UK's top ventriloquist talks to Freetime (From Ealing Times)

UK's top ventriloquist talks to Freetime ahead of Elgiva gig

10:40am Saturday 10th September 2011 in Interviews By Rebecca Cain

Paul Zerdin has been performing since the age of 15 and continues to delight crowds with his various voices and puppets, Sam, Albert and Baby.

And as with a lot of comedians and performers Edinburgh Fringe Festival gave him the stage to tour.

The 39-year-old said: “It is a really good showcase. It is a good place to go with a new show. You can easily be swamped though and easily be forgotten about.

“You have to go all guns blazing and make sure you stand out.

“I have been very fortunate the last few times with lovely reviews. Ten years ago I was there and went completely under the radar. There is no telling with it.

“It is thanks to Edinburgh I am now able to tour, which led to getting booked on the Royal Variety Show again.”

He has been on the Royal Variety Show three times and he said it gets easier each time.

Zerdin said: “I just did it and gave it my best shot. That was the right attitude and made me more relaxed and able to do a better job.”

And although he does not get nervous with his stand up shows he does get nervous when he is in a situation he is not in control of, which he said happened recently on a TV show.

He said:”The presenters weren't in control at all. I won't say the show but they were a couple of presenters who had come out of Big Brother.

“I was in the middle of it and they didn't know what they were doing. I just sat back and laughed.

“It was on TV and it was live- it was cringey. It seems to happen more with TV now with people off reality TV shows that try to be presenters.”

And Zerdin knows how to present as at the age of 20 he landed his first job as a children's presenter on GMTV's Rise and Shine.

He said the TV work he does enables him to do what he loves best- stand up and touring.

His current show is a stand up show first and foremost with three puppets- Sam, his baby brother, and granddad, Albert with Zerdin in the middle controlling it all.

There is also a lot of ventriloquism in the show which doesn't involve puppets, which he said adds a modern twist to the art.

He said: “I can get away with a lot more when it is a puppet- that is fun. I love the fact I can get grown men and women to have conversations with the puppet.

“They will go with it and they will believe it. I say 'It is me' and they say 'I know' and carry on talking to the puppets.”

But he makes the point he does not talk to the puppets off stage.

He said: “I heard a story of an American ventriloquist who was at the Palladium. He died on his ass. He was over heard in his dressing room shouting at the puppet: 'You weren't funny tonight. You let me down.' If I get like that I should stop.”

He is currently working on a sitcom for TV – a mix between The Muppets and Seinfeld. He said there had not been a show like it before and it will focus on the puppets and Zerdin in a house- the difference being he will be doing all the characters.

It is in development now so could take six months to a year.

He added: “The moment you get a successful TV show I can sell more tickets for my live shows. TV enables me to go and perform live.”

Paul Zerdin is at The Elgiva, Chesham on September 29 at 8pm. Tickets are £15 (£14 concessions) from 01494582900 or www.elgiva.com