WHEN people find out New Yorker Amy G is a comedian they often respond with “Oh so you’re a stand up?” and she replies “No, I’m a fall down”.
The physical comedians of yesteryear have mostly inspired her comedy style and she has studied the silent clowns.
“But I’m not silent because I have too much to say,” she said.
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READ NOW“Slapstick is what has always made me laugh and what gets me going in movies or even TV commercials, it’s that really silly humanity where despite all our best aspirations, we will never get beyond our bodies.
“Those limitations I find hilarious, so I like to play the precarious and awkward and all of that can be expressed musically or physically or verbally.”
Amy G was performing in La Soiree on the West End when asked by the producer if she would like to join sister show Club Swizzle, which is a highlight on this year’s Fringe World program.
“I’ve been working with this company for 11 years and I love the shows they put on,” she said.
“I couldn’t imagine this would be anything less than spectacular and so far it has been.
“I did the season last summer at Sydney Opera House, which was my entre to Swizzle.
“It happened right after the election so I have to say it was great to get out of the United States of America and escape to the other side of the world to this beautiful dive bar of personalities and skills.”
Club Swizzle is a sassy cabaret show with live music, singing, acrobats, aerial hoop and more.
Amy G plays a plucky roller skating cocktail waitress who wishes she could be on stage.
“But given a moment on the stage, she discovers it’s much more difficult to roller skate on a bar than she originally planned,” she said.
“I’m also a singer and do all kinds of physical, verbal, musical and improvisational comedy. I love to play with the audience, I love to play with myself and I love to play with the people in this wonderful cast.”
Artistic talent runs in Amy G’s family where her grandfather was in vaudeville and despite her parents both working in universities, her mother is a musician and father “quite a storyteller”.
“This is always what I wanted to do, even if I didn’t believe I could, but it was always what I imagined,” Amy G said.
“I suppose that sounds like a silly thing for a little kid to imagine but I just fell in love with The Muppet Show and Carol Burnett, Buster Keaton and Liza Minnelli and that’s sort of a distillation of who I’ve become.
“It’s very obvious when I name my sources because I’m pretty sure people can see that any time I hit the stage. It’s a little embarrassing and makes me question who I am myself; I’m in between those cracks.”
THE ESSENTIALS
What: Club Swizzle
Where: The Ice Cream Factory, 100 Roe St, Northbridge
When: January 25 to February 25
Tickets: www.fringeworld.com.au