The Sun UK Fabulous Magazine: 24 Hours with Darcy Oake
29/10/2019i get up super-early. The latest I’ll wake up is 6.30am, even when
I don’t have to. I’ll lie in for 20 minutes checking emails, then
procrastinate for another 10 before jumping up. While I’m in the UK
I rent a flat in London, but I have a flat back home in Canada, too. If
I’m there I’ll take my labradoodle Humphrey for a quick morning walk,
but when I’m on tour I’ll spend the whole day preparing for the show
that night. I’m a massive coffee drinker – I’m still drinking it well after
midday – and for breakfast I’ll have three eggs on toast, sometimes
with rice. I live alone and eat like a caveman.
i practise tricks in my warehouse in canada. Humphrey will come
with me and I’ll spend the day working on material with two other
guys who give me a second opinion. I love the immediate response
I get from performing. There’s so much time and effort that goes into
creating material and I can tell right away whether people like it or not.
I don’t have to wait around to know.
the afternoon before a show is pretty low-key. I’m often playing
out the whole thing in my head, thinking about the different situations
and material. I’m constantly going over every aspect of the
performance. I don’t eat very much before I go on stage, but I’ll pick
at a few things here and there. The guys on tour with me laugh at my
eating habits and say I have the diet of a five year old. I like very plain
things – I love a good cheese pizza and chicken fingers. Although I
don’t like going on stage feeling groggy or with a full stomach.
i can get ready and be out the door in two minutes. I wash and
brush my teeth and I’m gone. I require nothing! When it comes to
clothes, if I find something I like, I’ll buy 50. I’ve recently bought a
T-shirt that fits me really well, so I’ve ordered crates of them to wear.
my most dangerous stunts are limited to certain shows. Whenever
we plan a dangerous trick it takes a toll on my emotions and stress
levels. I spend the whole day with it in the back of my mind, knowing
I have to do it that night, so I don’t perform them on every show.
Beforehand, we get everyone on the team and behind the scenes
together feeling happy and excited.
most of the time i feel amazing post-show. The other 1% of the
time is usually because of something minor. I think about what could
be better, but I try not to dwell on it. I’ll have a bite to eat and crack
open a cold beer or a cider. I like to go out with my team to celebrate
after and it usually ends up being a late one. When we get back
we’ll have a nightcap in one of our hotel rooms. I’m usually the last
man standing. 10.27.19
l Darcy will tour the UK from March 2020. Visit Darcyoake.com.
Be sure to subscribe to the new mailing list for upcoming tour announcements: https://darcyoake.com