1994 sees Connor Burns pose the question “was everything better really back in the day?” Stemming from looking back at his parents’ generation and what the world was like for them growing up, he explores how pop culture began in the 1950’s and how it has continued to warp our minds of the last 75 years. Connor dives into everyday moments – like trips to the barber and the joys (and heartbreaks) of Scottish football while asking the big question: was everything really better back in the day?
The show, named after the year of Connor’s birth, is an examination of how things have changed since the good old days before he was born. 2024 is not a great year to be turning 30, as Connor explains in his show—ricocheting between short gags and explosive anecdotes, whilst accompanied by chart-topping hits of the past decades. Now you can see why Connor pose the question “was everything better really back in the day?”.
Why choose the year of your birth? Well was there a year in your life when things suddenly felt different? ” I think 30 is the first time I’ve turned an age and felt different. My parents are in their70s now and I have nieces and nephews who are teenagers and I just wanted to explore the different challenges that each of us face and it turns out there’s a lot of funny in that. I think we definitely remember things fondly but now at 30 I can feel myself looking back on my childhood and only seeing the great bits. So I guess that’s just what getting older is.”
However, there are some things in life it seems Connor does not look back fondly on, and it helps him in the harder moments touring as a stand-up comedian. “I’ve worked a bunch of jobs before Comedy that I really didn’t like. I guess the confidence comes from the thought that even a bad night on stage is better than most days in a job that makes you miserable. Once you realise that you tend to relax and have fun on stage“. He also has some good advice for any of us comedian or not that choose to spend time away from home for business or pleasure. “ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK THE HOTEL ROOM FOR CHARGERS BEFORE YOUCHECK OUT!”
Connor is one of Chortle’s 2020 ‘Ones to Watch’ and has received beaming reviews from The Scotsman (★★★★★), The List (★★★★), and Beyond the Joke (★★★★). Dubbed the “future of Scottish stand-up” by Daniel Sloss, Connor’s burgeoning reputation as “one to watch” was cemented at the 2023 Fringe when he sold out his entire run barely a week after the brochure launch in June. This year, with his Fringe run of ‘1994’ sold out just as fast, and added extra shows, selling close to 8,000 tickets in his home city of Edinburgh throughout August.
Daniel is someone who should know how good Connor is, as he has opened for him in the UK, Australia and in the premiere show of 2023’s New York Comedy Festival. Also Larry Dean’s UK tour. To find out when & where Connor is coming to a theatre near you so you can reflect on your favourite decade please go to his website.
Image (c) TRoy Edige
