Henry Rowley

You had a strong run at Edinburgh Fringe — how did the show evolve through that?


I’ve tweaked it a little bit. It went very well in Edinburgh, but the show’s grown, and there are certain things which really work in the intimacy of the stage in Edinburgh that I want to adapt. It’s also fun because you get ideas for new characters and new sketches, so there are a couple of extra ones I’m bringing in.

“There are certain things which really work in the intimacy of the stage in Edinburgh that I want to adapt.”

How do you deal with nights where it doesn’t quite land?


Fringe is a real test of character because you’re doing the same show every day for a month, and your perception shifts. You might have two amazing nights, then a third that’s still great, but you judge it differently because of what came before. Then you look back and realise it was all actually really successful.

What changes when the show moves from online sketches to the stage?


It varies sketch to sketch. Some are predominantly voiceover, with me acting them out on stage, which I really enjoy, and others are just single-character monologues. Sometimes it’s me jumping between characters, which is quite fun to do. I’m a very sweaty performer because there’s so much physicality, and then you leap into something else — it’s quite exciting to do that sort of thing. And the entire focus is on the scenes, characters, and jokes, rather than costumes and production.

“I’m a very sweaty performer because there’s so much physicality.”

Do some ideas only work live rather than online?


Yeah, definitely. That’s what’s nice about it. Doing it on stage gives you the time to explore concepts that don’t translate to a digital platform, so there are sketches that are just for the stage and won’t ever see the light of day online.

A lot of your comedy comes from observation — where does that come from?


It’s those everyday, consistent behaviours that we don’t notice because they happen so much, but when you really focus on them and bring them out, that’s where the humour is. People, like the gym — everyone’s walking around like they’re the main character, like this warrior that’s fighting a battle that no one knows about, and you think — relax, it’s a fun thing that we’re doing here. It’s not usually one person who’s completely different — it’s an amalgamation of things, these behavioural consistencies, and then just amping it up a little bit. Sometimes it doesn’t even need that.

“Everyone’s walking around like they’re the main character.”

When did you realise those observations could become content?


It was sort of an accident. I’ve always done silly characters and sketches, and once I was making a friend laugh, and he said, “Why don’t you make a TikTok account and post it on that?” None of us really knew anything about TikTok — we thought it was just dancers — but I posted it, it did quite well, and it just snowballed from there.

Did you ever have a long-term plan with it?


No, not really. I think if I set a goal, you put so much pressure on it that it takes all the enjoyment out of it. The whole thing is meant to be fun, and if I’m not enjoying it, no one else will. So I’ve always just thought — do it, keep enjoying it, and see what happens. Opportunities have come from it that I wouldn’t have expected.

“If I set a goal, you put so much pressure on it that it takes all the enjoyment out of it.”

Has that opened the door to acting as well?


Yeah, that’s come through TikTok. People saw the videos and thought there was some potential, so conversations started. It’s still something I’m pursuing — it’s always been the dream — but I’m in a position now I probably wouldn’t have been in if I hadn’t done it.

Do you get people coming to your shows who don’t know your online videos?


Yeah, and that’s one of the best compliments. People come with a friend or partner who doesn’t know who I am, and they end up really enjoying it. Sometimes they almost come wanting not to like it, which makes it even better when they do — that’s a real win.

Where do you feel most at home now — online or on stage?


Absolutely on stage. I’m happiest when I’m either acting or on the stage, trying to make people laugh. It’s just unlike anything else; it’s unbelievable. Even when I first started stand-up and had shows that didn’t really work, I still loved it — I’d come off thinking I’d smashed it, even if there weren’t many laughs.

“I’m happiest when I’m either acting or on the stage, trying to make people laugh.”

What’s your process when it comes to making videos?


There’s no formula to it. When I was building it, I was posting constantly, but now it’s different. Because my videos are low production, they don’t take hours and hours. It’s about finding what you enjoy and sticking with it, and not putting something out just for the sake of it, because you usually know when something’s funny.

Some of your funniest videos feel completely improvised — is that how they work?


Yeah, a lot of them are completely improvised. I’ll think, “Right, I’m doing this character,” and see what happens — that’s why I sometimes laugh in them, because I don’t know what’s coming. Those are my favourites.

“I sometimes laugh in them because I don’t know what’s coming.”

And what does the next phase of your work look like?


It’s about continuing to develop the live work, pushing that further, and seeing where acting goes as well. It’s all come together in a way I didn’t expect, just by staying open to it.

Henry Rowley is a UK comedian, actor and online creator known for his character-based sketches on TikTok and Instagram, now expanding into live touring and emerging screen roles.

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Interview by Carl Marsh

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