Blog Archives
Initial Thoughts on Solo Improv: Day One of Training
This trip is made possible thanks to the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, a wonderful organisation which supports early career artists to pursue professional development opportunities, usually overseas. During my time here I shall be posting about some of my learnings in my private sessions with Gary Austin and Michael Pollock respectively.
Already this trip has surpassed my expectations.
The latest twist, discovered in my first session of private training with Gary Austin, is the potential of solo improv skills to be applied to scripted work.
I say a ‘twist’, because I thought I had my head pretty clearly around what solo improv was, which I realise already is not the case. Let me explain: I already do some solo improv, both within my stand-up and as a small portion of my one-woman show. However, I really wanted to come and expand my knowledge and skills in this area, specifically so I could be better at doing it (naturally) and expand my repertoire of what is possible in terms of using it onstage.
What I didn’t really even think about was how the skills of solo improvisation can be directly applied to text, to:
- keep a performance fresh (which, I’m already realising is going to be hugely helpful in terms of the future performance life of my full-length show);
- discover new possibilities (rather than getting stuck in one way of thinking about approaching the text); and
- connect unexpected emotions to pieces of text.
It’s difficult to put this into words! But Gary spent much of the first session going through a number of exercises with me – some physical some verbal – to this end, which are now officially my “drills!” I have to practice them for homework, with the idea being that after drilling it and drilling it, it will eventually become a habit.
He spoke to me about the work of people like Dean Martin (whose work we’re going to be looking at further in our time together) and his improvisational approach to his hit variety show, and, most specifically, the EASE with which he did everything.
And finding that, within solo improvisation (and solo scripted performance too, for that matter), is key. As Gary said to me:
“You need performing to be easy. And to do that, you need to work really hard.”
Here goes!
Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival: Episode 2
Wow. Just, wow. Had such a beautiful time tonight, I really wanna write more when it’s not almost 2 in the morning and I am not still crazy and buzzing.
But in short, lovely crowd, I enjoyed myself hugely and I think it went pretty well. Will have photos soon too so will pop some up!
In the meantime, here are a few random shots from my day.
P.S. Just want to say a huge (and by that I mean “very, very large) thank you to each of you who have taken the time to wish me luck, encourage me and/or cheer me on. You are part of this. I mean that. Thank you!!! Xxx
Improv Comedy Show this Friday!
Huzzah!
So exciting – after our wonderful, gumbally launch last November, (if you haven’t seen the video you can check it out here) we’re finally back again. With BYO alcohol (and friends) and $10 tix, this really is one of the cheapest nights out in Brisbania.
DETAILS:
This Friday 7th January at Tribal Theatre (old Dendy) 346 George St, City
“Guerilla Gumballs” up and coming talent show: 6.30pm $5
“Gumball Theatre” mainstage show: 8.00pm $10
BYO alcohol (corkage applies)
BRING 4 FRIENDS AND SCORE A FREE BOTTLE OF BUBBLY!*
*Must be booked via gumballtheatre@gmail.com by this Wednesday 5th to claim.
Huzzah! Hope to see you there lovely peeps. xx
My Top 10 Things from this year’s Woodford Folk Festival
OH MY WORD. I don’t even know where to start, so I’m instead opting for my go-to choice when I’m otherwise stumped: making a list.
In no particular order…
My Top 10 Things from this year’s Woodford
1. Katzenjammer. This Norwegian, all-girl band, resplendant with their amazing costumes and musical chairs style instrument swapping brought in the new year in the wonderful Parlour (my FAVE venue ever – aside from the on-site child-minding) and my heavens, they were so ridiculously amazing that my brain fell out of my head. Several times.
2. Playing keys onstage with Steady Eddy on the last night. Just prior to the final comedy show for the festival, Steady asked me to get up and do keys for him. After an initial “heck yeah!” I lost my nerve a bit and told him I thought it was probably best I sat it out as I’d never actually played blues on the keys before!
Him: “Come on! You have to!”
Me: “But man, I don’t want to stuff it up for you!”
Him: “Who CARES? It’s the last night!”
And so it was.
And it was awesome.
Two of my favourite people, Alan Glover & S Sorenson
3. Hanging out with the comedians. Onstage and off.
4. Being MEGA-inspired by cabaret stylings. I am so excited about moving into some whole other directions this year. AGGGGGGGH! Stay tuned.
5. Baskery: a Swedish all-sisters group that belted it out and rocked it up big-time. Tremendous.
My darling friend "Fairy Mary" and I
6. Auspicious bumpings into of countless friends and faces. So wonderful.
Ang practising with me prior to the gig
7. Improvising songs. This was definitely my personal highlight of my own performances – I did an improv song in every set, with my beautiful sister Ang doing the honours on the keys, leaving my mind free to wander randomly through the creative musings inspired by audience suggestions. I wish I’d RECORDED the damn things! Dang dang. Anyhoo, twas magic. I’m in love with musical improv all over again and very re-inspired to push it even further this year.
8. Surrendering to the mud. The entire week was a giant mud-pit, no doubt, but you know, they do immerse people in mud as a form of rejuvenation somewhere on this dear earth, don’t they? It certainly did the trick for me.
9. The children’s festival. They even included a late night cabaret this year (late, of course, being 7.30pm for the junior punters) and I am most inspired indeed to create something aimed at a kids audience for next year. Loverly.
10. Just the whole damn thing. It’s been twelve years since my first Woodford and I can honestly say that this year was my best ever. I went in feeling rather exhausted, a bit down on the whole performing thing and wondering about what I had been doing. I came out feeling like a new woman. Inspired. Motivated. Rejuvenated.
And just so damn ready to welcome 2011 with a fresh outlook and big warm muddy arms!
