A COMEDY duo is hoping to break into the big time by appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August this year. Comedy writers and performers Glyn Doggett, 25, of Hollow Lane in Hitchin, and David Ephgrave, 26, of Stevenage Road, Hitchin, have been s

A COMEDY duo is hoping to break into the big time by appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August this year.

Comedy writers and performers Glyn Doggett, 25, of Hollow Lane in Hitchin, and David Ephgrave, 26, of Stevenage Road, Hitchin, have been steadily building their reputation on the London scene and are looking to break into television.

The pair completed a BTEC in performing arts at North Hertfordshire College, before training at Hertfordshire Theatre School in Hitchin. But the pair only met when they took backstage and front-of-house jobs at The Market Theatre in Hitchin, to help fund their way through drama school.

Their connection with The Market Theatre has continued, with both having performed in a number of plays, and Glyn being an assistant manager there.

Two of their sitcom pilots, Making Up and Chipped, Battered and Burgered, were premiered at the Soho Theatre in London, and their compilation show, Two's Company, completed a successful run at both The Market Theatre and The Etcetera Theatre in Camden.

Glyn and David are currently writing The Balloon Debate - a production they hope to take to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The comedy sketch is about a man called Gary and his plan for a romantic balloon trip which backfires when his girlfriend pulls out and his cynical best friend, Dan, is roped in as a reluctant replacement. Things go from bad to worse when, half an hour into the flight, the pilot falls out of the basket.

The pair will also be performing the sketch at this year's Hitchin Festival, at The Queen Mother Theatre, on July 17 and 18. It will also be performed as part of The Comedy Project's 2008 season at the Soho Theatre, on March 12.

David, who went to the Thomas Alleyne School in Stevenage, said: "We both grew up watching things like Steve Coogan, Monty Python and Blackadder. We always had a mutual interest. We commented on funny things that happened to us and we started writing about things we came across in life."

Glyn, who went to Hitchin Boys' School, said: "We map out the story as a whole and then we test ideas. We bounce off each other."

"It's very much about making each other laugh," said David. "If we don't make each other laugh with the material, then we don't put it in."

It takes Glyn and David about two weeks of concentrated work to write a script, but a month to fully complete.

Asked what they enjoy most about their work, David said: "When we rehearse we spend the whole time laughing and we enjoy making other people laugh.

"The good thing about this is that it's something we love and it's very much ours. I don't think we could do a normal job."

The pair also said they enjoy the fact that every day is different and they don't always know what to expect.

And the duo look set to hit the big time. David said: "We have had some interest from the BBC and we are looking to break into television."

Glyn and David have their sights firmly set on appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and there will be talent scouts at the show.

However, to be able to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe they must raise £6,000. They have raised about £2,000 so far and are appealing to businesses and individuals for support. For more information, or to make a donation, call Keith Hoskins at the Hitchin Initiative on 01462 453335.

For more information about Glyn and David, visit their myspace page at www.myspace.com/doggettandephgrave