Comedy Q&AStage This article is more than 1 year oldRia Lina: My best heckle? ‘I love you!’
This article is more than 1 year oldThe standup on starting out in comedy, increasingly savvy audiences and the best advice she has ever received
How did you get into comedy?
I think I fell into it. It was a night out with the comedy society at my university and we all got up and gave it a go. It went well enough that when I moved to London I thought: “Why not? You seem to have a knack for this.” And here I still am!
Who did you look up to when you were first starting out?
I remember loving Kitty Flanagan. She is back in Australia now being amazing, but some might remember her from The Sketch Show on ITV. There weren’t a lot of women to aspire to at the time and she was just a natural. Mandy Knight was another who could MC the midnight show at the Comedy Store better than any of the men.
What did you spend lockdown doing?
I spent lockdown with my family and kids, just taking it easy. I live in London as a self-employed standup comedian; the pace I live and work at is insane. The lockdown was because of health one way or another, so I decided to use the forced sabbatical to be as healthy as I could before the world reopened and we all got back on this merry-go-round on speed we’re all riding.
Do you think audiences have changed since lockdown?
I don’t think audiences have changed because of lockdown. I think they are evolving because of a general growing awareness and respect of others. The range of people doing comedy is more diverse and the audience’s tastes are reflecting that. They are more comedy savvy than ever, and they have higher expectations.
Can you recall a gig so bad, it’s now funny?
When I was starting out, I did a song called The Coming Song and I was invited to play a gig on Mothering Sunday for a group of people who, unbeknownst to me, had been invited to bring their mothers to the free gig straight from church. The song did not go well. Those there without their mothers loved it. Those with their mothers didn’t know where to look.
What’s an important lesson you’ve learned from being a standup?
Not to take life too seriously. They say: comedy = tragedy + time. Of course, this doesn’t apply to everyone. If you’re prime minister, for example, this is not the advice for you.
Best heckle?
In the middle of my Live at the Apollo, someone yelled out, “I love you!” apropos of nothing. And that was very funny at the time.
Best advice you’ve ever been given?
They don’t know how shit you are so don’t walk on like you’re shit. Learning to fake it until you make it is invaluable in comedy. A lot of newer male comics are great at this, whereas women tend to wear their newness and honesty on their sleeves. Audiences don’t assume you’re new or rubbish until your insecurities reveal you feel that way.
Best advice you ever give?
Don’t eat yellow snow. My mother told me that as a joke when I was very young, but as I had never seen snow at that point I thought this was serious advice. Years later I now equate this to: don’t shit where you eat – I think this is prudent, regardless of the weather.
You used to perform with a ukulele. Will it ever return?
Never say never. I can’t unlearn how to play and sing so why wouldn’t it?
Ria Lina is in Lovestruck High on Amazon Prime.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKuklrSme5FpaWtnnZbGcHyYaKmimV2htq%2BtjKawZpqVqMFutMScoqWdXZ56rbvVnmSyp6U%3D