On the occasion of the New York leg of his “RED SOX” world tour last Dec. 9, Luca Ravenna told The New Yorker about the journey that led him to perform in the United States, an achievement that consecrates him as the first Italian stand-up comedian to tread American stages. Born and raised in Milan, Ravenna has always shown an innate passion for writing and comedy. Moving to Rome to study screenwriting at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, he began his career collaborating with the comedy group The Pills and later working as a TV writer for programs such as “Uncle Gianni” and “Quelli che il calcio.”
His real breakthrough came with his move to stand-up comedy, where he brings to the stage original texts that tell his world with cutting irony and a unique style. After years of success in Italy, with sold-out shows and projects such as the podcast “Cachemire,” Ravenna decided to take his comedy across the border. In New York, the home of stand-up, he has chosen to perform in Italian, with the hope of one day translating his shows for English-speaking audiences.
RED SOX comes to the last date of its world tour. You have often said that closing with the New York date, at Le Poisson Rouge, represents the completion of the life cycle of this show, written and thought out right here in the United States. Tell us more about that and what this city represents to you.
Meanwhile, thank you for calling it a world tour! We were talking about it before, but actually there are people who go to Lugano once and call it a European tour; so, let’s pretend it’s correct… I’m super glad I did the last date here. It was exciting to think that just a year and a half ago I was in New York with my brother-the idea was to write something right here. The show also tells about that experience, because the dream was to make two pieces that would rock in English and turn around. Of course then in the show I tell how it really went….
New York is the most fascinating city in the world, but my show is deeply Italian-I would say 98 percent. That 2% that is not I owe to the New York of July 2023. I hope this has also reached the December 2024 audience.
I had the pleasure of seeing RED SOX in Rome in 2023, and I have to say that in addition to a strong call to America, there is also a lot of the Italian cities, particularly a bit of Bari…
There is a Bari bang! The show really starts with an episode that happened there. To prepare for the tour, I did about 25 rehearsal dates, and Bari was one of the first two. Somehow, everything always starts in Bari….
You’ve been taking this show on the road for two years. Have you changed anything along the way? Has the international experience enriched you in any way?
Yes, I always updated it. On the one hand you do it to improve it, of course, but also because as the months go by you realize that some things don’t work anymore. It’s always a work in progress, until you record it and it becomes final. We recorded it at the end of the Italian tour in April. The European dates and this one in New York are kind of on their own. But yes, I keep editing and cutting something here and there.
Are there differences in the way you approach the stage in Italy compared to when you are abroad and addressing Italians?
Yes, it has to be. Abroad, the audience comes from all over Italy, so the evening becomes a kind of tricolor celebration. In London, Brussels or New York you find spectators from every region, and specific references to a single city exalt some, but not all. In Italy, on the other hand, the city where you perform determines the mood of the evening and the cultural references.
The best nights, however, are often those abroad. A special dynamic is created: it’s you and the audience “versus” the city you’re in. It’s a time for venting, where you make fun of stereotypes about Italians, which are often very true! Then you respond by joking about aspects of the host city.Obviously, New York being the mecca of stand-up, it’s normal here for audiences to be accustomed to top-notch English shows. But I did my best in Italian.
The New Yorker speaks to Italians in the United States and Italian Americans. As a stand-up comedian, actor and author, what is your take on this community, beyond the usual clichés?
There is a huge difference between Italians of my generation, those who are now moving to America, and second- or third-generation Italian Americans. America is a country where, if you have differences, you have to highlight them to create identity and community. It is a place that, paradoxically, can leave you very much alone.
Italians who come here today are of the highest caliber: studies, jobs, creativity, a healthy aggressiveness. If you leave “the most beautiful country in the world” to come here, it’s because you have a very clear idea of growth.Italian Americans, on the other hand, we know them through movies and books, and when you meet them here they are exactly as described: they make you laugh because of how true to stereotype they are. But this is also true of other early settlement communities.
You are among the “second generation” comedians who have made a great contribution to stand-up in Italy. What is still missing to make it grow?
Good question. In the beginning we were a growing niche, like rap in the ’80s and ’90s. Now the audience has grown: so many come to see us in theaters and clubs, and there are a lot of gigs all over Italy. That phase is done.
What is missing is a connecting link. In America it’s a given: stand-up is both a starting point and an end point. In Italy it is still difficult for it to become a base for other areas, such as comedy writing for TV. You need to develop a counterculture, like rap, which then flows into mainstream media. It is a long step, but a possible one.
Spicy question: what do you think about “political correctness”? Can you still joke about everything?
When you start out you are more “punk”: you address a small, loyal audience, and you can say anything. As you grow, however, you learn to make what you want to say more harmonious, to open up to a wider audience. This does not mean softening the content, but expressing it better.
You can joke about anything, depending on the context. In a small club you have maximum freedom; in front of 2,000 people, if they are there for you, you can say whatever you want. But on TV, with 6 million viewers, it’s a different story. You have to understand the context and adapt: you can’t cross the Atlantic in a pedalo.
Is Luca Ravenna living his American dream?
That’s exactly what I talk about in the show! I tease my “American dream” — I’d like to translate my work into English, the Champions League of stand-up. Let’s say I’m putting myself to bed. We’ll see if and when I really start dreaming!
The article Luca Ravenna: the first Italian stand-up comedian to conquer America comes from TheNewyorker.
