COMEDY | Feature
NOAH’S ARC
With the assistance of an infl uential friend, With the assistance of an infl uential friend, his life story around the world. He tells his life story around the world. He tells South African stand-up Trevor Noah has taken South African stand-up Trevor Noah Brian Donaldson that race informs everything Brian Donaldson that race informs e
‘I’m not a confrontational person’
currently in negotiations with a US network currently in negotiations w about developing a sitcom about developing a sitcom loosely based on his own life. own life. ‘I think we can explore m ‘I think we can explore more things if one of us is not i ghting with the us is not i ghting with the other. I take it easy. But I do like comedians wh But I do like comedians who are very different from myself: I love dry co from myself: I love dry comics with deadpan one-liners. I look on and thin one-liners. I look on and think, “That’s amazing, why didn’t I think of that?” why didn’t I think of that?”’ Aided by Izzard’s patron Aided by Izzard’s patronage, Noah brought his show to the 2012 Edinb his show to the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe and left with virtually unanimous ac with virtually unanimous acclaim ringing in his ears. He was due to return ears. He was due to return in 2013 for a brief re-run of The Racist, but a d re-run of The Racist, but a dose of hemorrhagic polyps on his vocal chord polyps on his vocal chords put paid to that. ‘During my New York run ‘During my New York run I injured my voice badly, I was getting increa badly, I was getting increasingly hoarse and it i nally gave up,’ Noah recal i nally gave up,’ Noah recalls. ‘The doctor said I had two choices. Either can had two choices. Either cancel things or try my luck and perhaps never spe luck and perhaps never speak again. That’s not much of a choice.’ much of a choice.’
When it comes to choos When it comes to choosing whether to come to a show called The Ra to a show called The Racist, Noah has been amused by some confus amused by some confused reactions. ‘Some people don’t know wh people don’t know what to expect, they don’t know if they’re don’t know if they’re coming to a show of racism or should y f of racism or should you come if you are racist or is it just a racist or is it just a show about racism. Some don’t really hav Some don’t really have a clue, and it gets people looking twice people looking twice. I’ve always been a fan of issues around fan of issues around race and racialism and I’ve loved play and I’ve loved playing with it. People act as though it isn’ act as though it isn’t an issue, but it’s a recurring theme in o recurring theme in our lives globally.’
Trevor Noah: Th Trevor Noah: The Racist is at The Stand, Glasg Stand, Glasgow, Mon 6 Jan.
E veryone welcomes a helping hand in veryone welcomes a helping hand in the early part of a career. It’s especially the early part of a career. It’s especially handy when that help is offered by one handy when that help is offered by one of the world’s best in your particular i eld: even of the world’s best in your particular i eld: even if you’re not exactly sure at the time who that if you’re not exactly sure at the time who that person might be. When young South African person might be. When young South African comedian Trevor Noah was a fresh-faced lad comedian Trevor Noah was a fresh-faced lad trying his luck in the UK, he stumbled upon a trying his luck in the UK, he stumbled upon a rather important mentor. rather important mentor.
‘I was doing a show at the Comedy Store ‘I was doing a show at the Comedy Store which Eddie Izzard saw and we chatted for a bit which Eddie Izzard saw and we chatted for a bit afterwards,’ Noah recalls. ‘I didn’t really know afterwards,’ Noah recalls. ‘I didn’t really know who he was, we just hung out as comedians who he was, we just hung out as comedians together and when he heard my story, he said, together and when he heard my story, he said, “Why don’t you tell that on stage?” I didn’t “Why don’t you tell that on stage?” I didn’t really want to burden people with all that but he really want to burden people with all that but he said that I could have fun with it.’ said that I could have fun with it.’
Initially entertaining crowds with some Initially entertaining crowds with some observational comedy, Noah decided that he’d observational comedy, Noah decided that he’d take Izzard’s advice and get his own particular take Izzard’s advice and get his own particular story out there. The result is The Racist, in story out there. The result is The Racist, in which we hear of his upbringing in South Africa which we hear of his upbringing in South Africa during the i nal stretch of apartheid (Noah was during the i nal stretch of apartheid (Noah was ten when democratic elections swept the ANC ten when democratic elections swept the ANC to power). With a white Swiss father and a to power). With a white Swiss father and a black South African mother, he was effectively black South African mother, he was effectively ‘born a crime’, the three of them rarely allowing ‘born a crime’, the three of them rarely allowing themselves to be seen together in public for fear themselves to be seen together in public for fear of arrest. of arrest.
Faced by such a tough start to life, you could Faced by such a tough start to life, you could go one of two ways: rage permanently at the go one of two ways: rage permanently at the world or rise above it all and take every new world or rise above it all and take every new challenge with a sense of perspective. challenge with a sense of perspective. Judging by both his humble phone manner and Judging by both his humble phone manner and assured stage presence, Noah has plumped for assured stage presence, Noah has plumped for option number two. ‘I’m not a confrontational option number two. ‘I’m not a confrontational person or comedian,’ insists the comic who is person or comedian,’ insists the comic who is
74 THE LIST 12 Dec 2013–23 Jan 2014 74 THE LIST THE LIST 12 Dec 2013–23 Jan 2014