Veteran comic Dave Johns on his first Fringe as a movie star

THIS year is far from veteran comedian Dave Johns’ first time at the Fringe. But it is his first Fringe as a movie star.

Since his last appearance at the festival, the Tyneside stand-up has found fame in Ken Loach’s critically-acclaimed social drama I, Daniel Blake.

Over the past year, the 61-year-old has graced red carpets around the world, receiving accolades from Hollywood A-listers such as Steven Spielberg and Nicole Kidman.

And it has given him a rich but unexpected wealth of material for his new comedy show, Dave Johns: I, Fillum Star.

“I’ve reacted to everything that’s happened the only way I know how,” he said.

“There’s a strong seam of comedy there – a working-class lad taken from obscurity in the stand-up comic scene and into these crazy situations.

“All the stories in the show are true.

“I met Woody Allen in a lift at Cannes and had the most surreal conversation about giants with Steven Spielberg, because he was promoting The BFG at the time.

“Nicole Kidman came over to speak to me about the film, as did Juliette Binoche and Donald Sutherland at Cannes.

“I was standing in a marquee when I noticed Donald coming towards me. It was strange to think he recognised me, too.

“He said it was a tremendous film and I should be proud of my performance.”

I, Daniel Blake won the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes and Dave has become no stranger to awards either.

“I won Best Newcomer at the Empire Film Awards at 61 years old – it’s insane! But I take the awards with a pinch of salt.”

It was a fellow regular at the Fringe, Guy Masterson, who told Dave Ken Loach was looking for someone to take on a role.

Dave got a hold of the casting director’s number and sent a text.

“Hi, my name is Dave Johns. I heard Ken is looking for a guy my age. I would be up for that,” the message read.

He was invited in for an audition, then another and another.

“I was gobsmacked when I was offered the part.

“The way Ken works, he only gives you a couple of pages from the script at a time, so all I knew at the beginning was my character’s name, that I’d suffered a heart attack and I would befriend a single mum through the benefits system.

“Each day we were given another couple of pages and the story revealed itself slowly, like we were living the life of the characters.

“I never thought the film would have the impact it has, but it seemed to be the right story at the right time.

“It’s changed my life – I’ve made three films since and they’re all different.

“I have a thriller called Two Graves, a biopic about the Man City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann and a comedy about old wrestlers called Walk Like A Panther, coming out.

“I had to learn how to wrestle and, trust me, a 61-year-old man in a blue leotard isn’t a good look!”

Yet it wasn’t long ago that Dave considered trading in his entertainment career for some donkeys.

“I took my 11-year-old daughter to Scarborough beach and got chatting to the guy who does the donkey rides,” Dave explained.

“It got me thinking that it was something I could do at Whitley Bay and Tynemouth, so I was looking into getting a licence and calling the comedy a day.

“I was going to call the donkeys after comedians I know – Frankie Boyle, Jack Dee and Micky Flanagan – then all this happened!”

Dave set up the Comedy Café in Newcastle in 1989, inviting emerging stand-ups such as Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Eddie Izzard, Steve Coogan, Harry Hill and a 14-year-old Ross Noble to perform at the venue.

He won a Spirit of the Fringe award in 1997, but two years later turned his back on big club gigs, where the audiences had become over-run by stag-dos.

Dave added: “I feel the pressure has come off me now and I don’t need to take the gigs I don’t like anymore, but I still love standing on stage and making people laugh.

“The pressure can get to you at times, especially at the Fringe.

“But I’ve got nowt to prove – so I’m just going to have fun.”

Dave Johns: I, Fillum Star, Pleasance Dome, Aug 3-27, To book, call 0131 556 6550 or visit pleasance.co.uk