For comic Schalk Bezuidenhout, it’s because he feels older and not necessarily wiser that this year’s Adelaide Fringe will see him trying to “keep up”.
Though he’s hit a maturity milestone and recently gotten married, Schalk says there’s a lot more, particularly what’s enjoyed by today’s youth, he doesn’t feel in touch with; his cutting brand of observational humour helps shape his new show.
Having done specials for Netflix and Comedy Central (and currently working on a travel show for Netflix) perhaps it’s us that need to keep up with Schalk. In preparing for the Fringe, Schalk finds himself needing to balance his different projects with different mindsets. “It’s really just trying to create that discipline, you have to make time in the diary to have some work-in-progress shows before you go onto [Adelaide Fringe],” he says, “because stand-up is really one of those things that the only way to figure it out is to go on stage in front of an audience and figure it out.”
“And also, I see it as a collaborative thing with my audience – that is really some of my favourite shows to do, those work-in-progress shows, because you and the audience are discovering the jokes together. You’re not only finding what’s funny but you’re also finding what’s not funny.
“It’s quite a beautiful moment, that moment between you and the audience of going, ‘Yeah, that one doesn’t work right?’ and they’re like, ‘Yeah, you shouldn’t put that in the show’. It’s nice when you develop a fanbase that you have that relationship with.”
When addressing the show’s title, 'Keeping Up', there’s a slight tone in Schalk’s affirmation. “'Keeping Up', it’s really like, I think we live in a time where the world is changing at the most rapid pace it ever has, in terms of socio-politics. I’m also an ageing person in the world.” Schalk is truly a fossil at 31 years old. “When I started comedy, I was always the young guy,” he explains, having been 19 years old when he set out. “Other comedians would be like ‘Oh it’s so good you’re starting so young’. Now suddenly, I’m not the young guy doing it anymore.
“In Australia, when I’m performing in Melbourne and Sydney, there’s all the young, early-20s comics coming in doing incredible stuff, and I’m trying to keep up in the world as a social person and a comedian.
“It’s a dual thing; it’s wanting to keep up with everything that’s going on, but at the same time, you’re also forced to or you’ll get pushed out of society if you don’t.”
That being said, Schalk adds that his energetic live shows are made to appeal to all. “I always try to keep my shows as light and as playful as possible. Obviously, it’s always fun to test boundaries, but the type of comedy is not going in hard balls to the wall, in your face humour, guns blazing.”
“No matter how far left or how far right you are, everyone’s just trying to keep up.”
What his method is for finding the funny side in a perpetual social rat race, isn’t something Schalk hasn’t yet worked out. “I guess it’s like asking an athlete ‘How are you so fast?’ ‘I dunno, I just am!’
“Your brain is wired that way; comedy is a hard thing to learn. That’s why I love the art form of stand-up – there’s a special bond between comedians because we have this thing that you can’t learn. Stand-up is one of the only forms you can’t do at university. It’s one of those things where you have it or you don’t.”
Schalk Bezuidenhout plays Upstairs at Rhino Room (Adelaide Fringe) 12-16 March.
