Accountant by Day, Comedian by Night: James Tricky brings Don’t Count on Me to Edinburgh Fringe

Award-winning comedian and chartered accountant James Tricky makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut this year with Don’t Count On Me, a show about choosing between playing it safe and taking risks. Drawing on his British-Cambodian heritage, his experiences in stand-up, and his career in finance, the show offers a personal and humorous look at the decisions that shape us. He spoke to Cultural Dose about the concept behind the show, balancing two careers, and what he hopes to take away from his first solo hour at the Fringe.

Can you tell us a bit about the concept of your show?

I would say the show is about trying to make a decision between something very safe and logical and something which is seemingly insanely risky and probably quite irresponsible. The only catch is that you've been meaning to choose the risky option for several years because it feels like it’s always been calling out to you. There are also some stops to explore how I ended up with this choice in the first place (mixed-race parents, I'm looking at you), which hopefully provide a nice bit of context as to who I am and how I got here.

How do you balance your career as a chartered accountant with comedy?

It’s a hell of a question. For the most part, I am just really tired a lot of the time. Accountancy is a job which tends to ebb and flow with how busy it is — it gets really busy towards the beginnings and ends of every month — so I try and do my comedy admin when I have a bit more capacity. But then it’s just: clock in, do the job, clock out, travel to gig, do the gig, go home and repeat. Coffee and persistence.

Your parents sound like an iconic duo. A carefree British dad and a financially focused Cambodian mum. How does that dynamic play out in the show and in your sense of humour?

They are incredibly iconic. But even though they clash when it comes to life decisions, they’re both really funny in their own ways. My dad has always had a great sense of humour and LOVES to tell a long-winded story about how he’s the unluckiest man in the world. I would say that if I have an opportunity to be a bit cheeky, then that’s him. However, my mum sometimes has this incredible bluntness, which I have probably inherited too — which makes for a fun gear shift.

You’re now an award-winning comic but you haven’t quit your day job. At what point would you consider making it your full-time career?

I reckon if it ever got to a point where there was so much comedy work that I was not able to do both, I would go full-time. But until that point, I’ll happily keep on accounting on the side. I can’t lie — it is quite nice knowing that my rent is definitely covered if I keep logging on and opening Excel, so the incentive to not give up the day job is currently quite high.

What do you hope to take away from Fringe this year?

Honestly, if I’m able to look back at the end of the Fringe and still be proud of the show, then that would be fantastic. Outside of that, it would obviously be amazing if I came out of it with a couple of fans who would want to come and see what I end up doing next. Or a medal — that would be pretty great.

Don’t Count On Me will be at Pleasance Courtyard (Cellar) from 30th July to 24th August. Tickets available HERE