Hey y’all, it’s been a while!
Bit of a newsy one this time.
July was very busy with theatre and comedy. Son was working as crew on Avenue Q for the month and so needed the mum/dad taxi service, meanwhile I was gigging every weekend for the OOTS Comedy Galahs around town.
That itself was a wonderful experience. We’d turn up and there would be 19 other comics all ready to go on and do their bit. I don’t know what the comedy scene is like in other cities, but in Adelaide we’re blessed to have a great one. The comics are all friendly and supportive of each other and take a real pleasure in seeing each other succeed with audiences. It fair warmed the cockles of my heart.
Also, one of the greatest pleasures was to see almost all of the female comics there too. We weren’t a token one or two on the bill, neither were we the total lineup which can also be tokenistic if you’re not careful. We were all just part of it, and great fun it was.
I congratulated the producer (and comic/David Tennant lookalike) Mark Trenwith on his great gender mix lineup and like the lovely guy he is he was genuinely dumbfounded. “I just hire people because they’re funny,” he said. Love that guy!
In other news, the Three Stuffed Mums have embarked on a project to compile a book of funny mum stories ‘from the trenches’. We’re asking mums to write in with their story that might not have seemed funny at the time, but you decided to keep it for their 21st, to be included in the Mum Book. The scheme was originated and masterminded by our more business-minded mum Kate, so if you’re interested, log on to www.themumbook.com.au and tell us your story.
My exciting news on a more personal level is that Fringe registrations opened this week for the Adelaide Fringe 2012. So, in the interests of crossing another thing off my ‘Bucket List’, I’m embarking at 50 years of age on my first solo Fringe show! It’s called “Sold!” and it will be a mixture of stories, songs and comedy.
Just this week I’ve received from my Musical Director Extraordinaire, Le Monsieur Mike Pitman, the backing tracks and scoring of two of the songs wot I wrote. They sound great, and now all I have to do is rack my singing voice up a notch or three to match the great quality of the arrangements.
The concept of “Sold!” is around those things we get sold on – whether its ideas, things, people. We have to be sold on them in order to justify our investment in them with our time, energy and loyalty. Sometimes we get swindled, but sometimes it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to us. How do you get ‘Sold!’ on something? Tell me by going to the Facebook page for the show - Just click the badge to the right of this blog entry or search for me on Facebook under ‘Maggie Wood – Sold’. Oh and please click 'Like' on the page if you'd like to be kept up to date with my progress with the show.
And that’s probably me for this epistle. The weekend lies ahead as open as the prairies of Oregon (if they still have prairies there), for R&R and general navel gazing before the work week kicks off again on Monday.
To all of you out there, have a lovely weekend and a great week, and remember to look after each other. We’re all we’ve got!
M :o)
Showing posts with label Adelaide Fringe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adelaide Fringe. Show all posts
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Let's Enjoy Ourselves!
Just a short update: we're three quarters of the way through the Fringe. There's a show tonight (Saturday) and then Tuesday through Saturday again.
However we look at it, this Fringe has been a huge success for the Three Stuffed Mums. There have been great houses, fantastic audiences and lovely reviews. Even with a week to go we have post-Fringe bookings, some awesome plans in the pipeline and a bundle of songs and sketches awaiting development for the full stage show.
I've been having Thursdays and Fridays off during Fringe to accommodate energy levels and it's worked well. It's been a good balance, with the normal Monday to Wednesday workdays grounding me and stopping me flying off into Fringeland entirely. It pays to remember that Fringe isn't the real world and it's as transient as any of the Tivoli Garden setups in the parklands. It's beautiful and enchanting when it's there, but it's not there for ever. And if you've seen our show, you'll know the Mums are all about keeping it real.
The one thing about the show that has surprised us and blown us away is the sheer joy of it.
We knew we were having fun putting it together, but we didn't bank on it being this much fun night after night. We also didn't bank on the sheer joy of our audiences and the great energy they are feeding back to us.
When we talk to them after the show they say things like 'I'm glad it wasn't just me thinking that', and to hear them talking about how it feels better to just be human and flawed, that they feel happier in themselves because they know they're not alone in feeling how they do and how great it was to see their lives reflected back at them, well it makes your heart swell.
Its exactly what we've had underpinning the project all along - helping that connection set up and continue, to get us talking about parenthood with a laugh rather than a psychiatrist, and to know that none of us need to be alone on this journey through parenthood. I say 'parenthood' rather than 'motherhood' because some of the great feedback has been from the dads who were at first reluctant to come along. Yet,when they did they realised that it is just as applicable to their lives as it is to the mums'.
If you'd like to know more about what the Three Stuffed Mums are about go to www.threestuffedmums.com (silly blogspot won't let me link it!)
Ah, it turns out this hasn't been as short a blog as I thought it would be! So, heading into the final week of Fringe, lets all enjoy ourselves!
Happy Fringing!
