It’s a special thing whenever Kenice Mobley has the chance to make her way back to Boston to do stand-up, as the smart comedy audiences of the city help her know if she’s on the right track with her material. It just so happens that her latest trip to the city also happens to harbor her heaviest subject matter yet, so this time around is even more special.
With her new one-woman show Don’t Kill Yourself Yet, which she brings to The Rockwell tonight (December 8), the Boston University alum is diving deep into some of the darkest points in her life as she brings her audience through her lifelong battle with depression and the measures she’s taken to work through it, as well as her more recent experiences with suffering a stroke in 2022.
But even as the subject matter might leave little room for humor on paper, Mobley approaches the central theme with the same honesty and well-crafted comedic passion that she’s become known for, because as she sees it, making jokes is the only way she can really Wade through her feelings and figure things out.
“It’s been super cathartic. Last year, I also had a stroke, so the show is also about me dealing with how I always thought about ending things, and then my body tried to end it without me,” Mobley tells Vanyaland. “So, talking about this and sharing my experience has been really cathartic, and it’s also been great because talking about it on stage has helped me connect with other people who have experienced the same thing. Being able to talk about our struggles has made me feel less, for lack of a better word, crazy. It’s like, it stinks that this thing happened, but there’s also a whole community of people that have gone through this that can help me, and help me realize how my life is pretty good.”
While she cites the ability to joke about her struggles as a saving grace, she also found a cathartic experience in the physical act of being able to get on stage after her stroke, and still maintain the ability to recall material instead of having to virtually start from scratch to relearn her craft.
Among the many aspects that make this opportunity such a milestone moment for Mobley, getting the chance to perform at The Rockwell, alongside a top-tier talent like Tooky Kavanagh no less, is truly a multi-faceted gift for Mobley.
“[The Rockwell] has that intimacy where you’re close, but not too close, and people can reslly see and hear you, and that’s why I was so excited about coming to Boston to do this,” says Mobley. “When I was thinking about where to do it, there really wasn’t anywhere that I thought of. I didn’t reach out to any other venue, because The Rockwell was pretty much the only place I wanted to do this.”
Since leaving Boston for New York City, Mobley has certainly bulked up her creative vision, thanks to the myriad of avenues that have offered her opportunities to see so many different types of performances and expand her creative perspective. But at the very core of her comedic engine is the lasting impression and support that Boston gave her while she was here, and to take the stage for those who helped her early on is an exciting moment for Mobley.
“I’m so happy that I developed there, started comedy there, and lived there among smart people who liked to talk about ideas, and I think that has affected my comedy,” says Mobley. “[Boston] has really been a part of my comedy, and I hope that never changes.”
Of course, as she makes her way back to the site of her comedy roots, Mobley is looking forward to revisiting some of her favorite pastimes around town, like getting tea at Mr. Crepe in Davis Square. Beyond the nostalgic factor, though, Mobley is just looking forward to offering a fresher, deeper layer of her comedic and creative approach, and to be able to do it in front of the people who helped her grow from a shy kid from North Carolina into an adventurous and curious comedian in the bustling Boston scene means the world to her.
“It really took living in Boston to come out of my shell and get to know people, and make some friendships that I’m lucky to still have. So, I’m really excited to have those people see this show,” says Mobley. “One of my friends told me it’s the best thing I’ve ever written, as well as the most honest, truthful and exposing thing I’ve ever done on stage. It’s me being the version of myself that they know, and they’re rooting me on to share it with other people. So, to be back in Boston with the people that were there as I developed into who I am today, I’m very excited for them to see it.”
KENICE MOBLEY + TOOKY KAVANAGH :: Friday, December 8 at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St. in Somerville, MA :: 6:30 p.m., 21-plus, $20 :: Advance tickets