Frisky and Mannish

From Kate Nash to Kate Bush, Rihanna to Radiohead, no one is safe from Frisky and Mannish, the wonderfully outlandish and talented twosome whose unique blend of pop parody has been taking the cabaret scene by storm. And Gary Barlow, if you’re reading, that is meant in the very best way. We talk to Frisky and Mannish about life on tour, corsets, ‘Fringe Fabulousness’ and what it’s like to put Mr Barlow in his place.

How did Frisky and Mannish come to be?

‘Well, in their world, they met at the Leipzig Conservatoire as two social outcasts who shared a great love of deconstructing pop music. In reality, they were concocted out of thin air by two professional outcasts – unemployed struggling actors – who shared a great love of deconstructing pop music. The only difference between them and us is the look – we honestly don’t spend our days off lounging around the house in corsets and skintight jeans. But apart from that, they pretty much are ridiculous larger-than-life versions of ourselves.’

You’re currently touring the UK with your new show, Extra-Curricular Activities, how’s that been going so far?

‘We’re like a well-oiled tight little machine now, still on a budget, but with everything in place that we need to run a medium-scale tour. We love it, now that we get to ask for a rider; nothing too glamorous, just water, kettle chips and bananas, and we have a “team” of people – that’s two, still a team – who work with us. It’s like a road trip a lot of the time, and we get to see loads of nice towns around England that we’d only heard about on weather reports. Who knew Lincoln was so nice? That was surprising.’

As something of an Edinburgh Fringe favourite, how does an Edinburgh audience compare with the rest of the country?

‘Firstly, it’s rarely an audience made up of people from Edinburgh. It’s usually everyone but! Australians, Americans, Europeans, English, Irish, Welsh, Scottish. That’s what makes the Fringe so exciting – it’s the most world-famous festival, and the audience atmosphere just can’t be replicated anywhere else. If we could bottle that buzz and sell it under the name “Fringe Fabulousness”, we’d make more money than Britney, Gaga and Kylie’s perfume ranges combined.’

What can a first-timer expect from a Frisky and Mannish show?

‘Music, singing, piano, loudness, costumes, glitter, Shoreditch trousers, Little Mix shoes, boobs, thighs, entertainment, enjoyment, wit, surprise, bit of interaction, dance routines, audio visual design, mashups, comedy, cabaret, variety, inevitably one of Rihanna’s songs, nothing by Simon and Garfunkel.’

Who are your musical inspirations?

‘Tenacious D. JB and KG. We saw them recently in London. There was a huge phoenix on stage. It looked like a penis. They even do visual comedy. They’re unbeatable.’

You recently led the cabaret scene’s Resistance against Gary Barlow after his use of ‘cabaret’ as a negative term in X-Factor – how do you think cabaret acts like yourselves, and those in your YouTube campaign video, have moved cabaret forwards?

‘We were very proud to spearhead that resistance, but we cannot lie – we are totally the students in the cabaret world. It taught us everything we know about engaging with an audience, and those people in our video with us were some of our teachers. They’re the ones moving cabaret forward. We happened to arrive on the scene at a time when things were getting really inventive, and we’ve benefited greatly. It just so happens that what we do is “mainstream” enough, that we have enough of a profile to make a video like that and say, “You know what, people, look at what’s going on underground, in live clubs. Things that are more ludicrously entertaining and inspiring than a thousand X-Factor contestants.” But thank you, we loved making the video, and we’re glad it made a little splash.’

Where are your favourite cabaret hotspots in London?

‘The sadly defunct Soho Revue Bar – formerly Raymond’s Revue, now operating as The Box – was an early fave, and Madame Jojo’s is hard to beat for the sheer legend, but we’re very partial to our original stomping ground and the place that helped us launch – the Battersea Barge. Idiosyncratic venue, and you can put on a show for next to nothing.’

What do you love and loathe about the capital?

‘Love the mixture of tradition and innovation, architecturally and culturally. Love the entertainment, theatre, cinema, nightlife, clubs, bars, restaurants. Love South Bank. Love Soho. Love St John’s Wood. Loathe the tube. Loathe the prices. Loathe the fact that you can’t leave for too long without wanting to come back.’

You have 24 hours to show someone the best of London – what do you do?

‘See above. But with a bicycle, not on the underground.’

What is the City’s best kept secret?

‘Cellar Door on Aldwych. A disused underground toilet turned into a louche cabaret bar.’

What’s next for Frisky and Mannish?

‘We’re going to Australia! First Perth, then Adelaide. We cannot wait. Definitely one of the major perks of this job, getting off a plane in a hot country and knowing that you’re essentially being paid to be there.’

Frisky and Mannish perform their end of year spectacular on Friday 14 December at:

KOKO
1a Camden High Street
London
NW1 7JE

Box Office: 0870 432 5527