Let's talk about... comedy
In a small coffee shop in Thessaloniki, on a Sunday in February, we met Ira. Minimalistic or not, she talked about everything with the right amount of “rawness” and humor.
How did your journey as a stand-up comedian start? Did you feel the need to speak to people through your scripts or did you just want to provide entertainment?
To begin with, I started doing stand-up comedy a long time ago, when there were no venues and not many people to engage in this art form. I was studying in Thessaloniki, and I watched a stand-up performance of Eddie Murphy called “Delirious”, on DVD. I liked what I saw and I started practicing myself - horribly at first, because I had no references. While studying in the faculty of economics, I was also attending an acting school, so the whole stand-up comedy thing started in “a way”. Speaking through my scripts and all those things you asked me about, are the reality of today. Back in the day, we didn't know what we were doing, we were just doing it.
Is it difficult to be alone on stage and have to deal with the crowd without any help from others?
It’s difficult, but it's something you learn. Everything is difficult if you are not involved with it. Personally, I like knowing that everything is on me and that I can handle anything unexpected because the crowd is unpredictable and you should always be on your toes, as you never know what might come up.
Are you ever out of inspiration? Have you ever had writer’s block?
Of course, not because I don't have things to say, though. It's just that, having a performance and a solo show that you know it works, having an ending and a beginning of the performance from the first joke, is quite nihilistic. That’s when stress gets to you, and so does the pressure. Of course, writer’s block exists, especially when you put pressure on yourself. You just have to let it aside and inspiration will come to you. If you pressure yourself, you get stressed and that’s even worse.
Has “writing and deleting” helped you improve?
Yes, of course. Look, there are mechanisms you have to learn, that automate the procedure in your mind. Surely, I write more correctly, faster, and better than I did 10 years ago, of course- and I assume that in 10 years time, I’ll be writing even better than I do now. However, you always have to try and find something that works for you.
I like brainstorming for texts that are not mainstream, so if you really like the topic, it just works. However, if you have to write something custom-made, especially if the topic is not of your liking, the result will be difficult to achieve. If it’s something you like, even if it’s paranoiac, work will be easier and faster to do.
What fascinates you in the stand-up comedy world?
I like making people laugh, I like laughing too, and I like having fun while doing it. The stage is a safe space for me, regardless of what happens off-stage or what happens afterwards. I'm fascinated by the fact that you're always on your own; you write on your own, you direct yourself, you do the editing, you're your own stylist, you are everything- so if everything goes well, it's all on you, if things go bad, that's also on you. You have no excuses.
I like thinking in a comedic way. Humor is something that excites me and I like finding something humoristic on every occasion- I use it as a way of escape as well sometimes. Thus, for me, that’s the best job in the world!
What’s something you see in the stand-up comedy world that you'd like to get rid of?
I would change a bit the mentality -that unfortunately still exists- regarding the female presence in the comedy world. Those are the types of beliefs I would like to change- beliefs held by both the audience and the artists. You usually see comments like: “The show is not good and I don't like it, because she's a woman, she should go back to cooking”. That’s when you know that no one cares about comedy in its actual form, they’re just here to criticize, because comedy is subjective, it doesn't need to be liked by everyone, without that meaning something bad. Generalizing it, however, is a logical leap, and to be precise, a logical gap.
Of course, to be fair, in the most recent years, things have calmed down regarding the topic. In fact, at the shows, the crowd is people who like us- not only me but also other women that have their solo shows. So, the issue is more on YouTube and TikTok.
In a time of political correctness, how easy is it to write a script?
A lot. If you're not a “jerk” as a person, you don't have to be afraid of political correctness. Just like I won't make fun of someone in real life, I won't do it in one of my performances either. As long as you are a person full of love and understanding of uniqueness, you have nothing to be afraid of. There are no forbidden words, just bad interpretations.
If you’re not like that or if your comedy is based on punching down, then you do have to be afraid of political correctness.
How did podcasts and stand-up “connect” with one another?
In the past, I had a podcast called “Bright Side”, that combined comedy and disability, and now I have the podcast “MINIMAL”, which is like a TV Show without a picture- and it’s something I really wanted to do. Every time I host a famous guest with whom we are also friends and have good chemistry we play a game. Oh, and I win, because it's my podcast, and that's what I deem fair. Only once, Giorgos Lentzas won because he was handsome and tricked me (laughs).
I like podcasts because, especially with “MINIMAL”, I don't care about how they go. In my shows, I'm stressed, regarding the marketing, or how crowded the theater will be. I don't care about that in my podcasts. That’s also a safe space, though.
Tell us a few things about the show you are having right now, “MINIMAL”.
“MINIMAL” is my third solo performance. That’s when the journey comes to an end. There are a few shows left in Athens, while in March, I have a tour around Greece, in April I have a European tour, then I videotape “MINIMAL” and after, I have a panic attack, to write a new show. Those are my plans for now!