Car share comedians wrote Edinburgh Fringe show on their way to gigs

Simon Fernand, 44, and Aaron Roberts, 38, both from Bournemouth, make up Plastic Jeezus - a deadpan musical comedy duo.

They have performed up and down the country at clubs including Brighton Komedia, York Barbican and De Montfort Hall in Leicester, as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival Gala Show.

And following in the car share comedy footsteps of Peter Kay and James Corden, Simon and Aaron say they share laughs while they're on the move.

Plastic Jeezus

Their journeys provide the time and inspiration to write new jokes.

Simon, who plays ukulele alongside Aaron during their set, said: "We'll just be chatting about any old thing on the motorway, and something will make us laugh.

"I'll often make a note of it on my phone and then one of us will send over a rough outline of a joke based around that phrase or concept. It's often just done via WhatsApp - sometimes as a voice-note, to get the tone right.

"If we've 'got it' during the journey, we might use it at the gig when we arrive - and then, if the joke works, it all gets refined on our shared drive for the next set.

"For song writing it's a bit different. One of us will write the main part of a song alone and the other might add some flourishes via audio recordings or video on whatsapp.

"Then during journeys we might refine the jokes or discuss how we introduce the song on stage with a joke."

With their deadpan observational comedy act Plastic Jeezus have played alongside some of the most exciting acts in the UK, including Seann Walsh, Marcus Brigstocke, Ed Byrne, and Angela Barnes.

They also won Best Newcomer at the Musical Comedy Awards in 2021.

Simon and Aaron, who have been called '21st century Laurel and Hardy' as a ukulele duo, are now looking ahead and rehearsing for their run at the Buttercup room, Bristo Square, Edinburgh as part of Edinburgh Fringe.

Aaron added: "We were ambitious to pick the big hall in the thick of it. "But when we visited Edinburgh as fans that's what we decided we wanted. "Our show is apolitical and offers audiences light relief and escapism.

"There is a theme of grief and trauma for lots of the Edinburgh shows, we are a palette cleanser for anyone who needs it.

"There is nothing profound in our set whatsoever."

During their 2022 reccy of the festival site Simon and Aaron found the accommodation so pricey they had to share a tiny double bed.

This time they have treated themselves to a single bed each.

Simon said: "After a month of sharing accommodation and performing every night I'm looking forward to seeing what my breaking point is."

Aaron added: ""Every time we perform I look forward to doing it again"

"It hasn't really sunk in that we will be at Edinburgh Fringe yet."

Plastic Jeezus 'Leave Them Wanting Less' will be on at the Buttercup room of the legendary Underbelly in Bristo Square, every day from 31st July to 26th August '24 (except 12th August), and will feature songs, surreal stories, more songs, maybe an artistic disagreement or two. Another song. The usual.

Tickets are £11 on weekdays, £12.50 at weekends and £8 for preview shows.

'Two for One' days are available, as are group discounts. Click here for tickets.:

Plastic Jeezus (underbellyedinburgh.co.uk)