Alex Kitson’s show, ‘Now Look Here’, is all about attention spans and how they are dwindling. So to prove him wrong, you should probably read all of this interview in one sitting… Beyond that, his love of live comedy and the Fringe specifically shines throughout, showing that perhaps we should get off our phones and into comedy venues!

Your show is about attention – do you think you’re going to be able to pay attention for this whole interview?

With this show, it’s about attention spans… and what you should- there’s so many options, right? There’s never been more things competing for attention and easier to access and everything. So I think it’s an interesting thing we probably don’t think about all that often is, well, what am I choosing to put my attention on? With all the inputs competing, jostling for my attention. And it’s not in a preachy way because I’m the worst for it! So it’s mostly me! It’s a lot of me, as ever, stuttering over my dick jokes.

Looking at your content online I just have to ask one thing – what’s your beef with lions?

That’s my favourite joke of the show last year! It was all about how I’ve always want to- I tried to write a bit about animal reputations and all about perception and how I’m more aware of how I’m perceived. It was a neurodiversity show without ever mentioning it. So it’s about how lions get a reputation as King in the jungle, and they don’t even live in the jungle! And it’s when you can hit that with an audience, that’s always been my favourite. When I’m being like, ‘No you’re wrong, you all think I’m stupid!’

You’ve had a lot to celebrate from the past few years at the Fringe – any highlights?

Oh, that’s nice! No, genuinely I love the Fringe and I really try and do a good job. It’s what I always wanted to do, I wanted to go the Fringe every year. And, thank God, people have been nice about the shows. There’s lots of great things that I’m really proud of, I’ve had some big reviews… and my main memories are just of full rooms which I do not take for granted at all, because that’s so lovely.

What do you think is special about Edinburgh Fringe?

If I can I would love to do the Fringe every year. I want to get as good as I can possibly be and the way to do that is definitely Edinburgh every year. Every show you learn so much by doing it. If you’re trying to get better at it, it’s like fitness. How much would you pay for a boot camp? Yeah it costs a bit of money, but what else are we doing in August? It’s an insane, incredible thing that it exists.

What do you want audiences to take away from your show?

I’m always jealous of comedians who can stand there and be like, ‘And if you take one thing away from this show, this is the serious message,’ and people go wow, that’s powerful! People don’t get that from me, and I think rightly so because I am such a moron! I think there is something people take away which is just being conscious of what you put your attention on, being quite invigorated and to think, ‘Oh, wait a second! We’re here, we’re doing real life!’ [Also] I’ve got a book out… funny short stories and I’m selling them at the Fringe

Sum up your show in five words?

Frenetic, observational, funny, live, fringe-only

‘Now Look Here’ is at The Big Yurt at Hoots @ Potterrow from Fri 7 to Sun 30 Aug 2026