Comedy double act Norris & Parker (aka Katie Norris & Sinead Parker) are bringing their fifth show Sirens to this year’s Fringe, once again accompanied by original songs by the talented
Edinburgh Festival Newcomer Nominated Huge Davies. Get ready to be lured into the pair’s darkly surreal comedy. We talked to the pair about getting back into their trademark catsuits and whether they’ve become somewhat desensitized over lockdown…
Funny Women: Tell us about your show.
Norris & Parker: Sirens is a fever dream of a sketch show, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, 1940’s thrillers, Sally Rooney books, and techno. It showcases Norris’s three-act play The Lighthouse, which was written in a lockdown delirium, and Sinead is lucky enough to have a starring role as an ingenue pig.
Your characters and sketches are probably some of the darkest and funniest at the Fringe, do you ever get to a point where you think it needs dialing back?
This show doesn’t feel as dark as previous ones as we got distracted by a lighthouse; either that or we’ve become completely desensitized. We do have a character called Uncle Noncy but he’s really affable and has a lovely falsetto.
FW: How does it feel to be returning to a ‘back to normal’ Edinburgh Fringe?
N&P: It’s been four years since we were last back at the fringe and we both have aged considerably, Sinead no longer wants to wear the catsuit so will be wearing tracksuit bottoms or a sarong to cover her low bottom which now drags on the floor.
Katie hopes the baked potato shop is still in business and that the male reviewer who said we ‘left nothing to the imagination’ and ‘demonstrated every position in the showroom’ brings his misogyny back to the front row.
FW: Have you got any tips for comedians going up to the festival for the first time?
N&P: Try and leave the house once a day in addition to performing your show, try a deep-fried battered rib, and don’t read reviews.
FW: Who are the funny women are you hoping to see in Edinburgh this year?
N&P: Elf Lyons, Lauren Pattison, Sophie Duker, Tamsyn Kelly, Helen Bauer, and Olga Koch.
Norris & Parker’s new comedy show Sirens will be at the Monkey Barrel 4 at 9.15pm from 3rd August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com
