Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana and Photographs courtesy of Vidura B Rajapakse
The laughs don’t flow initially but the more you listen to his nonchalant delivery of wry humour you soon see the funny side of the jokes. Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa also known as Vidura B is slowly but surely cementing his reputation as a fine South Asian stand up comedian.
Born in Sri Lanka, Vidura left the island at a young age when his parents moved overseas seeking greener pastures. Vidura spent time overseas completing his education where he graduated with a degree in medical science. However, a career in medicine was not for him and while he was studying medicine he also taught himself software engineering. An opportunity to move to Germany came by and that is where Vidura began his career in stand up comedy.
To look at Vidura he does not look the part of a comedian. But as we all know we must never judge a book by its cover and when you start talking to Vidura his combination of deadpan and acerbic sense of humour soon makes you laugh.
Not your usual Russel Peters type, I personally found Vidura to be an intelligent comedian who spoke on an array of topics that affects us South Asians. Therefore I felt a sense of connection to him and like me I am sure there are countless others who can relate to him and help propel him to comedy stardom.
The desire to perform in front of audiences. Where did that come from?
Only after I moved to Germany. Because, growing up, I was relatively shy to begin with and I also did drama. I liked music when I was younger, but there was a practical limitation. However, in Germany it seemed more possible.
Performing in Berlin, how did you manage with the language barrier?
Berlin has a lot of English speakers. So most audiences would be from UK, US and Australia. Also, some younger Germans understood English really well and the rest would be like me, from places elsewhere. So, it was quite a mixed audience and an all English audience.
Tell us about the documentary you did about the Berlin comedy scene which ended up being screened on Amazon Prime Video.
It wasn’t an opportunity per se. It was more like an idea. People in the scene were talking about it and some people were saying we should make a documentary about it. I then decided that it would be a good idea and embarked on the project all by myself.
You performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. How did that opportunity come about?
It was an open application. Anyone could perform. However, the benefit of that Festival has lessened over time for performing artistes. It has become very expensive and it was a big financial stress. That’s another thing they don’t tell you about being an artiste, the cost. That said, with all the risks I’ve taken, I think it has worked out well.
At Edinburgh Fringe Festival your act was titled Monsoon Season. What was it about?
It is a sort of coming of age story where I tell of my haphazard life. It begins in Sri Lanka and spans across America, Malaysia, Germany and the UK. Whilst the stories touch on some social and political themes which have inadvertently affected me the stories in the main are personal.
Does Sri Lanka or its people inspire you when you create new material?
Yes, it’s going to... naturally!
How would you describe the process of creating your repertoire of jokes?
It’s changed over time. In the beginning, it was more haphazard. Then it became more structured over time. The best example would be what I’m doing next. It is very structured, like a film.
I wake up at 6 AM and an hour later I’m at my writing desk. I work on my comedy routine until 9 AM and after that my work as a software engineer starts. In the evening, I will practice the musical stuff because this new show will have songs as well.
What challenges have you faced in your career in comedy?
I’m not sure if there is anything specific. There is a clear route of ascension in artistes’ careers. Compared to my peers, there is a thing about it’s not ‘what you know’, it’s ‘who you know’. So in that way, I feel lacking but it’s okay.
