nominations and sold-out shows over the last few years.
Lauren has an impressive track record at the Edinburgh Fringe festival; Lauren’s debut show ‘Lady Muck’, was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer 2017, she won the Herald Angels Award 2017 and was nominated for Breakthrough Act at the Chortle Awards. Lauren followed this up with the critically acclaimed, complete sell out ‘Peachy’ in 2018, earning rave reviews and a Soho Theatre transfer. In 2022, her third show ‘It Is What It Is’, earned her second Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination, this time for Best Show.
I talk to Lauren about uncomfortable sparkly knickers and her signature style.
What was the inspiration behind the title Lauren Pattison: Big Girl Pants?
“I’ve got a really bad habit of getting a title fixed in my head and then writing a show to go
with it. So I had the title months ago. I love shows that have clever puns in the title, like Glenn Moore, or Joe Lycett come up with. But nothing really goes with Pattison. I decided to get some really sparkly knickers for the poster – so I did – although they are really uncomfortable and I’ll never wear them.”
Can you give us an insight into what the show is about?
“Well I’m turning 30 and I need to be a little bit braver – a bit less anxious. One of the things I talk about is learning to drive. I won some money when I was runner up in Funny Women when I was 21 and I asked my Dad to look after it for me so I could have driving lessons. By the time I was 28 I still hadn’t done it – so I wrote a whole routine about that.”
What sort of comic do you think you are?
“I describe myself as a storytelling comic. I used to think that wasn’t a good thing – it
sounded like it might not be funny – but the more comfortable I have got with my voice that
is the kind of comic I want to be. I love shows that are one story across an hour. I thought
why not talk about class and feminism and sexism because those are things that shaped me.”
How do you find living in Newcastle?
“I love it. I moved away and I’ve toured in Australia and New Zealand. But I moved back in
the pandemic and fell back in love with Newcastle all over again. I also met my boyfriend –
which might not have happened if I was always on tour.”
Lauren has decided this year, she wants to come back bigger, braver and maybe blonder… either way it’s time to put her big girl pants on… Big Girl Pants is packed full of hilarious stories with genuine charm and heart. With her impressive track record, it’s not to be missed.
Lauren Pattison: Big Girl Pants
Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 1
Aug 1-6, 8-13, 15-20, 22-25
12.30