Rosie Waterland has had an interesting life – to say the very least.
Luckily, the world of stand-up comedy exists, so Rosie has found a way to showcase her trademark honesty and compelling storytelling with attitude and sarcasm.
Rosie was born while her parents were on the run from drug dealers, and that's just the beginning. Having to essentially figure out how to grow up without parents to assist isn't an easy task, but it all worked out for Rosie.
Here, she tells us a bit about her show 'Kid Chameleon', currently playing around the country.
What kinds of stories can we expect from you in this show?
'Kid Chameleon' is what I had to be when I was little. Drug addict parents who pass out in public all the time means you learn to adapt pretty quickly. But once you're an adult and you don't have to do that anymore, where does a childhood like that leave you? All my stories in this show are about the kind of adult you become when you never really had anyone teach you how to be a functioning adult. I realised at one point I knew how to hide car keys from a drunk person, but not how to go to the post office. Figuring all that regular stuff out has been endlessly bewildering and hilarious to me.
Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for kids growing up in a similar environment you did (having to constantly shape-shift and adapt)?
Never forget that one day you'll be in charge. When you're young and stuck with crappy parents and have no control over anything, everything can feel a bit hopeless and unfair. But one day you'll grow up, you'll get out, and things will be better. I was born to a schizophrenic dad and bipolar mum while they were on the run from drug dealers, and now I make people laugh for a living. So trust me when I say, there are better things on the horizon.
Do you have a method when it comes to preparing and putting together a new show?
I have a never-ending stream of notes in my phone of thoughts and ideas and jokes that I add to daily. But mostly, I just love to tell stories, so usually I think of one main story I want to tell, and sit down to put it all together. Then there's a lot of crying and drinking and slamming my laptop shut and thinking I'm a terrible writer and at some point, a show appears.
If you weren't performing stand-up shows right now as a career, what would you be doing?
I'm lucky to do a lot besides stand-up. I write books for a living, I have a weekly podcast called 'Just The Gist', and I'm developing a TV show at the moment. I've somehow managed to leverage the skill of writing a good fart joke into a career that pays the bills.
Why do you do what you do?
Well, after three years at drama school getting an acting degree and three years at Uni getting a creative writing degree, I was basically only qualified to be a waitress, so. . . I guess I do it because I can't really do much else!
And what do you think is the biggest misconception about comedians?
That they all stand up. Who can be bothered standing up for an hour? I sit down. I'm a sit-down comedian.
Rosie Waterland Tour Dates
21 March – The Tivoli (Brisbane Comedy Festival)17-18 April – The Comic's Lounge (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)
1 May – State Theatre Centre (Perth Comedy Festival)
8 May – Factory Theatre (Sydney Comedy Festival)
