The observational, chaotic energy of Scout Boxall glides into Adelaide Fringe.
Scout's setting things to turbo mode, in a show entitled 'Turbo Lover'. Their unique blend of manic stand-up, song, sketch and storytelling has gotten them far – and by 'far' we mean some pretty impressive accolades like Melbourne Fringe's Best Emerging Artist in 2019, Best Comedy at Adelaide Fringe, and a nomination for The Moosehead Award at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, to name a few.
Scout made it to the National Finals of RAW Comedy within a couple of months of starting comedy, plus they attended the gruelling Ecole Philippe Gaulier, and have gigged over at Edinburgh Fringe.
Scout's returning to the Adelaide Fringe stage, and let's just say it's a place they're pretty familiar with.
Here, Scout lists five of their favourite experiences at the iconic festival that is Adelaide Fringe.
One
The Shipping Container Bug Massacre. Last year I was performing in Gluttony in an open-fronted shipping container during the heatwave. This year I have been elevated to a fully-enclosed tent (huge get!) but I will never forget the night that I was performing under hot lights for an hour in 35-degree heat. I had coated every exposed inch of skin in Aerogard and my incredible technician Taylor rigged backstage with three bug zappers. But when I finally went backstage and took off my dress, I found a small community of flying bugs had crawled down my back and died between my sweaty skin and the soaked fabric. Each night at this year's festival I will be holding a brief moment of silence for these brave invertebrate soldiers who died by my side.Two
The Fence Jumper. One of the great challenges of performing in Rymill Park is its proximity to the general public. One night, a man jumped the fence from the main road into the audience area of my show. He watched the action for a few seconds before being identified by security. I shouted out, "Run, bitch, run!" and the crowd turned around to see this barefoot bandit sprint across the grass and attempt to jump another two sets of fences into another show. I hope he's well and I'd encourage him to stick around next time for the whole show, on me.Three
The Alpha Male. The cross-section of punters I get at Adelaide Fringe is unlike anywhere else in the country. Last year some guy kept calling out during my show. I asked him if he wanted to fight me. He failed to detect the sarcasm and said yes before stumbling towards the stage. He was f...ing plastered. His eyes were going in different directions, bloodshot and rolling in their sockets. Panting and sweating, he genuinely squared up like a boxer. Taylor, my tech, looked terrified. I offered to arm wrestle him instead and managed to beat him fairly convincingly. I was the alpha now. As I forced his clammy hand into submission, he let out a kind of pained gurgle and slunk to the floor. Then he slithered off the stage, commando crawled back to his spot in the back row and stayed silent for the rest of the night. After the show, he came up and bought merch, hugged me for a couple of seconds too long and said, "I guess what I realised in that moment is that it's not all about me". I wonder whether he has carried this newfound self-awareness into life beyond the Fringe. 10/10 one of the strangest encounters I've ever had with a punter.Four
The Magician. Like many other performing artists, I thought magicians were weedy, pathetic hacks who had nothing to offer creatively in terms of performance. Then I got to see magic in person for the first time at last year's Fringe. I went to see Dom Chambers and I genuinely lost my mind with awe and wonder. He pulled a pint glass out of a paper bag and I yelped. He made cards disappear and reappear in his shoes and I gasped and clapped. It was like being a child again, it unlocked something pure and beautiful within me. I wasn't prepared for how truly cool magic is. I then went on a tear and ended up seeing another five magic shows in the next week. I don't want to know how the tricks are done. I just want to sit in blissful suspended disbelief.Five
The Final Cigarette. I delivered some of my favourite performances ever at last year's Fringe, but with the dizzying highs came the harrowing lows of bombing to a late-night comedy crowd in a sweaty big top tent. After suffering a gentle ego death on stage, I went to the hidden artist's bar in Gluttony and rolled what would be my final cigarette before quitting smoking. The night was thick and warm. Everyone was coming down from the night's performances, celebrating or commiserating over cheap champagne. I was in the beating heart of the festival, surrounded by circus performers and cabaret darlings and burly girls and sideshow carnies and comics and musos. It was a perfect gathering of the odd, the freakish, the queer and the financially insecure, all chasing the dragon of a good gig. Can't wait to feel that again.Scout Boxall plays The Bally at Gluttony – Rymill Park (Adelaide Fringe) 16-25 February.
