A true-blue Aussie, Hughes has got a knack for hitting the nail on the head.
There’s a fine line to walk with social commentary. One can indulge in a narcissistic rant of one’s own beliefs or one can chew them up and spit them out. Or one can do both and call himself Steve Hughes.
A true-blue Aussie, Hughes has got a knack for hitting the nail on the head. Whether he is on stage discussing race, gender, sexuality, politics or just marvelling at the insanity that is the Welsh language, Hughes has the ability to make a person giggle. Most of his gigs are offensive and politically incorrect, but he describes it as “intellectual colonialism.”
“I would never preach,” he says. “What would I preach about?” His brand of comedy is nothing remotely close to preachy, but he does know how to cross many social lines and genuinely delights in making people uncomfortable.
When asked if he has ever really offended someone, Steve erupts with laughter. “I’ve been called the Adolph Hitler of comedy,” he says proudly. “One woman said she would rather watch a rabbit drown in a tank than listen to my bullshit.” He gives it a moment’s thought. “But that probably says more about her than it does about me.”
2011 will be the year of Conspiracy Realist, the new show that Hughes describes as “funny, full on and fucking great”. He doesn’t have a theme for this show, dismissing the need to theme any of them. “It has new shit in it, just my observations,” he explains. “And some old shit too. Fuck it, the old shit is funny.”
Although born in Australia, Hughes has lived in the UK for the last ten years. He admits to not really missing home anymore and when asked why he made the decision to leave all those years ago, he is very blasé about it. “Australia is not a good place to get started if you’re a creative person,” he says simply. “It does happen for some people, but mostly, you have to move around. And what’s it close to? I’m in Belgium right now and if I want to go to Sweden I can do it in an hour and a half. Australia is just far away from everything.”
It is this attitude that makes Steve Hughes’ show so intriguing. This and his compulsive over use of the f-word, his twisted facial expressions and his impressions and accents are comedy gold. Don’t miss out on seeing this “angry left wing conspiracy theorist anti-Semite.”
Steve Hughes performs Conspiracy Realist at the Melbourne Town Hall Council Chambers from March 31 to April 24. It’s at 9.45pm Tuesday – Saturday and 8.45pm on Sundays. Tickets are $15 – $24.90 and available through Ticketmaster online, 1300 660 013 and at the door.
