“It has been a period of upheaval and uncertainty with Covid-19 and the political situation – you will be amazed by my capacity to somehow take all these things personally,” said comedian Nish Kumar who arrives in Aberdeen next week.
Famed as host of The Mash Report (BBC Two) he is currently on tour with his new show Your Power, Your Control – discussing coronavirus and mental health among other things.
The funnyman says he understands why other comedians may choose not to talk about Covid at all, but he thinks his fans expect to hear him complain about the pandemic – especially the way it was handled by the UK government.
“I definitely see the argument in not mentioning it at all because we’ve all just lived through it, but I would say the people who paid to see me… they’re looking to hear about it and they’re looking to have their not positive views on the government reflected back at them by a shouting man.”
Coronavirus and mental health
Since the pandemic had a toll on a lot of people’s mental health, Nish – who will be at the Tivoli Theatre on Thursday March 17 – thinks it would be “strange” if he didn’t mention it in his show.
“It’s been a difficult period for everybody’s mental health,” said the comedian.
“It would, I think, almost be strange… if you’re going to do a show that engages with the last 18 months, it would seem weird to not at least discuss mental health a little bit.”
Also, it was a mental health worker who inspired Nish to name his tour Your Power, Your Control.
The comedian said: “It was something that a mental health professional said to me about not creating problems in your head and then trying to solve those problems, but instead, focusing on the stuff that’s right in front of you and only being worried about things you have actual control over.
“And it just felt like a good catch-all for what we’ve all been experiencing for the last two years and just trying to manage on a day-to-day basis what we can take control of.”
But if there was one thing that he would love to have complete control over, it would have to be the ability to choose the UK prime minister.
“I’d happily have my pick – and at the moment, my pick would be literally anyone else,” said Nish.
Nish Kumar loves Scottish audiences
Catching up with the P&J a few days after his Edinburgh gig in mid-February, Nish said he simply “loved” his Scottish audiences.
“Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow have always consistently been my best tour shows – since my first tour in 2015,” said Nish.
“The show’s really fun. And it’s exciting to do a show for people who paid to see you – especially after not being able to do it for two years.
“I do enjoy coming to Aberdeen – it’s always one of those things when you’re like ‘God, it’s so far away’ and when you get there and the gig is really good, you’re like ‘Well, I guess I’m coming back to Aberdeen again’.”
Looking for food recommendations
Another reason why Nish loves being on tour is that he can “sample the cuisine of Britain”. And the comedian is now looking for foodie recommendations from his Aberdeen fans.
He said: “I can’t remember where I’ve actually eaten in Aberdeen. I think all I’ve ever eaten in Aberdeen is Nando’s which is regrettable and I’m very open to people suggesting things for me to eat when I’m there.”
If you want to make Nish’s Aberdeen show and foodie experience more memorable, you can email entertainment@ajl.co.uk with your restaurant suggestions and we’ll pass them to the comedian.
It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Nish would remember a gig because of the food he was “served”.
In 2019, the comedian had a bread roll thrown at him while he was being booed off the stage at a cricket charity event in London – an audience member didn’t appreciate his Brexit jokes.
Worst gig and TV appearances
“There’s definitely been worse gigs. That one was just the one that got written about in the papers more,” laughed Nish who could also recall a time when someone threw a banana at him.
But his worst gig? That might have to be his Edinburgh Fringe show in 2017.
“One year in Edinburgh I got chased off the stage by a heavy metal band. The venue was double booked and it became apparent that the band was not happy with the situation and we tried to work it out when they went on straight after us but it didn’t go well.
“In retrospect, it’s a good story – very funny.”
In addition to UK theatres and art centers, Nish can also often be spotted on TV. He previously appeared on Mock The Week, Taskmaster, Have I Got News For You, and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and he is currently working on a few other TV projects.
He said: “I’m working on a couple of things that haven’t been announced yet but they’re going to happen straight after the tour and they’ll probably be on television in September or October.”
How to book tickets to see Nish Kumar perform in Aberdeen
Comedian Nish Kumar will bring his much-anticipated tour Your Power, Your Control to The Tivoli Theatre on Thursday March 17. Tickets are still available and can be purchased here.