EDINBURGH FRINGE 2024
Interview
PATRICK & HUGO
MCPHERSON
PEAR
Six foot seven identical twins Patrick and Hugo McPherson present a new hour of chaotic sketch comedy. Winners Critics' Choice Award, Fringe World 2023.
Hi Patrick & Hugo, thanks for chatting with us ahead of the Fringe. What does it mean to you to be able to bring Pear to EdFringe this year?
We’re thrilled.
After getting so much praise in 2023 does that type of attention add any additional pressure on you both or are you able to just ride it out?
Hugo thrives off pressure. Patrick thrives very much on pressure. It’s a dynamic which works well. We’ve never been able to ride out of anything, up to and including that particularly embarrassing rodeo gig.
Your reviews have also been incredible, what’s been your favourite comment you’ve gotten from your audiences?
One old Glaswegian, in the middle of a sketch, declared “right chaps, that’s me” and then left the entire venue. We like to believe he was so impressed he couldn’t have handled the full hour.
At the World Fringe last year you won the Critics Choice Award, how did that feel?
Hugo has always loved Critics, and their choices, and Patrick has always loved awards. So
it’s a dynamic that works well. We were thrilled.
What do you think it is about your comedy that has connects so well with your audiences?
We’d love to be able to speak to a form of nuance, or sophisticated satire. And yet - we’re six foot seven identical twin comedians. We’re dancing monkeys - at best, novelties, at worst a freak show. The grotesque has always connected well with the masses.
Can you tell me little bit Pear, what can audiences expect?
Pear is an hour of sketch comedy that is silly and strange. Audiences should expect
nothing.
How do you go about writing your sketches, is it always together?
Hugo loves writing. Patrick loves sketches. It’s a dynamic which works well.
Do you have a favourite sketch you’ve written?
Yes. Hugo loves writing about boats and Patrick loves writing about optimism. It’s a Titanic
which works well.
Being twins and comedy partners how do you settle stalemates if one really likes a sketch and the other is less enthused?
Our mates are anything but stale, we reject the accusation.
In three words what best describes Pear?
Gosh! Wow! Pear!
"If someone takes another prop of ours we will actively pursue them legally and illegally."
Where did your passion for comedy come from?
Our late father always left us a lot of time to write comedy, and when he eventually rockedup we’d show him the sketches.
Had you always planned to work together or did it just sort of happen?
Happened.
What drew you to sketch comedy?
For me one of the hardest comedy forms. Sketch comedy is nowhere near one of the hardest forms. If a bit doesn’t work you can start again. You don’t have to have structure, a point, you don’t have to look the audience in the eye. It’s a mad circus of meaningless chaos and we wash our hands of it.
And what was that first time like performing together?
The Crucible - school production 2013. Patrick was John Proctor. Hugo was Judge Danforth. It was a dynamic which didn’t work well :( - iykyk
What advice would you offer anyone taking their debut show to the fringe in 2024?
Let your metric be “fun”, as much as possible.
And finally, what would you hope you Fringe audiences will take away from Pear?
If someone takes another prop of ours we will actively pursue them legally and illegally. Unsurprisingly the “tiny hands” sketch doesn’t work as well if it’s the “one tiny hand, one actual hand” sketch.
DON’T TAKE PROPS FROM PERFORMERS.