This is your second MICF. Last year you debuted your first full length show in Melbourne. How did you find the experince? How has you preparation for this follow up show differ from the first?
Last years’ experience was great. I had never even done a solo show before or even been on stage for an hour – ever! No previews, or anything like that. I just decided to wing it. So, it was literally sink or swim while I’m here at the festival. Perhaps a better expression then would be, ‘deicided to “fin it”? Then again penguins swim and have wings, I suppose. Well, wings modified as flippers, actually. So, not fins at all. What am I talking about? Back to the question at hand. So, it took a couple of shows to get used to it, but then I was flying, or, er, swimming. Damn, here we go again….
In your press release you touch on such very Australian themes such as Redback Spiders and AFL Footy. Hailing from the UK, as you do, what qulifies you take on these themes? Do you see Aussie audiences accepting a Brit discussing our icons?
Well, they did last year. They had to! I talked alot about Aussie wildlife and especially spiders. As for what qualifies me, well, all the Aussies that come over the to the UK keep blabbing on and on about their spiders and snakes and sharks and all the other dangerous Australian creatures, so prior to my first trip here 3 years ago, I decided to do some research. You know, to be fore-warned is to be fore-armed and all that. Or 8-legged, whatever. You get what I mean.
Anyway,, when I started to talk about spiders and stuff, on and off stage, it became apparent to me that so many Aussies – in the UK and here, actually know very little. I challenged Aussies in my show many times about their knowledge and won pretty much everytime!
I also know a VERY interesting fact about AFL that not alot of Melbournites do too. If they come to my show, they will be educated and perhaps a little bit shocked by my revelation!
You’ve toured extensively throughout Europe and in Australia and New Zealand. How do these intercontinental audiences differ?
The Aussies and Kiwis are fantastic audiences. Dont get me wrong, the Brits and Europeans are too, but I really enjoy the banter and piss-taking over here. Initially, I thought that Aussies and Kiwis wouldn’t stand for a Brit coming to their countries (well the countries that The Queen owns) and have the piss taken out of them on their home turf, but they are so cool about it and we can just bag each other about stuff and have a great laugh while we do it.
Most gigs in continental Europe have been to tourists and ex-pats, but I have done a number of gigs in Berlin to German-speaking audiences and they went great. The Germans speak great English, so you just have to slow things down a bit and wait for them to translate what you’re saying in their heads. You also have to try not to use slang terms or too much clever wordplay or puns and its all good. Contrary to popular belief, they do have a bit of a sense of humour in Germany, but dont tell them that, or the game will be up!
What can audiences expect from Redblack?
Well, first of all, they can expect it to be spelled ‘Redblak’.
Sorry, but actually I’m kinda glad that you spelt it wrong, so now I can explain. I dropped the’c’ because I have dropped the ‘c’ in my christian name – people often get that wrong too!
Also, because my publicist, Sharon….oh, yes, I was meant to explain that that is another thing different in my preparation this year. Last year I was on a really tight budget, so PR was pretty thin on the ground. I didn’t even have decent flyers and posters until a week into the festival proper! But that was cool, because as I had never done an hour before anywhere, ever, I wanted to make sure I had a ‘product’ worth selling before I started to put alot of publicity out there.
So, yes, Sharon is doing PR for me this year. She’s done a great job so far. She was also influential in deciding to drop the ‘c’. It was kinda my idea and she said to definitely do it because your famous racehorse ‘Phar Lap’ was apparently spelt thus, because it was believed that seven (the amount of letters in ‘Redblak’ and ‘Phar Lap’) would be lucky. We shall see, eh?
As for the actual show, it will be very interactive and full of banter, anecdotes as well as some unusual and interesting facts. Oh, and the occasioal ‘joke’ will be thrown in for good measure too. Well hey, it is a ‘comedy’ festival after all!
For booking details go to Redblak