Erin Davidson chats with Justin Hamilton about his new show ‘The Killing Joke’
Your groundbreaking series of shows in 2007, ‘Three Colours Hammo’ won the Festival Directors’ Award. Do you feel the pressure this year to live up to the high standards you’ve set for yourself?
I don’t know to be honest. I feel more of a pressure to keep myself motivated by doing work that I hope is interesting and different. There was a sense when writing this that maybe this would be the last show for me, that it was time to give away this stand up comedy thing. I guess it will be interesting to see how it is received as it comes from a very different place to the trilogy without hopefully losing whatever it is that makes up a “Justin Hamilton” show.
I saw a preview of your 2008 show ‘The Killing Joke’ and the constant fast-paced character switching demonstrates you’re breaking the mould and daring to do something different yet again. Do you plan on taking it easy next year or is the need to challenge yourself a driving force in your career?
Oh definitely. It is about improving as a writer, performer and comedian…that was the main impetus behind the Trilogy last year. What I have always loved about stand up is that it gets no respect in the media and from other art forms but that therefore means we have no aesthetic criteria as to what a show can and can’t be. I have two shows on the back burner that were nearly the shows for this year, a very nasty story about a bad person and a sci-fi show. All my influences are from other mediums… if I could make something as magical as a Michel Gondry style stand up show that would make me very happy. We will have to see what happens at the end of the festival and if I continue with stand up for the foreseeable future.
Your shows are often quite moving but I believe you always manage to find the right balance of humour and emotion. Do you always feel a need for your shows to have a message and affect your audience and if so, why?
Not so much a message, I have no intention of proselytizing in any way but I like putting in what I would refer to as Easter Eggs in my shows. As an example the third show in the trilogy last year finished with music that directly referred back to an off hand conversation at the beginning of the second… if people pick up on it that is great, if they don’t then no worries. What I do feel is that when you get to do a show it is the only time you ever really get to do exactly what you want. With your show though you can create whatever you want. My only rule is no matter how surreal, sad, angry etc you want to be just make certain it is funny because you’re a comedian. I find it amazing the amount of comedians who forget that.
As a little side note: I think there is nothing wrong with a show that just makes you laugh… they are just as difficult to write as any other shows. There is a certain snobbery around Melbourne in the media and other comedians who look down on that stuff… I have just as much fun at a Kitson show as I do a Wil Anderson show, they are just different types of laughs and fun… and we should embrace that wholeheartedly.
What can the punters look forward to in your 2008 show?
A very dark tale, quite existential really. It came from a moment of panic… a burnt out moment (I haven’t had a holiday in quite a number of years) and it took over all other work for quite awhile. I didn’t want this to be chapter four to the trilogy… if the Trilogy was a big romantic journey this is the closest I have ever gotten to a noir like feel. And the ending is a very black joke… it is my last statement on comedians and if it is the last show could be a very funny way of saying “Ciao”. If I continue though it might be interesting to take it further next year… let’s wait and see.
...and what do you hope they will take away with them?
That they enjoyed it. Anything else is their’s and their’s alone.
I read in one of your MySpace blogs about the day you were inspired to start writing ‘Three Colours Hammo’. Was there a similar moment you decided to write ‘The Killing Joke’ that you can describe?
Definitely but I am reluctant to tell you just yet as it is what drives the piece. Anyone reading this can grab me after the show and I will be more than happy to bore them with this tasty tidbit.
‘Justin Hamilton – The Killing Joke’ is at The Melbourne Town Hall from 20th March – 13th April. Click here for full booking details