*applause*
The bar’s open Bev, name your poison.
I'm partial to a Southern and Coke or five. On a hot day I don't mind a nice cold beer. A Pina Colada doesn't go astray if I'm cashed up.
Our shout, have one of each. You have worked in theatre, television, radio and stand-up, you have a recipe in the “Laughing Stock” cookbook and apparently you’re a pretty good dancer. Isn’t there something you can’t do?
This is a hard question, I'm not too fond of heights so bungee jumping is not on the list. Ball sports are out, and my modelling days are over.
You’ve just finished your tour of duty in The Solomon Islands, the first female comedian to entertain the troops. How did it all go?
Sounds ominous,entertaining the troops?..........It was an awesome experience, the AFP and the ADF guys and girls had been looking forward to the shows for months. They love anyone from the "outside" coming in. New fodder,fresh conversation.
The concerts at the base were exceptional. I took on an MC comedy role and introduced the other artists. The Screaming Jets headlined. During the day we trekked off either by jeep or helicopter to outposts where the guys were starving for a bit of "something different" to think about. The villagers watched on, and loved the mini-shows put on under trees or set up on makeshift stages.
They really loved to just have a chat about home back in Australia. I especially loved one on one joke-telling to the interested. The women on the tour stayed in demountable units, the guys roughed it in the tents. So being a chick has its advantages. There are quite a few female army and police and they appreciated a female perspective. Especially a naughty dirty little Bev show.
What were the gigs like? Were they very different from a gig in a pub back home?
Totally different at the out posts. The pub gig on the first night was just like home. The audience were hanging on every word, they didn't take the show for granted. The laughs were big and loud, like they needed a release. The shows at the villages and prison were hot hot hot! The army guys looked after us and kept us well hydrated and sunscreened. One day was 38 deg with 90% humidity, but we still managed to do a two hour show. Singing under a tree. Just looking at the faces in the crowd and how much they were enjoying it keeps you going and not fainting from exhaustion, which is what I felt like, deep on the inside.
You put on a brave, sometimes cringe-inducing but always hilarious performance in D-Cuppetry this year at The Melbourne International Comedy Festival. You were called in when original performer took a tumble and broke her ankle. How do you prepare for a role like that?
You basically take your top off and get on with it. Nah, we had a 2 week rehearsal with Terence O'Connell, choreography and many tech runs. I learnt the script in a short amount of time, once you have one show under your belt it stays in your head. Umbrella Revolution was a great space, but taking it to big theatres felt more like home. Every thing became grander and we had more space to play. I really enjoyed working with Emma Powell, she has a great stage craft and sensibility. We have a fairly big year planned next year with some theatre residencies around the country.
D-Cuppetry was surprisingly good, clean fun. Did you have as much fun on stage as we had in the audience?
It was exhilarating, I've always been an exhibitionist, so the show suited my innate desires. I love to shock, so seeing a room full of people gasping for air hit the spot. It is a good fun clean show, once you get over the nudity part you just kinda settle in and become entertained and educated, (I hope).
Tell the truth Bev, did you get your kit off on stage just to embarrass your teenage son?
Noooo, I'm beyond embarrassing him now. He came to the show and quite seriously enjoyed it. If he did complain, I just told him "Those tits put a steak dinner on the table". Someone asked him after the show if he was embarrassed and he just said "Nup, those boobs breastfed me for the first two years of my life and I'm very proud of them!"
You were also excellent in the ensemble piece Parental As Anything. How did that show come about?
Mick Meredith and I wanted to do a show with a parent theme. Wendy Little and Carolyn Chillura also approached me with a similar idea. I thought we may as well join forces and save costs. It was refreshing to work as an ensemble and not have to do everything yourself, split costs, ideas, workshop and perform together. The parents that saw the show sure did relate to it. The "babes in arms sessions" were a winner. I mean, when can you go out when you have a new bubba?
You appeared on the recently-boned The Catch-Up. Did Zoe Sheridan honestly not get Mick Meredith’s joke or was that all set up?
She honestly DID NOT get that joke. Which is cute and innocent. The joke was I have two kids 6 and 8 that's not their age that's their names. The kids next door are 3 and 7 and they're just odd.
Who are your comedy heroes?
Jenny Eclair, Bette Midler, Jane Turner, Gina Riley.
How do you think the world of stand-up comedy is different for men and women?
When you're in it you don't notice the difference. I've honestly not had a hard time getting along with the blokes. Pay scale can be different sometimes but not that often. I get a bit sick of, "Gee you're funny for a female comic." Actually it's best to not get me started on this topic. I work as much as any male comic on the circuit and I'm grateful for that.
Bev, Channel 7 has Daryl Somers making a pilot for a Saturday night variety show. Imagine Daryl has had a very unfortunate accident and you have been asked to step in. What sort of show would you put together and who would you have on?
I'd love to host a show that was a party, dinner type situation and didn't put celebs and guests in a normal interview situation, and let them let their hair down. A barbecue or playground, jumping castle, bathtub,anywhere but a table and chair type boring set up. I'd have comic friends on set and on stand by to do 5 at whim. Loads of surprises,like "This is Your Life" dredging up celebrities' long lost family and friends and a pass the parcel game.
What can we expect to see Bev Killick doing next?
Sydney early July; Brisbane late July; Broome in August; and a solo tour West OZ in September. With the possibility of peace keeping shows in the Middle East, Timor and Egypt. Austereo are looking at a radio demo at present and my management are casting a net for TV appearances. But if you want to find me I have a permanent booking at the local Trivia night at the Angel Tavern, every Tuesday (our team is called the Brainiacs).
Thanks for popping into The Ladies’ Lounge, can we tempt you back with a Pimms another day?
Sure as long as they are garnished with cucumber, orange and a good hour long dirty girly chat.
Check out Bev's myspace page here
