The Lampoons bring 50’s B-Movie ‘House on Haunted Hill’ to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Name: The Professional Idiots: Tina, Ollie, Adam and Josh.
Name of Edinburgh show: The Lampoons: House on Haunted Hill
Venue: Pleasance Dome
Performance time: 23.00
Show length: 60 mins
Ticket price: £7 – £11

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your performing background?
Josh: Most of us went to universities and then went on to train further at drama school. We discovered our love for Clowning and especially the bizarre when we threw our first production together, “Attack of The Giant Leeches.” A poorly written B-Movie that we re-created for stage back in 2016.
Ollie: I was brought up on Classic comedy movies by my parents, they would introduce me to a new comedian every year such as Tony Hancock or Emo Phillips so It’s given me quite an eclectic taste in comedy.

Tell me about your show, what it is all about?
Tina: We have taken the original thrilling film-script and put it through the filter of our professional idiocy. This Will be a bizarre and completely bonkers staging of the 50’s B-Movie ‘House on Haunted Hill’, complete with our very own Vincent Price(s), dramatic scares and mini coffins. Plus we chucked in a few extras, such as a pickle attack, a few catchy theme songs and questionable accent choices for good measure.

How long have you been working on this show and what is it that makes it relevant to audiences in 2018?
Adam: We’ve been working on House on Haunted Hill since early 2017 and later that year we premiered it at Leicester Square Theatre. Almost one year on and we’ve completely redeveloped it for the fringe. Condensing all our favourite parts into a one hour show with more laughs, more thrills, and more Portuguese dancing cats.

Do you have any top tips for surviving the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – both for performers and visitors to the event?
Josh: Don’t get lost in one genre of show – mix it up. Surprise yourself. Oooh singing Russians. Wait is that a baby on stage?…

What has been the funniest or most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?
llie: I was performing as Lysander in a Midsummer Nights Dream at my youth theatre, and completely forgot all my lines while fighting with Demetrius, so I resorted to just shouting “Oh Yeah Come on then!” Whilst pushing him off the stage to force a scene change.
Josh: I’ve got something a lot worst planned for you in Ed Ollie.

Who are your biggest inspirations in the industry and why?
Adam: We have always been hugely inspired by the Clown troupe SpyMonkey and you will see trickles of their magic rubbed into our work. We have all trained with Aitor Basuri who originally trained with Philippe Gaulier. We were also lucky enough to have him mentor the project.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Tina: We have a really good one where someone loses a prop and we all go around screaming “WERE THE F*#K IS IT?!” till the audience burst in.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at Edinburgh Fringe?
Josh: Spencer Jones, Stevenson Experience and Will Seawards ‘midnight ghost stories’ (FUNNY EVERY YEAR).

Why do you think people should come and see your show over the thousands of others on at the fringe?
Adam: This could well be the most ridiculously Bizarre show on the fringe. A thumpingly hilarious non-stop comedy the likes of which have never been seen. Plus, you get water pistols and ping pong balls!

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