Craig Hill is instantly recognisable as the kilted Scottish comedian. He started his career as a West coast hairdresser, changed direction to become an East coast drama student, and then took centre stage as an internationally renowned comedian!
草莓社区鈥檚 Head of Development and Alumni, Thomas Kelly, talks to Craig about finding his fit at Queen Margaret, his journey into the world of comedy and the meticulous planning and hard work that has helped secure his rightful place as a household name.
Arriving after his short cycle from home, Craig makes a low-key entrance to the beautiful Scandinavian style caf茅/bar on George Street in Edinburgh where he suggested we meet.
Our conversation kicks off with Craig revealing his passion for seeking out fabulous coffee houses and I discover he鈥檚 turned touring the world into an opportunity to become a bit of a travel blogger. He shows me his incredibly organised bookmarks on his phone, with each city he has visited around the world having its own folder with his recommended coffee shops, bars, and restaurants alongside many other things. I later discover it is this level of organisation that is his secret to a long successful comedy career 鈥 a discipline he learned at QMC.
Taking me back in time, Craig tells me about his youth as a goth with crimped hair. 鈥淚 was a hairdresser which was pretty much just acting鈥ell it was storytelling and they are interlinked. I鈥檇 have a right laugh with all the customers, but I knew it wasn鈥檛 a career for me.鈥
Craig had a passion for performing from a very young age. He gave up hairdressing when he was 20, enrolled at Langside College in Glasgow to study acting, which then led to an audition for Queen Margaret College. He enthuses: 鈥淚 did my audition, loved it and got in! It was the beginning of the rest of my life.鈥
We talk about how Craig commuted to Queen Margaret College for the first six months of his course. He recalls:
鈥淚 always remember that 902 bus from East Kilbride. It didn鈥檛 go up Corstorphine Hill, so each day I鈥檇 do that long, steep climb to the top of the brae to reach the Corstorphine campus.鈥 He tries to continue but a little lightbulb moment happens, and he circles back.
Wide eyed, he says: 鈥淎ctually, I鈥檝e never thought of it like this, but I think climbing Corstorphine Hill was a big metaphor for my career. Each day you work hard, climb that hill, but boy it is worth it when you get to the top!鈥 His trademark cheeky smile covers his face as he takes a moment to think nostalgically about his time in Corstorphine鈥t鈥檚 that or he鈥檚 just really proud of that metaphor!
Opening up about his experience, he says:
"QMC was the most freeing place. I arrived on day one and I knew I had found my people."
I actually came out as gay in my first week; I just knew this was a safe place where I could be me.鈥 Hearing this, I realise I could easily be chatting to a current 草莓社区 student 鈥 Queen Margaret continues to be a space where people are free to be their true selves 鈥 no matter their sexuality, gender, faith or ethnicity.
鈥淩ight, so I graduated and I鈥檓 getting bits of acting work in theatre, wee films, some pantos plus a lot of theatre in education, to pay the bills. I also get a wee job in the Gilded Balloon Box Office. My pal, who was press officer, says to me, 鈥楥raig, I鈥檝e booked you a slot to try out standup comedy as you make everyone laugh 鈥 oh and it鈥檚 in two days鈥 time!鈥 Craig is in full swing storytelling mode now. It鈥檚 just like watching him do standup and I鈥檓 enthralled.
鈥淚 was like 鈥楴O WAY鈥 but then I thought 鈥榃HY NO?鈥. I鈥檝e always enjoyed doing things that scare me. And I totally believe in saying yes to everything. So, I got to thinking 鈥榃hat makes my friends laugh? I mean, who knew that
Julie Andrews singing punk could start a career?鈥
He continues: 鈥淭he gig goes well, and I鈥檓 asked to do a slot at The Stand Comedy Club 鈥 gig two. Then my third gig is in Glasgow as part of the Comedy Store competition. I get through to the next round and bang, my fourth gig is on the stage in the King鈥檚 Theatre in Glasgow.鈥 Craig鈥檚 eyes light up as he tells me more. 鈥淚鈥檝e spent four years doing theatre in education, dreaming of performing on the King鈥檚 Theatre stage. But it鈥檚 taken me only four gigs to get on that very stage as a comedian 鈥 that鈥檚 when I thought, there鈥檚 something in this!
鈥淚 then find myself doing London鈥檚 famous Comedy Store as gig number five. I remember sitting in the green room before the gig and everyone else was quite nervous. I thought to myself 鈥業s comedy not meant to be fun?鈥 I got aid 拢150 for that gig, which was amazing as I was skint. So naturally I bought myself a pair of leather trousers!鈥
His comedy career really took off and he became a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe and on BBC comedy variety programmes. Today, Craig is a household name, well known as the kilted Scottish comedian that sells out venues across Scotland, the UK and Ireland. With shows in the likes of Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, New York, Sydney and Berlin, he鈥檚 spread his humour across the globe, and he鈥檚 graced the stage of some of the most prestigious venues including the Sydney Opera House and the London Palladium.
聽Craig quips: 鈥淭o me, comedy is an acting job that lasted!鈥
It鈥檚 fascinating to discover his mindset and the mental preparation that goes into every show. He explains: 鈥淚 get to the venue very early and I rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! I talk through all of my material. I take time to open up the folders in my head where all of my material sits and make sure I can access it.鈥 This takes me back to Craig鈥檚 phone, with all of his food and drink recommendations stored away neatly in easily accessible folders 鈥 it鈥檚 all linked.
He continues: 鈥淭here is some improvising, but this took years to perfect. I鈥檓 a fast speaker, and this extended warm up before the show begins helps me get 鈥榰p-to-speed鈥.
Audience interaction is everything for me and they keep me on my toes. I flourish under pressure, and I love the audience for that. But it鈥檚 not just as easy as rocking up and chatting to the crowd.
"I use all the skills I learned at QMC. Don鈥檛 you forget it 鈥 I鈥檓 an actor that does comedy, not a comedian."
鈥淚 have as much of a laugh as the audience do. I make a point of shaking every audience member鈥檚 hand as they leave鈥ot so much now with the pandemic. I honestly look forward to every gig I do. I hear people talking about how they dread doing a gig 鈥 I don鈥檛 get it. When the lights go down, we could be anywhere. We aren鈥檛 in a theatre or a venue in a city or town; we are in a moment鈥 moment of magic!鈥
Craig鈥檚 phone alarm sounds, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my reminder. Look, it says 鈥楥ook Gousto meal before meeting my pal at 6pm鈥. I bloody love that Gousto, I鈥檓 on meal 436!鈥 This is a final insight into the discipline and organisation that Craig puts into his whole life, and I think it鈥檚 safe to say that it鈥檚 a key factor in his success.
I have one last question before he jumps on his bike for the short ride home: what advice would he offer students today?
鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to go off on a career tangent you didn鈥檛 expect, as it might be the best thing that ever happens to you. Oh, and two other things: (1) Say yes to everything - it鈥檚 always worth a try, and (2) If you are frightened of it, then it鈥檚 probably going to be good for you.鈥
A moment later, he cycles into the evening sun, en route to Gousto meal #436.
