Fringe Favourite John Tothill Discusses His Third Solo Show, This Must Be Heaven

In a world where most comedians will do anything for a good punchline, John Tothill has truly gone above and beyond, firstly deliberately catching malaria and then (not deliberately) performing with a burst appendix. Twice named among the best-reviewed shows at the Fringe, he’s back with This Must Be Heaven: a sparkling hour of moral misadventure, intellectual detours and cheerful degeneracy. From clapping when planes land to quoting oyster thieves, Tothill blends camp silliness with philosophical tangents, all while making himself the butt of the joke. Here, he discusses comedy, health scares and the War on Wonder.

Your show mixes big ideas with silly stories - why do you like playing with both?

I think (or hope) that grandiosity and idiocy complement each other quite nicely. I’ve tried shows that are basically aggressive lectures and they unsurprisingly go down badly, but, actually, sustaining small talk for an hour is pretty difficult as well. So a mix of the two hopefully mutually offset each other.

How did your health problems shape This Must Be Heaven?

When my appendix exploded last year, it was the one time in my whole life that I haven’t been annoyed when people told me that it will make for good material. Even at the time, it was obvious to see what my persona would make of having to cancel an Edinburgh show for a trifling matter of the body. So I’m afraid it will feature a lot.

Do you think comedy can help people talk about difficult or serious subjects?

My instinct would be that it’s very difficult to discuss something seriously without it, and that sombreness is usually inherently a bit ridiculous. But this show is pretty light-hearted. I wouldn’t describe any of my output as ‘serious’ in any real way. I hope it’s entertaining, but no worries if not…?

You mention “the War on Wonder.” What does that mean to you?

Ugh, just the fact that no one is impressed by anything anymore. I don’t like people who roll their eyes when passengers (rightly) clap when a plane lands. What will it take to get a round of applause out of you, then?

How do you decide when to make something clever and when to make it completely ridiculous?

My shows usually start with a story that makes me look like a loser. I think once I’ve proved my low-status credentials, I can start to build highfalutin arguments. But you can’t rawdog it either. I think both stupidity and intelligence has to be earned.

Can you tell us about performing with a burst appendix?

I maybe wouldn’t recommend it, but then again, people have done stranger things. It felt a bit like the sort of horror stories you hear from drama schools – people being made to recite Shakespeare on a bed of nails or something. There’s something deeply Protestant about it, obviously, but it was hard to stay away from the Edinburgh Fringe.

If your show had one message, what would it be?

That to have a glass of wine and enjoy yourself is important. Radical, even. There, I said it!

John Tothill’s This Must Be Heaven will be in the Pleasance Courtyard at the Edinburgh Fringe this August.

For tickets and more information, visit:: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/john-tothill-must-be-heaven