Edinburgh Fringe Q&A

In his new show Raul Britannia, Raul Kohli blends personal anecdotes with social commentary as he examines what it means to be British.

As the son of a Hindu Indian and a Sikh Singaporean, raised in Newcastle, he is fascinated by the diversity of the UK and has been upending ethnicity, class and culture in his comedy career so far.

Here, he answers our festival Q&A…

How are you feeling ahead of this year’s Fringe?

I’m feeling ok. My life personally has been falling apart pre-Fringe. Had my phone stolen (insurance only covers damage and my data stopped syncing from February) which was the icing on the cake of a severe mental health crisis.

Something always seems to happen in some way pre-Fringe. Something about the stress of sitting down with a laptop going over the same jokes and structures while everyone else is having fun in the sun maybe. But usually by the time previews hit I get myself back together and get into the business of doing comedy, seeing lots of old friends, I seem to find myself. Weirdly the one thing that has been going perfectly since my personal life started falling about is the shows, so I’ll take that as a good sign! At the time I’m writing, I’m just glad I don’t work for Crowdstrike!

What’s your show all about?

It’s called Raul Britannia. It’s a celebration of modern multicultural Britain while also scrutinising some of the darker bits of our history & our present. It’s asking one side of the British people to acknowledge the wonderful things about this country while asking the other to acknowledge the warts too; a nuanced middle ground if it still exists. I thought the Labour landslide might change things, but with the rise of Reform and the riots in Harehill just yesterday (at the time of writing), it seems it still has significant meaning.

How much do you balance personal anecdotes with social commentary?

I’ve always preferred social commentary. I always rationalised social commentary as I have the privilege of making a living due to my voice so let’s use my voice to talk about more serious issues, but the truth is I have not liked using personal anecdotes cause it’s vulnerable. This show I’m merging the two. As it’s about Britain and race, there’s a lot of personal anecdotes from racist incidents and more but that tie in well with current affairs. My trips doing shows in Estonia for example shaped my views on the Ukraine war. My family being refugees during partition has some similarities to the Israel/Palestine crisis right now.

Has the election in the run up to the Fringe changed parts of your show?

HA! Goddamnit Rishi! I can’t believe you were this keen to have summer off!

I really didn’t think he’d call the election till November. There’s some jokes about the previous government that will have to go. Though I will keep in some Rishi Sunak jokes as the first South Asian Prime Minister in Europe’s history this year is still historically significant. But the jokes about his policies and more will have to go. I don’t even know how to include Keir Starmer in the show as a month isn’t a long enough time to really satirise his government. Luckily this show has taken on more of a personal narrative that carries the bulk of the show.

If you were in charge of the Fringe, what changes would you make?

I would force the universities who make the most money of the Fringe to set student halls or accommodation aside for roughly 5000 performers at a discount price.

What’s your favourite spot to visit in Edinburgh?

The Loft Bar (at Gilded Balloon). A lot is made of it being the VIP bar, and people looking over your shoulder for more interesting people to talk to. But for me, it’s always open late. I always have friends there, and it’s just been such a formative part of my Fringe since my first in 2013.

How have your previous experiences of the festival been – either as a visitor or performer?

My greatest regret is that I never went to the Fringe as a visitor. Therefore I’ve always had pretty high stress and responsibility there, but for all the stress and responsibility, it seems to be the place I thrive the most on the planet. I can’t remember having a bad one. Comedy can be a very lonely job sometimes. Driving to the arse end of nowhere on a weekend for 20 minutes of work and time spent with colleagues you see every six months. Sometimes that can be depressing. But at the Fringe, surrounded by friends, things happening, and so many shows to focus on and places to be, a ten minute cycle to work at most, selling out shows at the biggest arts festival in the world. It’s always very fulfilling.

What essential item are you packing to survive a month at the Fringe?

My Yoga mat. Helps in the morning & evening.

Who’d be your dream

Podcast guest / co-host

On success alone: Joe Rogan, but in terms of personality: Theo Vonn, I love his comedy, I love his niceness, his approach to the World, & think we’d get on really well.

Wrestling tag team partner

Jon Jones. Wrestling is scripted, but it still hurts, and if I got hit by someone tough, I’d like to know the toughest man in the World is currently stood in my corner ready to back me up.

Comedian to split a bill with

Tom Stade. Cause you know you’re gonna have a party after. The first time I giggled with him, I arrived home at 6pm the next day & my mother nearly reported me missing. That rock n roll age of comedy is dying, and my rock n roll behaviour is also. But damn those memories are immortal, as is Tom Stade. I also really like gigging with Luca Capani. He’s not so rock n roll but a brilliant comic and we always have such wondrous discussions about global politics.

Who else are you looking forward to seeing at the festival?

Shared a stage with Jin Hao Li not too long ago in Derby. He was so surreal but it was so well written, it was like if Stewart Lee and Noel Fielding had a baby that was Chinese, so looking forward to seeing him. A personal favourite of mine is Paul McDaniels. He’s on at the Stand 4. Whenever I see him, even if it’s material I’ve seen hundreds of times and I had booked him on my compilation a lot, the guy never makes me fail to cry laughing.

What question would you ask other comedians in a Q&A – and why?

What’s your favourite service stop?
What’s your favourite train station?
What’s your favourite place to play?
Top 5 comedians?
Do you have any techniques to sleep well after a particularly high adrenaline show?
Do you think overthinking the idea of laughter has messed up your ability to laugh?

Raul Kohli: Raul Britannia, Just the Tonic at Cabaret Voltaire, 1st – 25th August (not 12th), 6:30pm