Sashi Perera has travelled the world as a refugee lawyer and made serious waves on the Australian comedy scene. Now she's answering questions about baboons. It's only uphill from here! We caught up with her ahead of Sashi Perera: Boundaries to find out why the "most important meal of the day" is actually a massive fraud.
What’s your most memorable heckle?
I haven’t had one yet; the suspense is killing me. I just want to burst into tears on stage, have the video go viral, and end my comedy career already.
What is your most controversial food opinion?
Breakfast is a stupid, made-up meal that no one needs to eat.
What’s one word to describe the state of the UK?
Disunited. Your acronym should be DK because you seem anything but United. Soz.
Who’s the best upcoming performer in the country that we haven’t heard of?
This seems like a trick question for someone on the other side of the world. Jenny Tian is moving here from Australia soon – keep an eye out for her; the woman’s going to take the entire northern hemisphere by storm.
Who would you describe as your arch-nemesis?
The spider who keeps weaving a web in my car’s side mirror. He’s a resilient bastard who just makes another home every time I break his home. It’s madness; this is going to be a fight to the death.
When was the last time you bombed the most onstage?
There was a bit I loved doing—about how a bird cawing outside my window sounded like it was always having an orgasm, and I’d make the noise to prove it. I bombed every time I did it because it was so weird and unfunny, but I refused to let it go. Kill your darlings, especially if they’re bird orgasms.
What’s been your strangest fan encounter?
Some of my fans are new to comedy; my show is often the first one they’ve come to. After my first solo show, I had a fan follow me from gig to gig for weeks while I was trying to work up bits for my second solo show. They eventually complained I had no new content, so I had to explain how making a comedy show worked. That was awkward.
How do you like to relax after a gig?
Heading out for a drink with a friend who reminds you that you’re just a dickhead after a show where random strangers make you feel like a hero is always a nice grounding experience.
What’s the one thing you want the audience to take away from your show?
Lightness. I want them to walk out of the room feeling a little bit lighter about life; it’s all hard enough out there.
What would you tell your five-year-old self?
Stop eating breakfast. You hate it now, and you’ll still hate it decades later.
Who would win in a fight: Badger or Baboon?
Do badgers live in the woods and baboons in the jungle, so the only place they’d meet is in an underground animal fight club? I should check that. Look, I’d back a badger every time—have you seen them get proper riled up? GO OFF you feral little kings.
What’s the oddest thing you’ve overheard in London?
I was last here a year ago, nothing too odd is seared into memory. I’ll have to report back on this one. I still haven’t gotten over the havoc that underwear/pants can cause in a conversation here.
Sashi Perera: Boundaries has added an extra show on 16 July so make sure you grab a ticket before they’re gone!