Comedy Comes Naturally To Aborigi-LOL Funnyman Dane Simpson

Comedy historians (if they actually existed) might tell you modern day stand-up evolved from the corny, vamping shtick of vaudevillian MCs, but you could easily make the case that the first stand-up comics were first Australians. The Indigenous culture of this ancient land is a spoken tradition, with stories, songs and histories passed, generation to generation, by word of mouth. Much of this lore is spiritually rich, majestic and inspiring, but humour and tall tales have long been a cherished part of Aboriginal life. It's a heritage comedian Dane Simpson knows all about. As one-half of Indigenous comedy duo, Aborigi-LOL, alongside Matt Ford, Simpson calls on his cultural background in his stand-up, to give "a fresh take on walking in two worlds". As he points out: "Our show has been 60,000 years in the making."

Taking to the stage can be a nerve-wracking experience, even for a seasoned comic, but Simpson has never been daunted by playing to a crowd. For the Wagga Wagga-based funnyman, becoming a stand-up comedian just came naturally. "I love having a good laugh. I love to spin a good yarn, whether it's at home, out at dinner with mates or even just down the local pub. I just carry those stories that I've always told over to an audience," he explains. "Even if I wasn't a comedian, I'd still be spinning a yarn."

"I might be disowned by my mob and have to dodge my mum's thong when they hear some of my stories."

As well as the significance of storytelling, family and community is also a vital part of Indigenous culture. While this may give Ford and Simpson a ready-made hype squad, it can also be a potential pitfall, Simpson says. "The big challenge when writing jokes is not pissing off the family," he laughs. "I might be disowned by my mob and have to dodge my mum's thong when they hear some of my stories." Simpson's mum isn't the only family member he's copped some flack from: "I was heckled by my dad at a gig last year. I was telling the audience a story about him and he was in the crowd and yelled out, 'Oi! Don't tell people this story!'" I let everyone know the guy yelling out was actually my dad and the audience cracked up and gave him a round of applause. My dad stood up and waved like he was some kind of celeb."

Fortunately, it's not just Simpson's folks audiences have been applauding. In 2015, Simpson took out the top state prize at the Deadly Funny NSW finals. After a sell-out season at 2016's Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Aborigi-LOL boys joined the ranks of the Aboriginal Comedy Allstars for a nationwide tour, visiting every state and territory in the country - accept poor ol' Tassie ("Next time, Tasmania. Next Time," Simpson jokes). Now returning for a second consecutive season at MICF with 100% Aussie Laughs, Simpson and Ford are hoping to replicate the success of last year's shows.

His innate storytelling skills are a vital ingredient of Simpson's stand-up, but his loud, proud, "dad joke" patter has a found an unlikely kinship with Ford's dryer, more cynical tone. The surprisingly harmonious dynamic between the pair's very different styles has proven a rock-solid foundation for their show, but there's also an energising atmosphere at festival time that adds an important injection of adrenaline to their gigs, Simpson says. "It's the vibe of the thing, your honour! I love having a laugh and making people laugh, so I'm in my element," he shares. "It's the vibe, it's Mabo, it's justice, it's law, it's the vibe and, erm, no that's it: it's the vibe. I rest my case."

Aborigi-LOL presents 100% Aussie Laughs, 11 — 23 Apr, at Malthouse Theatre, part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.