Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1161926
CULTURE COMEDY maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 SEPTEMBER 2019 6 What has your journey across stand-up and drag performance been like? What led you down that path, and have you found the local audience to be receptive to it? My path to comedy was simple: I grew up fat and gay, and didn't plan on being bullied relentlessly for twelve years – so it was easier to be the funny one than the bruised boċċu. I love stand-up because (at least at my shows) it's the perfect balance between scripted jokes, and just having a fun chat with a group of people who have literally paid to come and laugh. In Malta both drag and comedy have been a bit of an uphill battle, but one I've convinced myself (and my nanna) that I'm winning. On our island, peo- ple are not used to seeing queens out- side of panto (aka actually pretty drag queens) and we're not used to comedy that isn't slapstick. But I tape my penis between my legs for a living – a little uphill battle in some heels isn't about to scare me off. Would you say there is a particular 'type' of audience that gravitates towards the kind of performance that you do, or is the What's in the bag? TEODOR RELJIC speaks to Chucky Bartolo about Suspicious Baggage, an upcoming drag stand-up comedy act which will also serve as something of a performer's swansong to the island as he prefers to take the show beyond Malta's shores Teodor Reljic Chucky Bartolo: "On our island, people are not used to seeing queens outside of panto (aka actually pretty drag queens)"