Two years removed from his last visit down under, Scottish comedy superstar Danny Bhoy is headed back to Australia in 2025.
In what will be his twelfth tour of Australia, the comedian Montreal Gazette dubbed 'one of the most sparkling wits in the world' will perform as part of this year's Adelaide Fringe.
Bhoy will be presenting his newest show 'Dear World...', a mix of stand-up and theatre that delighted his home audiences earlier in 2024 including a sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe that's a sequel to his 2015 show 'Dear Epson...', which he declares his "favourite ever show".
Ahead of his Adelaide Fringe appearance, Danny sits down with us to give us the lowdown on 'Dear World...'.
It's been two years since your last tour of Australia – what are you most looking forward to about being back?
Food courts. You don’t get food courts in Scotland. Lunchtime usually consists of whatever soup my local cafe has on that day? I love standing in the middle of a food court in Australia and doing a 360, and thinking ‘I can visit whatever country I like for lunch today?’
'Dear World...' is a sequel to your 2015 show 'Dear Epson...', which you’ve called your "favourite ever show”. What made you want to revisit this format, and how does 'Dear World...' expand on it?
On the tenth anniversary of ‘Dear Epson…’ it just seemed like a good time to revisit the format? It was interesting reading back letters from the original show and realising how much more normal things were back then. ‘Dear World…’ has the same playfulness, but with some darker subjects at a time when we seem to be spiralling out of reality.
You had a sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe with this show – how do you think Australian audiences will react to it? Do you find a difference in how your comedy lands in different countries?
I’ve never been a numbers guy. I don’t judge a show on how many people see it, I judge it on how much people enjoyed it. I will get into Australia a week before the tour to road test some ideas that I think might play well over there. But, much of my stand-up is based around life experiences rather than cultural specifics, so I don’t usually need to change much of that for different territories. The letters don’t change at all. They might just need a bit more explaining.
What do you enjoy most about performing at Adelaide Fringe?
I love going to see stuff that isn’t stand-up. So, you’ll often find me sneaking into some quirky theatre or late-night burlesque. I’m fascinated by how different performers use the space, and I love seeing a show where the performers give off a vibe that they are really enjoying themselves, even when some of the audience are absolutely not.
After touring Australia twelve times, you must have some favourite places or traditions when you're here. Are there any must-do things on your list for this trip?
After I've hit the food courts, I usually make a list of cultural things I want to do on this trip. Sometimes, time restraints don’t allow me to journey too far from where I’m playing that night. But, the great thing about Adelaide, is that you’re always close to a winery or a beach which are two of my favourite places to spend a free afternoon.
Your comedy blends stand-up with a touch of theatre in this show – what can audiences expect from 'Dear World...' compared to your previous work?
The idea (though certainly not ground-breaking) came from trying to find a way of combining my love of theatre with stand-up. This is not a show that I could do in a club, and I like that. I think people are initially confused by what’s going on, and I like that too. I love performing this show, because I like all the little changes of pace, and also it’s full of quite interesting facts, alongside big laughs.
Your observational comedy has always been sharp yet charmingly self-deprecating. Have the last few years given you fresh perspectives or material that’s shaped this show in particular?
Yes, that’s really what this show is about. Trying to understand the last ten years. Contrasting the momentous changes in the world with my own cynicism and regrets. How do I judge a successful career? What is a legacy? And, does the simple act of writing a letter still have any place in the modern world?
Looking beyond Australia, what’s next for you after this tour?
You really do have to come to the show to find that out.
Finally, for those who haven’t seen you live before, why should they come to ‘Dear World…’ at Adelaide Fringe?
The thing about Adelaide is, it’s always the first stop on the festival circuit in Australia. That means the show is fresh and unjaded. You get the show at its most experimental, but also at its most exciting stage. You can find that exhilarating, or you can find that daunting. If it’s the latter, I’ll be at Arts Centre Melbourne in April.
Danny Bhoy plays Royalty Theatre (Adelaide Fringe) 18-23 March.
