Doktor Kaboom!

When were you last performing at the Edinburgh Fringe?

This is my fourth consecutive year bringing a show to the Festival Fringe, and Pleasance Courtyard. My first trip in 2022 was a cross-it-off-the-bucket-list kind of thing, but I was immediately hooked! The audiences so varied and clever, the venues simply amazing, and the incredible talent from around the world all came together to excite and inspire me in ways I’d never imagined. August has become the hardest working month of the year for me, but also the most glorious. I live for it!

What was the name of your previous show?

I’ve had a few. They’re comedy specials for the whole family, so they’re titled in a similar fashion. As a character comedian, though, I title the shows to highlight the character rather than myself, along with a quick title that explains a bit about the show. Doktor Kaboom and the Wheel of Science, Doktor Kaboom and the Wheel of Even More Science, and last year was Doktor Kaboom: Man of Science!

Ah, so you’re a comedian, then?

Yes! I’ve been making people laugh for a living for over 30 years. I grew up expecting to be a physicist, but along the way discovered I much prefer life onstage to life in a lab, and through the years I’ve worked all over the world. But in 2004 my daughter was born, and I decided to shift my focus to family audiences. I brought my passion for science back into the picture, realized I could also teach powerful life lessons, and it’s become the most fulfilling work of my life.

How long has your current show been running for and why the title, “Under Pressure”?

Ooo, great question! The show was commissioned by the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and premiered there last October. (Before the regime change). I have been touring it to theatres in the US since January, so Edinburgh will be the international debut.

The title and subject, came about while touring was just starting back up after the pandemic shutdowns. I interact with children of all ages around the world, usually thousands at a time, and I realized that something had changed in the ways audiences were reacting. To everything. And teachers and parents as well. Over time I realized that the children of the world were literally psychologically traumatized by the pandemic. Self-harm and mental health issues are on the rise. And there is very little awareness or discussion about it. In the US, where I live, there has been zero national leadership, parents and teachers have little to no support, and no guidance or even tools. All they can do is wrap their arms around the kids and try to protect them.

So, I decided to address it. I’ve always talked about empowerment for kids, but this is the first time I’m focusing on a single message. I’m using the physics of pressure as a metaphor for the stresses and anxieties of life. If you feel it, it is real. It can be devastating, so here’s how you deal with it. And it’s working! Families are starting conversations about it immediately after the show.

What are your goals for performing at the Fringe?

My goal is to give families joyful shared memories that they can revisit for years to come.

What age range is your show for, and are there any sensory accessible performances?

Honestly, my show is for everyone. It’s not a children’s show as much as it is a family show. The comedy is intelligent, the empowerment lessons universal, and the joy is shared among all age groups. The science parts are aimed at about 8 years old and up. 6- or 7-year-olds usually will sit focused and enthralled, but younger than that might be a bit of a handful, depending on the child.  As for accessibility, I’ve found the most effective action is simply to communicate and forewarn. I do have a couple of louder moments, but I have learned to let the audience know when they are coming and give them the power to avoid the shock of surprise.

What shows are you looking forward to seeing?

I’m thrilled that my wife, Annie Lareau, is premiering a new three-hander called “Fuselage”, also at the Pleasance. At 19 years old, she was meant to be on the PanAm flight 103 that was blown up over Lockerbie. She lost dozens of friends and classmates who were on the plane. This had an incredible impact on her life, of course, and has taken decades of work to come to terms with it. She’s writing a beautiful memoir sharing her story as well as the stories of the people of Lockerbie and has now turned it into a three person play. It is quite powerful, to say the least, but it isn’t wholly dark, as she finds some inspiring truths in the course of her journey.

Do you have any “good luck” rituals you undertake before performing?

I put on the character along with the costume. With each piece, the orange lab coat, the safety gloves, the motorcycle boots with flames on the sides, a little bit of Doktor Kaboom comes to the foreground. When I slip on the chrome goggles the ritual is complete. I am him, and I love every moment.

How have you found booking accommodation this year?

Terrifying! We are having a very tough time of it, but it will come together. We always stay with street performer friends, and we generally find incredible housing long past the time any producer in their right mind would feel sane about it, lol.

What three pieces of advice would you give to first-timers going to the Fringe?

Pace yourself, it is a long month.
Make friends with everyone you meet.
Remember to have fun on stage. Even when it’s awful, it’s an adventure. You are literally living the Dream!

What are you plans after the Edinburgh Fringe is over?

I travel home and have a week to recover. Then it’s back on the road on tour. Oof, that makes me tired just saying it, lol.

Photo credit Damian Robertson.

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/doktor-kaboom-under-pressure