Here’s the funny thing about a comedy festival: when you leave it all on the stage twenty-plus nights in a row, the jokes tend to wear thin after a while – just ask UK stand-up sensation Luisa Omielan. “I felt exhausted by the end of it,” she admits of her first Melbourne International Comedy Festival. “A lot of that was to do with [the fact that] I’m not good with new places and moving and change, it really freaks me out.”
Omielan specifically recalls the challenges she faced in playing to an entirely new audience. Though she ultimately scored herself a Barry Award nomination for her show, What Would Beyoncé?! – a critically acclaimed smash-hit abroad – Melbourne’s audiences were initially guarded. “The whole thing was a culture shock for me, especially coming from the UK and having such receptive audiences there, it was a different ball game.”
And now, Omielan has returned to Melbourne, hoping for a comprehensively positive experience this time around. She’s already on track: when Omielan broadcasted her quest for breakfast via Periscope, her fans quickly responded, following her journey and pitching in with suggestions. “I think that’s at the heart of why I already feel better this year,” begins Omielan, “because even that little video where my fans were telling me where to go and where to go and eat, it immediately makes me feel less isolated. You go, ‘I’m not on my own in a foreign country, I’ve got people that know me, that know that I’m here, that are telling their friends that I’m on.’ It’s a complete turnaround from last year when nobody knew me and I was starting from scratch. It made me feel more at home, just having their comments.”
Omielan is currently gearing up for a huge season of Am I Right Ladies?!, her follow-up show that’s sure to entice old fans and new fans alike. “It’s kind of a manifesto of where I’m at in my life. I talk about body image, mental health, career choices, I talk about being single as opposed to being in a relationship and just pursuing a lifestyle that I want to maintain,” she explains. “It’s like part two of Beyoncé – a more grown-up-woman version of what happened next, after Beyoncé. It’s a manifesto of being a 21st century woman, I guess.”
Omielan has a specific vision for the show and hopes that she can give something special to her audiences. “I just hope that they come with an open mind and a willingness to lose themselves. It’s a party show and it’s specially for them. It’s there for them to enjoy and leave feeling empowered and excited and ready to take on the world. I just hope that translates.”
Incidentally, Omielan backs herself in more than ever. “Beyoncé gave me confidence to tackle topics,” she reveals. “You go, ‘I know my audience now, I know who I’m talking to and I know they’ll love this.’ It’s much easier to write a show. Playing around, I was more confident because I had Beyoncé behind me.”
Omielan has every reason to be confident, too: the success of What Would Beyoncé Do?! continues to ripple, the UK comic laying claim to not only a book deal, but a TV pilot. “It’s a bit of a mash-up of sitcom slash stand-up slash reality show,” she reveals. “It’s just a pilot… it’s up to the channel to decide whether or not they want to make it into a TV series. So I have to wait to see if I got it. Fingers crossed!”
By Nick Mason
Venue: Victoria Hotel – Banquet Room, 215 Lt Collins St, CBD
Dates: March 24 – April 17 (except Mondays)
Times: 9.45pm (Sundays 8.45pm)
Tickets: $20 – $32
