Entertaining audiences on stage and on screen, Rhys Nicholson has become a favourite on the Aussie comedy scene. Winning awards last year at the Melbourne and Sydney Comedy Festivals for their show Rhys! Rhys! Rhys!, Nicholson returns to Canberra Theatre Centre with the hit on Wednesday 26 April. CW’s Jessica Cordwell caught up with Rhys Nicholson to discuss comedy, changing times and exposure.

1. Tell us about the show, Rhys! Rhys! Rhys!

It’s my show from last year that I toured quite extensively around the place … It’s the show that I’m happiest I’ve ever put together with my partner, Kyran.

I want people to think about things when they leave, but I am not a political comedian. I’m just very proud of it, I reckon it’s the most amount of jokes and laughter I can pack into an hour.

It’s pretty much the same, I have done it 200 times since I was in Canberra; the Canberra Comedy Festival is one of the first of the season. I’m trying to come back this year with the completely finished product … It’s a constantly developing entity just in a similar shape.

2. How has comedy changed since you started?

Probably a million teeny tiny ways … There are so many easier ways to get in now, I think what we need more of is opportunity for comedians. There is just nowhere really at the moment for you to cut your teeth.

I work on The Weekly and part of it is Charlie Pickering purposely wants to make an outlet for comedians to get TV experience.

I think one of the enormous changes and speaking as a queer comic, we used to have to make jokes at the expense of ourselves a little bit more … All queer comics would do it, kind of a ‘just so you know, I’m gay’ – a joke explaining that. Whereas now all the baby comics are just getting up and starting and it’s quite exciting and riveting. Obviously, we’re not without our problems but it’s just heartening to know that the generation below me are a lot more in touch with their own experience.

3. Any career highlights so far?

I like working a lot … Drag Race is a pretty wild situation and having my special put on Netflix was a nice thing.

There are a lot of ones that are personal things like getting to open for Conan O’Brien a few years ago, especially because I’m a huge fan and that led to me doing stand-up on his show.

Winning the Melbourne Comedy Festival award last year and the Sydney Comedy Festival award last year. I’ve been going to that festival for years and it is a really important community to me, and I won an award and it’s wild. Awards don’t mean anything until you win one and then they become everything.

4. Do you have any advice for comics trying to get onto the scene?

The only advice really if you boil down any advice anyone gives you is ‘you’ve just got to do it’. It sounds dumb and a cop-out, but you’ve just got to start doing it and inevitably you are going to be bad for a while. Every single comedian who has ever existed was bad for a while and it’s about getting through that.

There is no comedian on the planet who hasn’t bombed deeply in front of 10 people and that’s kind of the stuff that makes you better.

5. What’s next?

I’m writing a book of essays at the moment which is an excruciating process but I’m finding moments of joy in it; that comes out at the end of the year.

I’d imagine I would do a new show next year, I’m working on The Weekly until the end of the year, I’m doing a little tour in the UK, and I’m getting married in September.

Lots and lots of things but also with enough room that anything could happen. I am very busy and I’m very tired, but it is everything I’ve ever wanted, so why would I complain about that.

See Rhys Nicholson on stage in Rhys! Rhys! Rhys! at Canberra Theatre Centre, Wednesday 26 April 8pm; canberratheatrecentre.com.au