Comedian Stevie Martin talks online success and her return to the stage

Comedian Stevie Martin originally gained recognition as a member of sketch trio Massive Dad, before going solo in 2018. She’s also a familiar face on TV shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Starstruck and The Mash Report, host of the Nobody Panic podcast, and a writer published everywhere from Vice to the Guardian.

Her live stand up career upended by the pandemic, Stevie quickly pivoted to making sketches on social media, gaining a massive following as a result. Last year she returned with her first show for five years, Clout - in part a document of her time making digital content. 

Having previewed an early version of the show at Chump’s Comedy in Margate last June, she brings the finished product back for two nights in April, which will be filmed ahead of tour dates in the autumn.

Ahead of all that, Strange Tourist caught up with Stevie to talk about the perils of a show heavily reliant on tech, being a “slow perfectionist, and why filming the new series of Taskmaster felt like “weird dream under anaesthetic.”

What's the premise of Clout?
Clout is basically about the difference between online and live comedy, and how I went from being an online comedian to doing a live show, and how that made me have an absolute meltdown. But mainly it’s got 400 jokes in it that I find funny. It’s a very silly show. 

What took you away from live performance, and what brought you back?
The pandemic physically took me away, but also gave me a good excuse to experiment with doing jokes in a different way and I loved it. Doing online stuff, not the pandemic, obviously. When the world opened up again I really wanted to do a live show again because it turns out churning out content for algorithms does something mad to your brain. You end up obsessing over metrics rather than being genuinely creative. 

How has the show changed since you first started performing it? 
The show has changed constantly as the world evolves. For example, I had various bits on Twitter that I couldn’t really do now and had to update an AI joke as AI evolved. And also as I think of better and funnier ways to say stuff. 

Does having visuals and tech as part of the show make it more difficult to adapt when you have new ideas?
The fact I have 304 slides and constant tech makes adding new stuff an absolute nightmare that involves me learning the lines as well as learning exactly the rhythms to tap my little clicker to control the slides. Making the new slides in the first place takes ages because I’m a slow perfectionist. A lot of the slide images look crap but that’s because I find it funny to be slightly crap. It takes a lot of time to make them the perfect level of crap! 

How does your enjoyment of performing and creating differ between online and live work?
With live you create a connection with the room, and the room is different every show so you’re making a new and different connection - the skill of live is never to break that connection, even if a bit dies. You can feel it when it breaks, and you can get it back, but you can never take a time out. 

Online, I’m in total control so am able to have a break and come back to it or delete it if I regret it. And it’s like it was never there! On the down side, the algorithm hides jokes you make if they don’t adhere to its stringent rules which totally compromises the creativity. So there are pros and cons of both.

If audiences primarily know you from online videos, do you find they have different expectations of a live show to a more traditional stand up audience?
It’s ideal if people know me from online videos, because my style of live complements that, I think. Very fast, lots of jokes, barely breathing, lots of stuff to look at. If I was doing a traditional anecdotal standup show, or was talking about deep stuff or political stuff, people who liked my online stuff would be slightly confused. 

I've also very much made a show that works if you’ve never seen or heard of me before - it was important to me to do that because I want everyone to have a good laugh when they come out to see me. 

Why did you choose Chump's for the recording of the show?
I love Chump’s. They know exactly what makes a great comedy gig - good audiences, free pizza and helpful, knowledgeable people running the night  - so it always feels really relaxed. I’ve loved previewing Clout there! 

What's the plan for the recording? Where will people be able to see it if they can't make it to Chump's?
Social media clips! Of course! I’m taking it on tour in the autumn and if people miss it then they can maybe come see the show at the Marlowe in Canterbury - dates for the tour are released April 3 so if anyone wants to be kept up to date then they should follow me on Instagram! 

You're on the next series of Taskmaster. I assume you're not able to say much about it but how was the experience?
It was like a weird dream under anaesthetic. Someone sent me a screenshot of people on Reddit saying I am the least known contestant to ever go on Taskmaster, which I agree with - it was a real shock to get the offer and I can’t really believe I got to do it. Let’s just say I shouted “WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ABOUT” after quite a lot of the prize task scoring. Let’s just say that. 

What's coming up next for you?
I’m filming Mitchell and Webb’s new sketch show that’s out later this year. I’m talking to you while sitting in the makeup chair being made up to look like an old sunburnt Australian woman! And of course the tour! Mainly the tour. Did I mention I’m going on tour? 

Stevie Martin will film Clout at Where Else in Margate on April 7 and 8. Tickets are available for both shows on Dice for £15. 

Clout will be on tour around the UK this autumn - full dates will be announced on April 3.

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