We sat down with Lucy Pearman to talk about Lunatic. Lucy has just come off a sell-out Edinburgh Fringe with Lunartic, which was met with strong critical acclaim and multiple award nominations, including a nomination for The Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality. Lucy will be performing at Soho Theatre from 29th Sept – 4th October. Tickets available HERE.
What inspired you to create a comedy where the Moon takes centre stage?
hmmmmm good question
I think I just spent so much time looking at the moon after gigs. It would always be there and see me home. However the gig had gone, I could always count on the moon to be up there. I’d sort of chat to the moon and say thanks for being there like a sort of nocturnal colleague and I suppose I started to wonder what life was like from her side of things.
How do you weave heartfelt themes like loneliness into a show packed with surreal characters and props?
I guess it’s sort of quite well hidden as the show is so silly but for me the moon just felt like quite a lonely figure, sort of isolated and a little bit sad which is, I think something we have all experienced at some point in our lives. So I think I tried to humanise the moon and imagine what might be difficult for her
After several sell-out runs, what keeps drawing you back to perform at Soho Theatre?
I very sadly lost my incredible director Adam Brace in 2023. He was so supportive in helping me bring all my previous shows to Soho Theatre so I have huge affection, gratitude and very very fond memories of working with Adam and the whole team there. I love the Soho Theatre, I’m so happy to be coming back.
You were nominated for the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality this year – how do you keep pushing yourself to stay original?
That’s a big question… it’s not really ever something I’ve ever had to push I don’t think…. I just sort of do what’s in my brain and heart and go from there
How does the thrill of live comedy compare with your work in television and film?
Well, with live comedy, the audience don’t laugh if they don’t like it so that’s quite sobering. With tv stuff you’re sort of trying to make the crew laugh who aren’t really allowed to laugh so that’s a different sort of fun it’s all a bit thrilling and terrifying to be honest, the whole business
What do you hope audiences feel or take away after experiencing Lunartic?
I hope they have a bit of a laugh, actually a big laugh and I hope they get to sing along to ‘total eclipse of the heart’ and I hope they all tap into a sort of childlike escapism for 55 mins