If you reviewed your own show, how would you describe it?
I couldn’t possibly review my own show as I’d be too distracted by the eye candy. My ability to sincerely evaluate the jokes and narrative structure of the work would be too compromised by the raw animal magnetism emanating from the stage.
Tell me a little more about your show and what audiences can expect?
BE FUNNY CHALLENGE (IMPOSSIBLE) is about a joke scandal I was involved with last year which may or may not have involved me doing something that Nazis do with their arms (IN A COMEDIC FASHION). This show is my opportunity to explain what the hell happened and why – and what it tells us about this maddening political moment of war, rising fascism and the suppression of our freedoms to speak and dissent.
Also I have a PowerPoint with some funny pictures.
Where do you draw inspiration from for your work, both in terms of creation and performance?
I “draw inspiration from” (i.e. plagiarise) hundreds of comedians and other artists from the past and present, all the time. I think the best form of inspiration comes from seeing a show that reminds you that we really can do ANYTHING and we should probably STOP TAKING EVERYTHING SERIOUSLY because comedy and art is mainly about FINDING JOY and HAVING FUN. Seeing David O’Doherty, Sam Campbell or Josie Long in action is good for that.
What would you like audiences to take away from seeing you at the Fringe?
I’d like them to take away less of their money, because hopefully they will have left a decent chunk of it in my bucket because they’ve had such a nice time.
Do you tend to take inspiration from events happening in the world around you in terms of your work? Do you think artists have a responsibility to respond to what’s happening?
Yes, I’m primarily a political comedian these days. For whatever reason, writing jokes about the state of things is my sick way of processing the clusterf*ck of current events.
No, I don’t think comedians have a responsibility to respond to what’s happening in the news, mainly because I don’t think comedians should be responsible for anything, as we’re generally quite hopeless.
Having said that, when things are so terribly, terribly bad (climate crisis/rising fascism/genocide/Graham Linehan) and so many people and institutions are choosing to remain silent…I mean, a funny comment or two about the situation wouldn’t go astray, would it?
What do you do to relax in August?
Any time that I’m not doing my Fringe show or doing spots to promote my Fringe show or posting on social media to promote my Fringe show shall be spent sleeping, eating, and possibly a combination of the two.
Have you got your eye on any other shows that are part of the programme?
Heaps! I’ve booked tickets to see Ivo von Hove’s Angels in America at the Edinburgh Festival, because I’m a pretentious homosexual.
Comedy-wise, there are so many folks I’m keen to see: Milo Edwards, Alison Spittle, Lou Wall, Ting Lim, Harry Jun, and many more. I’ve already seen Felicity Ward’s show (brilliant) and Kate Denhert’s show ECHO is very, very, very good.
What’s next for you and how are you feeling about the future in general?
After the Fringe, I’ll be doing a run of my show in London, then I will return to Australia to start cooking up something EXTRAORDINARY (details pending).
I’m generally pro-future…though the more the present continues to disappoint, it does become increasingly difficult to believe it’s not going to be an absolute shambles. I guess we’ll see!
How can Edinburgh audiences keep up with you beyond the festival?
I’m @tomcballard on Insta, @TomBallardAus on YouTube and there’s always tomballard.com.au
Anything else?
I love you. Go Fringe. Please recycle. Free Palestine. Mind the Gap.
Tom Ballard: Be Funny Challenge (Impossible), Monkey Barrel Comedy (O’Neill’s, The Tron), until 30 Aug, 4.25pm