Stephen K Amos: Oxymoron
Tour 2023
1 December 2023
Palace Theatre, Southend
Tour 2023
1 December 2023
Palace Theatre, Southend
Interview
Stephen K Amos is back on the road with his brand new show, Oxymoron, exploring the madness of recent years and finding the funny side.
He has been a successful comedian for three decades. He has had his own TV series and appeared on numerous shows including Live at the Apollo. He is also an actor, appearing on the London stage in 2022 in My Fair Lady.
An Amos stand-up gig is always special. No two nights are the same as he mixes hilarious routines with his trademark quickfire audience interaction. He talks about his new tour, his recent move into musicals and much more below.
Stephen K Amos’ Oxymoron tour starts on September 29 in Tamworth and currently finishes on February 2, 2024 at Leicester Square Theatre. Tickets and details here: stephenkamos.com/live-uk
Tell me about your new tour
The show is called Oxymoron. It's about how there are contradictions, which is what oxymoron means, everywhere. It's what we've experienced in the last few years, people arguing about being vaccinated, questioning scientists about things like climate change, comedians becoming serious politicians, like Zelensky in Ukraine and politicians behaving like comedians like Boris Johnson in the UK. I'll be finding the funny in all of that.
You are famous for your unique interactions with the audience. Will there be that too?
Of course. It's not a Ted Talk. The script is in my head, but I veer off and come back to it. I want every show to feel like we're in the moment together. It's a live comedy experience. Something wonderful often happens in the room, or maybe somebody says something that gives me an idea to go off on a tangent. I love it when something happens that couldn't have happened anywhere else and I think the audience loves it too.
Your last time onstage was playing Alfred Doolittle in My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum in 2022. You've acted before, but not sung…
One of the reasons for that was Covid. Lockdown wiped out all our diaries, but it gave me an opportunity to think outside the box about my career. Comedians weren't given any help or assistance from the government, so it got me thinking I can't just rely on this job. What if this happens again? So I broadened my horizons. If you'd asked me three years ago would I ever do a musical I'd have said of course not. But I was very fortunate and blessed. Sometimes it's fun to take a risk and not know what's around the corner.
Did My Fair Lady teach you anything that has helped in your stand-up?
The singing was a massive departure, working with a 39-piece orchestra. And I learnt some really good tips having singing lessons. One of the biggest tips I learned was breathing properly during songs. When you are in a musical you can't just wing it. And now I always make sure that my breathing is controlled. When you're doing stand-up, particularly on tour, you have to look after your voice.
How do you prepare for a tour?
When you're doing new material you need to try it out in front of an audience. I recently did a show at Up The Creek in Greenwich. I was on last and it was a really packed room. I thought, why risk doing new stuff, reading jokes off notes, but the promoter said 'You're funny and that's what you're here for' and he was right. It’s the only way to prepare. I did it and it went really well.
Is stand-up is your true love?
Oh my goodness, yes. I'm so grateful to be able to do a job where I am my literally my own boss. I can say whatever I want onstage. It's the only job in the world that I can think of, where you can say whatever you want. The audience have come to see you and they don't know what they're going to get.
If you go on television or on radio, there's compliance, you have to go through various people who check things, there's a script to follow. Even if you're the Prime Minister you have to toe the party line, but with a stand-up, you just tell your jokes and make people laugh.
Going back to your audience banter, you always manage to pick out the fans who are comedy gold...
It comes from starting out as a club MC (master of ceremonies) and being fearless, just talking and seeing what happens. It's a combination of things. Like body language, if someone is near the front and looking shy or awkward avoid like the plague. It's not about embarrassing anybody. If someone is too animated, again, avoid like the plague. They're going to get over-involved. I've got a couple of jokes that are specifically designed to test people out but I won’t reveal them, they are a trade secret!
How did you go from being an MC to a stand-up?
