Jamie Demetriou interview
Character comedian Jamie Demetriou has been picking up great reviews this year, and is now part of 'The New Wave' comedy tour. We emailed him to find out more.
Hi Jamie. Could we start by asking you to explain how you first got into the world of comedy...
I was at Uni, hanging out with the musical theatre crowd and a friend called Charlie asked me to be in a sketch troupe called Bristol Revunions. I said no. Then I said yes!
Your sister [Natasia Demetriou] is also a comedy performer. Do you think comedy comes from nature or nurture?
I don't know. Probably a mix of both. I think comedy mainly comes from the intention to do comedy. And that intention comes from me being a bit stupid.
I've seen some funny things in the wild, but I also find something hysterical about a mother raising her child. ; )
You're not a stand-up comedian, you're not a sketch act, so how would you describe what you do?
Chef.
Ha. Um, OK. How do you develop your characters?
I don't really have a process that works yet. I just hope really hard I'll come up with something by the time a gig comes around and it usually doesn't and I get furious with myself. If I get furious enough over the course of a year I may come up with a new character.
You starred in a series of Comedy Blaps for Channel 4 earlier in the year featuring various of your creations. Do you have a favourite episode?
Probably the one about a lettings agent called Stath. For one, loads of my friends and favourite performers are in it (five of which are doing The New Wave tour). Playing alongside my excellent sister on screen was a lovely thing too. We're developing that one further at the moment.
You've written and appeared in Anna & Katy's sketch show... would you like to do more TV work?
Yep I would like to do that. It's nice to work in an environment that doesn't require you directly facing your audience/critics once in a while; good for my receding hairline. Varying live audience responses can confuse you to the point of madness, you change and change material in the hope that you'll find something that suits everyone but I don't think such a thing exists.
I do like a TV edit; it's very satisfying having a definitive end product that you literally can't tweak anymore.
In terms of live comedy, People Day, your debut Edinburgh Fringe hour was widely praised. That must have been a nice feeling? But does it now put extra pressure and expectation on you?
Thank you. It's funny that your (my) instinct is often to moan about praise rather than cherishing it. But yes, any praise I did receive was quickly and effectively morphed into a worry and a stress and filed neatly away in my stomach ulcer.
Ha ha. So you're off on a mini tour with others under the title 'The New Wave 2013 Tour'. Could you tell us more about that?
It's sort of a mini tour with me and some others under the title 'The New Wave 2013 Tour'. Most of my favourite comedy guys are doing it. We've only done one gig so far, but let's just say, I liked it, and on the way there I practiced my lines... ;)
So how are you getting on with your other New Wave colleagues?
I think it's more a question of 'Are they getting on with me?!' I'm the messy one on the tour you see! Always leaving my bag around on the floor of the car and my jacket all over my lap.
Nah they're cool though; Liam Williams (the messy one!) is so chilled out! But so Messy! And Claudia O'Doherty's too cool. Just don't ever ask her to clear up her mess, she does not like that! Because it's in her nature!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time Jamie?
Ideally I would be celebrating my 9th year of retirement. Or in a comfortable enough place that I'm happy to sincerely answer interview questions.
The New Wave tour is visiting London, Cardiff, Manchester and Cambridge. To find out more visit www.theinvisibledot.com
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