Set your watches for an hour of comedy with citizen Ivan

MANY moons ago, Ivan Aristeguieta performed at the International Comedy Festival Roadshow in Bendigo and now the Comedian is back with his solo show Citizen.

Originally from Venezuela, Aristeguieta is known for his language blending comedy, which he said is his way of translating the immigrant experience for his audience.

“In my shows there’ll be 20 per cent Latin-American Spanish speakers and it’s for them,” he said.

Words like ‘nincompoop’ and Aussie colloquialisms like ‘she’ll be right’ are central to Aristeguieta’s jokes, which he said come from his own experience deciphering local expression as a non-English speaking immigrant.

“I feel like part of my show is to translate Australia to immigrants and I also translate immigrants to Australia, and I’ve been told that and I’m very proud of that,” he said.

“I’m very proud of being a conduit to help each culture understand each other.”

Aristeguieta said he enjoys bringing his show to regional towns where the theatres are beautiful and audiences are willing to connect through a live performance.

When he first started touring regionally, a couple approached him after the show and recounted how they met at the Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow years earlier and were now married with a family.

“It’s such a beautiful thing that they connected the creation of their own family thanks to a comedy show, I really love that,” Aristeguieta said.

Citizen has been on tour all year and will make one more sprint around regional Australia.

“This show is in the ripe, sweet spot,” said Aristerguieta. “It’s so ripe and juicy and delicious, it’s matured and it’s perfect now.”

Citizen will be at Bendigo Bank Theatre on Thursday 26 October and tickets are available via the Bendigo Venues and Events website.