Take Five With… Felicity Ward

– Pepa Wolfe
Take Five With… Felicity Ward

Felicity Ward is very honest. Painfully, brilliantly, hilariously honest.

Familiar to television audiences from her work on The Ronny Johns Half Hour and regular guest spots on the ABC’s Spicks and Specks and Channel 7’s Thank God You’re Here, the comedian is about to bring her self-depreciating, disarmingly charming self to Brisbane in her new show, Honestly.

Writing from Hong Kong, where she is currently touring with the Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow, Ward gave Life Music Media a brief taste of what is to come.

Tell us a bit about your current show Honestly.
It started out as “if we were all more honest with each other we’d all feel less alone”…by the time it hit the stage, it just turned out to be jokes, peppered with autotune & food puns. It’s the journey not the destination right?

How do audiences react to such honesty?
Most people laugh with the “glad it’s not me” approach.

Do you see yourself as a writer, actress or comedian primarily?
A comedian. If I were an actress, I’d still be making coffees.

Has touring internationally inspired or changed your material at all?
Definitely! When you have a finite amount of time to impress a new audience all those details that you think are imperative all of a sudden merely become an obstacle to getting more laughs, so they get dropped like a hint.

:: Who is your favourite comedian? ::
I have a couple. Maria Bamford, Daniel Kitson and at the moment I’m touring with, and learning HEAPS from Tom Gleeson. An awesome professional.

:: Where do you find inspiration? ::
Anywhere I can. At the moment my inability to work a bathmat at a fancy hotel.

:: What is your favourite type of heckler? ::
The heckler that is happy to have the piss taken but doesn’t assume s/he’s making the show better by acting like a dickhead. It’s a common misconception.

:: What is the most memorable production or performance you have seen – something that really inspired you? ::
A show called De La Guarda. It was an Argentinian physical theatre piece. I know, sounds weird, but it involved drums & aerial acrobatics & finished with a massive shower over the audience. Awesome.

:: Name a comic that you’d really love to support / tour with ::
Maria Bamford, Daniel Kitson, Tom Gleeson

:: Favourite recording artist? ::
What’s yours? How can you choose? Maybe the Pixies?

:: Favourite album? ::
Radiohead’s – OK Computer. I think. I don’t know…the best of Phil Collins? I’m panicking.
Help!

:: Favourite food? ::
I am mad for a big, dirty burger.

:: Favourite drink? ::
Bundaberg’s Ginger Beer (not just saying that because I’m coming to QLD)

:: Favourite place? ::
Box Head-Bouddi National Park. (Am definitely saying that because I grew up there)

:: Favourite season? ::
Summer. Yup, even the sweat moustaches.

:: Recommend a book ::
Tom Robbins – Jitterbug Perfume.

:: Recommend a film ::
Catfish or Bridesmaids: the two best films I’ve seen this year.

:: Words of wisdom ::
…from Dr Seuss: Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

What’s next for Felicity Ward?
Hopefully heaps of money & happiness & creative satisfaction & achievement without much effort involved. But more likely, some exciting new stage shows for next year brewing in the cauldron & a tv show that I’ve been wanting the time to write for ages. THE TIME IS NOW!

Felicity Ward plays the Sit Down Comedy Club from August 4 – 6, supported by James “Cad” O’Connell and Matt Marr, with Paul Brasch as MC.

– Pepa Wolfe