Q&A with Rosalie Minnitt

Ahead of her show Clementine, at NAC on Tuesday 25 March, we had a chat with Rosalie Minnitt…

How did you get started in comedy?

I started writing and performing comedy at university. I all but abandoned my degree and
devoted those three years to figuring how to write jokes – with mixed success. But I loved the
buzz of performing comedy and learned how to write. I was lucky enough to meet and work
with some of the funniest people I’ve ever met there, but like so many emerging artists, I
didn’t have any industry connections, so after graduating I didn’t really know where to go – I
knew I wanted to perform, write and stay creative but I didn’t really know how. Like a lot of
other people, I lost a lot of self-belief and confidence during those long pandemic months
and sort of fell out of love with life. After a series of mysteriously unfortunate events in 2021
(I’m convinced I was cursed), I decided to throw my hat in the ring, write a comedy show
and, with the help of some brilliantly talented creative minds, bring it to life.

Tell us about the show?

Clementine was very much a child of lockdown. As the madness slowly descended on my
government-mandated daily walks, I conjured her to while away the hours and keep myself
semi-sane. Born out of half-daydreams and flights of fancy, the show is a whirlwind mash-up
of all the books, films and music I was consuming throughout those nebulous months and
the year after. The show is also somewhat of a breakup album too. In many ways, you have
to see her to believe her.
She is gloriously delusional and deliciously unhinged but, despite being almost entirely self-
absorbed, you sort of still want her to succeed. The show follows Miss Clementine on her
epic quest to find The One. She has until her 27th Birthday to find her true love or else. Will
our eponymous heroine succeed? Or is she looking for love in all the wrong places?

How have audiences reacted?

Things have been going really well! I’ve had the incredible experience of selling out two runs
at the Edinburgh Fringe and three runs at Soho Theatre, and I’m truly grateful to everyone
who’s supported the show and taken a chance on Clementine. I debuted in 2023, and the
response was a bit overwhelming. I’ve received so many kind messages from people who
came to see it. At the time, I was honestly a bit taken aback by it all. But just this week, I got
a message from a friend who had been at a workshop where the teacher asked everyone to
share their favourite thing they’d seen on stage. He mentioned that two people said
Clementine and reading that really hit me. It was such an unexpected and emotional
moment to realize that the show has resonated with people in that way.

What’s your favourite happening from all of the performances so far?

I’ve grown so much as a performer and writer over the past two years, and I just love
changing it up every time I do it. Whether it’s updating pop culture references or tweaking
jokes that aren’t quite working, audiences keep you on your toes so a comedy show like that
is never finished. It’s living, breathing and develops along with you. I’m becoming better at
enjoying them in the moment and finding something new and exciting each time I perform.
Character comedy is an elusive magic though; sometimes I can’t find her. Sometimes I can.
Often it’s on the days I really need the release of performing that she’s at her strongest.

Is it true that Greggs Chicken Bakes sustain you?

I got into this terrible habit in my first year in Edinburgh of eating a chicken bake before every
show. I did it before my first one and it went well so naturally I had to keep going. I’m
desperately superstitious, particularly when it comes to performing so I’ve sort of backed
myself into a corner with this one. If Greggs is looking for a sponsorship opportunity, I’d be
more than happy to collab. I need to protect my supply chain.

How did the show come together?

It’s been a lot of trial and error. I didn’t really know what I was doing or how to make a show,
but I think that fear and uncertainty can often paralyze you when you’re trying something
new. So, I just jumped in headfirst. It’s tough to block out the noise and take a big swing, but
I had nothing to lose. At worst, I could look back and say I was brave enough to try, even if I
failed. I still carry that mentality with me, whether it’s before I go on stage or after a bad
show. I first debuted the show in 2022, and I’ve been developing the character ever since.
She evolves with me, so in a way, it’s never really finished.

What is new for you in 2025?

I’ve been collaborating with a production company to adapt Clementine for the screen. I’ve
also had the opportunity to try my hand at comedy acting, landing my first TV role as a guest
in the new Alan Partridge series. Additionally, I’m currently working on a sequel to
Clementine—The Rebellion on Ice Part 6: The Movie—with my brilliantly talented friend
Tristan Robinson who directed the first show which I plan to work on in Edinburgh and debut
later this year.