However we look at it, this Fringe has been a huge success for the Three Stuffed Mums. There have been great houses, fantastic audiences and lovely reviews. Even with a week to go we have post-Fringe bookings, some awesome plans in the pipeline and a bundle of songs and sketches awaiting development for the full stage show.
I've been having Thursdays and Fridays off during Fringe to accommodate energy levels and it's worked well. It's been a good balance, with the normal Monday to Wednesday workdays grounding me and stopping me flying off into Fringeland entirely. It pays to remember that Fringe isn't the real world and it's as transient as any of the Tivoli Garden setups in the parklands. It's beautiful and enchanting when it's there, but it's not there for ever. And if you've seen our show, you'll know the Mums are all about keeping it real.
The one thing about the show that has surprised us and blown us away is the sheer joy of it.
We knew we were having fun putting it together, but we didn't bank on it being this much fun night after night. We also didn't bank on the sheer joy of our audiences and the great energy they are feeding back to us.
When we talk to them after the show they say things like 'I'm glad it wasn't just me thinking that', and to hear them talking about how it feels better to just be human and flawed, that they feel happier in themselves because they know they're not alone in feeling how they do and how great it was to see their lives reflected back at them, well it makes your heart swell.
Its exactly what we've had underpinning the project all along - helping that connection set up and continue, to get us talking about parenthood with a laugh rather than a psychiatrist, and to know that none of us need to be alone on this journey through parenthood. I say 'parenthood' rather than 'motherhood' because some of the great feedback has been from the dads who were at first reluctant to come along. Yet,when they did they realised that it is just as applicable to their lives as it is to the mums'.
If you'd like to know more about what the Three Stuffed Mums are about go to www.threestuffedmums.com (silly blogspot won't let me link it!)
Ah, it turns out this hasn't been as short a blog as I thought it would be! So, heading into the final week of Fringe, lets all enjoy ourselves!
Happy Fringing!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
I'm Stuffed Just Thinking About It!
Well, with two shows under our belt and the third due today, the Three Stuffed Mums have got into the swing of Fringe 2011.
Its been a busy week with lots of radio interviews, dress rehearsals and then opening night on Friday night. So far audience numbers and reactions have been great. Everyone's found something to relate to in the show - even young single males!
It finally feels that we've given birth (so to speak) to this vehicle where we can utilise our talents in a positive and progressive way, so onward and upward!
The comedy industry here in South Australia is so oriented towards young single men that previously womens' voices (of all ages) haven't had much of a forum. That's not a bad thing, its just how it was.
Now we're creating that forum for both ourselves and hopefully for other female comics to come forward. That's probably going to be one of the best parts of the Stuffed Mums project - to help and nurture new talent and give it a voice in the world.
We've already been booked to play the Ascot Theatre in Kadina in March, and with a Mother's day show in May and some interstate shows looming, its all looking rather good.
Internally, its an interesting time. I don't feel that big high that I used to get at times like these when I was younger. In its place is a very deep calm and contentment that, paradoxically, seems to anchor me to the flow of what's going on. Its not a new feeling, but its never been this strong before and I'm enjoying it very much.
Its a rainy, cool Sunday morning here in Adelaide. Between now and the 5.30pm twilight show there's washing and tidying to be done.
No.1 (step)son Andy is home from the Gulf - his ship got in this week so its time to claw back his room from the tide of office and exercise equipment to make it liveable once more as a bedroom.
Jeez. I'm stuffed just thinking about it!
Have a great week!
Its been a busy week with lots of radio interviews, dress rehearsals and then opening night on Friday night. So far audience numbers and reactions have been great. Everyone's found something to relate to in the show - even young single males!
It finally feels that we've given birth (so to speak) to this vehicle where we can utilise our talents in a positive and progressive way, so onward and upward!
The comedy industry here in South Australia is so oriented towards young single men that previously womens' voices (of all ages) haven't had much of a forum. That's not a bad thing, its just how it was.
Now we're creating that forum for both ourselves and hopefully for other female comics to come forward. That's probably going to be one of the best parts of the Stuffed Mums project - to help and nurture new talent and give it a voice in the world.
We've already been booked to play the Ascot Theatre in Kadina in March, and with a Mother's day show in May and some interstate shows looming, its all looking rather good.
Internally, its an interesting time. I don't feel that big high that I used to get at times like these when I was younger. In its place is a very deep calm and contentment that, paradoxically, seems to anchor me to the flow of what's going on. Its not a new feeling, but its never been this strong before and I'm enjoying it very much.
Its a rainy, cool Sunday morning here in Adelaide. Between now and the 5.30pm twilight show there's washing and tidying to be done.
No.1 (step)son Andy is home from the Gulf - his ship got in this week so its time to claw back his room from the tide of office and exercise equipment to make it liveable once more as a bedroom.
Jeez. I'm stuffed just thinking about it!
Have a great week!
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