We've managed to have five minutes with the wonderful Michelle McManus to discuss her show at Funny In Falkirk!
You can catch Michelle McManus' Reality: The Musical at Dobbie Hall this Saturday (19th)! Tickets available from our website and the Steeple box office!
1) Hi Michelle! We're really excited you're coming to Funny in Falkirk for the first time! Could you tell us a little bit about your show?
Well it's a comedy about the last 11years of my life since winning Pop Idol and a big Saturday night sing along of some of the best songs from the musicals with a healthy dose of celeb gossip thrown in for good measure.
2) You've previously performed this show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, why did you decide to take such an honest story to the stage?
Everytime I'm would be out with mates or round at a dinner party people would always ask me to stand up and tell the stories of Simon Cowell, Gillian McKeith and my time in London. It wasn't until my friend and comedian Bruce Devlin suggested that he put all my tales together to perform for an audience that I'd actually even thought about doing a show of this nature but to my complete surprise the show went down a storm at the Edinburgh Festival and picked up some great 5 star reviews. Plus adding in the songs from the musicals was such a success as everyone loves a good singalong.
3) Since winning Pop Idol you've been very busy, including presenting the STV show The Hour. Do you prefer presenting or performing?
I'd have to say my first love is singing although presenting on TV is possible the best job ever, I mean for 4 years on the hour all I did was eat, talk and drink for a living which in my book is the stuff dreams are made of!
4) You're no stranger to comedy, having appeared in an episode of Still Game. How was that experience?
Filming that episode of Still Game was one of the most hilarious experiences of my life and something I am still so honoured to have been a small part of. It's one of the best shows ever to have been made in Scotland and people still stop me in the street to ask me about it but sadly I have to give them all the same bad news. Those six pizza boxes I took from Winston at the end of the episode were in fact empty - gutted!
5) Seeing as this will be your first Funny In Falkirk, I've lined up a few 'Firsts' for you:
First record you bought?
Chesney Hawkes - I am the one and only
First thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
Check Facebook and Twitter
First Crush?
Jason Donovan as Scott in Neighbours
First great piece of advice you were given?
WARNING: The consumption of Alcohol may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
First thing you would do if you knew the world was going to end?
Go to the nearest McDonalds and camp out there.
First thing you do after a show?
Fix my make up as it's usually half way down my face
First thing you’d do if you ran the country?
Make it a criminal offence to leave the toilet seat up.
First time you lived on your own?
I moved into my own flat with frie
nds when I was 19
First Holiday you ever went on?
Morecambe Bay with my family when I was 4 years old
First job you ever had?
I worked in my local shop in Baillieston when I was 15 and was fired after 4 weeks because I talked too much.
And finally… First thing you'll recommend at Funny In Falkirk?My show of course because the hilarious Susie McCabe is also performing with me that evening so it's 2 lovely ladies for the price of one!