ED FRINGE 2023 INTERVIEW | Dave Bibby, Baby Dinosaur

With the Edinburgh Festival Fringe now underway, we’ve caught up with some of the artists and creative teams to chat about their work which is heading to the event in August. Today we’re chatting with Dave Bibby about their piece, Baby Dinosaur.

1. Let's begin by pitching your show at the Ed Fringe, tell us about it?

Baby Dinosaur is the story of a man who wanted to perform a one-man version of the Spielberg classic ‘Jurassic Park’ but then had a baby and simply hasn’t had time. So, instead, I remake it live with the audience providing sound effects, delivering classic lines and updating the dinosaurs to turn them from ‘1993 scary’ to ‘2023 scary’. One of the raptors has Boris Johnson’s sex drive.

2. Where did you draw your influences from for this piece?

I genuinely enjoy one-man versions of classic films and TV shows. Brendan Murphy does it brilliantly – his one-man Buffy The Vampire Slayer is incredible. Lewis Doherty also pastiches genres and he plays dozens of characters in one hour in shows like Wolf and Boar.

Then I steal from my history of doing improv, panto, interactive theatre – anything where the audience is a big part of the action.

3. What are the challenges of bringing a piece to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

Money. I have developed this show at Leicester Comedy Festival, Brighton Fringe, Bedfringe and Buxton Fringe and they are all affordable and great fun. Edinburgh’s days are numbered with the rising costs. It genuinely might be my last.

Plus, this is a show about how you can never get anything done when you have a baby and boy let me tell you it really is hard to get anything done when you have a baby! I’ve never been so underprepared – I think people think it is my style but I’m just trying to keep my comedy head afloat!

READ MORE: Our review of Baby Dinosaur.

4. What can audiences expect from your show?

Fun. Most comedians now have a choice of whether to make lots of online content or to make a live show. I have decided to make the most LIVE live show I can think of. It will be different every night depending on the audience. But, equally, they shouldn’t be scared that I am going to pick on them. I tell my audience at the top of the show that they can do as much or as little as they feel comfortable doing and I will not force anyone to do something they don’t want to do.

Regulars to Bibby shows sit front row and get stuck in, newbies often sit at the back and as the show goes on, often wish they’d sat further forward. The show will be different every night.

5. What are you most looking forward to during your time in Edinburgh for the festival?

Sleep! Everyone in Edinburgh complains about being tired but I have a baby at home, so the short nights of Edinburgh Fringe are much longer than those as a dad!

But most of all I love seeing the variety of work on offer. I’ll easily see 20-30 shows while I’m there. I love it.

6. What are the main things within your piece?

Fatherhood. Dinosaurs. Ken Barlow.

7. Where can people come and see Baby Dinosaur?

I’ll be at The Banshee Labyrinth from 5th – 20th August at 7:20pm. After that… who knows? https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/dave-bibby-baby-dinosaur