Kiri on James: James on Kiri

Nominated for Best Newcomer in 2014 and with a sell-out second show at last year’s Fringe, macabre sketch group Gein’s Family Giftshop are taking a break this summer. But that doesn’t mean their composite parts are. Unseen member Kiri Pritchard-McLean will be debuting Hysterical Woman. Also, Gein’s self described "boss" James Meehan has his own first hour-long show with Class Act. Rather than speak glowingly about themselves we asked them to speak disparagingly about each other.

James on Kiri
What’s their show about?
Kiri is doing a show about equality and whether gender/race can affect ability. She covers pretty much every -ism I can think of, but not Cubism, which is disappointing.   

Who’s the more prepared?
Kiri. She started previewing this show over a year ago and definitely works harder. But she hasn't been busy making home made wine under the stairs has she?

Which do you think is the more Gein’s-infused?
My show is about being a northern scumbag in a middle class industry, which is what Gein's are. Scumbags, the lot of us. But Kiri has more social commentary which I think is very Geinsy. Plus Kath Hughes, also of Gein's, is doing the sound and lights for Kiri's show so it is literally more Gein's-infused. I do have a joke about wee though so I'm torn.

How much do you feature in their show?
In her show Kiri recalls the whip-smart, off-the-cuff, super-cool remarks I've made, all two of them. (She takes the piss out of things I've said.)

Kiri on James
What’s their show about?
Jim's show is about class in the arts, it's funnelled through the prism of him being working class and how that's quite an unusual thing for the arts. It's also funnelled through him playing loads of Xbox.

Who’s the more prepared?
Me.

Which do you think is the more Gein’s-infused?
Hmm. They're both stuffed full of social commentary, which is quite Geinsy. But we both have Northern accents so it might not get noticed, which would be very Geinsy. I guess my sense of humour is naturally darker than Jim's but he has a dick he can whip out at any time so I suppose he wins.

Which is more important, feminism or classism?
Classism, because no one buys a t-shirt with 'working class' on it yet. They haven't worked out how to market the class system in as pithy a way as equality.