Tag Archives: March 2009

Interview with Tim Minchin

tim-minchen-lisa1Tim Minchin is a comedian, actor, composer, songwriter, pianist, musical director and a self confessed Rock n Roll Nerd. He has sold out gigs at the Sydney Opera House, won awards at every major comedy festival including the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Just for Laughs Festival- Montreal and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he won the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer in 2005.

I was fortunate to meet him in Melbourne in 2007 when we performed at the Late Night Cabaret. Tim says we have a history, am not sure what that means, but am happy to interview him for his new Brisbane Comedy Festival show.- Lisa Lamb

When did you stop wearing shoes on stage?
Well I wore bare feet to uni because I was a bit of a hippie, then started doing comedy gigs at The Butterfly Club in Melbourne. I’d have a list of songs and things to talk about taped to my piano, have three glasses of wine, then take my shoes off to relax. So now I’m in the habit of not wearing them. When I do corperate gigs and wear shoes, it becomes a completely different show, much less relaxed. So much of comedy is about status, the piano is high status and wearing no shoes offsets that, making it low status. Which is good for comedy.
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Who Killed Amanda Palmer? An Interview with the Queen of Punk Cabaret

by Lisa Lamb
amanda palmer - photo by Lenka Sindelarova

[Related: Amanda Palmer @ The Tivoli, 1 March 2009 : Photo Gallery]

Amanda Palmer embarked on a rock star journey from the age of four when her mother sat her on her lap and taught her to play piano by ear. With no formal musical training and a strong interest in drama, she explored dark cabaret, gothic burlesque and surreal musical theatre as the lead singer of The Dresden Dolls. Then embarked on a solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, which pays homage to David Lynch (Twin Peaks) from a girl who doesn’t watch TV. She is a walking contradiction, part truth, part fiction and always entertaining. Her shows are not so much gigs as an experience and once the audience have the “experience” they are happy to spread the word.
 
 
Lisa: Amanda, you originally started out busking, doing street theatre and performing as a live statue, how did you start busking and has this influenced your later work?
Continue reading Who Killed Amanda Palmer? An Interview with the Queen of Punk Cabaret