I actually wanted to be the first black game show host or chat show host in England, but then people started telling me I was funny and should do more of a stand-up set. So I started talking more about stuff that meant something to me. Harry Hill said to me, 'You know what, Stephen, you shouldn't MC anymore, you should always close the show and get the glory.' And that always stuck in my head.
What was your childhood like?
My parents, who came over from Nigeria, were very strict and when I was growing up education was the most important thing. I wasn't allowed to go on school trips or invite friends to our house. We didn't go to the cinema. They told us just get a degree, once you've got that bit of paper, nobody can take it away from you. And that's a mantra I still tell myself when I'm doing any particular project. Appearing on Live at the Apollo and having my own BBC series was the showbiz equivalent of getting a degree.
You used to tell people at school in South-West London that singer Shirley Bassey was your mother...
It was all about fitting in. At the time Shirley Bassey was one of the biggest stars in the country. So to make friends I told my classmates and the teachers that my mum was indeed Shirley Bassey. And of course, that created a bit of a flurry. I took a Shirley Bassey album into school which I'd signed with my left hand to pretend it was signed by her. It nearly backfired when the teacher asked if she could open the school fete...
When you became a comedian you've said you thought it was better to tell your parents you were a mini cab driver.
If they'd found out I was a comedian when I started they would have been horrified and I can see why. The kind of comedians on British TV back then didn’t speak to our family. So it was better to say I was a mini cab driver to explain why I was out every night. The first time they saw me live was when I headlined the Hammersmith Apollo. My mum stood up and took a bow.
Do you ever feel stand-up comedy is a funny way to make a living?
It's a very strange job. Think about it, you know. You're telling a roomful of strangers 'this is funny, you are going to laugh at this.' That's not 'normal' behaviour. But I love it. There's no better reward than people coming to see you.
He has been a successful comedian for three decades. He has had his own TV series and appeared on numerous shows including Live at the Apollo. He is also an actor, appearing on the London stage in 2022 in My Fair Lady.
An Amos stand-up gig is always special. No two nights are the same as he mixes hilarious routines with his trademark quickfire audience interaction. He talks about his new tour, his recent move into musicals and much more below.
Stephen K Amos’ Oxymoron tour starts on September 29 in Tamworth and currently finishes on February 2, 2024 at Leicester Square Theatre. Tickets and details here: stephenkamos.com/live-uk
Tell me about your new tour
The show is called Oxymoron. It's about how there are contradictions, which is what oxymoron means, everywhere. It's what we've experienced in the last few years, people arguing about being vaccinated, questioning scientists about things like climate change, comedians becoming serious politicians, like Zelensky in Ukraine and politicians behaving like comedians like Boris Johnson in the UK. I'll be finding the funny in all of that.
You are famous for your unique interactions with the audience. Will there be that too?
Of course. It's not a Ted Talk. The script is in my head, but I veer off and come back to it. I want every show to feel like we're in the moment together. It's a live comedy experience. Something wonderful often happens in the room, or maybe somebody says something that gives me an idea to go off on a tangent. I love it when something happens that couldn't have happened anywhere else and I think the audience loves it too.
Your last time onstage was playing Alfred Doolittle in My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum in 2022. You've acted before, but not sung…
One of the reasons for that was Covid. Lockdown wiped out all our diaries, but it gave me an opportunity to think outside the box about my career. Comedians weren't given any help or assistance from the government, so it got me thinking I can't just rely on this job. What if this happens again? So I broadened my horizons. If you'd asked me three years ago would I ever do a musical I'd have said of course not. But I was very fortunate and blessed. Sometimes it's fun to take a risk and not know what's around the corner.
Did My Fair Lady teach you anything that has helped in your stand-up?
The singing was a massive departure, working with a 39-piece orchestra. And I learnt some really good tips having singing lessons. One of the biggest tips I learned was breathing properly during songs. When you are in a musical you can't just wing it. And now I always make sure that my breathing is controlled. When you're doing stand-up, particularly on tour, you have to look after your voice.
How do you prepare for a tour?
