Photos + Story / Sam Evans Butler & David Jaffe
Make up / Seiya Iibuchi
Hair / Yu Nakata
Set Design and Props / Michael Newton
Wallpaper / Le Presse Papier @le_presse_papier
The downstairs room at The Bell House in Brooklyn is packed—standing room only. The air smells of beer and popcorn. It’s opening night of Gothic Paradise, UK-based Sri Lankan comedian Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa’s first U.S. comedy tour.
Onstage, a single chair sits beneath pink and blue lights, a microphone resting on its seat.
When Vidura walks out, he immediately commands the room. Tall and handsome, with long hair and broad shoulders, he has a distinctive style that reads as East London cool meets motorcycle gang meets traditional Sri Lankan dress: a brown leather jacket over a shirt and tie, paired with a colorful sarong.
He takes his seat and begins talking. Performing seated has become part of his signature style. His voice is soft and melodious; he holds the microphone by its stem and plays with the cord as he muses from his chair. His delivery is measured and unhurried, his humor a blend of introspective personal observations and sharp social commentary. Together, these elements make the experience feel less like a typical stand-up routine and more like a one-man show.
His act is deeply personal, with much of the material exploring his journey from Sri Lanka to the UK. And what a journey it has been.
LADYGUNN caught up with Vidura the day after his show to talk about leaving medicine, finding comedy in Berlin, and the books he keeps in his jacket pocket.
What did you want to be when you were six years old?
Hmm…I think I wanted to be a marine biologist. Of course, as a child, you go through many phases, but yeah, I think marine biologist. But slowly, from around six to 13, in a naïve way, I started to think there was also a doctor in there.
You talk a lot about having gone to medical school in your show. That’s an incredible education to pursue and then walk away from. Can you tell me a little about why you decided not to continue as a doctor?
Yes, well, growing up in Sri Lanka, I quickly realized that there aren’t very many opportunities, and I knew that I would like to leave for a time. So I just became very practical about it and kind of reverse-engineered the whole process. I looked into what jobs would sponsor a visa, and medicine is generally at the top of the list.
You went to medical school in Malaysia. How soon did you realize it wasn’t going to be for you?
I hated medical school immensely. It was too rigid. That is actually a good thing because it is medicine.
He says this with a sly smile, bringing me back to the previous night’s set, when he told the audience that, had he remained a doctor, he would have been a very “creative” one. Vidura completed medical school and became a doctor—an impressive feat on its own. Finding the courage to walk away after all that work is another.
I just knew that I couldn’t bear the suffering of being a doctor. As far as the experience went, some of my best and oldest friends are all from medical school, and they are all doctors. I just knew that I wasn’t going to find meaning or fulfillment being a doctor.
You managed to leave Sri Lanka and attend medical school. How did you end up becoming a software engineer?
Again, it was another case of reverse engineering. I knew that they were looking for software engineers, that a visa would be granted if you had these skills, and I couldn’t afford another degree. So I just began to teach myself the necessary skills to get a job.
You went from a medical degree to software engineering. How did you like being a software engineer?
The first job was really bad, but it brought me to Berlin. I was afraid of being fired every day. Really, it was only due to their benevolence that I wasn’t. I think they knew that if they fired this 23-year-old immigrant kid, they’d be sending me home. So they very kindly told me to look for a new job but gave me time to do it.
Was it in Berlin that you first thought about doing comedy?
Basically, I moved to Berlin, and I was looking for places to hang out. I didn’t speak German, and I found a comedy club with an English open mic. I began loitering for a few months. I think it was free entry, so that also played a role. Eventually, I tried open mic, and I loved it immediately, from the first set. Then suddenly, a little voice inside of me said, “You might give this a shot,” and for the next six months, it became a very serious hobby.
A series of jobs brought Vidura from Berlin to London. After working as a software engineer, he eventually obtained permanent residency in the UK, allowing him to take the leap into full-time comedy. With Gothic Paradise bringing his personal history to U.S. audiences for the first time, I asked how he felt about performing here.
I had big nerves before I left. I am not sure of the reason. I had done shows in Asia, Europe, Australia, but America is like the big place in terms of media and the entertainment industry. So in the days leading up to my departure, I was nervous. As soon as I got here and did my first show, I was like, “Oh yeah, they are just an audience, kind of like any other one.”
Some rapid-fire questions: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Lurking. I tend to pace a lot, try and peer out at the crowd, review my notes, listen to the crowd from backstage. I have to work myself up a bit.
You keep a pretty straight face onstage and are very soft-spoken. What makes you laugh in real life?
Oh, I think I tend to enjoy much sillier comedy than my own. My two-year-old goddaughter makes me laugh. I don’t know if I am particularly funny. I think I am peculiar and strange, and that makes me funny.
What’s the oddest thing in your suitcase?
Oh, let me think. I don’t know. I do have a lot of random little trinkets, hmm. I guess my cigarette case and lighter. I do get a lot of comments about them.
They are pretty amazing. If I caught up with you on a rare day off, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be at home with my cat. I don’t talk about my cat very much, but she is a huge part of my life. Or the movies. I love, if I have a weekday off, to go to the movies. Sometimes a triple feature.
Three movies in a day? That’s a commitment. Do you have any favorite films?
I love a lot of animation. All-time favorites are Lilo & Stitch, The Wild Robot, and I really want to include Howl’s Moving Castle. For live action, I really love Guillermo del Toro’s approach. It feels more humanistic. Pan’s Labyrinth is a favorite.
Lastly, what are you reading?
I have multiple books in rotation at the moment: Steppenwolf, The Ramayana, and The Mahabharata. Oh, and I wanted to have an American author, so I also bought a copy of East of Eden. East of Eden is currently my jacket-pocket book. I love a book that fits in my pocket.
CATCH VIDURA LIVE: VISIT HIS OFFICIAL WEBSITE FOR UPCOMING TOUR DATES AND TICKETS.