He’s a Scotsman with ten sold out Edinburgh Festival Fringe seasons under his kilt and he’s returning to Australia with his new show ‘Now’.
Winner of the 2016 Sydney Comedy Festival’s Best of the Fest Award, stand-up comedian Daniel Sloss has performed to sold-out audiences around the world and will also be making his first ever appearance at the Adelaide Fringe Festival as part of his Australian tour.
Here Daniel Sloss answers some questions about his new show ‘Now’.
‘Now’ is quite the mysterious title – can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind this show and what audiences can expect?
After my show last year a lot of people suggested I might be a sociopath. So I decided to look into it. Find out why people think I am one, and whether I am one or not.
Your previous shows are titled ‘SO?’ and ‘Dark’ – both equally ambiguous titles. How do you go about naming your shows? Is your decision to keep it simple an attempt to rouse audience curiosity?
The Edinburgh Festival makes you name the show in January and I don't start writing until June. Nothing deep. Nothing thoughtful. Just sheer f***ing laziness.
You have been writing and performing stand up since you were 16 years old – what drew you to comedy?
I'm vastly under-qualified for anything else. And I'm hilarious.
Do you have any strange pre-show rituals?
Lord no. I try to be as close to myself on stage as I am off. So I don't really need preparation to become myself. Most of the time I'll drink.
Your Australian tour schedule is packed with multiple performances over one or two days and even has you moving from one state to another overnight. How do you maintain the energy and enthusiasm needed for stand-up comedy?
Alcohol and the desire for money to fund my love of alcohol. That and my ego is insatiable and I need all the attention I can get.
You are originally from Scotland, have you ever had an experience where one (or more) of your jokes perhaps didn’t go down as well with international audiences?
Internationally yes. In Australia no. You guys drink as much as we do and you've got no problem with the word c*** (I say that, but you'll probably end up editing that word out). But they HATE that word in most of the US. Also, none of my material has anything to do with Scotland, apart from the accent it's told in.
Have you found there are certain topics which are more likely to garner mixed reactions from audience members? Do you shy away from these topics or grab them by the horns and run with them?
Aye, religious people tend to get upset by religious jokes. The right get upset by jokes about them. The left get upset by jokes about them. I tend to just try to be equally shitty to everyone. There's nothing more narcissistic than thinking a comedian told a joke just to upset you, and this is coming from the High Lord of Narcissism himself.
Give us three good reasons why they should come see your new show ‘Now’.
One, I'm the f***ing best. Two, You've got nothing else to do. Three... Please.
Daniel Sloss Dates
6-11 March – Brisbane Powerhouse (Brisbane Comedy Festival)14-18 March – Fowler's Live (Adelaide Fringe)
22-24 March – Canberra Theatre Centre (Canberra Comedy Festival)
29 March-22 April – ACMI (Melbourne Comedy Festival)
27 April – Regal Theatre (Perth Comedy Festival)
28 April – Enmore Theatre (Sydney Comedy Festival)
