Alumna Profile: Rachel Parris

About the Interviewer:

Rim Jasmin Irscheid (Wadham College, 2017) works across the Events, Finance and Academic Office at the Faculty of Music. Prior to this, she completed an MSt in Musicology at Oxford and read Music and Psychology at the University of Heidelberg. This October Jasmin will commence an AHRC-funded doctorate on experimental music in the Middle East supervised by Professor Martin Stokes at King’s College London.

Alumnus Profile: Rachel Parris

Rachel Parris (St Hilda’s College, 2002) is a comedian, musician, improvisor and presenter on BBC Two’s The Mash Report. She began improv comedy in 2007 with the Oxford Imps and can since frequently be seen on TV shows including The IT Crowd, QI, Would I Lie to You?, and Mock the Week. Jasmin spoke with Rachel about her time at Oxford, her funniest moments on television, and the way music has influenced Rachel’s career as a comedian and presenter. Tell us about your time at Oxford. What are your memories of your time as a student?

Well I loved it, from start to finish. I remember the first days - moving in to my little attic room at St Hilda’s, meeting the college friends who are still my best friends, I was blown away by it all. I loved the city, the history and the atmosphere. In my first year I got the part of Eliza Doolittle in the Magdalen Players’ production of My Fair Lady, performed the Gershwin Preludes on the piano at the JdP, and joined a choir called Magdala which performed early polyphonic music. I kept doing plays and jazz and recitals all through my time there and by the third year I spent every Friday night singing pop songs with a covers band at The Bridge nightclub. I also enjoyed the degree very much and learnt a huge amount, but for me what was so special about my time at Oxford was how many performing opportunities there were. It was such a good way to figure out what you love doing and to make friends while doing it.

What was your most memorable encounter with a fellow comedian?

At my wedding last year, at the moment when the celebrant asked if there were any objections, Paul Merton slowly, silently stood up from the back row and then silently sat back down again. Only me and my husband could see him doing it and everyone wondered why we were laughing!

Your performance of “How NOT to sexually harass someone” followed the #MeToo movement, landed millions of views and addressed the pressing issues faced by women worldwide. How do you successfully meld comedy with serious political issues?

That’s something I’m still trying to figure out. Every piece that we do on The Mash Report is a new challenge -