London born dead-end office worker turned internationally renowned stand up, Dane Baptiste made history in 2014 when he became the first black British comedian to be nominated for a comedy award at the Edinburgh Fringe. That was enough to turn heads, but it was his distinct knack for geopolitical commentary with a touch of silliness that had Baptiste selling out shows across the UK.
Despite his roaring success in Britain, the Lewisham stand up is still making ripples over here in Oz. “The first couple of times I did this in Sydney, I think a lot of people were getting used to the fact that they would hear, ‘this next act is from the UK,’ and then they would see me, and they’d have a face like, ‘is that U for Uganda and is that K for Kenya? ‘Cos he doesn’t look British.’ But for the most part, they’ve been receptive, so it’s been cool.”
Baptiste’s new show, G.O.D. (Gold. Oil. Drugs.), is nothing short of ambitious. Motivated by what Baptiste describes as the human race’s new idolatries – capitalism, consumerism and gratification – he intends to walk audiences through all the ways they’re slowly killing themselves, while promising deeply clever jokes in the process. “There’s plenty of distractions that we have nowadays that keep us away from that high level of consciousness or spirituality,” he explains. “I’m just trying to remind us that we’re still human beings.”
Juggling such grim subject matter, Baptiste’s ability to draw laughter from his audience speaks to his incredible talent. “I’m trying to be imaginative and playful. In terms of performance and social commentary, it’s about understanding that sometimes, the more surreal and exaggerated the point is, then the easier it is to digest.”
Baptiste understands that, regardless of the topic, it’s about dressing up his words and making them appetising. “Before anything else, my job is to make sure that my audience is enjoying themselves as well as getting food for thought,” he says. “If laughter is the best medicine, then it’s about making the sugar-coated pill as psychedelic as humanly possible. I apply this principle to actually be prepared to laugh at myself and not take myself too seriously.”
Regularly cited as Britain’s answer to Chris Rock or Dave Chappelle, Baptiste’s insightful stand up, which he dubs “everyman and everywoman relatable comedy”, is born from the many years he spent working in an office job that he loathed.
“While I’ve definitely hated being in the corporate world, it was a massive benefit so far as being able to make observations that a lot of people can relate to,” he explains. “I always need to take time to reflect on the aspects of my working life and, I guess, social life that got me to this point. It’s like you’re confined to a wheelchair, and then one day you’re able to walk and run. It’s an amazing, and a very humbling phenomenon to have as a part of your life.”
