MBC Chats To: Zara Gladman

Zara Gladman is a Glasgow-based social media sensation and rising character comedy star. She recently brought her brilliantly familiar 'West End mum' character, Aileen, to the Edinburgh Fringe stage, selling-out shows and earning rave reviews. As if that wasn't enough, she also wrote, directed, and starred in her own sketch show for BBC Scotland this year, 'Good For Her'. She's bringing her hit show, 'Aileen: Cameron’s Gap Year Fundraiser', back to Monkey Barrel Comedy for a final performance on Friday November 21st, so we sat down with her for a chat.

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Hey Zara, how’s your day going?

I just DEMOLISHED a fancy sandwich and I’m going to see indie sleaze legends The Rapture tonight. I’m feeling good!

You’re bringing your show ‘Aileen: Cameron’s Gap Year Fundraiser back to Monkey Barrel on Friday [Nov 21], can you tell us a bit about it?

The show centres on ‘Aileen’, a snooty mother from the West end of Glasgow, who’s organised a fundraiser for her privileged son to go on his gap year. As with any decent fundraiser, there’s entertainment, music, petty drama and a raffle! If you like your comedy a bit “extra” or have a low attention span, then this is for you. I’m really proud of the show and can’t wait to bring it to Edinburgh one last time.

You had a great Fringe run with us this year. Now a few months have passed, how do you reflect on the experience?

Getting to perform every night was a genuine privilege - not everyone has the opportunity to do the Fringe and I don’t take that for granted. Having Stu (musical co-performer) and Morgan (tech) with me for the run made it a collaborative experience too; it was so valuable having a crew to debrief with after every show. Selling out the run was an unexpected bonus - I am so grateful to everyone who came along. I definitely came out of it a stronger comedian. 

ThreeWeeks said your show had “flawless stagecraft” (and gave it five stars) but many people will recognise Aileen from your viral social media clips. How did you transition the character from stage to screen so successfully, and what were the biggest challenges you faced?

Having a full hour - instead of 1-minute social media vignettes - to develop the character was a writing challenge that I really enjoyed. Social media planted the seed for who Aileen is, but on stage I got to build her story in 3D, with twists and turns, storytelling arcs, costumes, props, even a musical theatre moment! Another challenge was getting used to being Aileen on stage, in front of an audience. Strangely, it came quite naturally. In fact, I’m more comfortable performing as Aileen than myself. Worrying.

Character comedy is really having a moment just now. Do you think a lot of that is down to social media?

The DIY comedy scene is absolutely thriving online, I’m continually amazed by the creativity on there. For character comedians, I think social media is a particularly useful tool for testing out new ideas that aren’t ready for the stage yet - it’s where new characters are born. If your comedy is niche, alternative or doesn’t fit neatly into the traditional stand up circuit, social media offers a safe space to experiment and find your audience. 

Who are your biggest (character) comedy influences? Are they mostly long-established TV acts, or are you more interested in peers who are innovating comedy forms on the same channels as you, like TikTok?

Limmy is always at the top of my list as a pioneer of online comedy. Nowadays, we’re spoilt for choice - there’s too many to list. In pre-TikTok times I devoured shows like Smack the Pony, Spaced and The Peter Serafinowicz Show. Live favourites are Tim Key, Cat Cohen, Mawaan Rizwan and David O’Doherty - I’ve always enjoyed stuff that blends different mediums, whether it’s music, poetry, tech or movement. I realise that makes me sound like a pretentious c*nt. Live comedy and filmed material requires different skill sets, I take inspiration from consuming both.

You’ve also taken your comedy to another medium recently, creating the innovative sketch show ‘Good For Her’ which is available on iPlayer right now. What was that experience like?

I can’t get over the magic of seeing the ideas in my head brought to life. I wrote “Aidan Moffat is seated opposite Aileen in a West End townhouse” - and there he was! I wrote it, and it happened. I felt like a magician. 

The cast and crew were a joy to work with. As a first-time director - and control freak - I loved obsessing over every detail with them, from wardrobe to props to fonts. We shot the whole thing in two days. It was nuts. But totally worth it to hear the announcer say “Up next: Good for Her!” 

In terms of the writing process, how different was creating comedy for TV versus social media and stage?

The main difference for me was receiving notes from producers and commissioners. With social media and stage work, you’re fully in control - feedback comes directly from the audience and you can adjust things in real time. TV involves a lot more people, so the process takes longer and is more collaborative. You have to learn to compromise, but not to the point where your original ideas lose meaning. 

As a comedian I usually work intuitively but this process made me interrogate my own ideas and why they were funny. The forced introspection actually clarified and reaffirmed the kind of comedy I want to make.

Aileen’s been with you across all three media now – socials, stage, and TV – where does she feel most at home?

I loved bringing Aileen to TV and learned so much, I’d jump at the chance to do more. But the intimacy of performing on stage with a live audience is so special. Often it’s the interactions - between Aileen and real people - that get the biggest reaction. Social media is where she was born so I don’t think that will ever go away. 

I haven’t answered the question... Aileen is at home everywhere! She is omnipresent. The Sauron of Dowanhill.

And what’s next for Aileen (and Zara)? Anything exciting in the pipeline you want to share? 

I’ve got a couple of ideas in my back pocket, but after my November show I’m planning some winter hibernation - time to take stock and do some writing. It’s been a crazy year. I’m craving solitude and scented candles. So is Aileen - Jo Malone is her preferred brand, if you’re asking. 

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Limited tickets are still available for 'Zara Gladman is… Aileen: Cameron’s Gap Year Fundraiser' at Monkey Barrel Comedy on November 21st at 8PM. You can buy tickets at this link.

You can watch 'Good For Her' on BBC iPlayer at this link.

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