Mezza asked: What is your improv philosophy?
Wow, good question! Um…hmmm. It’s constantly evolving, I think. Like when I started it was just ‘Who cares whether the audience thinks I’m an idiot? Tomorrow morning I’ll be wiping asses and cleaning up baby spew, so let’s just have fun!’ whereas now it’s more ‘Who care whether the audience thinks I’m an idiot? Tomorrow morning I’ll be making lunches and getting prepped for pre-school, so let’s just have fun!’
Okay, I kid. (A little).
At the moment I’m reading this fantastic book called The Art of Comedy by Paul Ryan, which talks about achieving ‘comedic freedom’, which is something I’m really focused on right now. It’s probably better in his words: “…being able to use your mind and body without any constraints or inhibitions. Comedy freedom is a state of mind that allows you to be funny without any limits. Something takes over your mind and body, and you enter into a natural state of flow. You stop analyzing what you are doing and worrying about what other people are thinking. Many sides of your brain are working at the same time – all in the service of your comedy.”
The other part of my philosophy right now is based on keeping it real. i.e. Not trying to be funny, but just staying focused on the reality of the situation. There’s a terrific story Jamie Dawson from Qld Theatre Company told me years and years ago, about a young actor playing in a production with Laurence Olivier. Night after night, the young actor’s line where he would ask for a cup of tea would arouse a massive eruption of laughter from the audience. Then suddenly, a few weeks into the run and seemingly with no reason, the laughs stopped coming.
The bewildered young actor turned to Olivier for advice. “I don’t understand!” he said. “Every night that got a laugh and now, nothing!”
Oliver turned to him and replied: “That’s because you used to ask for a cup of tea. Now you ask for a laugh.”
I love that.
Not sure if it answers the question, but I love that.
***
Then, dear Lou proved herself to be the Shanghai-aboding Oprah:
1. Favourite potato chips flavour.
Barbecue. Though given the choice, good old corn chips are my fave.
2. Most stupid thing you regret doing.
Dyeing my hair black, then back to blonde, which wasn’t blonde but in fact patchy orange/blonde/insert foul rust-coloured colour here. Actually, remembering that has made me realize how much of a mistake it really was – given that I’ve been contemplating going brunette lately, I think you’ve helped me make my decision. Ta!
Oh and accidentally getting so written off on my final night of university that I got sent home in a cab by 7.30 and missed out on saying a final goodbye to EVERYBODY.
3. Most stupid thing you DON'T regret doing.
Getting unexpectedly up the duff.
4. Pan or thin crust Pizza?
Thin. With barbecue sauce.
5. If you could chose one song- and only one- to be the soundtrack to your life, what would it be?
While the Muppet anthem and the theme tune from Punky Brewster are up there, it has to be One Night in Bangkok. While I can’t explain it, something about those beats and those chords, ALWAYS gets me pumped. (Don’t tell anybody but one of my greatest dreams is to perform my parody of it at some massive awards show. Why they’d want a song on childbirth doing the honours, I have no idea, but viva la fantasy! But please...that's just between us.)
6. If you can arrange it, what will be your last dying words?
"And they said taking an elephant sky-diving was dangerous.”
7. Who would play you in the movie about your life?
Oh boy. It would have to be someone with such incredible range, to go from the riveting highs of world domination to the blistering lows of writhing in a gutter singing ‘All by myself’…
That is a toughie. Okay: Goldie Hawn. Though there are some logistical issues there, from the fact that she’d be well over 90 by the time I’m even possibly approaching biography worthy, to the fact we have rather different boobies. But this is ideal-world where we frolick, is it not?
8. Tell us about your most embarrassing moment.
Well, it has to do with the birthing process and I'm pretty sure nobody here really wants me to go there.
How bout this then? Performing One Night in Labour a couple of years ago at Melbourne Comedy Fest, in front of an 8-person crowd, 7 of whom were pensioners. Not only did I do my pensioner joke but I then launched into my childbirth song – as I was reenacting the journey down the birth canal: DEAD SILENCE. I realized at that exact moment the value of a) tailoring your material for your audience and b) laughing through pain. I just giggled through the rest of the song.
9. Top ten most valuable things you've learned as a mother.
1. Hi-Five sucks.
2. At the end of your life, all your dreams and goals – however fabulous - may have forgotten about you, but your family, friends and loved ones are the ones who’ll be there to buy you a new walker. So invest wisely.
3. People with immaculate houses have dull lives. (Actually, I haven't learned that so much as read it on a fridge magnet somewhere and okay, I actually know people with immaculate houses who are quite rocking, but…it’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.)
4. No matter how many books you read, how many women you talk to or how many comedy songs on the subject you see performed…NOTHING can prepare you for childbirth.
5. Time goes way too fast and is more precious than the Ring to rule them all.
6. Being productive isn’t the best way to spend all of your time. There ain't no outcome to cuddles, but doesn't mean they're not delicious as choccie mousse. Which is my favourite ever food by the way. Not that you asked...
7. That said, when you do need to be productive, having kids is massively motivating - cos you have no time to waste!
8. It really doesn’t matter what anybody else in the world thinks of me, my kids think I’m the most hilarious, comedy gold-mining, fabulous person on the planet.
9. You need to pick your battles.
10. If you’re pregnant with your second, while your first has a nasty habit of running out onto the road and you are so overloaded that you can’t catch her? Do get a fence.
10. Who are your favourite bloggers.... (Of course you have to say me....heheh) no, seriously- recommend some reading for us.
They’re all pretty much on my links bar already. But of particular note right now the ones I dig very muchly are:
- GirlClumsy
- Me Myself Eye
- Rockstar Mommy
- And you. Of course!
- I’m also ashamed to admit I’m kinda hooked on gossip blogs. Oh the shame. But in my defence, they are great comedic fodder.
And finally, RN Buffoon asked:
How about " Tell us all about the day/night you met you hubby Tim?"
Well, I think this blog entry is quite long enough. So...stay tuned! How bout a sexy visual teaser for you in the meantime?
HAWT.
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