Spotlight: Gein's Family Giftshop

Already drawing comparisons to The League of Gentlemen, Gein’s Family Giftshop's skill comes from their exceptionally tight writing, their unflinching ability to turn a sketch on its head with just one sentence, and genuinely intimate performances that make you believe these idiots in P.E. kits are the characters they attempt to embody.

A year hosting a comedy night at the now-defunct and much lamented Lass O’Gowrie pub in Manchester climaxed at the end of 2013 with a performance as part of a show at the Palace Theatre in the West End, handpicked by The Boy With Tape On His Face, where Gein's presented only one sketch but turned all the heads of those in attendance. Comprising four members (Ed, Kath, James and Kiri (not pictured)), Gein’s now look forward to another year on the rise after a move over the Irwell to Salford’s Kings Arms pub, and things are already looking bright after Ed’s former drama teacher just got an MBE, “so vicariously we’re all knights now. Except Kath, she’s a bitch.”

Influences:
“H. H. Holmes (The Chicago World Fair years), Russell Crowe, gentleman’s perfume 'Joop', and Sir Cliff.”

First gig:
“Square Hole Comedy in Sheffield, we were brought on as 'Sketch Comedy' as we didn't have a name. The audience were utterly baffled, the trip back over the Snake Pass was quiet.”

Best gig:
“We got to perform at the Palace Theatre in the West End at the end of 2013, Paul Daniels taught Kath how to mimic a bagpipe.”

Worst gig:
“A gig in Leicester where the loudest sound in the two-tiered theatre was the sound of Ed's penis missing a chess piece and then retracting back into his P.E. shorts.”

Circuit favourites in the Northwest:
“Lee Fenwick, Terry Beefsheen, Michael J Dolan, Harriet Dyer, Brooke WiIliams, to name many.”

Favourite venue:
“Korova Arts Cafe in Preston because they are relentlessly supportive and always have appreciative audiences.”

Best heckle:
“Someone winning the jackpot on the quiz machine during our Edinburgh show and walking away with more than we got in the bucket at the end.”

Aspirations:
“Get away with all them murders, then TV.”

Question from December's Spotlight, Jayne Edwards: How do you come up with your material?
“None of your fucking business Jayne. Shut your mouth.”