Not A Regular John

"It's very new. It's fresh, different and refreshing. It's bewildering. It's just a new thing. You're certainly in for a treat. Anything can happen, it's just a weird and broad thing that's enjoyable for everyone.” John Conway isn't a man to mince words yet it's hard to pin his new show down. His confidence in The New Conway Tonight Show, which is featured at the Sydney Fringe Festival this September, is infectious. It's hard not to be intrigued in the act. His past shows have been described in broad and congratulatory words like 'eclectic' and 'irreverent'. It's certainly something that needs to be seen.

After being nominated for a Barry Award this year, Conway has found himself facing the sterner side of being a 29-year-old comic. “It's a lot easier when you're 20 than when you're 29. I feel a bit more like it's crunch time, because you have a different mentality when you're 23. You can quit uni, travel and be rebellious. This is a difficult lifestyle. You're travelling a lot and money's injected into your bank account as opposed to a salary. So many of my friends have jobs. Proper jobs.”

Yet when you have your eye on the talk show format, it's persistence and innovation that will see you through. Giving the audience something unique is paramount and Conway has no qualms about claiming to be different. But he's altered his act to accommodate those who might be put off by pure nonsensical irreverence: “I've put myself into a tonight show format, because it makes more sense.The old shows I used to do, were great but not for everyone. They were pretty random and fucking weird. So I've put it in the format of a tonight show which gives it legitimacy and anchors it down. It makes it a lot more accessible for the audience.”

While Conway made the jump from his early days of Perth's comedy scene to the bright lights of Edinburgh and London, he still finds the Australian circuit to be the place for alternative comics.

“The Factory Fringe is really awesome. They're really pushing alternative comedy. That's the place to be, the forefront of Australian comedy.” Conway will have guests for his Sydney show (while we can't talk about them, he assures me they're “very, very famous though”) and an act comprising improvisational oddity. While hard to get your head around, Conway certainly has a way with words that makes the experience seem appealing.

“I don't offend, I'll generally be joking about fuckin' muffins. Though that's not to say I'm not making a point. It can be rude, but there's a lot of stupid characters. I just really like anarchy. Unplanned, live stuff is just the best, because every show is different. It's going to be... NEW. New Conway.”