A stack of Queensland comedians are getting ready to do what they do best – comedy – at the first ever Sunshine Coast Comedy Festival!
Among these legends of laughs is Aboriginal comedian Steph Tisdell, bringing her show 'Black Out' to audiences. Steph has had her fair share of success, appearing at festivals around the country and on shows such as 'The Project', 'Hughesy We Have A Problem' and our very own webshow, The Blender.
We had a chat to Steph ahead of her show at Sunshine Coast Comedy Festival.
How does it feel to be involved in the first ever Sunshine Coast Comedy Festival?!
It's tres excitinnnggg!
What, in your opinion, makes a good stand-up act?
It's totally subjective, but to me, good stand-up is intelligent and catches you by surprise. That's the most important part of tension building – surprise! Surprise is about timing, understanding your audience's inherent biases/beliefs and knowing how to subvert these things.
Apart from entertaining your audience, do you have any other main goals/intentions when you step out on stage?
I want to challenge their thinking and invite them to open their minds while they're laughing.
What's the ideal reaction to your material?
Ooh, not sure! Maybe just an open heart being open to a message. And obviously also laughter!
You've had your fair share of praise and awards for your material. What's it like to be recognised like this?
It's overwhelming and strange, but it's incredibly exciting. I've always feared that maybe I wasn't actually any good and that it's all luck, but accolades actually help me to understand that it's a little more than that.
What have you been up to during COVID?
Writing, writing, writing!
We recently had you on our webshow, The Blender, where you introduced us to your parrot, Albie! How is he?!
Albie is being super naughty at the moment and has been incessantly biting me, if you'd like to know the truth!
What can audiences expect from 'Black Out' at Sunshine Coast Comedy Festival?
Biggest laughs! Laughter, community, an insight into Indigenous humour. 'Black Out' is something I'm so passionate about. It's about creating a space for black humour in the mainstream landscape. It's about inviting black communities to share in a space they've historically not being catered in, and asking mainstream audiences to get a taste of what Indigenous humour is. It hopefully is a small way to bring people together.
