Sammy J has gradually been building up a reputation as one of Melbourne’s best musical comedy acts. After winning the Best Newcomer award and our own Groggy Squirrel Subscriber’s Choice Award in 2006 for his debut solo show at MICF, he has blossomed into an all round performer. He has conquered a packed Spiegeltent, spread his wings to perform drama in The Comedians Theatre Company production of Breaker Morant at the Edinburgh Fringe and performed at the Butterfly Club along side a belligerent foul mouthed puppet called Randy. Now Sammy has teamed up with Randy’s creator Heath McIvor (Tyranasaurus Sex) to perform a musical, puppet-filled comedy festival show called ‘Sammy J in the Forrest of Dreams’. It is one of this year’s recipients of The Moosehead Awards and the show is being directed by Alan Brough. As a fan of puppetry, I spoke to Sammy about the show with some excitement and anticipation.
So how did you and Heath McIvor come to work together and how has it been to share all the stress with someone?
I met Heath when he was operating his filthy puppet Randy during the Wrong Night a few years ago – it was one of the funniest things I’d ever seen. We teamed up to do late night shows at the Butterfly Club and since then we’ve done a few seasons of those shows, which are always shambolic affairs. With those ones, we’d get together on a Friday afternoon and write a show in a few hours, whereas with this one we got together last year and have been chiselling away for about five months. The stress has been far outweighed by the good times. It’s great fun writing with someone who shares your sense of humour, and just as fun arguing with them when you disagree … It’s fair to say that every joke in this show has been through a very rigorous testing process.
Are you new to becoming a puppeteer? Have you done any professional courses or are you learning from Heath?
I am exceptionally new to it all. In the show, I’m mainly playing myself, but there are a few scenes that require extra characters so I step in occasionally. When we wrote the script I was thinking ‘Oh it’ll be fine, how hard can puppets be?’ ... Then I tried it, and my little chicken arm gave way after a few minutes. I have slowly worked up what appears to be a small muscle, which I am completely relying on in the coming months.
Do you think using puppets give you licence to get away with pushing boundaries, be it sexual or political?
It certainly gives you the option! Randy the puppet is known for his profanity-laced outbursts, although he doesn’t actually appear in this show, as we’ve had 14 new puppets built. Nevertheless, we’ve been quite careful to let people know that this is definitely not a show for children. Not that it’s a particularly offensive show at all, but there’s a fair bit of language and adult themes, and a few references to ass-rape.
Do you worry about the puppets taking over and stealing the glory?
If there’s glory to be had, and the puppets start to steal it, I’ll just be happy tagging along.
Who is your favourite Muppet?
Heath McIvor.
Tell us a bit more about this puppety musical extravaganza, does it have a plot or is it a bunch of songs & sketches seamlessly woven together on a theme?
There’s a storyline running right through it which is quite a change from my past shows, which have basically been collections of songs and jokes. There’s also no piano, because we pre-recorded all the music in a studio. The opening song, “Fuck You Disney”, talks about how I was misled by Disney films as a child, and expected the world to be magical. I then ironically get sucked into a magical portal and find myself in the Forest of Dreams, where creatures live in harmony picking berries for their King. There’s a very good chance that things then start going to shit, but I don’t want to spoil the show …
What was it like having Alan Brough as a director?
Alan has been fantastic in looking at the show as a whole and helping us find the right rhythms in each scene. Our show has fourteen puppets, thirty scenes, fifteen songs and a puppet revolution, so we definitely needed an outside eye to keep watch over us.
Do you think you may collaborate with Heath again in the future?
No. He owes me four dollars.
Sammy J In The Forest Of Dreams runs from March 20 to April 13. Visit the Comedy Festival Website for booking details.