A GREGARIOUS Greenock grappler is ready to move from the mat to the mic as he takes on a new role on stage.

Popular wrestler Lucha DS is taking to the stage at the Beacon Arts Centre on April 27 in a Pure Laughs comedy showcase.

He has been honing his humour muscles in a series of on-stage events over the last few months and is now set to get masked up for the big Greenock gig. 

Lucha feels his performance will be a hit with the crowd, as it blends comedy and wrestling together. 

He told the Tele: "I feel like those two worlds are colliding. 

"They're both all about evoking emotion in a crowd and getting an audience to respond to you. 

"I wear my mask for the comedy which makes me stand out a bit. 

"The best bit about wearing the mask on stage is that if I'm rubbish, I can take the mask off after it and disappear into the crowd!"

Greenock Telegraph:
Lucha took part in an Ultra Comedy course back in November 2023. He enjoyed it so much that he signed up for an advanced stage presence course, where he learned about dealing with hecklers and coming up with topical material. 

Lucha landed a five-minute spot at a comedy showcase at the Royal Gourock Yacht Club in February which led to him being offered the Beacon gig. 

He then played two shows at iconic comedy venue Blackfriars in Glasgow at the end of February where he caught the attention of some big names in Scottish comedy. 

Lucha said: "I was booked to play one show and went along the night before just to watch.

"It ended up that the MC for the show I was watching couldn't make it, so he asked me to step in. 

"I was on and off the stage about 13 times over the course of the night, wearing a different mask every time. 

"When I went on stage the following night [Scot Squad star] Darren Connell was in the audience, and I spotted a few other big names in the crowd. 

"Darren came up to me afterwards and told me he really enjoyed my set and that he wants to get me involved in Blackfriars shows. 

"He even came down to Greenock to see me fight in the recent wrestling show in the town hall."

Lucha will take to the stage alongside Zara Gladman, Harun Musho'd, Gaynor Lochhead, Craig Wilson and Andy Hart at the Beacon gig. 

Greenock Telegraph:
He is inspired by the comedy of stars including Bill Burr, Tom Segura, Frankie Boyle, and Tom Stade. 

The grappler hopes he's making an impression on audiences with his stand-up and wants to keep people laughing with his original material. 

Lucha added: "I'm coming up with all my own stuff and it all seems to be landing really well. 

"I can do exactly the same set two nights running and it would land completely differently depending on the audience, the room, the microphone, and the person on stage before me. 

"After a wrestling match I  feel amazing but then I go into a horrible adrenaline dip on the Sunday. 

"With comedy, it's a different kind of buzz and I'm on a high for days afterwards."

To book visit www.beaconartscentre.co.uk or call 01475 723723.