Shay Mace
Raj Poojara says he grew up in a Ugandan-Indian household where career advice was less follow your dreams and more don’t embarrass the family. His upcoming Edinburgh Festival Fringe stand-up hour Dice explores what happens when life feels pre-rolled. From identity confusion and hyper-competitive cousins to navigating respectable career paths and cultural expectation, there was plenty to catch up about when we pulled Raj aside for a pixelated pint.
You can catch Raj Poojara: Dice at Bunker Three at Pleasance Courtyard from 16:35 (60mins) on August 6–16 & 18–30. Tickets are Available Through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Raj, tell us about Dice and why you have decided to bring this to the stage now?
Raj: Dice is a stand-up show about the decisions that shape our lives—and all the people who think they know which ones you should make. Through stories about family, identity, dating and growing up in a British Indian household, I look at what happens when the life you’re expected to live doesn’t quite match the one you imagined.
I’ve wanted to bring this show to Edinburgh for a long time, and this finally felt like the right moment. It feels like the biggest thing I’ve ever taken on, which makes it the perfect time to tell a story about taking chances.
Shay: Tell us about your process for putting together this hour – what do you do to get yourself motivated and what challenges have you found with this material?
Raj: I’m a bit obsessive with structure. I’ll happily rewrite the same section twenty times if it makes the show flow better. I’ve probably spent as much time moving jokes around as I have writing them. The biggest challenge has been making sure Dice still feels like stand-up first. If people leave having laughed for an hour and only realise on the walk home that the stories all fit together, then I’ve done my job.
Shay: Tell us about your comedy icons – who are they, and how have they influenced your work?
Raj: I’ve always admired comedians who can make you laugh while taking you somewhere unexpected. Hasan Minhaj’s storytelling showed me how an hour can have a narrative without sacrificing laughs, and Bill Burr has an incredible ability to challenge an audience while still keeping them onside. I also love comics like Josh Johnson, who can take something that feels personal or ordinary and make it feel universal through great writing.
More than anything, they’ve influenced me to trust my own experiences. With Dice, I wanted to create an hour that feels like stand-up first and foremost, but one that leaves people thinking about it long after they’ve left the room.
Shay: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Raj: I go to the toilet… even if I don’t need it. At this point it’s less about biology and more about tradition. Then I tell myself, “You’ve got this.” My anxiety usually replies, “We’ll see.”
Shay: Has/will the show be performed anywhere ahead of EdFringe?
Raj: Absolutely. I think the best Fringe shows are built in front of audiences, not in a notebook. Dice has already had work-in-progress outings in Bristol, London and at Machynlleth Comedy Festival, and I’m continuing to preview it in Leeds, Manchester and more London shows before August. Every preview has changed the show in some way, and that’s been one of the most enjoyable parts of the process.
Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Raj: Honestly? I’m excited to spend a month where sleeping in student halls at 37 is considered a career move rather than something my family need to stage an intervention for.
Shay: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Raj: A cup of chai. It’s warm, familiar and brings people together. Everyone makes it slightly differently, but everyone thinks their family’s version is the right one. That’s a bit like Dice—it’s my story, but I’m hoping people will recognise a bit of their own family in it too.
A reminder, you can catch Raj Poojara: Dice at Bunker Three at Pleasance Courtyard from 16:35 (60mins) on August 6–16 & 18–30. Tickets are Available Through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Spencer Waldner
Margaret Curry
