Ashlee Bentley's blend of quirky humour and brutally honest tales leaves the audience absolutely weeping (mostly with laughter). Ashlee is at the Edinburgh Fringe after winning Magners Share the Craic national search to find the next stand up star. She’s the crowned winner of Show Me The Funny and the Ireland Regional Final of Funny Women. You might also have spotted her on Virgin Media’s The Craic Den Comedy Club show.
Ashlee likes long walks on the beach and will not rest until she has petted all of the cats.
Wallflower explores what happens when someone who has spent their life trying not to be noticed ends up standing in front of a room full of strangers with a microphone. Blending dry, deadpan storytelling with sharply observed comedy, Ashlee tackles social anxiety, overthinking, people-pleasing and the exhausting pressure to have your life together. It is a reminder that most of us are just making it up as we go along.
And beneath the awkward encounters and self-deprecating humour there is a bigger question: what happens when life reminds you that there isn’t always time to wait until you feel ready? Is courage is something you’re born with - or something you’re forced to find?
Magners Share The Craic Presents Ashlee Bentley: Wallflower, The Wee Coo at Underbelly, Until 30 August (not 17) @ 22:20. Ticket link here.
What is the last thing you do before you go onstage (apart from check your flies and/or check your knickers aren't sticking out of your skirt and check for spinach between your teeth)
It’s a lot of pacing up and down and trying to regulate my breathing. I don’t find performing natural but I’m drawn to it regardless and once I’m out there I’m having a lot of fun even if you can’t tell just by looking at me.
Finding out a song I think is fairly new is actually 20 years old.
What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
I’m too anxious for danger. I am a strict rule follower although I yearn for a time I can throw caution to the wind and do something a little crazy. The most dangerous thing I’ve done so far is go down what I thought was a lazy river in a water park and it was the opposite of lazy. I can’t swim and couldn’t get myself to float so I was just holding the wall and trying to make it to the end and when i got to the exit a family of five came excitedly rushing in and I got caught in the crossfire and I ended up doing another lap of the crazy river.
What is the most stupid thing you have ever done?
One time I went down a big hill on a skateboard as a dare and I skated straight into a pothole and fractured my shoulder.
What has surprised you the most during your career in comedy?
Besides the nervous pre-gig poops it’s how kind and supportive everyone is. When I won the Magners share the craic competition I hadn’t even stepped on the plane home yet and I had a bunch of offers for WIPs and gigs and just people offered to help me out. It was lovely
What do your parents think of your job?
They love it but they do now think I know every famous comedian that's ever existed and I have to remind them that no I don’t know Peter Kay personally and I cannot just “ring him up for you”.
Besides the nervous pre-gig poops probably the travelling. I love to be at home and when I’m not at home I’m thinking about being at home.
I think you are very good at what you do (that’s why I’m asking these questions). What do you think of you?
I try my best not to think of me but I hope I’m good at what I do and that it resonates with my fellow anxious/awkward people.
How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?
I don’t earn enough and I’d love to earn too much
How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had lucky breaks?
I think it’s luck and hard work. My lucky break was winning the Magners Share the Craic Comedy competition. Wouldn’t be here without that happening but I hope I won it because of years of hard work.
Alan Davies has said that comedians fall into two categories - golfers and self-harmers. The former just get on with life, the latter are tortured artists. Which are you – or do you think you fit into a third category?
Reluctantly I’d probably fall into the tortured artist category but with the hopes of making the move over to golfers. I’d love to just be able to get on with life.
Who is your favourite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians?
Whoever donated the clear pressing of Charli xcx Vroom Vroom on Vinyl that I found in a charity shop for a fiver. I started collecting records a couple of years ago and it’s weirdly helped with getting me out of my shell a bit. I used to hate leaving the house but then I’d start rummaging around record fairs and record shops and chatting to people. It’s been lovely.
Do you keep your drawers tidy and if not why not? (please think long and hard about this question, it's to settle an argument with my girlfriend. The future of our relationship could depend on your response).
I desperately want to keep them tidy because as they say tidy drawers = tidy life but that’s just not who I am.
Why do you do comedy?
When I was growing up comedy was my escape. When things got too much I’d pull out one of my stand up DVDs and I’d watch and I’d laugh out loud on my own and for the time I was doing that I wasn’t focused on how sad I was and I loved that feeling and I’d always wanted to be that for someone else.
