Though Steen Raskopoulos routinely seeks audience participation, he occasionally bites off more than he can chew. “I once had a couple of old Scottish ladies [in the audience] and, well, let’s say they were very into rubbing sunscreen on me.”
The Barry Award-nominated comedian has learned to expect the unexpected. Raskopoulous remembers a specific gig two years ago in London, in which he chose precisely the wrong punter for an all-in, disco-dancing finale. Or, at least, that’s how it first seemed. “He was really quiet and really to himself. For the next half of the show – in my head whilst doing the other sketches – I was going, ‘Oh God, he’s going to be terrible. He’s not even going to try and dance’. Then I got him up, we had thirty people up on stage and I was trying to convince him and he didn’t really look enthused or interested. But then, I kid you not, he did a whole John Travolta – point-to-the-heavens, point-to-the-floor – and was one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Of course, nobody is expected to be an instant star in Raskopolous’ sketch routines the second they take to the stage. In fact, he actually empathises with the nervous punters he plucks from the crowd. “When people say the word audience participation, everyone freaks out and I do as well. If I go to a show, I’m the person going, ‘Please don’t pick me’ – because that’s just my personality,” he reveals. “I feel that when I do it, I just want everyone to have fun, and I’d never pick on anyone to bully them or belittle them. This is my job, they’ve come from their job and I don’t know what their day has been like. I don’t know what’s happening in their personal life, with their family, with their friends or whatever. I’d hate for someone to be forced on stage with that on board as well. I always want to come from a place of love and joy and happiness. I know that sounds super corny, but that’s genuinely a big reason why I do it.”
Raskopolous – a formidable triple threat of actor, comedian and improviser – returns to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this year with You Know The Drill, an entirely fresh hour of material. “I like trying out new stuff and this show is completely new,” Raskopoulos explains. “I’m trying new audience stuff, new characters, new tones of comedy which I’m excited about. I’m excited just to get cracking in Melbourne.”
Interestingly, Raskopoulos’ writing process is specific to his brand of comedy. “I like to write things as a whole. I know stand-ups will write five minutes and try it out. Two minutes work, so they keep it and then try another five minutes out. I think with my shows, because there is such a narrative element and a character-development element, I can’t necessarily just go and do that at an open mic night. I think a lot of people would be like, ‘What the fuck is he doing?’” jokes Raskopoulos. “I write shows like a jigsaw puzzle. I personally don’t know which order it’s going to fit in, but when I do the show I think of new ways to create everything within the same world.”
Improvisation is an equally integral component of Raskopoulos’ act. “There’s always different styles and different ways to do it,” he says of improvisation. “There’s never a right way or wrong way. If you get to a point where you think you’re a good improviser, I think you’ve always got room to grow and more room to learn.”
By Nick Mason
Venues: Swiss Club, 89 Flinders Lane, CBD & Melbourne Town Hall – Supper Room, Cnr Swanston & Collins St, CBD (Monday 11 only)
Dates: March 24 – April 17 (except Mondays, bar April 11)
Times: 7pm (Sundays 6pm, April 11 9.30pm)
Tickets: $24 – $32
