Five questions for Guilt & Shame
Guilt & Shame is the creation of comedy duo Gabriel Bisset-Smith and Rob Cawsey. They return to the Fringe with their taboo humour in tow to follow up last year’s hit, Addicted To Everything. Here they give Giggle Beats readers an insight into what to expect from them in Edinburgh…
Hi guys. Tell us about your new show, Going Straight.
Rob: This year it focuses on a cult religion that has Jeremy Clarkson as the leader. Gabe is a member and I want to join but first Gabe has to turn me straight. Does he succeed? You’ll have to come and find out. Also there’s a rapping dwarf and an abundance of PIME (pornographic mime).
Gabe: Yeah, the show is about what is it to be a modern man and how our perceptions on sexuality affect that. It also has a giant vagina dance for the ladies.
What brought the two of you together to form Guilt & Shame?
Rob: Gabe started following me one day, as he wanted to sleep with my female friends. Now there’s no female friends left, so it’s just us.
Gabe: That’s completely untrue. There are still a few female friends left.
How far removed from your sketches are your real personas? Are you really just a couple of straight edge mummy’s boys?
Rob: I’m sat in a gay crack-den right now with a needle hanging from my arm using my dealer’s laptop to answer these questions. Shit, he wants his laptop back.
Gabe: I’m a bit of a mummy’s boy. I’m fucking Rob’s mum right now.
Rob: Fuck off!
What’s the most obscene sketch you’ve ever written?
Rob: We tried to do a sketch titled ‘the most controversial sketch that’s ever been seen’. I think it featured Osama Bin Laden, Fred West and Madeline McCann. I guess that was obscene.
Gabe: Jesus was in there too. Fuck, that didn’t go down well. Best sketch we’ve ever written though.
What’s next for Guilt & Shame after the Fringe?
Rob: As always, see what happens. I’d like to settle down and have kids (not with Gabe).
Gabe: Gonna see how this thing with Rob’s mum pans out.
Rob: I quit!
Guilt & Shame, Underbelly @ Cowgate, Edinburgh, 31 July – 24 August, 9.30pm, £7, underbellyedinburgh.co.uk
