Stand-up comedian Rizal Van Geyzel says that lots of sleep and water keep him sharp on stage
ONE of stand-up comedian Rizal Van Geyzel's best-known jokes goes something like this: In Malaysia, what do you get when you mix a Dutch, a Sri Lankan, a Chinese and a Malay?
The answer is me!
A good introduction, one that endears him to many fans, for all his jokes come from the heart and focus on growing up as a boy with a "rojak" identity.
Rizal enjoys laughing at himself, and readily shares his life journey in all of his shows, warts and all.
"It's my mission as a comedian to look back and laugh at everything I've gone through thus far.
"My multicultural upbringing, ribbings I took as a 'rojak' kid, challenges I faced in coming to terms with who I am, and how I eventually embraced diversity and transformed it into fuel for great jokes have made me a seasoned comedian," said Rizal recently.
EXCITED TO BE BACK
After a two-year hiatus due to the Movement Control Order, Rizal is thrilled to return to the comedy stage with his first solo show entitled Halallujah!
His hour-long comedy special takes place at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre in One Utama, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, at 9pm today and tomorrow.
The show is produced by Laugh Labs Entertainment with support from The Crackhouse Comedy Club and The Fire Grill.
SHARING THE STAGE
Since becoming a comedian in 2013, Rizal has shared the stage with Harith Iskander, Maz Jobrani and Kumar, among other Asian stand-up comedy stars.
Through sheer hard work, he has become a much sought-after entertainer for corporate and private events locally and regionally.
In April 2014, together with author Shankar Santhiram, Rizal opened Malaysia's first stand-up comedy club, The Crackhouse Comedy Club in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
The club was one of many landmarks featured on Road To Mandalay, an entertainment and lifestime show by British channel BBC 2, which starred British comedy legends Dara O'Briain and Ed Byrne.
HOSTED 22 SHOWS
One of Rizal's notable performances to date was the Kings And Queen Of Comedy Asia together with Harith, Kumar, Rishi Budhrani and Gina Yashere at Singapore's Esplanade theatre in 2017.
The two sold-out evening shows attracted 6,000 people.
In the same year, Rizal participated in the Noose And Kakis Live Show at Singapore's Mediacorp Theatre and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where he was chosen to helm 22 comedy shows.
BREAKING THE TENSION
"Here's how I became interested in comedy. When there was something negative going on in my house or school, I would feel as though there was tension needed to be broken," said Rizal.
"Comedy is my way of getting ahead of whatever trauma I was suffering."
Rizal also said that he grew up watching comedies from the United Kingdom and the United States, and especially enjoyed films by Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor.
"Gene and Richard were my childhood heroes. Later I was exposed to BBC comedies via video tapes. These included Fawlty Towers, Men Behaving Badly, Phoenix Nights
and Only Fools And Horses," he said.
SIXTH GENERATION
Rizal had his first comedy show at the Liquid Bar in Central Market, Kuala Lumpur, in 2002.
"It was an open mic for dancers, magicians and singers. No one did comedy in an open mic, except me!"
Asked about his "stage name" and how he "acquired it", he said: "Truth be told, Van Geyzel is indeed my surname, for I'm a mix of Malay, Chinese and Dutch-Sinhalese or Burgher.
"The Burgher part of me is sixth generation Malaysian."
SHORTAGE OF JOY
Although the two-year lockdown was a trying time for Rizal, he did his utmost to keep himself upbeat by reaching out to fans and friends via social media.
"My source of serenity was my newborn baby girl. When we went into lockdown, she was 5 months old, so I didn't have any shortage of joy," he said.
The 40-year-old artiste also did online shows for free.
"It was weird but the notion of me not being able to do my job anymore perhaps made me scared and I felt like I needed to do something.
"Surprisingly, I got booked for gigs online! I immediately started learning about gadgets and software," he said.
NO PROBLEM WITH HECKLERS
Having gotten the hang of online shows, Rizal now enjoys their antics because the crowd will become very attentive and serious without the hecklers.
Did the pandemic give Rizal new ideas for a comeback?
"Yes, very much so. In fact, it made live shows a novelty again, and stand-up comedy has always been something special to Malaysians.
"Consequently, I was itching to get back on the big stage."
FLOODGATE OF IDEAS
Rizal admitted that Covid-19 has "opened a floodgate of ideas" for him to use on stage.
"Honestly, it came to a point when they got cheap and overused. Nevertheless, I took it in my stride and did my best to tweak them for a fresher appearance."
He said that the current relaxed restrictions had become the light at the end of the tunnel and reward for his positive outlook in life.
What makes a good joke and how does he keep himself alert on stage?
"The joke has to be funny to me, first and foremost, and interesting to the audience, at the very least.
"If they are on board, the joke packs a punch, and if it doesn't, I shrug it off and move on," said Rizal.
"This may sound boring but a lot of sleep and water keep me sharp on stage. Oh, and deep breaths before the emcee calls my name."
RUNNING AROUND
As the owner of a comedy club, Rizal has a lot of running around to do prior to every show.
"By then, I may be tired out but eventually my passion for comedy just fills me to get me through another night."
He also said that the key to running a successful comedy venue is to trust the right comedians to perform great shows consistently.
"This gets people talking about your club and coming back repeatedly. Consistency is everything to keep your business alive," he said.
ON THE ROAD
Rizal would love to bring back comedians from abroad and host them at Crackhouse once again.
"Having different voices on our stage makes us open up to more possibilities," he said.
"I'd also like to take my hour-long show on the road to multiple cities across
the country or even to a neighbouring country."
Tickets for Rizal's show are available from RM45 to RM85 and can be purchased on www.onetix.com.my.
