The Edinburgh Fringe will be upon us sooner than we all think. Next up in our series of Q&As with debut comedians is Anna Clifford.

What’s the best bit of advice you’ve ever been given from a seasoned comic? 

No resounding words come to mind when I think of some of the great comics I’ve met other than ‘keep going’ and I don’t know if that was a tip about my comedy or the fact that I was driving them home from the gig! But I do love a message in Caps Lock to drown out the yelling in my head, so this came from the legend that is Joanne McNally when she was recommending me for a job: ‘GET A FECKIN’ SHOWREEL!’ 

And what has proved to be the least useful?

There is no such thing as a bad gig! This is a debate between comics that you learn something from every gig! It’s a bit like my therapist trying to make me take a lesson from every bad date I go on. Do we constantly need to be learning lessons? Maybe it was just a dud?! Maybe the blank disinterested face that you pray you never have to see again was all that is was and I would have made better use of my time ‘working’ on myself at home!

Is there one thing that keeps cropping up when people talk to you about Edinburgh in August?

When people talk to me about Edinburgh I get excited about what toppings I’m going to get at the baked potato shop! I need to transfer the skills I have in talking about baked beans and cheese into promoting my show and it will be a sell-out! I’m currently working on my elevator pitch but overall it’s just excitement; the Fringe is a playground for visitors and a marathon for performers so depending on what side I am talking to, it’s bit different but such a buzz.

I come from a long line of awful eejits and it’s an extremely enjoyable word to say!

What’s your favourite word that begins in ‘e’? 

Eejit. I identify as a big eejit. I come from a long line of awful eejits and it’s an extremely enjoyable word to say! It’s a harmless Irish slag that no one can take offence at cos it’s not really a word: is it, ya lil eejit!? 

Is there one act you absolutely HAVE to see in August?

Paul Currie. Go, go, go! I always bring any friends that come to see me in Edinburgh to his shows; they are so unique, hilarious and full of energy. It’s a silliness that is pure magic and I want a bit of that. I have no doubt his new show will not disappoint. 

Picture yourself in early September: what would constitute a successful Fringe for you?

Surviving! If I manage to not call my mam crying the whole time! Performing a solo show every day for a month and doing other spots during the day is an achievement in itself. I always set the bar low: expectations break our hearts. I just want my audiences and myself to have the craic. If I got a tan while flyering that would be a massive shock and success for my wallet as I’ve been on the bottle too long.

What percentage of your early stand-up performances is likely to appear in your Fringe debut?

Oh none! I left that all in Vancouver where I started stand-up. I do enjoy my earlier stand-up as it’s a marker of where you were at that time and the craft you were learning but my debut is based on a particular personal story so it’s all fresh but tested.

Which other new comedian do you feel a special kinship with? And do you reckon it’s reciprocated?

Kate Barron, Lily Phillips, Ali Woods and Michael Akadiri, to name a few. It’s great to see comedians you gig with on the circuit smashing it. Is it reciprocated? I haven’t a clue as I have a tiny voice in my head that constantly tells me everyone thinks I’m an ‘eejit’ but I do know everyone is definitely rooting for each other and I’m looking forward to discovering more acts up there. 

Which side of your family do you get your funny bones from?

My da is hilarious and we are very similar but at the same time my mum’s side of the family are all nuts! It’s nice to know I am a mix of both; feels like an ancestry DNA test for humour and I can blame both sides for landing myself in a creative but unpredictable career that keeps me turning up on their doorstep every couple of years.

What will you do to keep fit and healthy (relatively speaking) during August?

I don’t think I’ll ever be fit. I tried to run for a flight the other day and had to give up and let walking decide my fate. I have been to Edinburgh a good few times now and have yet to climb Arthur’s Seat so maybe I will challenge myself to that this year although I would rather sit on the seat than climb it. I’m already tired thinking about it! If I can make a dinner colourful with some veg I’ll be pretty proud of myself. And maybe I’ll try and get a swim in in Leith.

Which word of six letters or more will crop up the most in your Edinburgh show?

‘Ayahuasca’, ‘ghosting’ and…’hahahahaha!’

Anna Clifford: I See Dead(ly) People, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 3–28 August, 9pm.