#144 The moment a groove becomes a rut
Wisdom. Humour. Bravery. Cringe.
11 DECEMBER 2024
Hello, friends.
Another week of us collectively careening through time and space. Hope it’s going ok?
Last week, I had a rather lovely duo show with Audra Goffeney called The Contrarians where I got to be two of the most heinous characters I’ve played on stage for a good long while. It made me realise how often I default to playing morally-upstanding people. Turns out, it’s great to be a little wicked with a scene partner you trust.
Always useful to identify our go-tos and be alert for the moment a groove becomes a rut.
Rule of three
[Podcast] Yes, Also
I’ve only just discovered this podcast where Suzi Barrett interviews the great and the good of improv. I find it endlessly inspiring, wise and instructive. If you’re not taking classes at the moment, and want to keep learning for free, this is a great crash course, particularly in Chicago-style longform - the craft and history both. Cheers to the improv titan that is Chris McNally for the recommendation.
[Performer] Lisa Gilroy
Gilroy plays a broadly non-comedic role on the (previously-recommended) Disney+ series Interior Chinatown. But she’s an EXTREMELY funny performer and here are some sketches to prove it.
What I wish my therapist would say
Courtroom artist
Barby’s dream house
[Comic] We Called Them Giants
When writer Kieron Gillen was in lockdown, he started thinking about how weird it was that humans and household-pets live together, share each others’ lives and yet are categorically alien intelligences to each other. We don’t experience the world the same way, nor share a language. This extended musing became We Called Them Giants - a one-shot graphic novel about the nature of communion, love and fellowship. Stephanie Hans’ artwork is absolutely knock out too.
Longform thoughts
Joy is not cool. It’s too wide-eyed and open-hearted. When you wear your emotions on your sleeve, you’re a target. It’s so much easier to tear something down than build it up (test this out for yourself on some curtains).
Comedy is for the loser. Find out why in my defence of cringe.
Radio contact
Paws four thought.