Jonathan Rudge’s debut stand up show ‘Stay At Home Son’ will be at Just The Tonic – Mash House Snifter Room at 8.35pm for tickets go to http://www.edfringe.com
Stay At Home Son draws heavily from your own life experiences — how did you decide which parts of those very personal stories were funniest to share on stage?
There is no vanity in comedy! Someone told me that, or I read it on Instagram. If something gets a laugh, it went in the show! I feel sharing from a personal level seems right. It’s my authentic truth! I’ll tell a throw away close-to-home joke and if the audience reacts well I think ‘there’s something in this’, so I will work out how to make it funnier and build on it. I have no ego when talking about personal experiences, but I am very mindful when my jokes involve other people. My friends have a very good sense of humour thank goodness otherwise I’d have no show… or friends! No idea what the ex husband or ex colleagues think though.
After nearly two decades working behind the scenes in daytime television, what has surprised you most about stepping into the spotlight as a stand-up performer?
Both are very similar; be presentable, keep to time, entertain, blowies for the men in charge. I’m curious and very easily distracted. My brain goes ten to the dozen thinking about a million different things, I think that’s a superpower for working in TV and performing stand-up – read whichever room and deliver to it. What’s surprised me though is how much I enjoy live comedy from an audience’s side, I hardly ever went before doing stand-up. Being in a room of people who want to laugh is infectious – it should be prescribed on the NHS. I did a gig the other day and after the show someone in the audience messaged me on Instagram saying how happy they felt after a long time of feeling rubbish. Stand-up audiences are extremely switched on and I love them for it.
The show touches on divorce, moving back home and millennial instability — how important was it for you to balance vulnerability with comedy when writing the material?
Being openly vulnerable shows a human quality. It’s real, we’re all going through it in some way – relationships, money, our environment. In terms of what I talk about in my show the success gauge is very different for everyone. I like to live in the cup-half-full-way, when others may even look on as if my cup is empty. The show certainly isn’t a ‘moan at the current climate’ or a ‘woe is me’ performance, it’s just jokes about my life. Adele wrote some of her best stuff off the back of her divorce…
Producing television personalities, has that experience changed the way you think about persona, authenticity and performance in stand-up comedy?
A good television presenter makes it look easy and it certainly isn’t. The same can be said about a stand-up for sure, but it’s not just about good jokes! I’ve still got soooooo much to learn, I’m coming up to year three of stand-up this August 2026. Doing stand-up does feel like I’m a one man band at times, but I feel happy for it. I want to know the ins and outs of everything I’m part of.
It’s certainly changed the way I think about authenticity though. Stand-up feels very authentic where variety is celebrated. Live TV can feel a little performative and unauthentic at times unfortunately, and I love telly! SNL UK is absolutely smashing it at the moment, what talent from both sides of the camera.
Bobby Mair is directing the show — what has his perspective brought to shaping your storytelling style and comedic voice for Edinburgh?
I feel so honoured that Bobby was happy to help direct this show. He’s one of the best stand-ups around and really knows his craft. He taught me a very different perspective on how to perform funny which has been invaluable. At first I was concentrating so hard on getting the whole show sorted and signed off, which felt exhausting. On day one he was like ‘just see it as six lots of 10 minutes’.. Changed my life.
You’ve spoken openly about initially hiding your stand-up career from colleagues — what changed emotionally or creatively that made you feel ready to fully embrace comedy as a profession?
When I first started stand-up I’d only perform under my first name as I didn’t want ANYONE I knew to come watch! When bookers would insist on a surname I’d say I was Jonathan David (one of my middle names). I wasn’t embarrassed, but I wanted to see if I could do it before telling anyone. Let’s just get on with it, then talk about it! I kept it professional at work and stayed in my lane. I remember when a couple of senior people at my old job (at ITV) eventually found out, it was obvious they felt nervous at the idea. I guess they assumed I’d spill some of the behind the scenes-beans, which I absolutely wouldn’t have dreamt of at the time… I’ve left now and I’ve got a tin opener in my back pocket. I kinda get it, the show I used to work on was extremely well known and would attract a level of interest (not for anything I did let me tell you!). You’ve got to learn not to let other people’s fear dictate your path, it’s taken me a long time to get there… better late than ugly and never right?