A storyteller with a
natural comic bent, Marcus Ryan has featured at many festivals and clubs around
the world. After performing in 40 countries, Ryan is headed to Goa for the
first time ever, armed with his sharp wit and tales from the road. And though
Australian born, Marcus spends a lot of time in Canada and the UK and is a
regular on club circuits across North America and Europe as well as frequenting
festivals worldwide.
Stand-up comedy as an art form has sort of become glamorous
of late, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. And while Ryan admits that
the glamour bit is what he loves, his career in stand-up comedy happened
naturally. Ryan says, “It’s true the on-stage part might seem glamorous, and
that’s the part I truly love, there’s no greater feeling, but a lot happens
behind the scenes to get to that point. I’m sure every field has its ups and
downs nobody wants to hear about! I got hooked on comedy because I was
naturally drawn to it. I honestly believe it chooses you, not the other way
around.”
At a time when the world seems to be losing its sense of
humour, and governments are taking stand-up comics ‘too seriously’, one might
argue that the art form now comes with an added sense of responsibility or the
need to tread with caution. For Ryan, steering clear of religion and politics
is one way of doing that. He says, “If I don’t know enough about a topic, I
generally stay clear of it. There’s always someone in the audience smarter than
you! And who wants to look dumb!? Social media has brought with it a generation
of instant reviewers and keyboard experts. Anything you say will offend
someone. Just don’t insult Trump. He is a very fragile man with nuclear weapons
at his small finger tips!”
Ryan admits that his understanding of India is what he has
absorbed from fellow travellers and acknowledges that one would need a few
lifetimes here to scratch the surface. He says, “The smells, the sounds, the tastes,
the colours, the people! It’s an overwhelming place at times and I can’t wait
to get to know it more.” He also admits that being in Goa for the first time is
turning out to be an interesting experience and feels that it won’t be his
last. Ryan elaborates, “It doesn’t take long to meet the local characters. I
feel like a tourist one day and right at home the next. That’s what I love
about my job and travelling. One day I’m staying in a bungalow with a tree
sticking in the middle of it, a squat toilet and my neighbour is the drug
mafia, the next day I’m performing at a hotel and staying in a fancy hotel
room. There’s never a dull moment.”
Ryan does not believe in following a pre-written script and
any altering of content the audience will see, will happen right before their
eyes. He says, “I’ll have a bunch of observations, stories and tales to tell,
play with the crowd and see what works. That’s the beautiful thing of live
comedy. Anything can happen.” Ryan signs off with a disclaimer, though: “If I
don’t turn up to the show, send a search party to the beach, there’s a strong
chance I’m still sat on the sand watching the sun go down.”
Marcus Ryan will be performing today, January 13, 2018, at
The Crown, Panjim at 7:30 pm
