At the time of our interview, Steen Raskopoulos is in the UK filming Top Coppers – a ’70s cop comedy – alongside an upcoming star of international comedy, the bizarre John Kearns. Working alongside Kearns and The Mighty Boosh’s Rich Fulcher is a huge deal for Raskopoulos, but it’s not as if anyone is surprised by his success following his 2013 Best Newcomer nomination at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
“John plays an alter ego and is hilarious,” Raskopoulos reports from the set. “Rich Fulcher was a comedy hero of mine growing up. I loved Boosh and particularly his various characters. It was pretty surreal the first couple of days. The man is a maverick – you always have to be on your toes because he’ll change one word slightly and have you breaking character for minutes on end.”
One of Raskopoulos’ recurring characters in his one-man sketch comedy is a Greek priest who reviews blockbuster movies like The Avengers. I wonder if Raskopoulos has any weird Greek church experiences to share.
“Well, I’ve only ever been to Greek church for weddings and christenings, and I always found it funny that the priest sang and chanted with the back-up [choir],” he laughs. “It was like a fully formed religious boy band. For me, Greek Easter reminds me of the cracking of the red eggs. One year my brother and I made eggs three weeks before and then put them in the freezer. It didn’t work at all; they were cracked by the first round.”
Sketch comedy is undergoing a renaissance in performance circles at the moment. Raskopoulos humbly attributes this to some talented peers.
“Groups like Aunty Donna, Fancy Boy, Max and Ivan and Susie Youssef have been smashing at the recent festivals and deserve a lot of the praise. I think sketch has always been appealing and exciting for audiences and performers alike. It’s pretty amazing to see a performer or group of performers change characters with a single prop or none at all. It showcases their talents not only as performers, but writers also.”
The title of Raskopoulos’ new show, Character Assassin, isn’t as funny as last year’s title, I’m Wearing Two Suits Because I Mean Business,but don’t be fooled –every Steen show is a fun ride.
“I’m excited as it’s a brand new slate of characters,” he says. “There is only one, maybe two recurring characters from previous shows, but it’s mostly new stories and new forms of audience participation. With the previous two shows, I’ve always placed small nuggets for people who attended previous shows. It’s a small gesture/joke for them to say thanks. However, there is more seeding in this show and I’m most excited about the ending. I’d tell you now, but – you know.”
The idea of new forms of audience participation is exciting. I was dragged onstage at Raskopoulos’ last show to play an interviewee at a job interview. Before I could answer his questions, however, he turned on a nearby blender. I wonder if participants ever react in unexpected ways?
“Definitely,” he says. “I’ve had two girls fight in front of me in my first show. I was just thinking of insurance costs if one of them hurt the other. I’ve had a guy kick me on the floor and I’ve had a 65-year-old Scottish lady ride me like a horse when all she had to do was apply sunblock to my back.”
Steen Raskopoulos’Character Assassin,as part of Sydney Comedy Festival 2015, is onTuesday May 5 – Sunday May 10 at Factory Theatre.