When you're doing new material you need to try it out in front of an audience. I recently did a show at Up The Creek in Greenwich. I was on last and it was a really packed room. I thought, why risk doing new stuff, reading jokes off notes, but the promoter said 'You're funny and that's what you're here for' and he was right. It’s the only way to prepare. I did it and it went really well.
Is stand-up is your true love?
Oh my goodness, yes. I'm so grateful to be able to do a job where I am my literally my own boss. I can say whatever I want onstage. It's the only job in the world that I can think of, where you can say whatever you want. The audience have come to see you and they don't know what they're going to get.
If you go on television or on radio, there's compliance, you have to go through various people who check things, there's a script to follow. Even if you're the Prime Minister you have to toe the party line, but with a stand-up, you just tell your jokes and make people laugh.
Going back to your audience banter, you always manage to pick out the fans who are comedy gold...
It comes from starting out as a club MC (master of ceremonies) and being fearless, just talking and seeing what happens. It's a combination of things. Like body language, if someone is near the front and looking shy or awkward avoid like the plague. It's not about embarrassing anybody. If someone is too animated, again, avoid like the plague. They're going to get over-involved. I've got a couple of jokes that are specifically designed to test people out but I won’t reveal them, they are a trade secret!
How did you go from being an MC to a stand-up?
I actually wanted to be the first black game show host or chat show host in England, but then people started telling me I was funny and should do more of a stand-up set. So I started talking more about stuff that meant something to me. Harry Hill said to me, 'You know what, Stephen, you shouldn't MC anymore, you should always close the show and get the glory.' And that always stuck in my head.
What was your childhood like?
My parents, who came over from Nigeria, were very strict and when I was growing up education was the most important thing. I wasn't allowed to go on school trips or invite friends to our house. We didn't go to the cinema. They told us just get a degree, once you've got that bit of paper, nobody can take it away from you. And that's a mantra I still tell myself when I'm doing any particular project. Appearing on Live at the Apollo and having my own BBC series was the showbiz equivalent of getting a degree.
You used to tell people at school in South-West London that singer Shirley Bassey was your mother...
It was all about fitting in. At the time Shirley Bassey was one of the biggest stars in the country. So to make friends I told my classmates and the teachers that my mum was indeed Shirley Bassey. And of course, that created a bit of a flurry. I took a Shirley Bassey album into school which I'd signed with my left hand to pretend it was signed by her. It nearly backfired when the teacher asked if she could open the school fete...
When you became a comedian you've said you thought it was better to tell your parents you were a mini cab driver.
If they'd found out I was a comedian when I started they would have been horrified and I can see why. The kind of comedians on British TV back then didn’t speak to our family. So it was better to say I was a mini cab driver to explain why I was out every night. The first time they saw me live was when I headlined the Hammersmith Apollo. My mum stood up and took a bow.
Do you ever feel stand-up comedy is a funny way to make a living?
It's a very strange job. Think about it, you know. You're telling a roomful of strangers 'this is funny, you are going to laugh at this.' That's not 'normal' behaviour. But I love it. There's no better reward than people coming to see you.
Oxymoron*
Luverly! Stephen K Amos is back with a brand new show, after treading the boards of London's West End in the smash hit musical My Fair Lady, playing the iconic role of Alfred P. Doolittle.
What a mad couple of years it’s been! How did you get through it all? Stephen’s solution... find the funny. The opportunity in the crisis, the joy in the sadness, the wisdom of fools, after all comedy equals tragedy. Join him for an hour of solid jokes and guaranteed belly laughs. Fresh from a sell-out tour in Australia and the US and as seen on BBC2's QI and Pilgrimage: The Road to Rome, ABC TV's The Project and BBC1's Live at the Apollo. So what are you waiting for? He’s awfully good!
