Fathering in the Age of the Apocalypse opens Friday 7th August at The Libra Theatre Cafe, exploring Tom and Haydn’s fathering techniques through comedy. Learn more about what you can expect:
1: What was the initial spark that created the show?
Tom: I stopped doing comedy in 2014. Within two years my first child was born, the country had voted for Brexit, America had elected Donald Trump, and the entire postwar liberal consensus had begun to visibly disintegrate. I’m not saying those things are connected. But I’ve had 12 years to think about it and I’ve reached some conclusions.
Haydn: He rang me about it in 2014. Then 2016. Then 2020, then 2021. Every time the world got worse he’d ring and say “now it’s really time.” Eventually I stopped picking up. Then I picked up. That was a mistake but here we are.
2: Tom and Haydn have different parenting techniques. How is this balance equally in the show?
Tom: I have a framework. Haydn improvises.
Haydn: Tom has a spreadsheet for bedtime. I have two children who are, despite everything, alive. We’re both winning.
Tom: One of us is winning.
3: Did you really have children for the research of the show? What have you learned through that experience?
Tom: No, that’s just a hilarious conceit from an early draft of the show that’s more or less not in it now. Although the timing does work out and I’ve never been able to fully rule it out.
Haydn: What I’ve learned is that children can identify the precise thing you’re most insecure about and then say it out loud in front of people. Mine recently described me as “the funny one at home but not really.” She’s seven. She’s already better at this than I am.
4: How much of the show is based on your true life experiences?
Tom: More than I’d like.
Haydn: My father did once call me an anus. That’s verbatim. Everything else is artistic licence, apart from the parts that aren’t, which is most of it.
5: Why did you choose the Camden Fringe to bring the show to life?
Tom: We both live in London, have childcare duties (and in my case even a job) and could not disappear to Scotland for a month. I don’t like sleeping on sofas or staying up late. Also London’s nice. The pollution keeps away the midges.
Haydn: Also they said yes. That was the main thing. We’d have done it in a car park.
6: What has been the most enjoyable part about creating Fathering in the Age of the Apocalypse?
Haydn: Arguing with Tom for eight months and then realising the arguing was the show. We kept trying to cut the bits where we disagreed. Turned out those were the only bits that worked.
Tom: Vibecoding insults for Haydn.
Haydn: Tom teaching me how to use Google Docs
Fathering in the Age of the Apocalypse opens Friday 7th August at The Libra Theatre Cafe. Many thanks to Tom Hobbes and Haydn for answering our questions. Book your tickets here!
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