Edinburgh Fringe Fest - Garrett Millerick
The world’s angriest optimist is finally bringing a positive show to the Fringe. Garrett Millerick takes a look at the human propensity to convince ourselves everything is terrible and muses whether, while the world is very far from perfect, perhaps we really have Never Had It So Good.
We chatted to Garrett about being positive, things to be grateful for and the benefits of having a laugh.
Can you tell us a bit more about ‘Never Had It So Good’? How does it differ from your previous shows? Have you really never had it so good?
The title is based on a quote from British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. In 1957 he gave a speech in Bradford where he pointed out that British people have never had it so good. And people got cross. Even though he was correct.
So it’s broadly about how this is objectively the best time to be alive, and things are pretty good, great even, most of the time. They aren’t perfect, but that’s life. There are challenges, but focusing on this, the negatives, isn’t a way of meeting challenges or solving problems anyway.
I got into a hole of negativity during and after lockdowns, and had no idea I was in the hole, which was absurd in retrospect.
How do you remain positive in your everyday life? Daily affirmations, manifesting, things like that?
Well, the problem, with daily manifestations, affirmations and the like is that they’ve all been co-opted by twats. All the stuff in life that’s good for you has awful PR because the people who trumpet it as so are objectionable. So I’m trying to find a way for normal people to be happy, I think the message is ‘you don’t have to be a bell-end to be healthy’.
Do you think people should be more grateful or appreciative of their lives in general?
Yes. Undoubtedly. You could just as easily be working as an estate agent in Birmingham. Unless you are an estate agent in Birmingham, in which case you have a right to be ungrateful, life has dealt you a horrible hand.
What do you want audiences to take away from the show? Are you expecting a different reaction this time?
No, all I want from a show is for people to have had the cathartic release that can only come from collectively having a laugh, that has remained my ambition from the start. It’s not a seminar or a rally, there are plenty of shows around that do that. I just want to point out a few ridiculous things about our shared experiences, poke some fun, have a laugh, that kind of thing.
If someone is new to Garrett Millerick, how would you sum up yourself and this show in 5 words?
Not as fat this year.
Garrett Millerick: Never Had It So Good will be performed at 4.25pm in Monkey Barrel at The Tron from 2nd – 27th August (Not 7th, 14th or 21st)
Book HERE
