UK comedian Henry Rowley built a following through character-led sketches online, turning everyday behaviour into sharp comedy, and is now taking that instinct onto the live stage.
A lot of your comedy comes from observation — where does that come from?
It’s10 those everyday, consistent behaviours that we don’t notice because they happen so much, but when you really focus on them and bring them out, that’s where the humour is. People, like the gym — everyone’s walking around like they’re the main character, like this warrior that’s fighting a battle that no one knows about, and you think — relax, it’s a fun thing that we’re doing here. It’s not usually one person who’s completely different — it’s an amalgamation of things, these behavioural consistencies, and then just amping it up a little bit. Sometimes it doesn’t even need that.
Some of your funniest videos feel completely improvised — is that how they work?
Yeah, a lot of them are completely improvised. I’ll think, “Right, I’m doing this character,” and see what happens — that’s why I sometimes laugh in them, because I don’t know what’s coming. Those are my favourites.
Did you ever have a long-term plan with it?
No, not really. I think if I set a goal, you put so much pressure on it that it takes all the enjoyment out of it. The whole thing is meant to be fun, and if I’m not enjoying it, no one else will. So I’ve always just thought — do it, keep enjoying it, and see what happens. Opportunities have come from it that I wouldn’t have expected…