John-Luke Roberts' new show Stdad-Up is about the death of his father. But hold on, this one is different. It also features multi-coloured balloons. In fact given that Roberts is a master absurdist his show will no doubt be subverting the well-worn sentimental dead-dad-award-winning-show template. Roberts can also do proper jokes though. He has been a writer on The News Quiz and is currently co-writing a TV comedy, Bull, for Matt Lucas' production company, set in an antiques shop. Nothing antique about his jokes though. Roberts is at the Voodoo Rooms from August 8 - 30. Tickets here.
1. What is the last thing you do before you go onstage (apart from check your flies, check for spinach between teeth and check your knickers aren't sticking out of your skirt)?
Look at the audience and perform an unscientific assessment of who might be good to cajole into the performance.
2. What irritates you?
Poverty.
3. What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
Driving over what may have been a collapsed building over a massive drop in a hire car in Tobago my with my ex-girlfriend (not ex at the time, that would be a terrible choice of holiday). It should have led to death, but didn’t (the drive not the relationship). Also, I was nearly hit in the face by a firework at a friend’s bonfire night do once when it fell over and started shooting directly at me. It was so pretty I forgot my face couldn’t sustain being hit in the face by flame.
4. What is the most stupid thing you have ever done?
Attempting to eat a lemon for every ten minutes of Mark Watson’s 27 hour show, which is 162 lemons. I managed 16, I think, before my teeth started screaming and my stomach started evacuating any way it could. I’d gone in genuinely believing I could do, and ended up discovering I have the lemon eating capabilities of any normal man. I’m still sad about it.
5. What has surprised you the most during your career in comedy?
Your jokes are the least important thing in your act.
Read more answers here.