BRING ME WHAT YOU GOT, BABY!
Gumball Theatre: the official launch debrief (that’s NOT brief)
At the After-Party: me with the always-fabooshy fairy Mary and hubby Fritz!
Forgive me for taking a few days to recover from the insanity that was the lead-up to and happening of the Gumball Theatre launch.
Phew!
Seriously, at some point there it hit me that the only time I’ve put more effort into something was my wedding.
However the one thing about my wedding that disappointed, was how because I’d spent so much time, thought and effort on planning the whole shebang, when it came to actually experiencing the day, my managerial mind kind ruined it. You know, the part of your brain that’s interrupting your wedding with commentary like “We’re running behind!” and “Can everybody actually hear the music over these crashing waves?” and “Oh dear heavens, why is there an 80 year old man wearing Speedos walking through our wedding?” True story.
Anyhoo, point is, because I’d been so focused on managing the day, I fell dismally short of experiencing it.
So I was perhaps understandably concerned that I might meet a similar fate come this launch. i.e. that I’d be so consumed with the logistics that I wouldn’t actually enjoy it. Which you know, wouldn’t be the end of the world, except that where improvised comedy is concerned, if you’re not enjoying yourself onstage, then chances are, nobody else is either.
Enter a conversation with my 6-year-old.
“Mum?” he said, eyeing off the golden gumball machine we’d painted up for the show. “Can I have that?”
“Sorry honey,” I said. “That’s for Gumball Theatre.”
“Awwwww! But I want it. It’s awesome!”
“Sorry mate. We need it.”
“When you’ve finished the show can I have it?”
“We need it for all our other shows too, buddy.”
“Awwww,” he said. “When you’ve quit Gumball Theatre can I have it?”
“I’m never quitting Gumball Theatre.”
“Never?” he said.
“Never,” I said.
“You mean it will still be going when you’re an old lady?”
“Yep.”
“It will still be going when you’re dead?”
“I hope so!”
“Awwwwww.”
A pause. Then: “Can you make me another one then?”
I wish I could really communicate what that chat did to me. I’ll try.
Up to that point I’d been putting a ton of pressure on myself for the launch to be, well, you know, the BEST THING EVER. But after this conversation with my pint-sized Mister Miyagi, I realised something I hadn’t known before: just how committed I am to this in the long-term. I guess what I realised is that my vision for Gumball Theatre is a marathon, not a sprint.
Meaning that we’ve got a lot of time to build the company and the shows up to what we want them to be – the launch was exciting, absolutely, and I hoped it would rock, naturally, but was it the be all and end all in terms of marking our chances of success? Nup!
With the pressure off, I made up my mind just to focus on what I could control on the night: having fun.
And HOW.
Wow oh wow.
We had a beautiful, buzzy and up-for-it crowd and we had a blast. It was such a fun, silly, playful show – cream pies and all – followed by a rocking time hanging out at the after-party up the road. We got many awesome comments from folks in the audience, including many of the “we’re SO coming to the next one!” variety. So all in all, rock.
LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We already have pages of notes of stuff we want to make better for next time, but for our first show, I was completely and utterly stoked. (Seriously. It’s now four days later and I’m still on a high.)
I shall post proper show pics soon – and some video! Our official launch photographer is getting her stash sorted out and I will post more here the moment I get them in my hot little hands.
In the meantime, thanks for listening to me rabbit on about all things Gumball. This truly is a momentous chapter in my life, I know it already. I’m so completely and utterly pumped. Not just about the launch, but about the future.
Now excuse me while I brace my glutes for this long distance thang.
Dawg.
xxx
Creativity Carnival, The Courier Mail and other tid-bits
A bit more of my Halloween costume. I think I was a pirate Mummy.
Huzzah!
My innards are back in their proper place and thus able to just get that little bit fluttery excited to celebrate my inclusion in Musehunting’s Creativity Carnival. Go check it out, it’s suitably spiffy.
I’ve been asked to MC tonight at Albion Comedy Club – apparently it’s sold out so I’m really only mentioning it on here to share, rather than induce ticket-selling riots. But there you go.
In other news, had an interview this week with a lovely lady from The Courier Mail about the upcoming launch of my improv company Gumball Theatre. We spoke for over an hour, compared nerve damage injury stories and chatted all things comedy, improv and combinations thereof. Twas lovely. Will keep you posted once the article is published!
Also have some cool tid-bits in store as the launch gets closer (it’s Friday November 26th – you can find deets over here) so you know. Hats. Hold em. And all that.
Have a stupefyingly lovely weekend. xxx
Performance Poetry from NYC (kinda)
In light of our recent holiday and all the rest, I’m afraid I’m a bit behind on the video blogging this week. So as a consolation (mainly to myself!) I am posting this little oldie.
Even though it’s a while since I performed this one, I thought it was relevant to share with you now seeing as:
1) Short of cutting my own hair live in a shop window while chanting “We are the Champions” to a gospel choir of monkeys, lately I’ve really begun to get into this whole ”being an artist!” thang;
2) I have recently had the great fortune of stumbling across an entirely new breed of Comic Mummy reader – well, not a breed as such, I’m not saying you guys are animals in any way (but for heaven’s sake, do stop slobbering on my carpet, yes YOU!) – but anyhoo, point is, new people are here! HUZZAH! Most of whom, I’m assuming, haven’t seen me onstage before. If ever. Ever before. There you go.
3) This character is from New York (though her accent, as a well-travelled performance poet, might indicate otherwise), and I may, just may, have some very exciting soon-to-be-announced news to do with that…
In the meantime, kick back, have a suck on the nitrous and enjoy. xx
