Alfie Brown is the son of impressionist Jan Ravens and composer Steve Brown, and has four children with Harry Potter actor Jessie Cave. His latest stand-up show Sensitive Man was nominated for this year's Edinburgh Comedy awards, and he appears at the How The Light Gets In festival of philosophy and music in the grounds of Kenwood, now postponed to October 1-2 following the death of the Queen. We asked him some questions.
Q: Congratulations on Sensitive Man being nominated - how was your Edinburgh this year?
A: A beautiful surprise. Well being nominated for the award was a surprise. I think after the pandemic a lot of comedians might have lost their cynicism for the Edinburgh fringe. Which is good. It’s a celebration of comedy and in the evening you drink with your friends, it doesn’t get much better. There are massive problems with it, but businesses are only able to exploit performers and punters because it’s so utterly wonderful. Whilst the people that corrupt the experience must go in the bin, we mustn’t forget that what we want to protect is something truly rare and fantastic.
Q: The Guardian refers to you as 'the son of Jan Ravens' but I interviewed your dad this year for his Tony! Musical and he's pretty funny too - growing up, were you aware that your parents were less dull than other people’s?
A: In my childhood I met parents of other kids who had dull jobs that were quite extraordinary people. To a fault sometimes. Loose parental renegades with soft drug habits, having affairs, committing petty theft and hosting debauched house parties. I did have a sense that my parents were funny. They each informed different aspects of my comedy, as I suppose is true of a lot of comedians, even ones with parents who have not had similar jobs themselves. They’ve both been a wonderful help.
Q: What's the idea behind Sensitive Man?
A: During lockdown seeing people unable to communicate in person, dissecting the issues of the day on twitter. More so than usual and without the centring experience of human connection. It became less about solving problems and more about performative morality. Each side, the left and right, thinking they were the ones sensitive to the concerns of the day, neither of them are sensitive. Sensitivity is the ability to empathise across a moral divide. I decided to write about this.
Q: Your jokes often examine popular ideas eg veganism, gender identity and privilege - is comedy a good format to take a closer look at such things?
A: Yes certainly. Humour is a prism for ideas to move through. Done with *sensitivity*, open hearted human enquiry and humility. Yes. But I prefer comedians who investigate. We are not preachers. Comedians are better asking questions than giving answers, in my opinion.
Q: In your show you talk about your partner wanting a third child but now you have four, is there more material to look forward to about what that entails?
A: Yes. 16th of December. Alfie Brown - Live in Liverpool. YouTube.com/alfiebrowncomedian like and subscribe!
Q: How do you feel about being the comic relief at a philosophy festival on Hampstead Heath sandwiched between deep thinkers examining the state of consciousness?
A: It’s a great opportunity to reel off my impressions of contemporary philosophers. My Noam Chomsky, Zizek, Jordan Peterson and Julian Baggini can all finally get the outing they deserve. Also I can’t stand all that consciousness stuff. What is the point of metaphysics? Where does it get us? - I’m sure there is a good answer to this question and that I am being thick. But that’s how I feel now. Could change.
How The Light Gets In runs in the grounds of Kenwood House October 1-2 and includes 'big ideas' debates, music, comedy, cabaret and speakers from the world of politics, the Arts, science, journalism and philosophy. https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/london
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