By Joanna Orland
Mae Martin is one of the lucky ones. At the young age of 13, they already knew what life would hold for them as they began to forge a career in comedy. Paving their career path by starting out studying improv, Mae continued full steam ahead by leaving school behind to solely focus their attention on comedy.
Having grown up on the comedy scene of Toronto, Mae has now found a new home in London, UK. While not quite the world of Pottermore they were expecting (“it’s more 1984 than Goblet of Fire“), Mae has found the UK comedy scene revitalizing, as it’s more of a booming industry than the one in Toronto. Referring to London as the “mecca” of comedy and declaring that “it’s starting to really feel like home here,” Mae seems to be here to stay.
While some of Mae’s previous material has had a musical comedy focus, that aspect of their set is now being phased out as they’re finding direct standup to be much more enjoyable and natural. Their love of music is still prominent in their set, and when they speak of it, it’s with great passion. Not possessing much of a discerning palette as far as musical tastes go, Mae listens to most everything from Rufus Wainwright, to The Beatles, to The Spice Girls, and Justin Bieber. 90’s R&B along with the theme tune to Friends is their music of choice to motivate before going on stage to perform.
Much of Mae’s passion for pop culture and life comes across in their material. A lot of personal content also comes through as they reveal stories of family members, childhood friends, and adolescence. While some anecdotes may be embellished for the sake of the joke, all are based in truth, which makes Mae’s comedy very personal, endearing, and relatable.
Mae will be recording a live album in April that will consist of some of their best songs, jokes, and anecdotes. Look for this album to be released on iTunes, make sure to buy it, and make copies for all of your friends.