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Writer's pictureHinton Magazine
Jul 28

Get ready to party at Pali & Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow at EdFringe

Ameet Chana was a roadshow DJ for over 16 years, and in that time, he has made note of all of the hilarious, outrageous and simply strange things that he has experienced DJ’ing British South Asian weddings. With writer Viraj Juenja and co-writer Pravesh Kumar, Ameet has managed to bring the chaos, glamour, and drama of a desi wedding to the stage this summer with Pali & Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow. Edinburgh Fringe audiences become guests in the immersive show that feels more like a party than theatre, and we caught up with the gang to find out more.

 

Pali And Jay

What can we expect from your Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow?

Don’t expect anything! Not in that way… but forget everything you know about theatre – we are ripping up the rule book and creating a live experience that you would never have been part of before. This isn’t your typical ‘sit down, shut up and behave yourself for two and a half hours’ type of show, where everyone gives evils to the guy in the corner who can’t stop coughing or mutter insults under their breath to the aunty whose phone rings and she doesn’t know how to silence it. This show – this roadshow will take you places! Leave all expectations behind and just enjoy the ride.

 

Where did the inspiration for the characters come from? Can you elaborate on the uncle/nephew dynamic?

This inspiration for this show came when I was working with my DJ’ing uncle as his roadie. The life of an actor keeps you humble and I remember this one particular week when I was in a film that opened the Edinburgh Film Festival. On the Wednesday I was the king of the world – walking down the red carpet, signing pictures, living my best life. Cut to the Saturday: We’re DJ’ing at a run-down venue in Hounslow and I’m trying to keep drunk Punjabi men from getting too close to the decks. Their attempt at requesting songs was to shout in my ears and with their loud screeches came a whole lot of spit too. Humbled. 

 

My uncle is a character himself. You couldn’t write him. I used to swipe on Instagram while at gigs, see other actors on jobs and wonder why I was stuck working with him. Then all these funny moments/experiences happened, and I thought “thank god it’s me. I’m going to make something of this.”

 

What are you most looking forward to about the Fringe apart from performing?

Roaming the streets and catching a wacky interpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth at 9am! I can’t wait. I’ve never been to the Fringe before and I’m almost trying not to anticipate anything because I want to live it in the flesh for the first time without any preconceived ideas. Also… I’m looking forward to watching my guy Tez Ilyas perform his stand up show (not just because he’s in our show!).

 

Who is your show for? Who is the dream audience?

Anyone who wants to enjoy themselves, switch off from the stresses of the outside world for a short time and just have fun! We do not discriminate!

 

What has been the most rewarding part of working on this production so far?

Having the creative freedom to use all my ideas and thoughts that I’ve been noting down over the years. I had always dreamt of making use of our funny encounters at gigs. I would wake up at 2 or 3 a.m. and start expanding on an idea that I had put into my notes and then I’d be up the whole night trying to create a scene from that or wonder how it would fit into an episode. 

 

As creatives, people don’t see the struggle or the hardship we endure – they only see the Instagram post announcing the show. I guess the most rewarding part of it all is knowing how frustrating the process can be before you get an option or commission. You can beat yourself up for not being on it 100% if the time but you don’t have to be. You don’t have to be motivated every single day. Even if you write one line or no lines that day, just still know you’re excited about what you’re creating, that there’s nothing like it and it stands alone in it’s place in this world. Be motivated, be frustrated but be present for when the opportunity arises. It’ll all be worth it.

 

Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow will be performed at 8pm in Assembly George Square Studios (Underground) from 2nd– 25th August (Not 7th, 13th or 20th )


 

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