The Groggy Squirrel

_Over three issues of The Groggy Squirrel, Claire Sinton brings you the inside scoop on Comedy Festival 2006’s Moosehead winners Richard McKenzie, Penny Tangey and Damian Callinan. This issue, Claire’s got the goss on Damian’s Spaznuts

Here’s a lesser known fact about Damian Callinan for you: Damian Callinan has Spaznuts, and that’s the theme he’s decided to run with for this year’s Comedy Festival.

As many comedy goers will be aware, Damian has compiled quite a history of stand-up and festival shows over the years, though this time around he’s been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a Moosehead award, alongside fellow recipients Penny Tangey and Richard McKenzie.

This year sees Damian’s second Moosehead awarded performance. His first was in 2000 for Out and About, a collaboration with Lawrence Mooney. “The show was about two guys who win a competition” he says, “and have to live in a house for a year without having outside contact… It was the year before Big Brother started, so clearly we were an inspiration to the 87 people who saw it”.

This year’s show, or its title at least, “generally leaves a blank expression until explained” says Damian. “Spaznuts is the nickname my partner gave me when she found out I was infertile”.

Damian Callinan has Spaznuts is described as “a series of flashbacks, storytelling and stand-up” set in a sperm delivery suite in a fertility clinic.

Performance-wise he’s gone the theatrical direction. “I wanted to raise the stakes and make it more accessible by bringing the audience into the story”. He imagines the audience will be “sitting in the waiting room and [being] handed specimen jars as they enter”.

With the requirements of a Moosehead awarded show to be “new”, “innovative” and “daring”, Damian explains how he’s complied with the criteria. “I suppose the subject matter would be perceived to be quite confronting to some. It’s also quite intimate and personally revealing…And daring ‘cos my public liability insurance has expired”.

The idea for Damian Callinan has Spaznuts came about following the completion of his Eureka Stocktake season at last years Comedy Festival, and he points out that the production of such shows can be quite a challenge. “I suppose having done it many times now, I know it will somehow all come together as long as you get yourself organised”, although the Moosehead grant provides relief. “It makes self-producing a lot easier both financially and by way of production assistance” he says. “There are many facets to putting on a show and it’s great to have some other people taking on some of the burden so you can concentrate on the creative aspects”. This year, the Comedy Channel has provided funding to support employment of a director for each Moosehead awarded show, a necessary element according to Damian. “It’s essential to have another set of eyes on your show, particularly if the show has a narrative or a structure of any kind. [The director sees] things you can’t see from the inside [and] helps you to create deadlines and stop daydreaming”.

Maintaining the theatrical element calls for a director outside of the stand-up circuit. “I chose [Aiden Fennessey] because I wanted someone more theatrically orientated…He’s already come up with some great ideas structurally and setting-wise…And he doesn’t even wear a beret”.