‘I do try and remain optimistic. It’s partly a nature thing—I just am a bit like that—but I also think you have to work at it. I try to do that because it makes me feel better about myself, about life, and about the world.’
Ian Stone is a comedian hunting for an upside. His current UK stand-up tour, Ian Stone is Looking for the Wow, was originally scheduled to wrap up in June. Instead, a surge in demand has pushed the run out until December, taking in over 40 towns and cities. The schedule includes a return to Scotland for a night at The Stand in Edinburgh on 21 November.
The core of the show stems from a desire to reject the grey monotony of modern life. Stone makes it clear that he is looking for something more substantial than the daily grind before the inevitable realities of ageing set in.
‘Part of my whole “looking for the wow” concept is exactly that: looking for things that are exciting and fun,’ he said.
Where people find that spark is entirely subjective. For Stone, nature offers very little comfort. He points out that his ancestors spent forty years wandering in the desert, suggesting that his family has already clocked more than enough time outdoors. Turning to the spiritual is also out of the question. He has held a steady grudge against the Almighty ever since his mother banned him from attending an Arsenal match immediately after his Bar Mitzvah nearly five decades ago. His mother warned him that God would be watching. Stone’s view is simple: at least the Creator got to see a decent game.
The Logistics and Soundtracks of the Road
Spending over thirty years on the UK comedy circuit means Stone knows the motorways better than most. The reality of the job involves massive stretches of isolation, traffic jams, and unreliable rail networks.
‘Doing the shows brings me happiness,’ Stone said. ‘The logistics of it—having to get in the car and drive for three hours to Tunbridge Wells tonight, or Bedford tomorrow—is just part of it. A comic friend of mine once said that we are paid to travel; that’s our actual job. Messing about on stage is the little reward we get for all the trains and planes and driving.’
To keep the highway monotony at bay, he turns to his car stereo, his drivetime soundtrack reflecting his mental state.
‘A comic friend of mine once said that we are paid to travel; that’s our actual job. Messing about on stage is the little reward we get for all the trains and planes…’
‘Music is entirely a mood thing for me. I love dance music, but I’ll play Radiohead if I want to dive into the bleak—which I often do! I also love old soul music if I feel like having a sing-along,’ he said. Bowie and The Jam regularly feature in the rotation. ‘As long as I’ve got something playing, I’m happy.’
That preoccupation with music shapes the atmosphere of his live gigs before he even steps up to the microphone. He deliberately sets the room’s energy by playing classic soul tracks while the audience finds their seats. His pre-show playlist includes tracks from Thelma Houston, Cheryl Lynn, and Luther Vandross.
Meanwhile, Ian is already in the room and getting his fill of social interaction after those hours in transit.
‘I like talking to them! I’m out in the audience chatting before the show, taking pictures, and I genuinely enjoy it. It’s almost like a warm-up for me,’ he said. ‘I joke that I do it because I’m incredibly needy, but I just really like human interaction. We feed off the audience. We’re in it for the adulation of strangers on a nightly basis; I just think I might need it more than some of the others! I’m almost entirely addicted to it, but there are worse things to be addicted to than stand-up comedy.’
That addiction remains tethered to the mechanics of the craft. Observing a newer comic named Melinda perform recently, he experienced a moment of self-recognition.
‘Watching the sheer joy on her face as she told her jokes made me realise, That’s me,’ he said. ‘A joke is like music to me. I enjoy the rhythm of them, and I think audiences enjoy watching me enjoy them.’
Setting the Room
However, relying on a venue’s tech crew to manage the cues occasionally triggers an unexpected introduction.
‘I also have Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing” on the list. Last week in Bakewell, I told the sound guy, “Whatever is playing when we’re ready to go, I’ll give you the thumbs up and just turn it up,”’ he said. ‘I ended up walking on to “You Sexy Thing.” I felt like I had to explain to the crowd that it wasn’t done on purpose!’
Other choices are deeply rooted in comedy history. He retains a soft spot for Jean Knight’s ‘Mr. Big Stuff’, a track the late alternative comedy pioneer Malcolm Hardee used for his stage entrances at the Up the Creek comedy club. When the gig finishes, Stone opts for a definitive exit track, usually playing ‘Love Train’ by The O’Jays, a song he rediscovered during the closing sequences of the film The Martian.
Survival and Recognition in Edinburgh
Even as an established veteran, Stone regularly returns to the unique pressures of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In 2023, he picked up the Spirit of the Fringe Award, a significant accolade on the festival circuit. Yet, when the prize was announced, he was too deep in the exhausting daily routine of the festival to notice.
‘It was funny, actually. I was given the award right in the middle of the Edinburgh Festival,’ he recalled. ‘All I was doing at the time was out flyering every day, getting people in, and doing the show. We were on day 18 out of 25, so you’re a long way in. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but really, it’s a day-by-day survival thing. You’re just wondering, How are the numbers going to be today? How’s my show going to be?’
