What do your parents/children (delete as applicable) think of your job?
I have no children and no more parents, so luckily I feel less pressure on myself.
My mother died before I started doing comedy and I don’t know what she might think of it: if in her afterlife she had to see my first open mics, then I wouldn’t say that she is in heaven...
My father lived in Italy, didn’t speak English and never watched me on stage, but he was very supportive. And I feel that there is a special connection between my father and my comedy, considering that he died on the day of my first solo show at the Leicester Comedy Festival (worst Valentine’s Day ever).
What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?
That you can never be sure that your next gig will go well. Even if you only use your best material, there is always a chance that you mess everything up by having the wrong energy or not being able to read the room or somehow failing to connect with the audience.
I think you are very good at what you do (that’s why I’m asking these questions). What do you think of you?
Thank you very much :)
I like to think that I’m getting better and that I’m finding my potential. I consider myself a British comedian (I started my career in London) with an Italian flavour, like a Sunday roast with Bolognese sauce instead of gravy (ok, this doesn’t sound good… maybe that explains why my career hasn’t skyrocketed yet).
How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?
Thanks to the pandemic, I earn as much as Oliver Twist before he finds out that he has a rich father [sorry for the spoiler, you can cut this if you prefer and leave only Oliver Twist].
I would like to earn as much as Oliver Twist’s father… [sorry - again - for the spoiler: if you prefer you can replace “Oliver Twist’s father” with “Ebenezer Scrooge”, who was pretty rich as well]
How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had lucky breaks?
I think that my whole career started with a lucky break: my first ever gig was the Gong Show at the Comedy Store and I won it! I had moved to the UK a month earlier, my English was quite broken and I applied for that gig without knowing how brutal it was. I still managed to win it, but I remember that, when I was waiting for my turn, I thought "if the comedian before me beats the gong then the audience won't be patient with me and I won't stand a chance".
Luckily four or five comedians just before me were eliminated quickly and when it was my turn the audience found me funny. I was lucky in that sense, but I was also naive enough to apply for that night with no experience: there’s a saying “fortune favours the brave”, and I would say "fortune favours the blessed naive".
Alan Davies has said that comedians fall into two categories - golfers and self-harmers. The former just get on with life, the latter are tortured artists. Which are you – or do you think you fit into third category?
I am always optimistic and I feel that things will go well, despite a pandemic, a war in Europe, a cost of living crisis and economic damage caused by Brexit: I would say that I’m a golfer in a landfill.
Who is your favourite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians?
Freddie Mercury: I loved his stage presence and charisma, his voice and Queen songs were the soundtracks of my life back in Italy.
I wish I had seen him performing live, but then I think that, if he had grown old, he might have become one of those bitter celebrities that you feel embarrassed for. Imagine if Freddie had become an X Factor judge or even an ardent Brexiteer…
Do you keep your drawers tidy and if not why not? (please think long and hard about this question, it's to settle an argument with my girlfriend. The future of our relationship could depend on your response).
I try to keep them tidy: the first layer of socks and underwear is all nice and tidy, but then the above layer is a bit more freestyle…
Luca Cupani: Happy Orphan, Just the Tonic at the Caves, August 4 - 28, 14.20. Buy tickets here.
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