How comedy was a hobby that got out of control for Michael Akadiri

We’ve all heard stories about what it’s like to work for the NHS, but junior doctor and fast-rising stand-up Michael Akadiri takes it one step further by adding a darkly comedic spin to his experiences.

His show, No Scrubs, was nominated for a NextUp Biggest Award in Comedy, and this is Michael’s first nationwide tour. It will be stopping off in Cambridge in February. The tour follows Michael’s debut, sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Described as a “consistently funny, routinely dark stand-up show” by The Scotsman, the piece has Michael pondering the challenges of life – and how he’s perceived – inside and out of the NHS.

“It’s a bit of a weird one...” Michael tells the Cambridge Independent from his home in London, regarding his current work situation. “When I did the show in Edinburgh I was still working, but subsequently I’ve, I wouldn’t say packed it in, that makes it sound a bit dramatic, but I’ve got to a natural point in my training where I could continue or assess whether comedy is the thing for me, so I’m kind of doing that now.”

Michael, who has previously appeared on ITV2s Stand Up Sketch Show, continues: “No Scrubs is a stand-up comedy show essentially about my life in the NHS and my life outside it.

“It touches on how I am perceived when I’m in my scrubs compared to when I’m not in my scrubs and I find that sometimes how I’m perceived can be different depending on the item of clothing I’m wearing. As well as other things, I have a bit of fun and explore that during the show.”

So how is Michael viewed by people when he’s in his work attire? “Oh, you’re a hero – you’re the man,” he replies. “You can’t do any wrong, you’re the life-saver. It’s all love, it’s all admiration, and no one looks past the scrubs at that point.

“As the feeling was towards people that worked in the NHS during the pandemic, that’s the feeling you get when you’re in scrubs.”

Michael reached junior doctor status for the NHS and was training in surgery, with a focus on orthopedics. “So that’s the junction that I’ve taken a pause at to assess things,” he explains, “and to see whether comedy is what I want as a career, or whether it’s something that is just a weekend hobby.

“I’ve taken a year and a bit just to sort of see where I’m at with it – because it’s a hobby which has just got out of control. I didn’t expect it to get to the point where I’m speaking to you; I didn’t expect it to get to the point where I’m taking it on a small UK tour. It’s been a phenomenal journey and I’m just enjoying the ride.

“Also, I did owe it to myself to see whether there’s a career out of it, because I didn’t want to be 60 and look back and be like, ‘Oh my goodness, if only I’d gone and done it and really put myself out there’. I don’t like regrets. I’m a person that goes for things.”

Michael, a fan of fellow comics Dave Chappelle, Patrice O’Neal, Bernie Mac and Trevor Noah, was encouraged to try stand-up while at medical school.

“People would say, ‘Ah, Michael, you’re funny’ or ‘You’ve got jokes’ or ‘You’re a bit witty’,” he recalls. “I would always take pride in coming up with a one-liner based on what someone said. I didn’t think anything of it, I just enjoyed making people laugh.”

He then decided to explore it further and did his first comedy gig during his first year of work as a junior doctor.

“I waltzed up to a comedy club in Greenwich called Up the Creek, close to where my parents live,” says Michael. “I rocked up to this open-mic night, but it was only when I got there that I realised it was a gong show, where if the audience don’t like your material, they can boot you off stage.

“I didn’t want to chicken out at that moment so I did the gig and I lasted three and a half minutes. That was the start and I loved being on stage, so since then I’ve just been addicted to it, so to speak, and I’ve continued with it.”

When he’s not wearing his scrubs, Michael says he can be viewed rather differently. “I guess you could just say I’m a young black man with a London accent, and if I’m wearing a hoodie, people put those three things together,” he notes, “and they usually assume the worst. Let’s just say that. I try not to let it bother me. It is what it is.

“But sometimes you can see people’s fear and trepidation. If I’m wearing scrubs, you’ll be looking at me to help you, not looking at me in fear. It’s interesting that I’m the same person; I’ve not changed one bit but then the perception of me certainly has and in a different circumstance you’ll be looking at me to save your life, not in fear of your life.”

[Read more: Comedian Gary Delaney: ‘Laugh a minute? That means 80 per cent of my jokes have failed’, Rich Wilson: ‘We’ve all been heroes, we’ve all been villains’]

Michael has performed in Cambridge before, to a warm reception, and is looking forward to returning. “It’s nice to come back and be received by the people, because I was not received by the university there in 2010 when I applied,” he reveals.

“So it’s nice that some people in Cambridge want me, and hopefully we can show the university what they were missing out on if I come and sell out the Junction!”

Michael, who assures me that he’s “not bitter at all” about the whole affair, will be hoping to sell out Cambridge Junction’s J3 on Saturday, February 18.

Tickets, priced at £12.50-£14.50, are available at junction.co.uk. For more on Michael, go to facebook.com/MichaelAkadiriComedy/.