The reality of the honour only registered after a quiet dinner with his eldest son, who suggested posting a photo of the trophy online.
‘I did, and suddenly I had hundreds of messages on Facebook. It was very nice,’ Stone said. ‘In the end, the work itself is what’s important, but it’s nice when people acknowledge it. As long as I can keep working and doing what I love, that’s reward enough. I get to mess about for a living, and not many people can say that.’
Adapting to the Digital Era
The interaction with his son underscores a massive shift in how the comedy industry functions. The days of relying strictly on television appearances or radio slots to build a touring audience have largely vanished. His agent convinced him to view Instagram as his own personal broadcasting network, and Stone began uploading short clips of his live crowd work.
‘I’d have to say yes, simply because I’m touring now in a way I couldn’t before,’ he said, reflecting on the internet age. ‘It used to be that if you weren’t on TV or the radio, there was no other way to connect with a wider audience. I started putting my clips out, and it’s really worked for me.’
He views the chaotic nature of social media comment sections with detached amusement. Rather than worrying about political arguments breaking out beneath his jokes, he understands that the conflict drives visibility.
‘I enjoy the interaction. I don’t get slagged off that much, and if I do, I just ignore it,’ he said. He compares the online bickering to an argument taking place in his garden that has nothing to do with him. ‘What people don’t realize when they’re arguing is that all those clicks feed the algorithm. While part of me wishes I could be more of a purist, it really helps.’
The digital strategy translates into ticket sales. He points to his recent stop in Bakewell, a town he had never visited before, where he performed to a room of a couple of hundred people who discovered him online.
‘I wouldn’t get these opportunities without these platforms, so I’ve fully embraced it,’ he stated. ‘Plus, I like offering stuff for free. If you like a joke online, maybe you’ll come to a show.’
Mining the Past and the Arsenal Revival
Plumbing his own life for material is a familiar process for Stone. He did it extensively while writing his 2020 book, To Be Someone.
‘When I was writing my book, To Be Someone, I thought quite deeply about my life, growing up, and what it was like,’ he explained. ‘At times, it was sad and a little painful to relive, but I’m okay with self-reflection. Some people don’t seem to like doing it, but you’re really just trying to move past the stuff that has upset you in the past so you don’t keep making the same mistakes.’
Beyond personal reflection, Stone’s life and comedy are deeply tied to football. He hosts the twice-weekly Arsenal podcast Handbrake Off for The Athletic, a show that pulls in 50,000 downloads per episode and recently sold out London’s Leicester Square Theatre. For decades, being an Arsenal fan was an easy source of self-deprecating humour. The team’s modern success under Mikel Arteta has changed the comedic landscape for him on stage.
‘It’s an emotional ride—if you’re into it, you’re into it, and I definitely am!’ he said. He regularly meets listeners who turn up to his comedy gigs wearing club shirts. ‘I don’t have to be self-deprecating about Arsenal anymore; we are league title winners and we came very close in the Champions League! Even so, I was doing a gig last night and having some football banter with an audience member. I can do it now from a position of actually having won something, which is really nice.’
The Pure Mechanics of a Good Joke
At his core, Stone remains a dedicated club comic who loves the structural composition of stand-up.
‘I genuinely didn’t think I’d be a comedian at all; I just thought I’d give it a go,’ he said. ‘But fundamentally, I have always loved a gag. Way before I was a comic, I loved the rhythm of a joke.’
‘I don’t have to be self-deprecating about Arsenal anymore; we are league title winners and we came very close in the Champions League! Even so, I was doing a gig last night and having some football banter with an audience member. I can do it now from a position of actually having won something, which is really nice.’
His influences bridge generations, ranging from old-school variety acts like Ken Goodwin, Les Dawson, and Laurel and Hardy to modern peers like Bridget Christie, Zoe Lyons, and the late Sean Lock. Watching up-and-coming talent keeps his own enthusiasm sharp.
‘A joke is like music to me. I enjoy the rhythm of them, and I think audiences enjoy watching me enjoy them,’ he said.
Delivering the Laughs
When it comes to his current tour, Stone promises a high-density performance completely free of heavy-handed moralizing.
‘I hope they’ll laugh, and I hope I’ll surprise them with a few jokes,’ he said. ‘I talk about what I’m passionate about—some politics, some topical stuff, some more serious topics—but it’s not a soapbox or a manifesto. It’s a stand-up comedy show. If they walk away thinking I made a good point, that’s great, but I’m genuinely just looking for laughs every 15 seconds for an hour and a half. That’s 360 laughs for twenty quid. It’s a great trade!’
He makes no apologies for visibly enjoying his own material under the lights, recognising that his own amusement is part of the fuel that keeps him on the road week in week out. He recalled a passing observation from the Canadian comedian Mike Wilmot that effectively sums up his entire approach to the job.
‘He once told me, “Stone, no one enjoys your act as much as you,”’ he said. ‘It made me laugh because it’s true. I get tremendous pleasure from watching the audience crack up.’
Featured Image: Ian Stone – provided by PR
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