Caro Meets Comedy Interview

Steve Bugeja: Day Release

By Caro Moses | Published on Wednesday 6 July 2016

Comedy up and comer Steve Bugeja won oodles of praise for his show ‘Day Release’ when he performed it at last year’s Edinburgh Festival, so it’s rather pleasing to hear he’s going to treat Londoners to a last couple of performances of it before he heads up to the Fringe again this year with a new set.

He’s one of my favourite types of comedian, the kind who tells you a long and a fascinating story, and makes it incredibly funny as well. To find out more about Steve, I made time for a quick chat, ahead of his upcoming Soho Theatre dates.

CM: Can you tell us a bit about the show you will be performing at Soho Theatre? What is the theme?
SB: My show ‘Day Release’ is the true story of a trip to a wedding I took in May 2014. I was going to my friend Amy Warburton’s wedding (who I slightly love by the way) and on the way had to pick up her Dad and take him to the wedding. Pretty boring story so far, maybe. But I had to pick up Amy’s Dad from prison. Because that’s where he lived. Michael Warburton had been in prison for 18 years, and this was his first day release. I had to pick him up and drive him three hours across the country, alone.

CM: This was last year’s Edinburgh show, wasn’t it? Are you going back this year? If so, why?
SB: Yes, ‘Day Release’ was my 2015 Edinburgh show. I am going up again. I’m doing my new show ‘Unpronounceable’, which is on every day at 5pm in The Tron. I’m really excited about going up again, I think the new show is really funny. As for WHY I’m going up again? Erm, although it is stressful, costly and tiring I think something in my weird little brain loves it. The Edinburgh Festival is just my favourite place on earth.

CM: What made you become a stand up comedian? Was it something you aspired to as a child?
SB: No, I didn’t particularly want to be a comedian as a child. It just sort of happened at university. I’ve always loved comedy, but I never even dreamed that I could be one of the people making it. I think once I’d done that first gig, and I realised the rush and excitement I got from doing stand-up, there was no looking back. When I was a child I actually wanted to be a politician. Odd child.

CM: Do you have any things or people that influence your comedy style?
SB: Yeah, there are loads of comedians I love to watch who I’m sure via osmosis influence my style. I try to be myself, but inevitably I’ll take inspiration from people I look up to. My favourite comedians are the ones who take us on a journey, not just joke after joke, I love it when a show makes an audience ‘feel’ something together. Sorry, didn’t meant to sound so pretentious there.

CM: What’s the best thing about your job?
SB: Having some big burly skin head come up to me and say “I didn’t think I’d like you, but I actually quite enjoyed that”. Very satisfying.

CM: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you on stage?
SB: I was recently doing a comedy tent at a music festival, and as I went on stage Fat Boy Slim started DJing on the main stage. The noise bleed was insane. That was a tough twenty minutes.

CM: Which is best, TV, Radio, or live performance?
SB: Live performance is what I love doing, that’s where the buzz is.

CM: Where do you see yourself in ten years time?
SB: Living out my childhood ambition to be a politician.

CM: Where will you be in six months time? What do you have coming up?
SB: After the Edinburgh fringe I’m embarking on my first solo tour around the country. Just doing some small arts centres and theatres. Really looking forward to it. Plus I hope to ruin one of Fat Boy Slim’s gigs somehow.

Steve Bugeja performs ‘Day Release’ at Soho Theatre from 8-9 Jul, see the venue website here for more info. Plus, click this link here if you want more info on his Edinburgh Fringe run of ‘Unpronounceable’.

LINKS: www.sohotheatre.com | www.stevebugeja.com | twitter.com/SteveBugeja