Darwin Fringe Festival – Librarian Idol
Andrew Finegan has performing in one form or another for several years. He explained that “I’ve been performing since high school, but my love of the limelight didn’t really come through until I was a student at Melbourne Uni. I was one of those guys who took seven years to graduate from an arts degree, because I kept doing shows, and dropping subjects because I was too busy with rehearsals. However, this is always a direction that I’ve wanted to take my performance to, but had never really had the time or inspiration to right more than the odd parody performed drunkenly at band camp.”
“However, I moved up to Darwin last year to pursue my career as a librarian, and it’s the kind of place where you need to make your own fun. I very quickly hooked up with a group that ran semi-regular comedy nights, and I started writing and performing at gigs. People liked it, so that was encouraging, and I think it’s that quirky combination of using my profession as a librarian, as well as a very “Melbourne” musical sound of pop-inspired piano cabaret that is, well, very different in a place like Darwin.”
Andrew is now unleashing a Fringe show on the people of Darwin, Librarian Idol. “Normally, I’d describe it as “Library Cabaret”, but that probably conjures up images of semi-naked elderly women with nipple tassels and their hair in a bun…[It] looks at the “fall from grace” that the librarian profession has suffered in the last 50 years or so, and my frustrations that I encounter when dealing with misconceptions about the profession. So this show is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek effort to elevate librarians back to an “Idol” status – even if it means auditioning for reality tv pop song contests. Which I did. I’m not looking forward to that, actually – whilst I did alright, I didn’t get through, which means that they’ll probably take the worst bits and make me look like a tool on national television.”
With Librarian Idol being his debut Fringe show Andrew has found the process a “learning experience. I’m still relatively a newbie in Darwin, so I’ve had my share of challenges in terms of getting contacts and building a local network. However, it’s a very small-scale show, in an intimate venue with minimal technical requirements, which means I’ve been able to focus a lot more on the performance. The local media has also been very supportive with publicity, which has helped spread the word about the show. It seems to be attracting a LOT of local interest…so now the pressure’s on to deliver the goods.”
When posed with the question “What came first – Music or Comedy?”, Andrew explained “I don’t like to refer to myself as a comedian, because I’m not all that convinced that I’m really that funny. I can be clever, and cynical, and sometimes just downright stupid, but funny – not so much. To be honest, it’s probably more about the music, where I often try to emulate styles of pop music and show tunes. I’m no piano virtuoso, though. I think that in the end, there’s an idea, whether it’s a political issue or a personal romantic frustration, or whatever, and I use a combination of music or humour to express that.”
If the Darwin season of Librarian Idol goes well, Andrew is planning on taking the show to other cities. “I’d love to take it to the Adelaide Fringe next year. However, thinking more practically, there’s a nice space in the Melbourne City library, which has a piano, and is being used as an occasional performance space, so I’m looking into that for a one-off show later this year. At any rate, I’ve been treating my time in Darwin as more of a sabbatical where I can get my shit together, and it’s been quite an experience. But hopefully by this time next year, I’ll be back in the big city somewhere, and getting a bit more exposure.”
Librarian Idol runs 6th-7th and 12th-14th July at the Darwin City Library Theatrette (Harry Chan Ave, Darwin). The show starts at 6:30pm (1:30pm for the matinee on the 14th) and tickets are available on the door for $8. Visit the “Darwin Fringe website”:http://www.darwinfringe.com.au for full details. Become friendly with Andrew at his “MySpace page.”:http://myspace.com/andrewthelibrarian