Profile

Answered by: Matt Byrne

Briefly describe your show. Chunderbelly is a fast, frenetic four-person comedy which follows the Moron crime family of Birkenhead: Mother Judy, longtime squeeze Slippery, and twin sons Snarl and Joey who are trying to make crime pay. When Fuxtel decide to feature them in an episode of Australia’s Most Unwanted, all hell breaks loose! See four actors play 40 characters as the Morons take on rival gangs, the Gelatos, Sons Of Panicky and the Sensible Shoe-sans. You’ll split your sides while they spill their guts! It’s a hoot!

What makes your show different? We have four actors playing more than 40 characters. We don’t change costume, just character in the blink of an eye. Plus it’s a two-hour show with interval in a working wine bar so you get plenty of atmosphere and bang for your buck!

Briefly describe the development process of your show? Tell us a bit about your creative team, too. I select the cast and write a new comedy every year about a social group or profession, and work with the cast on developing the script as we rehearse so they get to help shape the show. It’s a group effort and it’s a lot of fun and the shows can vary from night to night as we love audience interaction.

Why did you decide to do Fringe 2015? And have you been involved in previous/interstate Fringe festivals and how was the experience? Last March I decided the 2015 topic would be Chunderbelly. I’ve been doing my shows at Maxim’s Wine Bar since 1998 and we’ve gathered a following for the broad brand of humour these shows unleash. I’ve taken some of the shows to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (Bouncers, Shakers, Barrackers and WAGS) and the Edinburgh Fringe (Over The Hill and Caddyshack And Other Dangerfields). Melbourne can be tough but you learn fast and Edinburgh is a massive event where you just try and keep your head up long enough to find an audience.

What makes a good Fringe show? What do you personally look for from the perspective of an audience member? I think Fringe shows should be original, fearless, fun, topical, edgy, take risks and include the crowd, never put them down. I want to be involved and get behind every show I see. Target the funny bone but don’t forget the brain, remember the punter is putting their hard-earned cash on the line, we all want a great night out, never take your audience for granted.

What do you love about Fringe Festival besides all the shows? Fringe time sees Adelaide let its hair and inhibitions down as the city welcomes international and national talent and recognises local artists. People just love going out, so you meet and make plenty of friends. Maxim’s Wine Bar is a great place to hang out after the show, but I enjoy The Parade, The Garden, Holden Street Theatres, The Bakehouse and I look forward to spending a bit more time in Victoria Square at the expanded Royal Croquet Club.

And for a fun random one, in a fantasy world who would you be the love child of? Rodney Dangerfield and Mother Theresa - for a good laugh!