|
Ahead of her new one-woman show, our grand Dame of comedy Julia Morris chats with Garrett Bithell about sing-songs, reality TV and nipple clamps.
“I put clamps on the ends of my boobs when I’m singing and the pain tends to override any of the nerves or the giggle factor. Nipple clamps – there’s a great Mardi Gras tip for you!”
So says Julia Morris, who was snapped up for Channel 7’s singing spectacular It Takes Two after she returned to Australia from an eight-year hiatus in the UK.
At the time she expressed concern about ‘not being serious enough for some of the musical styles’. But nipple clamps, it seems, solved that problem.
“It’s just hilarious – hilarious on any level you can think of,” Julia tells SX of her time on the show. “It’s been lots of laughs because it’s so strange and not really a signature move of mine – getting out and having a few sing-songs!”
Her partner on the show, famed opera singer David Hobson, has been her rock. “He’s magnificent. He’s just a generous, beautiful, thoughtful, heavenly man. I couldn’t think of anyone more delicious to be spending my time with.
“I was initially slightly concerned because you never really know with reality TV. I assume every single person thinks they’re pretty unreal – but that could really be in your own private time. You’ve got absolutely no control over how you’re perceived. My friend always says ‘try not to leak your bad stuff’, so hopefully I haven’t been leaking!”
At press time, Julia was still in the running to take home the It Takes Two gong. “That would be exciting,” she muses.
“Initially I was like ‘let’s just try and get as many weeks’ wages as we can’! But as we get to the ‘pointy end’, of course I want to win. There are others on the show who would benefit more from winning – I’m on a pretty exciting trajectory anyway. So whatever happens will be just sensational!”
Aussie audiences will know Julia from such shows as The Singing Office, Full Frontal, In Melbourne Tonight and Beauty and the Beast. She has also had guest spots on nearly every comedy-based show from Rove to Thank God You’re Here and Spicks and Specks.
After supporting greats like Robin Williams and Richard Pryor, Julia assaulted the British comedy scene.
Performing a number of one-woman shows in London’s West End, she received the Edinburgh Festival’s coveted Herald Angel Award for Excellence in 2001, and went on to become Time Out’s Comedy Performer of the Year in 2004.
“It was fantastic,” Julia says of her time in the UK. “Eight magical years! In a town that is extremely difficult to stay financially afloat in, I had a really good time. But I was lucky – going over as an existing headliner as a standup meant that it was not terribly long before I was able to slip through the system.
“So rather than having to do two or three years of free gigs around venues, I managed to get some good work reasonably early on. But I certainly suffered – it was not a cruise!”
But becoming a mother to daughter Ruby necessitated a homecoming. “I think your priorities really change,” Julia says. “London is a ‘rock hard’ city – either for a single person or even a couple that loves getting out there. But if you’ve got to stay in your lounge room… Which is what happens when you’re in baby town.”
Lady Julia is primed to hit the Metro next month with her brand-new one-woman show, Shoosh Please!, as part of the Cracker Comedy Festival.
“It’s all about moments when I wish I had kept my mouth shut,” she laughs. “It should be more than an hour really! “I think I approach the stage now with lots more confidence. After 17 years of standup, there are very few audiences that could completely throw me.”
After the show wraps, it’s time for some quality time with Ruby. “She’s just in vintage form,” Julia says. “She’s just started the lovely talent where if you laugh hard enough with her, she’ll start laughing – brilliant! I love people who laugh and don’t get the joke – they’re among my favourite people. She’s so not a tough crowd!’
After It Takes Two, could a music release be in the pipeline? “Yes I’m sure there’d be people lining up to buy an album from old Lady J Mo – old Lady J Mo sings the hits!”
Julia Morris in Shoosh Please! – Metro Theatre on May 2. For tickets call Ticketek on 132 849 or visit ticketek.com.au . Alternatively call the Metro box office on 9550 3666.
 |
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
