It is August which only means one thing – it is Camden Fringe time! Over the next few weeks we are chatting to acts that are performing at the festival and finding all about their show and what they would call this years iconic Camden Fringe Pigeon! Today we speak to Maria and Becky about the show Degenerate WIP

Date: 22nd & 23rd August
Time: 7:00pm
Price: £8
Location: 2Northdown
Ticket Link: https://camden.ssboxoffice.com/events/degenerate-wip/

Hello! Tell us about yourself? 

Hi! We are Maria Hanson and Rebecca Reeves. Maria is a British-Colombian-Californian (say that ten times fast) and mom of two boys, and Rebecca is a born and bred Londoner, and a mum of two boys! Coincidence? … yes… yes it is. We met 7 years ago and have been making work together as This Is Not A Test ever since.

How did you come up with the name of your show that your taking to the Camden fringe?

We were playing around with ideas like ‘Catfish Moustache’ or ‘No! You’re Dying!’ before ‘Degenerate’ hit us like a tonne of bricks. I think we can all agree the others were crap.

‘Degenerate’ won because it’s open to interpretation and whatever your interpretation – it might be right.

Tell us a little bit about your style of show?

We’re somewhere in the middle of a surreal venn diagram where stand up, comedy and theatre meet.

What will your set be about?

This is the debut of Degenerate, a comedy show about what happens when a 40 year old mother of two finds herself in the last chance saloon of midlife. It’s funny, intense, sometimes uncomfortable and hopefully tells a bloody good story. This show is full of surprises!

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

Looks like they’ll be loads of great stuff, but off the tops of our heads: Dreamworld at Camden Peoples Theatre, Box Ticker at the Museum of Comedy, Funny Tinge and Leanne Shorley: Nice Things both at 2Northdown with us!

What advice would you give to others who want to perform at Camden Fringe next year?

Make that thing! Get on with it!

What are your favourite things about London?

Flying ant day. The official signifier of summer in London. And Gordons wine bar. A classic.

What are your three favourite things about Camden?

The zoo, treetops softplay (IYKYK), and the cafe on Kentish Town Road that makes the best babyccinos…did we mention we’re mums…?

Favourite one liner you have done in a show and why?

If we tell you we’d have to plunge a wooden stake through your heart. Apologies in advance. 

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member?

Pamela Aldon!  Have you seen ‘Better Things’ yet?! If no, why the heck not???

The iconic image of the Camden Fringe is the Pigeon – if you could call this years pigeon a name to represent its style what would it be and why?

Maria: (whispers) Would it be weird to say that pigeons creep me out?

Rebecca: (whispers) Yes Maria, that would be very weird. Not the place.

Maria: Jean-Baptiste. We’d call him Jean-Baptiste. His bow tie has a little je ne c’est quoi…. non?

If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?

instagram: @thisisnot.a.test twitter: @Notatest facebook: @thisisnotatesttheatre

And Finally in three words – Why should people come and see the show?

We promise nothing.