Culture Writer Sammy Hadley interviews comedian Michelle Brasier about her first UK tour show, enjoying British culture, and her comedic influences
Australian comedian Michelle Brasier is currently touring her first ever UK show, Reform. Culture Writer Sammy Hadley chats with Michelle about her experience in the UK so far and the real-life scam story that inspired her show.
How have you found touring the UK so far? Do you prefer touring in Australia or overseas?
I’m loving seeing all these new cities. I didn’t realise I had so many lovely fans in so many different places. Every night I am shocked at the amount of people who come along and line up after [the show] to say hello. It feels very surreal. I don’t love living out of a suitcase and I miss my dog a lot, but I do like coming back to the hotel and indulging in the local culture (watching Naked Attraction).
I wanted to know if he was going through a really difficult time or if he was just a really bad scammer. Turns out it was a bit of both
Can you tell us more about the scammer you befriended, which formed the inspiration for your UK tour? What was it like writing about this experience?
During the [COVID-19] lockdown, I got scammed on Facebook Marketplace by this guy who used his real Facebook profile. I obviously wanted my money back, but I was also really interested in how a person gets to the point in their life where they would be so desperate as to use their own real profile. I could see where he worked, his friends and family. I thought that was so fascinating and I wanted to know if he was going through a really difficult time or if he was just a really bad scammer. Turns out it was a bit of both.
As for writing about the experience, it’s second nature for me to write about what’s going on in my life. It’s how I’ve always been.
It’s second nature for me to write about what’s going on in my life
In your Instagram bio, you describe yourself as: ‘Comedian singer writer, that girl from Aunty Donna.’ Which of these labels do you resonate with the most? And how would you describe yourself outside of these labels?
Outside of those labels, I describe myself as a dog person. In an alternate universe, I’d be a philosopher with six to ten rescue dogs.
Have you faced any challenges being a female comedian in a comedic landscape that often marginalises women as the butt of the joke? Or have you been able to collaborate and thrive with other female comedians?
I don’t think this is reflective of the comedy scene anymore, at least not in Melbourne where I live. Most of my workmates are women or queer men. The straight men I work with are great and they don’t make jokes like that, due to it not being 1996.
Doing sketch is really different from a one-hour narrative
How has working with other comedians like Aunty Donna influenced the writing process and content of your solo material?
Not really. My solo hours are very different from the work I do with Aunty Donna or on TV because it’s a totally different style. I think you’re always a product of who you work with the most because that’s where you form your habits, but doing sketch is really different from a one-hour narrative. I think that my [one-hour shows] are probably more influenced by [the] gig theatre I’ve seen and comics like Mike Birbiglia.
(You can book tickets to see Michelle Brasier on tour here.)
Enjoyed this? Read more from Redbrick Culture here!
Comments