4:06pm Thursday 30th November 2006
Comedian Steve Hughes says he is "not a normal Aussie", and he's spot on.
How about this for evidence? From the outset I offer Steve the chance to gloat about the sound thrashing doled out to the English in the first Ashes Test (just to get it out the way), but his response is: "Aah, I don't really follow sport, what's happening?" Sweet relief for me, a scolded cricket fan.
And England in the winter? Must be yearning for that Australian sun, eh? "Aah, not especially, I used to long for rain. I've been over here for 11 years now and I live in Manchester." As Steve Irwin would say, crikey!
Nor is he your regular comedian. The stock subjects which so many comics fall back on - the difference between men and women, sex, booze, drugs - are to Steve as a harp is to a hippo.
"I get envious of the people who can write gags about things like going to the shop," he says. "Nothing funny happens there. Give me some genocide and I've got something to work with." At which point he laughs raucously.
It's a revealing comment, as Steve - who comes to the Banana Cabaret at The Bedford this week - carries the label political comedian'. But he is not prone to preaching or weary resignation. In fact, every time you think he's getting serious, he makes a gag out of it.
"I don't want to blow my own horn but it's easy to just do a few Bushisms," he says.
"Unfortunately, there's a lot out there for comedians talking about politics and social issues, so I might be doing this for a while, because it does take a while to establish a new world order, you know. You have to destroy a lot of economies and invade a lot of countries first." Cue more guffawing.
Steve, a 40-year-old former heavy metal drummer, takes his lead from people like Richard Pryor and Billy Connolly, who he says "have something to say. You know it's coming from the heart." More name-checking reveals a love for the British sitcom - The Young Ones, Blackadder, Peep Show, Alan Partridge (to which he says "F*** me dead, it's absolutely genius. I'm almost obsessed.") The veteran of Edinburgh and Montreal Comedy Festivals is equally fond of English audiences. "They just get it, if you know what I mean," he says. "Just by lifting an eyebrow they'll get it, you don't have to spell it out.
"You can have any style of comedy on in a night - a surreal guy, a wacky guy, a political guy, and they'll love them all."
Steve Hughes (plus others), Banana Cabaret, The Bedford, Bedford Hill, Balham, Friday and Saturday, December 1-2, £12/£8. Call 020 8673 8904, visit bananacabaret.co.uk.
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