Ahead of bringing his new show Life After Near Death to his hometown, comic Emmanuel Sonubi discusses the very personal material of the tour – and his love of Enfield

“Enfield is home, I’m not going anywhere, it would be weird to live somewhere else,” says Emmanuel. “The nice thing is I get to travel a lot, but then I always get to come home.”

Following a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and an acclaimed European tour, Emmanuel starts his autumn UK run in Maidstone tomorrow (Wednesday 17^th), with a two-night residency at Dugdale Arts Centre in Enfield Town slated for Saturday 27^th and Sunday 28^thSeptember.

“I have performed at the Dugdale many times,” says the former Chace Community School pupil. “I did the previews for all of my shows. The first time would have been the preview for my first show Emancipated and I did two shows there in 2022.”

Emmanuel reminisces about working as a bouncer at pubs across Enfield – The King’s Head, The Taps etc – although his first job was a paperboy delivering Enfield Advertiser for a few quid a week in the 1990s. He still lives in Enfield Town now, even after rising to fame and headlining the BBC’s Live at the Apollo and appearing on Have I Got News For You.

So is the Dugdale where Emmanuel’s friends and family always go to see him? “I don’t ask them to but they all turn up anyway.

“The nice thing about doing Enfield is there was one show that was very special because I walked out and I saw everyone that I have known from different parts of my life, all in one room. I had my teacher from Chace turn up, school friends, people’s parents that I hadn’t seen for a long time.”

Is it more nerve-wracking to perform in front of people you know?

“Yes because they know the truth. This is the reason I don’t make stuff up, because I know at some point I will do it in front of my friends or people that know me, and that’s what Enfield is like – you will get called out. You’ll get someone calling you a liar.”

Emmanuel’s latest show is a deeply personal yet hilariously sharp exploration of what happens when life throws its toughest challenges your way. After surviving heart failure, Emmanuel guides audiences through his journey of recovery, resilience, and the moments of comedy that emerge even in life’s darkest corners.

“This show is the most personal show I have ever done,” Emmanuel admits. “This is where people will really get to know me. I have done personal stuff before, but this is with more honesty.”

Thankfully, Emmanuel is in much better health these days, but he says he is a changed person after his heart attack on stage in Dubai six years ago.

“It can always be better but medically I am in good health. I’m getting there. It was pretty horrific at one point. Having to accept this might be the last time you fall asleep is a really weird way to go to sleep.”

How do you even start to make jokes out of such an experience?

“Once I got through it, I have been able to process it and understand how I felt about different things and how I am going to move forward from those things.”

Is it therapeutic?

“Oh yeah it really is. Putting this all down on paper gives you the chance to be honest with yourself, and once you’ve done that with yourself you can do it with everyone, or you can try.

“Sometimes it is a very difficult thing to process. Being honest with yourself is very hard and it is only therapeutic if you allow it to be, and you don’t lie to yourself.”

Buy tickets for Life After Near Death at the Dugdale on Saturday 27^th and Sunday 28^th September:
Visit dugdaleartscentre.co.uk/whats-on/emmanuel-sonubi-life-after-near-death

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.