Are your children delighted by all things gross? If so, they have found a kindred spirit in award-winning comedian Jay Foreman…
Disgusting Songs for Revolting Children is an hour long collection of songs, poems and comedy, and is a celebration of all that is icky! Foreman’s songs have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4, The One Show and London Live TV. One4Review has called it ‘disturbingly catchy’ and Chortle says it is ‘classy and funny…’, so why not come and see for yourself (as long as you don’t mind having a song about caterpillar sick or a potato stuck in your head for the foreseeable future!) We caught up with Jay to find out more about the show…
1.) What’s the inspiration for your show?
Loads of parents used to come to my gigs and tell me their kids loved my songs. So one year I thought I’d take a kid-friendly, swear-free show to the Edinburgh Fringe. It was the most fun (and best selling!) show I’d ever done, so now I’m taking it all over the UK.
2.) What’s the best bit of audience participation you have had during one of your shows for children?
I have a song about a monkey who wants to go on a skiing holiday. One time, some kids in the audience had brought their little toy monkeys along and made them dance along to the song. It was adorable… and slightly creepy!
3.) Is there much of a difference doing shows for children as opposed to adults?
My grownup show and my kids show are actually quite similar (apart from the naughty words of course). The biggest difference is the audience responses and heckles. If I ask a grown-up audience for a volunteer to join me on stage – silence. But if I ask an audience full of kids, all their hands shoot up and they scream “Me! Me! Me!”
4.) What was your favourite disgusting thing as a child?
I was obsessed with Roald Dahl, especially his book of poems ‘Dirty Beasts’. Something horrible happens in nearly every one of them, like a farmer being eaten by his super-intelligent pig, or a cow sprouting wings and dropping poo all over the village. My show’s full of horrible stuff just like that!
5.) What would you say to a child to convince them to come to your show? (sweet-based bribery is not allowed)
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease.
So there you go! Disgusting Songs for Revolting Children will be at Canada Water Theatre (our sister venue) on Saturday 3rd February and at the Albany on Sunday 4th February, so you have got plenty of chances to check out with wonderful show.
Book for 03/02/18 here.
Book for 04/ 02/ 18 here.
The Albany, Deptford 