Seven years ago, French-born comedienne Celya AB likely hadn’t expected to kick off a career in comedy.
But after returning to her adopted home of Birmingham, encouragement to perform stand-up began a love affair she’d never expected to continue, which brings her to Melbourne with her new show, Appearing In New Order.
“I didn’t know anything about the scene or how it worked when I first started,” she remembers. “I used to do music and photography, and both of those needed equipment or other people. I’ve always liked watching it and writing jokes and thought I’d try stand-up as it seemingly was just you and a mic (and hopefully an audience in double digits).
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“I was bad at it for so long but I knew I really liked it when I got it right,” she adds. “It’s the same dynamic today for me, I like making things and figuring out why some of them work and others don’t. Stand-up has so many variables and it’s what keeps me so interested in it I think.”
These variables have been as plentiful as her accomplishments, which have seen her win awards from the likes of Chortle, the Birmingham Comedy Festival, and even a position as a finalist in the BBC’s New Comedy Award. Looking back though, she can appreciate the journey that has brought her to where she is today.
“The first few years of doing stand-up are the hardest, being bad at something you really like, in public, four times a week is crazy!” she says. “I think not knowing what it’d be like helped me get into it. I can see I got sillier with time, closer to who I am off-stage.
“I feel so lucky to have now seen so many different types of stand-up too, it’s really opened my eyes to what can be done.”
Even with so many accolades and awards, Celya admits there’s no real sense of pressure about needing to continuously hit new heights, or break new records. She simply recognises it as part of the territory.
“I tend to shake it off, awards are very nice and help with profile building but as they’re yearly you really have to keep working,” she says. “You don’t want to be the guy still banging on about being Prom King well in his 40s, varsity jacket over one shoulder.”
While there’s no fear about ever becoming the ageing Prom King, Celya admits success is still something that is hard to categorise, though she’s forever getting closer thanks to the world of comedy.
“I think success can be different things even for the same person, like check points in a game,” she says. “Being able to do comedy full time in London is a form of success for me, being able to afford a takeaway and therapy is another.
“I guess I’d like to own a house someday but equally if it doesn’t happen I’ll be glad to just respawn at this one.”
Now though, her latest taste of success is a trip to Australia as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where she’s performing alongside Dan Tiernan and Josh Jones as part of the New Order lineup.
“Melbourne and especially New Order was always on the bucket list for me,” she admits with some self-admitted sincerity. “It’s just really lovely to be asked and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Of course, performing before new crowds can be an experience that’s often fraught with worry or nervousness. For Celya, she’s not worried about the rowdy audiences, or boozed-up Aussies – she’s just apprehensive about accents.
“As a French comedian living in the UK I tend to mirror people’s accents,” she says. “My worry is that the two Northern comics and then the whole of Melbourne will pick up my accent. I’ve got to be real careful, like with prohibited flora.”
With her upcoming show set to tick off a bucket list item for her, the only question that remains is what Celya recommends for anyone else attending this year’s festival. If they’re like her, audiences will probably enjoy drinking in the surrounds and enjoying some local Aussie talent.
“I’m really looking forward to walking around Melbourne, and also seeing another stand-up scene,” she admits. “I’m planning on watching shows and especially looking forward to seeing Aaron Chen’s show.”
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