*A serious comedian
What’s On Stage Award nominee 2022
‘We roared. First rate throughout’ The Times
‘If only a broadcaster could bottle the magic’ The Evening Standard
‘Brilliant comedian’ Beyond The Joke
Tour schedule:
29 September Tamworth Comedy Festival
5 October Beccles Public Hall
7 October Southampton, The Attic
12 October Barnard Castle, The Witham
13 October Otley Courthouse
14 October Selby Town Hall
18 October Finchley, Artsdepot
20 October Brighton Komedia
21 October Didcot, Cornerstone
22 October Norwich, Playhouse
26 October Reading, South Street Arts Centre
27 October Tunbridge Wells, Trinity Theatre
28 October Northampton, Royal and Derngate
2 November Guildford, G Live
3 November Bordon, Phoenix Arts Centre
4 November Milton Keynes, The Stables
9 November 9 Chesham, Elgiva
10 November Cambridge Junction
11 November 11 Colchester Arts Centre
12 November Warwick Arts Centre
16 November Twickenham, The Exchange
17 November Banbury, The Mill
18 November Newbury, Arlington Arts Centre
23 November Bristol, Hen and Chickens
24 November Taunton, Brewhouse
25 November Swindon, Wyvern Theatre
1 December Southend, Palace Theatre
2 December Didcot, Cornerstone
8 December Havant, The Spring
9 December Worcester, Huntingdon Hall
18 January Cheltenham Town Hall
20 January Faversham, The Alex
21 January Newcastle, The Stand
25 January Warrington, Parr Hall
28 January 28 Salford, The Lowry
31 January Radlett, Theatre
1 February Leeds, City Varieties
2 February London, Leicester Square Theatre
4 February Edinburgh, The Stand
5 February Glasgow, The Stand
Luverly! Stephen K Amos is back with a brand new show, after treading the boards of London's West End in the smash hit musical My Fair Lady, playing the iconic role of Alfred P. Doolittle.
What a mad couple of years it’s been! How did you get through it all? Stephen’s solution... find the funny. The opportunity in the crisis, the joy in the sadness, the wisdom of fools, after all comedy equals tragedy. Join him for an hour of solid jokes and guaranteed belly laughs. Fresh from a sell-out tour in Australia and the US and as seen on BBC2's QI and Pilgrimage: The Road to Rome, ABC TV's The Project and BBC1's Live at the Apollo. So what are you waiting for? He’s awfully good!
*A serious comedian
What’s On Stage Award nominee 2022
‘We roared. First rate throughout’ The Times
‘If only a broadcaster could bottle the magic’ The Evening Standard
‘Brilliant comedian’ Beyond The Joke
Tour schedule:
29 September Tamworth Comedy Festival
5 October Beccles Public Hall
7 October Southampton, The Attic
12 October Barnard Castle, The Witham
13 October Otley Courthouse
14 October Selby Town Hall
18 October Finchley, Artsdepot
20 October Brighton Komedia
21 October Didcot, Cornerstone
22 October Norwich, Playhouse
26 October Reading, South Street Arts Centre
27 October Tunbridge Wells, Trinity Theatre
28 October Northampton, Royal and Derngate
2 November Guildford, G Live
3 November Bordon, Phoenix Arts Centre
4 November Milton Keynes, The Stables
9 November 9 Chesham, Elgiva
10 November Cambridge Junction
11 November 11 Colchester Arts Centre
12 November Warwick Arts Centre
16 November Twickenham, The Exchange
17 November Banbury, The Mill
18 November Newbury, Arlington Arts Centre
23 November Bristol, Hen and Chickens
24 November Taunton, Brewhouse
25 November Swindon, Wyvern Theatre
1 December Southend, Palace Theatre
2 December Didcot, Cornerstone
8 December Havant, The Spring
9 December Worcester, Huntingdon Hall
18 January Cheltenham Town Hall
20 January Faversham, The Alex
21 January Newcastle, The Stand
25 January Warrington, Parr Hall
28 January 28 Salford, The Lowry
31 January Radlett, Theatre
1 February Leeds, City Varieties
2 February London, Leicester Square Theatre
4 February Edinburgh, The Stand
5 February Glasgow, The Stand