Tony Law: Interview

Ben Williams: Deconstructing your own comedy has long been part of your act. How did that start?

Tony Law: It came out of necessity. At some gigs I predicted that certain members of the audience wouldn't understand a joke or routine and, without being a prick, I would explain why I knew they wouldn't like it. But then eventually I got into a fun, weird position where they get the jokes, and they get the explanation of the joke. It was initially a fallback, but now I do it anyway. It's fun.

BW: Your material often goes in unexpected directions. What's your writing process?

TL: I used to have a burst of creativity and then periods of lulls. But I went on tour with Stewart Lee and watched how he works: the pressure of doing a new hour every year forces him to constantly write. Now I keep doing new material nights, every week. Even if I haven't had time to write that week, I'll quickly jot down some topics on the tube and then see what comes out on stage. Probably 30 minutes of last year's show was written in that way. Then you decide whether it works perfectly just the way it is, however clunky and awkward, or do you hone it? When I do it again, I rely on my brain to filter out the bits that didn't work and remember the significant parts.

Tony Law: Interview / By Ben Williams / Posted: Fri Nov 25 2011 / www.timeout.com/london