“The looseness of it – the freeform nature of it – is what appeals to me,” Jupitus says. “That is always how the comedy evolves. It’s almost a sort of improvisational mess, that then starts to achieve density, and weight, and shape, and form. It’s just through doing it repeatedly. That’s what I’ve always liked, is that in these gigs, different thoughts will come to you because you’re a human being on stage and your mind is working.
“I did a show years and years ago about Star Wars that started out as a five-minute routine,” Jupitus recalls. “Just five minutes of gags about Star Wars, that within a month was a 20-minute set just about Star Wars. Within six months, it was a one hour show just about Star Wars. The last time I did it, after a UK tour, it was longer than the film Star Wars. I was doing a comedy routine that was longer than the film it was taking the piss out of. That to my mind, defines how I work. You’ve got to be constantly squeezing every idea and notion. Find the new in what you do.”
Describing his latest show Juplicity as “low energy chaos,” Jupitus will be heading to Melbourne this Comedy Festival season with a multitude of incredible stories from his life.
Maintaining that comedy comes from truth, Jupitus loves the thrill and freedom of the stage. Feeling his “performing brain” taking over while weaving a tale, he often finds himself shocked at what he’s capable of when locked into the ethereal mindscape of improvisation – but he finds his own surprise to be half the fun, too.
“I am personally willing to sacrifice myself for the entertainment of strangers,” Jupitus laughs. “There’s something I talk about in this bit that I’m going to be doing in Australia that I can’t believe I’m saying these words on stage in front of strangers. It’s a true story about my childhood, my mum, and something she told me that is so personal and harrowing, I find myself thinking, ‘Why are you saying this to these people? I’m sure they liked you’. The audience reaction is somewhere between open-mouthed silent horror and a whiplash, like when you get in a car shunt. I’m not going to spoil it by even telling you what it’s about. If you want to know my horrifying personal secret, then come and see me.”
By Jacob Colliver
Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, The Pavilion
Dates: Wednesday April 19 – Sunday April 23
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $46.90
