Interview: Comedy Superstar Jordan Gray - To Do List (original) (raw)

Jordan Gray: Is It A Bird? | 27 October 2023 | Bloomsbury Theatre

Riding a wave towards comedy superstardom throughout 2023, the incredible Jordan Gray returns to London’s Bloomsbury Theatre this month with smash-hit show Is It A Bird? We snatched some time with Jordan to talk about her epic year, joyful silliness, a new podcast, inspirational body parts, and things to do in London…

Hey Jordan, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. For anyone yet to have the pleasure, how would you introduce yourself to our readers?

I’d take your reader’s proverbial hand firmly in my own, give it a good proverbial shake (1 or 2 shakes is enough. What are we, Americans?), and thank them for reading To Do List. I like manners. Always have. Maybe it’s because my accent makes me sound like I eat out of bins.

The last year or so must feel like a whirlwind – what have been your own personal highlights?

Laying on the floor of my dressing room, sweating and laughing, in a pink kimono, surrounded by my agents after coming off stage on Friday Night Live. That was special. We knew we’d made something cool. Bringing a wold onstage at the London Palladium was a highlight. Ian McKellen knighting me as an honorary X-man (“ex-man”) will stay with me forever.

You’re returning to London with your amazing five-star smash of a show ‘Is It A Bird?’ – audiences can’t get enough of it! If you could sum up the show in one sentence, what would it be?

An hour of joyful silliness about babies, boobies, bigots and Batman, punctuated by musical comedy.

Do you ever stop working? You have a podcast too – tell us about Transplaining with Jordan Gray (we’ll allow multiple sentences this time!)

Occasionally I’ll give myself a break and watch other people play Minecraft in the bath (*I* am the one in the bath, not *them*. They are on my phone, which is usually propped up on my toilet seat with a mug of tea so I can watch hands free. What a time to be alive!).

Trainsplaining is a show where a celeb will bring me one BIG question and one SMALL question, and with the help of a different comedy chum each week, we attempt to answer those questions while knowing nothing about the subject. It’s such a treat for me – I get to show up and riff and mess around with the funniest and smartest people in entertainment.

Who or what are your comedy inspirations?

Hypocrisy is funny – and makes up a lot of my show. Being transgender is funny. Willies, boobs and vajeens are funny. People-wise, I’ve always been a massive fun of Maria Bamford and Tim Minchin.

What are your favourite things to do in London?

I’m a huge fan of Old Chang Kee on Goodge Street. It’s a tiny Singaporean place (I think they have a few locations) but it’s my go-to whenever I’m in town (I go for the tofu veg curry and rice – don’t overthink it). I can also confidently recommend Gaucho Charlotte Street for meat eaters and veggies alike (the burrata starter is the best I’ve ever had). I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend some you comedy – but it’s no secret Soho Theatre is where you go to see the best new stuff, including the most amazing Edinburgh Fringe transfers. For shopping, might I recommend dipping into one of our countless dodgy American candy shops and being criminally overcharged for a novelty Wonka Bar.

Old Chang Kee

Gaucho Charlotte Street

Jordan Gray – Is It A Bird? will play at the Bloomsbury Theatre on Friday, 27 October – book tickets now!

I am Joint Editor at To Do List. I like: nice pubs, film marathons, not doing real marathons, bad comedy, plays/musicals with shorter second halves, and the Oxford comma.