Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1161926
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 SEPTEMBER 2019 7 CULTURE COMEDY range of the crowd broader than what you were initially expecting? I won't say that I have a particular crowd, because the last time I did I had to rewrite my script days before the show. Back in November (for my first gig) I thought I was gonna have a cute little crowd of 50 gays and their five female friends who saw one epi- sode of RuPaul's Drag Race. As ticket sales started shooting up I realised my stand-up ain't just for the gays anymore. In general, I think the only 'type' of audience I do draw in are peo- ple who know they're gonna gasp at some of the cheekier jokes, but laugh anyway. Last show, back in March, one person panic-booed me while cracking up with laughter. The joke was harsh and they knew they shouldn't have loved it so their body just went into full panic mode. That's the sort of reaction I live for. What are some of your favourite subjects to tackle at these shows? And how does Suspicious Baggage build on what you've done previously? I am fascinated by Malta's obsessive hatred of local celebrities. I'll crack jokes about Tamara Webb's inces- sant product-pushing or Ben Camille's cardboard-cut-out role on X-Factor (both people I admire for their work and like personally), and audiences will bawl with laughter. But the only reason they're able to laugh at my niche jokes is because they follow these celebs ob- sessively, and that is honestly so inter- esting to me. It's some weird, national masochism on par with checking-on-my-ex-on- Insta-just-to-get-sad. Suspicious Baggage will obviously have a healthy dose of brutal jokes about local personalities (who are usually seen laugh- ing along in the audience), but after a recent move up to Glasgow, I have a whole bunch of new material gath- ered by sitting in a Greggs with a pen and notepad. You're also expanding the show beyond Malta's shores. What are some of your hopes and dreams beyond the confines of our isle, and how do you hope the shows will resonate across a more international crowd? I'm just hoping that next show I host will be called: 'The One Before The Netflix Special'. But ego aside, I am scared of doing stand-up for a for- eign crowd, particularly since I can't slip into an improvised ramble about Eileen Monte- sin's incredible Instagram page when the jokes aren't going well. But again, if you're not scared your au- dience might walk out, you're not going to give 150% in every show. What do you make of the performing arts scene in Malta? What would you change about it? Just to clarify, I didn't study perform- ing arts; I'm an architecture graduate who wears fabulous clothes for a living, so my opinion will be uneducated (and that means I'll probably get an official position within the government). But the solution seems pretty simple to me: Flood the entire scene with money. I'm not talking about tax money given to gatekeepers who choose what's art and what's not; who spend weeks bureau- cratically denying wages to their artists. I mean private businesses should spon- sor shows of performers they like or trust. People should buy tickets to shows that caught their eye and friends who get comps should share Facebook post- ers to show the island there is a lot of stuff to watch out there (but nothing as funny as Suspicious Baggage). What's next for you? After my show in Septem- ber (opening Malta Pride nice and savagely on Sep- tember 7 and 8), I fly back to Glasgow where I'll be work- ing on a city tour of open mics while hosting a new club night in the city centre once every month. Then, it's just an endless stream of emails to top execs to see who I have to sleep with to get my stand-up special. Chucky Bartolo will perform Suspicious Baggage at Mount Carmel Hospital, Attard on September 7 and 8 at 8pm. Bookings: https://www. chuckybartolo.com "My path to comedy was simple: I grew up fat and gay, and didn't plan on being bullied relentlessly for twelve years" Chucky Bartolo with Ben Camille: "I am fascinated by Malta's obsessive hatred of local celebrities"