Q&A with Ele Mckenzie

Moving back in with your parents at 30 is something so many people quietly relate to. Did writing the show make you realise how universal that experience actually is?

In a very literal sense, yes! I ask the audience if anyone has moved back in with their parents. Not many people admit to it in the room.

Your childhood bedroom becomes almost a character in the show. What was it like re-entering that space as an adult?

It’s weird. The room is still full of all my teenage paraphernalia, so it almost feels like it belongs to someone else. At the same time, I’m a bit of a hoarder and can’t bring myself to throw anything away. Who knows when I might next need to consult my AQQ GCSE English Literature Love & Relationships Poetry Anthology?

Ellie White called you “the real deal.” What has her support meant to you as someone who encouraged you into comedy in the first place?

I genuinely wouldn't be doing comedy if it weren't for Ellie. It had never even occurred to me until she came along, so I owe her everything. I honestly think she's the funniest person alive, so having her believe in me means the world.

Your twin brother’s life progressing “nicely” becomes an unavoidable comparison point in the show. Is sibling comparison something people don’t talk honestly enough about?

I think it’s inevitable when you’re a twin. If you’re neck and neck for years and then one of you starts to fall behind, it becomes much more noticeable. The comparison is sort of built in.

Ele McKenzie: Bringing It All Back Home performs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 5th - 30th August. For more information, visit https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/ele-mckenzie-bringing-it-all-back-home