Published on February 29th, 2016 | by Admin
MICHELLE BRASIER INTERVIEW (SPACE TORTOISE MICF 2016)
Welcome to Impulse Gamer Michelle! So how excited are you to perform your debut solo act at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for 2016?
Super excited! This is my first solo comedy festival in Melbourne – I did the show last year at Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh and had the best fun so I’m pretty keen to show Melbourne and my mum.
I need to ask… what is a space tortoise?
A tortoise who works in retail but who desperately wants to go to be an astronaut. There’s a wee space tortoise in all of us.
Can you tell us a little about your new comedic act Space Tortoise and what we may expect?
Space Tortoise is sweet and rude and if you’re not careful, it’ll warm your heart a wee bit. Also, you might actually wee a bit.
How much of your own life is injected into your new comedy?
A little bit. Eric, the space tortoise, works in retail and I wrote the show working in a shitty retail store. The character is all the best bits of me but larger. And a tortoise.
What’s it like collaborating with Shanon D. Whitelock and how did you practice your new show?
Shanon is incredible. He’s one of those musicians who just sits down at any instrument and makes it look like anyone could do it. He’s also proper sassy which I value.
For people sitting in the front row, should they be scared?
Yes. But only of falling in love. Or if they aren’t wearing protection.
Next time we’re walking through a department store, can you let me know how to spot a space tortoise?
Near the Breville appliances. Every time.
How do you deal with Hecklers and have you ever heckled?
I have never really been heckled – I’ve been lucky! I think if I got a real heckler I would probably kiss them hard on the mouth and yell THAT’S WHAT YOU GET – NOW I’M PREGNANT! BOOM! Probably.
Okay so what drew you to comedy?
I grew up planted firmly in front of the comedy channel. I’ve been a singer since I was really young and I always loved musical comedy. South Park Bigger Longer and Uncut is my favourite musical. And music theatre is my other job so that’s saying something.
Growing up, who were some of the comedians or comedic films that inspired you?
I was always enamoured with the musicians the most. Tim Minchin, Tripod, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, DAAS and Good News Week. South Park was my main squeeze.
Can you turn these three things into a joke … John Snow, a camel and a mobile phone?
I legitimately went to wikihow to make a joke for this. The answer is no. I’ll hand in my badge in the morning.
Apart from your own awesome act, who else are you looking forward to see at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this year?
Anne Edmonds, Geraldine Hickey, Demi Lardner, Gill Cosgriff, Penny Greenhalgh, Aunty Donna, Stuart Bowden Tom Ballard, Josh Ladgrove, Tessa Waters, Geraldine Quinn, DAAS, Susie Youssef. Tonnes more. All of the shows.
ALL OF THEM.
Also I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of the guy who runs Shanghai Village Dumplings. A lot of that guy!
Want to see more of Michelle’s amazing comedy? Check her out at http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2016/season/shows/space-tortoise-michelle-brasier and don’t forget to follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/michellebrasier