After working in TV, radio and theatre, comedian Justin Hamilton has returned to the comedy circuit with '...And Hammo Was His Name-O!'.
The show is filled with Hammo's manic energy as he shares new thoughts, new takes and new ideas. He might be a little older and a little greyer, but he's still as funny as ever.
Here, Justin talks to us about comedy in general and spills some details on his new show, which is accidentally topical and an observation on the modern world.
You're rekindling your love of stand-up! What are you looking forward to about this new show?
After working in TV and radio for the past few years, I love the freedom that comes with stand-up, especially the part where I don't have to explain to an executive in an ill-fitting suit why a joke is funny. Also my audiences are smart and comedy savvy, so they keep me on my toes and inspire me to find new ways to entertain them.
Stand-up was your 'first love'. What drew you to it?
The immediacy of having an idea and then putting it out there on the stage that night. Also the different genres within stand-up: joke telling, storytelling, surreality, it can be anything you want it to be.
For those who might be unfamiliar with your work, tell us a bit about how you formulate a stand-up show and where the material comes from.
The process changes every year but of late I have an idea, and then adlib the routine trying to find a natural rhythm. Then I write down bullet points for the routine, so I have a blueprint on which beats I have to hit. Then around that I leave room for improvising. As for where material comes from, it can come from anywhere but this year does appear to have a loose theme of frustration dealing with the modern world. It's accidentally topical!
You won Best Comedy at last year's Adelaide Fringe. What does it mean to you to receive recognition in this way?
It was a really nice surprise because the shows were not only out of my comfort zone but the lead up behind the scenes was fraught with myriad frustrations, so to actually get them ready and performed felt like a win already. To receive the award, especially from the Fringe Festival that I grew up with, was a nice touch. Mum called me late in Sydney on a Sunday night so I first thought someone in the family was dead, so double points for not being a deceased relative.
You've done a bit of writing and starring in plays. What do you enjoy about the theatre outside of the world of stand-up?
I love all types of storytelling and I find the 'John Tilt Animus' plays I've produced give me an opportunity to play around with form and content. I love ambiguity in a show so they allow me to tell stories that could mean different things to different people. I love having someone tell me something about my own work that I didn't see at first.
What is the biggest misconception about comedians?
That we're always self-centred, especially during a festival. When you think about it, every comedian at some point had an idea, worked on it, registered their show, produced aspects of it, (if you're self-produced you did all of the work), then you perform under your real name and have to deal with all types of reviews and audiences while potentially taking a financial hit. It can wear a comic down so when they're not at their best as people, I think it is good to remember what each comic is putting on the line. That doesn't give them permission to be assholes, but it does explain why they're considered centred on themselves. Having said that, a big shout out to all the partners and managers/agents that have to put up with us. I know I have been annoying once or twice. . . Or even more than that. . . Yeah, more than that.
In a few words, what can audiences expect from '...And Hammo Was His Name-O!'?
100 per cent this guy talking stuff.
