Comedian 'That guy at the back, with his arms folded? He's the one I'll try make laugh'

AFTER MOVING TO Ireland in 2020, I decided to immerse myself in the culture of the country. When I say culture I always mean “popular culture” though. Films, TV, Music.

I set about watching shows and listening to tunes that Ireland produced and inspired. Now, some I had already seen or heard. I had watched The Commitments and I am familiar with Thin Lizzy and all the other wonderful global superstars.

I soon started finding some new favourites. I love Hardy Bucks – even if some of the cast members have gone on to be problematic figures online. Derry Girls is amazing. My neighbour sent me a Luke Kelly playlist, a friend at work introduced me to Bagatelle.

My wife and I watched Philomena which made us angry and sad, so we went to YouTube and found videos there about the real story, which made us angrier and sadder.

Rejjie Snow, Mango and Mathman, Denise Chaila and so many hidden gems. One special one was a quaint show called Holding. While watching it, they kept referring to one of the central characters as a blow-in.

I didn’t know what that was, so I went to look it up. I now know what it means, but I don’t fully get the sentiment. Apart from the fact that I definitely am one.

On the fringe

I’ve always been an outsider, living on the fringes. I grew up in a Township which is literally the outskirts of South African society. We flirted with the poverty line, but were definitely poor. More than that it was a hard place, full of life and love but impatient with fools and dreamers.

Against the backdrop of Gangsterism and all kinds of social ills, I skipped through with my head in the clouds. Practising my calligraphy and reading fantasy novels.

When I was nine years old, Apartheid ended suddenly. My father pulled some strings and got me accepted at a previously white school in an affluent suburb.

Now I will say the experience definitely enriched my life, but it also had me facing a different kind of ugliness in the world. I was not ready for being half student, half political statement.

Skip forward 20 years and I arrive in Dublin. Instantly and obviously identifiable as different. A blow-in you can see coming over the hill. It doesn’t matter to me; I just carry on finding my spaces here. Things that bring me joy. I like Hurling more than Football.

I’m also a bandwagon Bohs fan, for all the good that’s doing anyone this season. I’m in a Whatsapp group dedicated to the love of Scampi fries. I’m a top tier pub talker up there with the very best. Turns out there are a lot of places where I’m content and comfortable here.

However, the thing I love more than anything here is the comedy scene. I was a comedian for 14 years in South Africa and I wondered if I could continue that here.

I was instantly accepted and made to feel welcome by so many wonderful comedians from all backgrounds. Encouraged and put forward on so many stages here in Ireland. Invited to perform at big festivals, tiny events in a coffee shop and every size event in-between. I found my people and they are funny people, like me.

Performing

Now when I am on stage, I like to talk to people about myself. What I am going through, and what I have been through and share things that make me laugh.

So, we can laugh together at the absurdity of it all. The things that make us feel afraid, anxious, insignificant. Turn it all on its head and see how much of it is actually jokes.

It’s something I am good at, but it turns out I came to Ireland to learn from the very best. Irish people have mastered the ability to laugh during dark times. We share that. It’s a skill that comes with practice and unfortunately, we have all had plenty of adversity to laugh through.

Sometimes when I am on stage caught up in the moment, having a ball, I get taken out of my joy because I spot one person sitting with their arms folded. Their lips fixed and eyes hard. Their aura says, ‘Oh will you give all of it a rest’.

All I want to do is reach them then. I know anything I say is a challenge to them. Any words from me are a political statement that doesn’t jibe with their firmly held stance.

Just because I look the way I do. If I can just get them to crack a single smile, it’s a chink in the armour. I can get in that way.

Neil Green has been doing Comedy for 17 years, starting in South Africa and for the last few years throughout Ireland. He will be debuting his show Black Enough For That as part of this year’s Dublin Fringe Festival. Instagram: @NeilGreenComedian.