ROMESH RANGANATHAN

Komedia Studio, Gardner Street, Brighton, Wednesday, July 2.

Caroline Of Brunswick, Ditchling Road, Brighton, Saturday, July 5.

Although he loves Brighton’s supportive comedy scene, Romesh Ranganathan admits it can sometimes be a double-edged sword – having found out the hard way.

“Brighton audiences are very comedy savvy and literate, but sometimes too nice,” he says.

“Last year I wrote five minutes of new stuff and tried it out at The Station in Hove’s comedy night. It went so well I thought it could all go into my finished show - I was so happy.

“I did a gig in London with the same material and died on my arse...”

Ranganathan is one of a growing group of comics finding success outside the city including BBC New Comedy Award-winner Angela Barnes, Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated Zoe Lyons, Hove’s Simon Evans and recent tourmate Seann Walsh who gave his career a boost when he recommended him for the Krater Comedy Club having seen him at Komedia’s new comedy night Comic Boom.

After his debut Fringe show Rom Com earned him an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination for best newcomer last year, Ranganathan has done the rounds of the panel shows and stand-up showcases as well as kid’s comedy show Dog Ate My Homework after being spotted by presenter Iain Stirling.

“A lot of people have said they can’t believe I’m doing a children’s comedy show,” laughs Ranganathan. “Children’s television has become much more sophisticated now - it’s not all like ‘Hi guys!’.”

His new show Rom Wasn’t Built In A Day was inspired by a desire to improve himself - both as a parent and an adult.

“I’m a bit of an armchair feminist,” he says. “I don’t think women should do all the cooking and cleaning, but in my house that’s what happens. With my son starting school in September I told my wife I was going to choose his school so at least I could feel like I was doing something.”

An interest in self-help books was sparked when he spotted a copy of The Chimp Paradox in a railway station book shop.

“I usually read comic books,” he says. “I was trying to make an effort to absorb stuff that’s more adult so I can talk passionately about something other than Marvel versus DC.”

It is in contrast to a world which appears to be more obsessed with youth and keeping your looks.

“All my friends are married but they all display traits of desperately trying to cling onto old habits they had when they were young,” he says. “They’re so gym-obsessed, they’re talking about protein and taking chicken around with them. I thought the whole point of being married is you don’t have to do that anymore!

Performing in the Edinburgh Fringe can be a bit like a comedy boot camp.

“You get into a routine,” he says. “It feels a bit like when athletes train at altitude to get their oxygen levels up - when you come down from Edinburgh and do a comedy club you feel like a superstar!”

Although his star is rising his wife is doing her best to keep his feet on the ground.

“She is horrendous for feedback,” he says. “I’d come off stage and she’d say: ‘You walk around too much, you touch your glasses too much, you keep saying erm...’”

Now he has learned not to take all the advice she gives to heart.

“When it comes to material she’s one of the worst. If she says something is funny it’s usually very obvious and I can’t use it. If she doesn’t get something she tends to say: ‘ I’m sure people who like you will like that’.”