Introducing Queerty nominated US comedian Tim Murray who brings his spooky debut comedy hour ‘Witches!’ to the Underbelly Dairy Room. The show is a mix of stand-up and original comedy songs about his favourite pop culture WITCHES! Murray is like a gay Bo Burnham but painted green and doing drag...
In ‘Witches!’ Murray uses hilarious personal stories about growing up a closeted yet feminine boy, who tried hard to pass as straight to avoid being burned at the stake. He will have you howling at the moon, cackling at his jokes, and crying (but hopefully not melting).
From The Craft to Wicked to the Sanderson Sister to Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Angelica Houston's Grand High Witch, Murray celebrates famous sorceresses throughout herstory and uses their stories as a parallel to the queer witch hunt.
His songs include I Wanna Be Witches, which is about pretending to be superheroes with straight boys growing up but turning all his characters into witches and I Hate Kids - where he highlights how he has felt like a 40-year-old-woman since he was 8 years old and has hated children since he was one himself
As an actor Murray can be seen currently on The Other Two on Prime video and the film Swan Song starring Jennifer Coolidge. He is also all over TikTok with his viral sketch comedy videos, including his popular series “Every Conversation In LA” and touring the USA with Michael Henry.
Murray was part of the original cast of 50 Shades the Musical Off-Broadway (New York Times' Critics Pick), Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody Off-West End. His new sketch comedy TV show ‘Wish You Were Queer’ produced by Trixie Mattel will debut in 2024.
Tim Murray's ‘Witches!’ is at the Underbelly – Dairy Room – Bristo Square at 9.20pm from 2nd – 28th August (not 14th). For tickets go to www.edfringe.com
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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 say to myself “just have fun bitch!! These people are here to have a good time and so are YOU. This may be scary but you could be waiting tables right now and you’re not!” Then I do jumping jacks. Then I throw up. Only sometimes but it does happen occasionally! My nerves have been like that since I was in high school. But when I step onstage the nerves pretty much go away and I feel like I’m in my living room gabbing with friends. Especially when I’m being heckled. My friends are buttholes.
What irritates you?
When people don’t listen, when people interrupt me and Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan in the Annie remake.
What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
I walked a mile home from a friend’s house once when I had to go number two really bad and I thought I could hold it until I reached my place. I was really walking on the wild side that day. I did not make it fyi. RIP to those pants.
What is the most stupid thing you have ever done?
I once ate a bunch of spicy fried chicken from a food truck before a show in Austin Texas. I have never felt so ill in my life. The combination of nerves and fried food was horrific. I’m not allowed back in Texas now. RIP to the toilet at that comedy club. I have IBS if that isn’t clear by now!
What has surprised you the most during your career in comedy?
My ability to bounce back. I am extremely sensitive and I think I avoided stand-up for years because I have always felt like a funny person socially and I feared that if I bombed onstage it would strip me of my identity. But then I did bomb onstage and it felt just as bad as it I thought it would… and then I got back up there and did it again. And again and again. And that continues to make me better.
Interview continues here