NEWS

Features & Interviews

_The Accidental Comedian

An accomplished musician, composer and actor, pianist Tim Minchin's move into comedy was something of an accident.

"I fell into this style of show by wanting to do everything but not firing in all areas," the Aussie all-rounder confesses. "I play an instrument, write songs, have a fey satirical bone, but wasn't sure which I was best at so this is my way of showing off. My single skill is multiplicity!"

He looks like he's '80s rockers The Cure, could be described as a Goth Noel Coward, can write a lilting song that'd make Coldplay weep, zips from jazz to rock with ease and still drops in gags and observational material... which all makes Minchin a difficult act to pin down.

"It's more like a gig that a stand-up comedy show," he says of his latest tour. "My chat isn't aimed at getting six laughs a minute, it's aimed at creating a foundation for the songs. To be honest it's a cabaret show, although I try not to use that word as it makes me sound like an out of work actor from Miss Saigon. I'm always trying to think up descriptions … it's Black Comic Cabaret!"

Among the subjects tackled by Minchin are "the minutiae of life," religion and his own inadequacies and frustrations.

"I take the p*** out of myself as a wannbe rock star, but I don't take drugs, I'm not interested in groupies, I took piano lessons and go jogging."

And while his career has taken off significantly since winning the Perrier Best Newcomer at Edinburgh in 2005, he confesses he's increasingly eager to take some time off.

"I've moved to London, I have a new baby and I'm doing a three month tour," he says. "I've been working for eight years with no holidays. I've had a great time, but it's been non-stop, so I'm letting myself not write."

So, does fatherhood mean there'll be a few baby jokes creeping into the material?

"There's nothing worse than seeing a cutting edge comedian going on about their baby," he smiles.

www.timminchin.com

Interview by Dave Freak for What's On magazine, February 2007. No reproduciton without prior permission.

Return to top

Tim Minchin