Norris & Parker: Comedy Spotlight

In 2013 Katie Norris and Sinead Parker stormed the Edinburgh Free Fringe with their anarchic mix of sketch, musicals and ridiculous soliloquies. Critical acclaim don’t pay the bills though, so after a financially minded year off they’re back to take on Scotland’s capital once more, with a stop off at the Greater Manchester Fringe first. Armed with nothing more than their wit and a heap of Disney songs, it’s Norris & Parker!

First gig:

Katie Norris: "Our first show was in 2010 at the Lass O'Gowrie in Manchester. About 50 of our friends and family came, and one person from the actual public who thought they’d come to our birthday party. Our early writing style revolved around creating characters based on accents we were alright at. These included 'New York Women', 'Posh Women', 'Irish Women' and 'Swahili Women'."

Sinead Parker: "One sketch was based around the American series 24. This was due to the fact that I became obsessed with the character Jack Bauer and spent three weeks in solitary confinement watching all eight seasons. I came out of my room only to eat and to defecate. My mum would come home from work and ask in a hollow Irish voice, 'Have you been out today Sinead?' and I'd intimidate her out the room in the style of a CIA Agent."

Best gig:

SP: "All Our Friends Are Dead at Re:play Festival last year at the Lowry. We had the luxury of an onstage band playing all our songs. Sadly we no longer have a band due to the fact that the guitarist is my ex-boyfriend. The last thing he said to me was, 'Leave me alone, I don’t want to talk to you, please move on,' which I think is a polite way of telling me he’s not available for future gigs."

KN: "Plus I had sex with the pianist and we forgot to pay the violinist so now we have to resort to illegally ripping off Disney instrumentals from YouTube. If there are any musicians out there who would like to work with us, and are happy to be financially and sexually exploited, please get in touch via Facebook or Twitter."

Worst gig:

KN: "I hate all gigs. Especially the ones which start with Parker gagging in the toilets before we go on because she's so nervous. In between retches she likes to look up at me with pathetic eyes and say, 'I'll be OK.' She is clearly not OK and we are probably not going to be OK but I always remain strong and courageous. "

Favourite venue:

KN: "The Three Minute Theatre in Afflecks Palace because it's a gem of a space with a wonderful vibe, and Gina and John are a better double act than we are."

SP: "The King's Arms because the theatre is fantastic and all the barmaids have sensational breasts."

Best heckle:

SP: "When whining on stage (our show favours whining over actual jokes) about being so poor I can’t pay my own rent, my own father aggressively shouted, 'I PAY YOUR RENT SINEAD' and made me look like a liar. He no longer pays my rent so now I am forced to live in my mother’s attic like a cross between Mrs Rochester and Norman Bates."

KN: "Parker's dad is really cruel but quite fit."

SP: "Stop it."

KN: "I would..."

SP: "Just stop it."

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing standup?

KN: "Waitrose, baking and lactating."

SP: "I'd be in Syria looking for a husband."

If you could be haunted by anyone, who would it be and why?

SP: "The porn star who had sex with a horse and died. She would follow me around as a constant reminder that despite my constant urge to mate with a Shetland pony, the consequences would outweigh the benefits."

KN: "I have nothing more to add."

What’s the largest animal you think you could beat in a fight? No weapons.

KN: "My boyfriend's ex."

SP: "A drunk pig."

Question from past Spotlighter Liam Pickford: Why do you hate geese?

KN: "I was brought up on a farm and I witnessed my RADA-trained farmer father once strangle a goose with his bare hands. When you've seen the red eyes of a screaming, dying goose and the desperation of a failed actor, it's hard to feel any sympathy for either of them."