New York comic Gianmarco Soresi was stopped on the streets of Liverpool during his first visit, and now he's bringing his Misery Loves tour to the city, promising to take the Liverpool Olympia back to its circus roots.
First Impressions of Liverpool
The acclaimed comic, who has risen through the ranks of the New York comedy scene and amassed millions of social media followers, performed several UK dates last summer. During a stop in Liverpool to appear on the popular Have A Word podcast, he was struck by the city's comedy culture. He told the ECHO: "When I landed in Liverpool, someone recognised me. That's surreal. I thought, 'Why am I not doing a show here?' If I find 200 more like that person, we've got a good show cooking."
The Misery Loves Tour
Soresi has followed through on his promise to return, with the Misery Loves tour coming to the Liverpool Olympia on October 14. He is looking forward to exploring the city after his brief stay last year, and plans to sample another full English breakfast. He said: "I have a lot to learn about Liverpool, but I am excited to explore."
Crowd Work and Liverpool's Separatist Culture
Known for his inventive crowd work, Soresi is fascinated by Liverpool's separatist identity, comparing it to his native New York City. He said: "We're also a port city that doesn't feel so connected to the wider American culture. Port cities are the best." He plans to engage with audiences to learn about local history, adding: "What's fun is you really see the different educations people got as you try to learn history as a group."
From Musical Theatre to Comedy
Soresi's background in musical theatre has shaped his energetic stage presence. He is excited to bring his show to the Olympia, saying: "I'm going to bring it back to its circus roots." His comedy style is heavily influenced by Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, and John Mulaney. He describes it as "big, theatrical, dark, a little mean-edged, but plenty of goofy silly things."
Social Media and Global Reach
During the pandemic, Soresi's clips began to take off on social media from his apartment in Harlem. Since then, he has performed as far afield as Japan and India. He said: "I feel worldly in the worst way possible, seeing the hypocrisies in British, Asian and American culture."
The Misery Loves tour comes to the Liverpool Olympia on October 14. Tickets are available now.
