Internationally acclaimed comedian Basile is returning to our shores next month with his brand new Greek Mystique show.
Courtesy of 1 To One Events Ltd, the hilarious Greek American will perform three shows at the Millfield Theatre in London; Sunday 5 March, 7pm, is now SOLD OUT, but a matinee performance has been added at 2pm, as well as an extra date, Saturday 4 March at 7pm, due to popular demand.
From the moment Basile takes the stage, the lunacy begins! Explosive, dynamic, and original, are just some of the words to describe his shows. From family situations involving his ethnic background to whatever is happening around the world, then throwing his characters and voices in the mix, they satisfy the young to the very old!
Both performances on Sunday feature a special guest appearance from the ultimate Elvis tribute artist, Mario Kombou, whilst Saturday’s show will include a comedy twist with award-winning comic Chris Marco K as star guest.
Parikiaki’s Andrea Georgiou got Basile on the phone whilst he was entertaining audiences onboard a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship, to chat about his London shows…

Basile, you’re one of the most sought after and diverse entertainers in the world. Tell us where it all began and what made you want to become a comedian.
I grew up in New York, Long Island to be exact. As a young child, I was that “pain in the ass” kid that everyone would cringe when they saw me coming to their home! Then for some odd reason, as I got a bit older, I started being funny, imitating my Yiayia, father, mother, aunts, uncles, teachers, coaches, you name it, no one was safe. I found that my comedic skills came in handy, especially when I was about to get my ass kicked in by the bullies, gangs and older kids who didn’t have the same sense of humour as I did.
Then in my mid-teens, I began my athletic career playing American football and wrestling, 7th grade through college. In college I got hurt and could no longer participate in athletics and got my degree in Political Science with a Foreign Affairs Major, along with a minor in International Economics. I worked in Washington DC as a Congressional Legislative Assistant for a Congresswoman on Capitol Hill, and worked at the Department of Defense, and then went to Law School (never graduated). That is when my comedy career REALLY took off!
So, after being that “pain in the ass” kid, to athlete, to student, to working on Capitol Hill for the US Government, to a failed Law student, I thought to myself, hey wait… why not comedy? I tried being a porn star, but I just didn’t measure up! LOL, so, it seemed that comedy was just perfect for me… And it was, thank God!

What is the hardest part about your job and what do you like the most?
Being on stage is fantastic, wherever it may be! England, Cyprus, (all of Europe) South Africa, Australia, North, Central & South America, the Caribbean, it just brings out the best in me, and I LOVE the ability to make people laugh in all my shows. May it be Greek, general audience, formal gatherings, corporate shows, cruise shows, it just keeps my creative juices running. I suppose it’s the excitement of the unknown and how people will react to it.
Now the hardest part is the travelling! Waking up with only a couple of hours of sleep, getting to the airport early, going through security and customs, flying to and from various cities and continents within a few days at a time can be somewhat overwhelming! However, it’s my craft and I love what I do. My mother would always tell me, “Love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life!” And you know what? She was right!

You were nominated for an EMMY for your work on ESPN’s “30 for 30” series segment, ‘The Legend of Jimmy the Greek’ – what was that like?
It’s like being told that your peers respect your work and think that it’s one of the best things they have either heard or seen. I take my work seriously and I’m proud of all the accomplishments that I have achieved. However, my GREATEST accomplishment is my family. I have two accomplished daughters whom I love with all my heart and a pain in the ass wife, who I love and can’t live without! That’s my greatest joy, success, and accomplishment in my life.

Are you excited about your shows in London?
YES! London is exciting, fun, and I love the people – Cypriot, Greek, English, whatever nationality they may be. The English have a certain charm to them that I simply adore. The women are sexy as hell and their English accents just make me crazy! The men have certain respectability and poshness. I wanted to finish my academic career studying International Law in London, but I never made it that far.
Performing back in London is like coming home for me. I have been treated with respect and love. So, give me some good old-fashioned Fish & Chips with the company of some sexy English Goddess’ and I’m a happy man!

It’s been a tough few years, what with the pandemic, so what can we expect from your new show?
Just about a whole new hour of material that ALL (Greek/Cypriot and non-Greek/Cypriot) will enjoy! I’ll cover everything from A-Z that we went through, especially during Covid. The hell we went through with the Covid Pandemic and the isolation we all faced was horrific at best! Many of us dealt with death, family isolation, depression, loss or work, the loss of businesses, for the kids… a loss of a couple of years of education, I could go on, but why? We need to break out of our worldwide funk, get on with and reclaim our lives as we once knew it, and boldly shake off that devastating time in ALL of our lives, and do it with a smile, a laugh and a spark in your ass and move on! We must all look at those past couple of years with strength and tenacity, look up to the skies and SCREAM OUT… COVID, KISS MY ASS! Then, you can go on with your life with all your loved ones who mean so much to you, and then thank God that you survived!

Mario Kombou and Chris Marco K will be joining you at the Millfield Theatre – what do you have planned?
I’m so happy that both of these great entertainers were available to work with me! I have seen Mario in person and developed a friendship with him. He’s the closest thing to Elvis, since… ELVIS!! The costume changes, the voice, mannerisms are simply impeccable. What an honour to share the stage with him, and who knows, perhaps a duelling Elvis or a duet with two Greek Elvis’s. You never know! For 2 BIG shows on Sunday March 5th, just exciting! The Sunday evening show is SOLD OUT, so get your tickets for the matinee at 2pm on the 5th!
Then to have the chance to work with Chris Marco K again… What can I say? When you share the stage with the “Kebab Connoisseur”, well my career is made! LOL! Chris is a very funny cat and I’m happy to share the stage with him once again! He does such a great job setting up the audience for me! He’s a good friend as well and I’m looking forward to seeing him again! Chris will be performing with me on Saturday night, March 4th.

Besides this tour what else is in the pipeline?
Wow! Where do I begin? Okay, I’m working on a book as we speak. It’s about my life, my family, my career and the positive spin that you need to have in life to be a successful, caring individual with philotimo in your heart. Life is sometime unfair, but you need to have the mental toughness to identify the issue, improvise, adapt and overcome any obstacle that comes before you that keeps you in check! It’s the US Marine Corp motto that I have personally adopted for years. And for God sake, keep negative people out of your life. Those negative people are the anchor that keep your life in a state of misery. That is what my book is about, trust me Andrea, you’ll know when it’s released!
I have also been working on two movie scripts that have been getting a lot of attention. I’ll let you know more about that when things get serious! The third thing is that sometime in late April of this year, my show that we have been working on for the past five years has finally been picked up by Amazon Prime and will air. The show is called “Basile”, and it’s based on both my Greek and non-Greek stand-up comedy show. I think you’ll LOVE the cast of the characters, and the show. So, stay tuned because there’s more to come!

Make sure you follow Basile on all social outlets – Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @BasileFans and check out his website at www.BasileLive.com

Tickets for all three shows at the Millfield Theatre, Silver Street, Edmonton N18 1PJ, are priced £25-£40 + booking fee and can be booked online at www.1ToOneEvents.co.uk and https://www.millfieldtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/ or call the Millfield Box Office on 0208 807 6680. Don’t miss the laughter!

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