Introducing award-winning stand-up comedian Hannah Platt, who makes her Edinburgh Fringe debut with her show ‘Defence Mechanism’. Hannah is a refreshingly honest and distinctive northern voice with an unflinching outlook on the world - and, in this show, how the world looks back at her. 

In ‘Defence Mechanism’, Hannah discusses her recent diagnosis of body dysmorphia - how this shapes her interaction with the world, how media representation is skewed in favour of ‘models who don’t know they’re gorgeous’, and how therapy techniques and positive affirmations don’t always work against scally teenagers taking her picture on the train - or is everyone else gaslighting her? Are these the only people telling her the truth?? What begins as her villain origin story (or it would be, had it not happened so recently) sees Hannah poking fun at self help, the commercialisation of mindfulness, and how even her scouse mum can get on board if it rhymes and fits on a fridge magnet. Hannah always struggled to fit in with her family being the ‘weird kid’ - but maybe everyone deep down can feel like the ‘weird kid’ sometimes. 

‘Defence Mechanism’ is a hilarious look at the unfiltered side of mental health honed in comedy clubs up and down the country - dark subjects made relatable for a wider audience, and told from a striking point of view. 

Hannah is a stand-up comedian, writer and finalist of the BBC New Comedian of the Year Award. This year she was nominated for Best Debut Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival, has written and starred in her own short for BBC3 and also writes for multiple panel shows on BBC Radio 4. Hannah has performed at festivals including Latitude, Download and Green Man, and supported names such as Kiri Pritchard-McClean, Fern Brady and Lou Sanders on their tours. 

Hannah Platt’s ‘Defence Mechanism’ is at the Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker 2 @ 8.10pm for tickets go to www.edfringe.com 

What is the last thing you do before you go onstage (apart from check your flies and/or check your knickers aren't sticking out of your skirt and check for spinach between your teeth)

I don't do any of those things! Maybe I should start - or maybe all the laughs I've got so far have only been because my fly has been down, and I wouldn't want to tinker with that formula. If I feel nervous I'll hold out my hands flat to make sure they're steady, and I'll check my watch won't fly off if I gesture too wildly. I've lost many a watch to a violent hand gesture. I used to stretch while I was waiting in the wings, just because it felt appropriate, but I think audience members that saw me doing that were disappointed when I didn't pull out a backflip.

What irritates you?

Everything. Pretty much everything. Whistling, rustling food packets, side-moving suitcases...the list goes on and on. I think the BBC should reboot 'Room 101' because I'd be a great host agreeing with everyone's bug-bears because so many things wind me up.  I'd say the only time I'm not irritated is when I'm alone in an empty room, but even then I'd get irritated by my hair, I'm bored, my leg is itchy - I'm one 'pull' door that I push away from a tantrum at all times.

What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?

Too dangerous that I wouldn't want to encourage any young people reading to emulate it. I'm a role model to those people.

What is the most stupid thing you have ever done?

I look back at most things I did as a teenager and cringe thinking it's stupid. Why did I say that? Why did I do that?? Why did I get with THEM?? God it's embarrassing. I'm terrified to look back at what I'm doing now in the future.

What has surprised you the most during your career in comedy?

That some people are only pleasant because they think I'll be able to help their career. ME! Crazy. What a thrill.

One thing that genuinely surprised me was how talking about being queer on stage was received. When I first started performing and mentioned my sexuality, men in the crowd would wolf whistle (which worked every time and I married all of them) - it really put me off writing any material about it. But the more confident and comfortable I became I started to talk about it more and more - and I found that, to my surprise, mainstream audiences seemed a lot more onboard. Maybe something to do with the gender of the audience, maybe to do with how I was perceived, or how I was so funny I'd want to steal everyone's boyfriends - but suddenly audiences felt a lot more relaxed and open to me an act when I dropped that in.

Interview continues here